Vugraph operation

[mr1303]

I am operating the vugraph at the Young Chelsea knock-out this weekend. The last time I did this was about 5 years ago. I'm wondering what has changed since then. Anyone have any advice?

[nickf]

I think the only change in the past five years is an option NOT to display the first board when you load the table.

 

What this means is if the operator opens the table before all four players are seated, it was possible that a player wandering to his seat may catch a glance on the operators screen of the first board to be played. Now, in the data loading process you can nominate First Board blank and you have to REDEAL the first board once the players are seated and have pulled the cards for the first board.

 

Unlike other aspects of BBO, the VuGraph setup and and operations hasnt required much development.

 

nickf

sydney

[Walddk]

I am operating the vugraph at the Young Chelsea knock-out this weekend. The last time I did this was about 5 years ago. I'm wondering what has changed since then. Anyone have any advice?

http://online.bridgebase.com/doc/vugraphoperator/ is a useful link in case you have questions. Written by NickF and up-to-date although it's a few years old.

[mr1303]

Thanks all. I notice that we've got chat commentary this time round. Does this make any difference?

[Walddk]

Thanks all. I notice that we've got chat commentary this time round. Does this make any difference?

No difference to operators other than you must use a specific vugraph account in the open room. Brian McGuire knows which.

[mrdct]

Another change I can think of compared to five years ago is that GIB (formerly DF) analysis is disabled for vugraph operators; although it probably would've made more sense to disable it for commentators!

 

I also think there has been some development with the F9(?) features to amend the match details after a session has started without having to shut-down; but I don't think these feature are documented anywhere and are very much "handle with care".

 

The somewhat counter-intuitive "B" vs "O" designation remains, so remember to select "O" if two tables are being broadcast and "B" if you are only doing single table coverage.

 

Number one on my development wishlist is semi-automatic commentator assignment where people interested/available to commentate can register in a similar way to how one registers to be a substitute in a tournament and then the operator can click a button to generate some commentator invitations if his table is short. Enhanced functionality would be to have "pre-approved" commentators who, if online and not playing, automatically go into the pool to receive invites and you could even allow the operator to set some parameters such as "stars" or "country=X" to cast the net a bit wider. Individuals not interested in commentating should have the option to automatically ignore commentator requests though.

[Walddk]

Dave wrote: The somewhat counter-intuitive "B" vs "O" designation remains, so remember to select "O" if two tables are being broadcast and "B" if you are only doing single table coverage.

 

I can understand the logic from Fred's point of view when he wrote the programme.

 

O = I am in charge of the Open room, so I open an O broadcast (two table broadcast).

B = I am in charge of Both rooms, so I open a B broadcast (single table broadcast).

 

Having said that, I must agree with Dave that it, 10 years on, still creates confusion among many operators. The wrong setup is seen virtually every week, but that is not Fred's fault, and likely not the fault of the operator either. All organisers have Nick Fahrer's manual, so it is their responsibility that the operators are instructed. It does not always happen, but that is beyond our control.

 

Roland

[JanM]

Dave wrote: The somewhat counter-intuitive "B" vs "O" designation remains, so remember to select "O" if two tables are being broadcast and "B" if you are only doing single table coverage.

 

I can understand the logic from Fred's point of view when he wrote the programme.

 

O = I am in charge of the Open room, so I open an O broadcast (two table broadcast).

B = I am in charge of Both rooms, so I open a B broadcast (single table broadcast).

 

Having said that, I must agree with Dave that it, 10 years on, still creates confusion among many operators. The wrong setup is seen virtually every week, but that is not Fred's fault, and likely not the fault of the operator either. All organisers have Nick Fahrer's manual, so it is their responsibility that the operators are instructed. It does not always happen, but that is beyond our control.

 

Roland

 

The problem isn't that the "B" and "O" and "C" designations are not clear, but that the default is "B." Probably when the program was first written, "B" was the most common way to do a Vugraph broadcast, but today, the most common thing is to show both tables of a match and to want them to be linked, so it would be better to have the default be "O."

 

Even very knowledgeable operators will sometimes forget to change the "B" to an "O" when they are starting a broadcast. Sometimes because they're rushed, sometimes because they have done this many times before and don't bother to read the instructions (my one page, taped on the table, instructions have "change the "B" to an "O" in bold), sometimes who knows why. That would cause fewer problems if the default was "O."

 

Sometimes, though, serendipity arrives. In the GNT in Toronto, I made two mistakes - first I listed the teams in the wrong order (who knows why; I certainly don't), then told the operator to "change the "B" to a "C" (ditto). Bingo - two wrongs made a right and the teams were listed correctly at the Vugraph tables. :D