Robots Playing with Sitout Pair in ACBL Clubs

[civil68]

I think that ACBL clubs owe BBO a debt of gratitude for “hosting” sitout tables as part of normal club games. I’ve tried a “beta” run-through in my own club and it works splendidly.

 

As a Director, though, I do have one suggestion for future software updates if possible. Selecting hands for play at sitout tables is somewhat labor intensive for the Director. I understand that uploaded LIN hands can automatically be dealt sequentially, but that only works if the robots are at Table 1. And seating the robots at Table 1 is impractical since a Director never knows how many tables they’ll actually have, Table 1 usually fills quickly with “real people,” and most clubs would want to place the sitout at their highest-numbered table.

 

If the robots begin at Table 7, as an example, three board rounds would place Boards 19-21 at that table for the first round. Using BBO, the Director must manually select Board 19 as the first, and then manually select each board to be uploaded thereafter.

 

As simple (?) fix would be for a Director to select hands uploaded to BBO beginning with Board “X” and inform BBO of the maximum board number “Y”. Hands could be displayed sequentially until Board “Y” is reached, after which BBO would revert to Board 1 and then continue in sequence.

 

It’s still a great system, but this suggestion would cut the amount of attention that the Director needs to spend on the robot table considerably.

[civil68]

I forgot to add that there is one fairly reasonable workaround using the software as is. At one point during ACBLScore setup you're asked whether Board 1 begins at Table 1. One of the choices is "Other." Choose that, have Board 1 begin at the sitout table, and be careful to specify the correct number for the E-W pair beginning at that table. Then you should be able to load the LIN file beginning with Board 1 and increasing sequentially. Haven't tried it yet, but the workaround seems bulletproof as long as your North-Souths get used to unusual board numbers for their starting set.

[LarryClub]

Could you instead just move the table cards making what was table 1 now table 2, etc., then your highest number table (i.e. sit out table) becomes table 1