Board-A-Match Teams

[redtop]

I realize that BBO has been running as fast as it can just to stay in place - but I'd really enjoy the ability to play BAM, whether ACBL sanctioned or not. Would others like to see that? Is this a small, medium, or large programming challenge?

[gordontd]

I realize that BBO has been running as fast as it can just to stay in place - but I'd really enjoy the ability to play BAM, whether ACBL sanctioned or not. Would others like to see that? Is this a small, medium, or large programming challenge?

It wouldn't be a major challenge to re-score a teams result as BAM in a spreadsheet.

[redtop]

At least in the USA, BAM is always played as "short" matches. Basically you play 2-3 boards against each opponent. So the idea is to create a BAM movement in the software.

 

BAM movements are done one of two ways. They can be played within the same section where all the NS pairs play all (or nearly all) the EW pairs, except of course their own teammates, or they can be played in separate sections where all the NS teams in one section are EW in the other.

 

It would be possible to have games like this scored at IMPs, which is something I've never seen attempted, but we have to walk before we run.

 

A little history that predates my bridge career. Go back to at least the 1970's, maybe earlier, and tournament team games were KO or BAM. BAM lost some popularity because it is not random enough and the same teams won all the time - remember this was also before the days of flighting or stratification. Someone, somewhere (The Bridge World?) developed the idea of Swiss Teams as short IMP matches and that quickly became the most popular form of teams.