[mrdct]

I was just wondering if the new BBO feature to monitor the time taken by each pair during vugraph had been deployed.

I caught a few boards earlier this morning and there didn't seem to be any clocks anywhere.

If and when it does get deployed, I sincerely hope the information is made available to the vugraph audience as it could provide very interesting and useful data for bridge administrators the world-over who are dealing with the cancer of slow play. It will also provide another topic of discussion for commentators!

I assume chess matches broadcast on the internet or in live auditoriums include the clock.

[lalislol]

Rofl as I envision tiny clocks ticking away over the nameplate of each player. (Sorry about that )

ALL serious chess matches utilize clocks...thank god. In the dim past before clocks, a match could take days...an unscrupulous player, in trouble, could use 'sitzfleisch' to psyche/annoy his opponent. Playing 'by the clock' takes some experience, however...a GM learns to save time during the easy stages (eg in highly-analyzed openings) to use when he most needs it (eg complex mid-game calculations)...don't know how this would relate to bridge.

This is the first I've been made aware that BBO is considering using clocks. Will this monitoring be only to add interest?...or are penalties to be inflicted?...and by whom? Sounds like a good idea to me...I think. But consider, some people simply cannot work under pressure (of tiny clocks hanging over their heads ) And this might lead to more partnership problems...I can see myself saying 'Play the damn ace!, tempus fidgets'...followed quickly by a DIRECTOR call from opps.

All in all, it's an interesting concept...I look forward to it unfurling...or unraveling.

[mrdct]

It was initially reported by Jan Martel in the recent thread "Unauthorised Information During Vugraph" (Link):

JanM, on Jul 25 2006, 11:24 AM, said:

Fred has generously agreed to program the Vugraph software to keep track of the time taken by each player, so we will not be relying on anyone's recollections. And this will be only one piece of information, which will be combined (for those pairs where there's a problem) with a monitor in the room.

It obviously wont be the be all and end all in terms of identifying time wasters, but if operators have silent clickers and enter bids and plays more or less in the same tempo as the table it should provide some pretty interesting evidence.

It will also make it difficult for the following gamesmanship technique that I have personally observed when vugraph operating at a World Championship. Basically, for the first half of the match one pair plays extremely slowly and gets the table into time trouble, a monitor gets assigned to the table with 5 boards and 20 minutes to go and then the slow pair all of a sudden starts playing at speedball pace. Two possible outcomes occur: 1. the pair that has been suffering the slow opponents for 15 boards speeds up and makes a few mistakes, thereby throwing away 20 imps or so; or 2. the innocent pair continues to play at a normal pace and then get a slow fine due to the perception of the monitor that they were the "slow" pair.

[3for3]

The chess clock won't work at bridge.

Here are some reasons why.

Who do you charge the time to when opponents play complex methods that require detailed explanations?

It gives declarer incentive to play easy claim hands out.

The hands do not always lend themselves to both pairs needing similar amounts of time.

There are surely more, these are just off the top of my head...

Danny

[mrdct]

3for3, on Sep 16 2006, 09:14 AM, said:

The chess clock won't work at bridge.

Here are some reasons why.
Danny

Who do you charge the time to when opponents play complex methods that require detailed explanations?

Explanations rarely take a material amount of time, particularly when properly completed system cards are made available and pairs have done some preparation with regards to complex methods. Notwithstanding that, the "chess-clock" would only be a guide to directors/appeals commitees as to slow play penalties and I'm sure they would take complexity of systems into account.

It gives declarer incentive to play easy claim hands out.

But declarer would be doing so in contravention of the ethics of the game and would place himeslef at risk of being accused of time-wasting. Bear in mind that the "chess-clock" will only be on vugraph matches so if a person engages in this practice there will be lots of people watching.

The hands do not always lend themselves to both pairs needing similar amounts of time.

They will in the long run.

[Gerben42]

Quote

Who do you charge the time to when opponents play complex methods that require detailed explanations?

No one / both. Only the THINKING time should be measured.

Quote

The hands do not always lend themselves to both pairs needing similar amounts of time.

Maybe in the long run, but a match is never long enough for this to happen.