[SBU Board] KO Sectional Post Mortem

[Tim White]

Looking to the co-chairs (in this case David and Larry) to lead the post mortem.  Grist for the mill from my standpoint…

Heard many negative comments about the 1:30 and 7:00 Saturday & Sunday session start times.   In 2015 and 2016 these sessions started at 1:00 and 6:30.  I don’t recall that the board addressed changing to the later start times nor was this picked up on during flyer review.  Perhaps it was a copy & paste artifact that none of us noticed.  Mary Wondra said the later times caused her to miss the last ferry of the evening back home to the San Juan Islands. 


Saturday afternoon this year a 0-750 pairs game was held (drew 16.0 tables) in lieu of the 0-200 game that had been held in this slot in prior years.  Several negative comments about dropping the 0-200 game and apparently some 0-200 pairs left the site without playing when they learned the 199er game they were hopeful of playing in was not taking place.  Looking back at data on the ACBL website, the 2015 Saturday afternoon 0-200 event apparently drew 9.0 tables.  The 2016 Saturday afternoon 0-200 pairs game drew 14.0 tables.  It’s never good when people come to play and leave disappointed when the event they’d hoped to play isn’t offered.


BAM Teams.  There’s a lot to address with this one.  A small core group is passionate about this event.  Some players entering the BAM tried to recruit players entering the Swiss to move over to play in the BAM – I don’t know if any actually switched to the BAM.  BAM is a relatively complex movement – the attempt to recruit Swiss players to switch might have been motivated by improving the BAM movement (though I don’t know that 12 versus 11 teams would have helped or hurt with this) or perhaps it was motivated simply to increase BAM attendance.   BAM attendance has steadily and substantially declined in recent years:  11 teams in 2017; 15 teams in 2016; 16 teams in 2015; 19 teams in 2014; 19 teams in 2013; 21 teams in 2012.  Apparently there was controversy over the number of boards played in the BAM event.  With ten rounds, the decision was made to play 3 boards a round (30 boards total) in the morning session and then there was the possibility of either 2 or 3 boards a round (either 20 or 30 boards) in the second session.  The tournament chair and DiC made a reasoned decision to have 20 boards in the second session (50 boards total for the event).  Apparently someone or some number of players vehemently objected to 50 boards total and as a result the second session was changed to 30 boards for a 60-board event.  Typically, the BAM ran 45 or so minutes longer than the Swiss and it again caused a significant delay in tear down, as well as an additional tear down burden on Swiss players and non-playing volunteers who were waiting in the wings for the completion of an extended, lightly-attended event.  I understand at least two BAM teams said they will not play the event again if there is the possibility it could run to 60 boards.  I also heard there were players with >2500 points including at least one very experienced and high level player (ineligible for the Swiss) who would have far preferred to play Swiss than BAM.   I heard suggestions that it’s well past time to try a different complimentary event to the Swiss teams at the KO sectional and that Fast Pairs would be a fun and appropriate format to give a try.  Fast pairs would also offer the benefits of allowing players who have a ferry to catch (or a lengthy drive) to depart earlier and accelerating tear down rather than delaying it.


Portable sound system.  Again, suggestions were made that the unit purchase a portable sound system so beginning-of-session and other announcements can be better heard by all.  For reference, Forest Ridge has a microphone and speaker system; Bothell has a speaker system but more often than not it is non-functional.  Renae and I will try to gather some info on some potential systems; if others have experience or ideas on this please being them forward.

Tim

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