Minimum Tables for Masterpoints Requirement

JeffreyS

At a recent club visit, I was told that they run Mitchells for 3, 4 and 5 tables because many pairs dislike moving, but they switch the last round to ensure Masterpoint awards! This just prompted me to wonder why there was a minimum number of tables (3 for one winner, 5 for 2 winner) required for these awards?

Robin_BarkerTD

Master Point and Licensing Handbook

3.1 MINIMUM NUMBER OF TABLES AND BOARDS
3.1.1 No Master Points will be awarded for an event unless the original entry was at least:
(a) 2 complete tables in a single-winner individual event
(b) 3 complete tables in a single-winner pairs event (i.e. Howell type)
(c) 3 complete teams in a team event
(d) 5 complete tables in a two-winner pairs event (i.e. Mitchell type)
(e) 5 complete tables in a four-winner individual event (i.e. a N, S, E & W winner).

The handbook is low on rationale, and most of the design decision for the master point scheme are lost to history, but the basic idea is that for pairs/individuals you do not give master points if less than 5 competitors are being compared, all based on full tables. One fewer tables in (a), (b), (d) and (e) would give only 4 competitors in each line.

That is why it varies for different types of movement/competition.

Why 5 competitors? Because awards for 1/3 of the field in a field of 4 is in severe damage of awarding master points to competitors below average in a singe session event.

ais523

If you're trying to create a single-winner movement from a Mitchell at a table count that low, shouldn't you arrow-switch only about half the boards of the last round, rather than all of them? Otherwise too many boards get arrow-switched and the movement becomes imbalanced.

gordonrainsford

"becomes"? :)