As you may have heard the Cambridge club has purchased a "Duplimate" enabling us to produce sets of boards with random dealt hands, together with copies of the hands which can be made available to players at the end of the evening. The system is now in routine use at the Cambridge club and for most County events. We are hoping to offer this service to other clubs in the area. You might be interested in having predealt hands, with hand records, for a special event such as a Club Championship or for matches such as the South Cambs league. If you hold heats of Simultaneous Pairs (the ones organised by Anna Gudge - the EBU are not up to speed on this yet) I can now download the hands electronically and preduplicate the hands automatically, thus saving the need to get them made up by someone who is not playing or to make them up at the table.
I should point out that we cannot produce curtain cards. Except for Sims (when you can get the curtain cards from Anna in the usual way) if you require curtain cards you will have to ask players to write them out at the table when the boards are first played.
The charge, payable to the Cambridge club, is at present £10 for a set of up to 32 boards, including copies of hand records. For a duplicate of a set of boards being played elsewhere, the charge will be £8. For example if you are holding a Simultaneous heat on a Tuesday (the next is on 31st July) or a Wednesday (next one 10th October) it is likely the Cambridge club will be playing so you would get a set for £8. It would also be necessary to arrange to collect the boards from the Cambridge Club on a club evening, and to return them afterwards. It would be helpful to receive requests for duplication 3-4 weeks in advance of play, stating the title and date of the event, when the boards would be collected and returned and by whom, and how many boards and copies of hand records are required. I anticipate being able to meet most requests except for dates close to major County events, when sufficient boards may not be available.
No doubt you will wish to discuss this with your Club Committee. I look forward to hearing from you with requests, suggestions and later, comments on how the scheme is working.
Philip Wraight
TD Cambridge club & County Tournament Organiser.
The Duplimate Machine is now operated by Penny Riley:
Mrs Penny Riley
Tel: 01223 246908
email: penny.riley@ntlworld.com