The "Flower Howell" Movement is the type of Howell movement referred to in this section. It means the number of tables can be even or odd, no guide cards are needed, and the movement can be curtailed whenever needed. All the tables in each section play the same boards on each round (i.e. with duplicate copies in play). The movement is the standard type of Flower Howell movement, but the boards move down (up) one section.
Consider 50 tables. These would be arranged in 10 rows of 5 tables, giving 10 sections A, B, C… J. Each table in section A would initially be given boards 1 through 3 and the printed hand records for boards 1, 2 and 3. Each table would then duplicate these boards. Similarly for boards 4, 5, and 6 in section B; and so on to boards 28, 29 and 30 in section J. Then without the players moving, the boards are passed down one section (C to B; B to A; A to J etc.) and the play commences. After each round the boards are passed down one section and the players move normally as in a Flower Howell. After 9 rounds all the players in each section will have met each other and everybody will have played all the boards except those which they duplicated.
Of course the number of tables in the event will not always be a convenient number such as 50. Because the number of tables in the Flower Howell does not change the movement, a table can be added on to any section and that table plus the one next to it will have to share boards. The sections with the extra table will still play the same number of rounds as the other sections.
Where the number of boards to be played is the primary consideration then the following method can be applied. 27 boards seem ideal. Consider 46 tables. Nine five-table sections are set up, with one table added to one section, as suggested above. Nine sets of 3 board groups are distributed, one to each section. The tenth set is set up by the Director (or the assistants) and is placed ready to go into play at section 1. This in effect introduces a buffer set of boards between the sections at each end of the room, thus eliminating the delay in getting the boards from the first to the ninth section.
Where the number of sessions is greater then one, this movement can be modified accordingly.
For example:
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48 tables
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three sessions
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one winner required for each section.
Six rows of 8 tables are set up. Five rounds per session of 30 boards (or 25) are played. Each table is still required to duplicate only three boards as two adjacent tables can share the 6 boards in play each round.
Generally speaking the number of combinations available in this type of movement is only restricted by the imagination of the tournament director.
