The perfect Howell-Mitchell movement

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This applies to numbers of tables where T (the total number of tables) is restricted by T Modulus 3 = 2 (i.e. T/3 has a remainder of 2) and the number of tables is greater than 7, i.e. 8, 11, 14…

The event consists of two distinct movements, one a Mitchell and the other a Howell. These two movements play the same boards; either through shared or duplicated boards.

The number of tables in the Mitchell    = (2T-l)/3
               = the number of rounds

The number of tables in the Howell    =(T-2)/3+1
i.e.

·   For an 8 table movement: 5 table Mitchell + 3 table Howell

·   For an 11 table movement: 7 table Mitchell + 4 table Howell

·   For a 14 table movement: 9 table Mitchell + 5 table Howell.

The field is divided into three distinct groups plus one other pair. The number of pairs in each group is equal to the number of tables in the Mitchell movement. The one odd pair always plays in the Howell movement as the stationary pair.

As the event is conducted over three sessions, the three groups play once each in the positions:

·   N-S field in the Mitchell

·   E-W field in the Mitchell

·   Howell movement.

For example with the three groups A, B, and C:
      N-S field   E-W field   Howell   
Session 1:   A      B      C+1   
Session 2:   C      A      B+1   
Session 3:   B      C      A+1   

As there are as many tables in the Mitchell movement as there are board sets in the Howell movement, then by positioning the Howell movement tables correctly beside the Mitchell, the board movement in the Howell will be done automatically by the Mitchell movement as long as the boards are always passed back to the Mitchell after each round.

For example with 11 tables:
7 table Mitchell:   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   
4 table Howell:   8-1   6-5   4-2   R   7-3   R   R   

The Mitchell is a standard movement with N-S stationary and E-W moving up one while the boards move down one. The Howell movement is standard with the exception that the boards are moved down one by the players in the Mitchell movement.

For better comparisons of the results it is preferable to use a switch Mitchell.

Note that with the 8-table movement, the 3 table Howell is used and therefore sharing between these three tables and one of the tables in the Mitchell is necessary. Therefore the minimum number of boards in each set is 4, preferably higher. With duplicated boards (with one set for each a movement) this problem does not arise.

Also see
Stationary boards Howell-Mitchell movement