[jillybean]

..,and the players are still using pickup slips.

No working Bridgemates, something is wrong with the connectivity, software, who knows.
As expected, McBruce is making Herculean efforts getting the scores in, I really didn’t notice a delay in getting results.

Scares me , being too new to have ever entered scores manually. I’m looking forward to learning what the problem and fix is.

[mycroft]

Argh I didn't see this - because of the competing sectional *I* was running. If I had seen it yesterday I would have had a suggestion that couldn't have hurt (though may not have helped).

I know of one issue with my computer (haven't heard it happen to anyone else yet) where a Microsoft Update will trigger a bridgemate bug on enable. There's a fix for that (even if it's not the "right error", the fix works) and I've had to do it three times (starting January 3 this year) so far.

I got an email this morning from [ACBL official] saying "we have an issue, please don't allow your computer to update until we find and fix it", but the description of the problem is *not at all* what I saw. So I bet it's not the same problem (although I don't know if the same fix would work).

Very glad I still know how to do this from pickups, yes(*). 28 tables with McBruce and hopefully a helper - well, in his shoes I'd be upset about what I *couldn't* do for the tournament, while still accepting the praise for what I can do.

(*)Footnote longer than post, so story spoilered. Many have read it before anyway.

Spoiler

Many *many* years ago I am working the Kimberley sectional with Steve. Saturday afternoon, I am told "do the entry, I'll take the floor; I need to spend a bunch of time on the finances." 5 13-15 table sections running two-board rounds. I get the names in by the first break (which I have been told is "good time") and start working on the backlog of rounds. At the second break (when I have been told "if I'm caught up by now, I'm good"), I'm still 2.5 to 3 rounds behind, and it's taking me 15 minutes to sort, check, enter and double-check a round. Given the rounds are 15 minutes, this is not looking good...

Raise the panic signal, Steve says "I'll be done in a few minutes and I'll take a couple sections for you." He is, and he does, and we get it done. But my eyes are bleary...

Fast forward a year, and we're back in the curling club, and the same situation, same time. This time, however, I'm just that bit more experienced and therefore faster, and I'm only one round behind by the second break, and I am visibly catching up. So I don't raise the panic signal, and I get the last results in a reasonable time after the rounds! Back up to stick, and *BOOM*, the power goes out. 60-65 tables of bridge players, tables, 4x chairs, no windows, no lights, and 2300 at night - and before the ubiquitous cell phone flashlights. "DO NOT MOVE, PLEASE, STAY IN YOUR SEATS" as I very carefully and with hopefully a good memory of what's behind the director's table, hug the wall to the door at my near end and open it - where at least there's the streetlights and an emergency light over the door. Eventually the power gets back on, we get the scores printed, and...

Fast forward two months, and I (still somewhat proud of what I did) am working Penticton. Where I see DBP calmly relaxing at the second break, in front of her computer with "sections IJKLMN" (all two board rounds, including IJ the 199er sections - known for a larger fraction of misscored pickups) taped to the monitor...

[jillybean]

good story

Would you care to share the fix so that I can file it away in my Director binder, just in case.

[HardVector]

You should see an expert director matchpointing a game WITHOUT computers at all. Pickup slips and manual scoring. Watching a good one go to work is impressive.