[andych]

The vg are usually painfully slow. Could you name some quick players/slow players?

[Double !]

There is a very legitimate reason why the vugraphs can seem very slow or to move at an inconsistent speed.
1) Understand that the players are using screens and bidding trays. The vugraph operator, who is entering all bids and plays using a computer (IBM was the one I used) just the same way as if playing on BBO, is sitting above, behind, and between 2 of the 4 players, and can not see anything that occurs on the other side of the screen. Some time can elapse between the time the bidding tray goes to the other side of the table and the time it emerges again. Sometimes it is difficult to tell if there's been any alerts or what the alerts/ explanation were because it's all done silently.

During play of the hand, there are times when the pace of play is fairly normal or steady, and the vugraph operator is able to keep up. There are also other times, especially later during the play of many hands, when they players start playing their cards very quickly, and it becomes virtually imposssible for the operator to keep up. Add to that the fact that the responsiveness of the keyboard or touchpad may not be what one is used to, and you might think that you entered a card as having been played when, in fact, the card didn't register. It now takes extra time to realize the error, to backtrack, correct the error, and then try to catch up. This might sometimes be the case when all of a sudden no more cards are played and then suddenly a result is posted (or the cards might have been played so quickly, or a claim was made.)

So, have some patience with these vugraph presentations and with the vugraph operators. It is not easy to be sitting about 3 to 4 feet from and somewhat above the closest edge of the table (to say nothing of being further from the other side) and try to accurately see and enter everything perfectly. You have no idea how wonderful a job these guys and ladies vugraph operators are doing until you try to do it yourself (which I did last august). It is really not an easy job at all although I guess that one gets better with practice. I have incredible admiration for Jan Martel (JanM) and her ability to not only run around the game site and co-ordinate everything, but also for her ability to flawlessly function as a vugraph operator.....called talent.

DHL

[Walddk]

Nicely put by DHL, but as to your question regarding quick and slow players generally speaking, this is my hit list:

Quick:
1. Chagas, Brazil
(everyone else is far behind)

Slow:
1. Sundelin, Sweden
1. M Feldman, USA (nickname "flash")
1. Robson, England
1. Shenkin, USA
1. Grøtheim, Norway
1. Aa, Norway
1. Muller, Netherlands
1. Rosenberg, USA

Roland

[mike777]

No mention of Sontag....gaag...