[helene_t]

Lancaster Bridge Club has many players who are happy to play with almost everyone, but it is a hazzle to call every potential p an ask if they are available. So people usually don't come if there p has called off with short notice or they failed to make an appointment at the previous bridge night because they didn't know at that time that they would like to play.

So I wondered if an online partnership desk would be a solution. I envision a website where
- everyone can create an account (don't have to be a member of the club)
- you can indicate with whom you would be happy to play, and also whether you would be by default be willing to play with people who join the system in the future
- whenever you need a p for an upcomming club night or other event, you can indicate that. the system will then find a suitable p for you
- if no suitable p is available immediately, you will be registered as looking for a p and other people can find you.
- You get an email alert if someone choses you

Does anyone know of a simple solution?

[babalu1997]

why not something like a bbo tourn schedule

the club publishes a schedule

each game has a separate partnership desk

you then enter your name when you are available

if you get a match(by email), the pair is entered in registration section

there should be a way for someone to look at your profile from the desk

the online site swans had something where you can signup by email

you click a link enter partners name and he receives an email also

[655321]

If you do something like this you might prefer to send a text message instead of an email.

[NickRW]

I don't know of a ready available solution, but it shouldn't be that hard to implement.

Who is going to pay for said website though? Do clubs that use the service pay an annual fee? How do you see that working?

Nick

[helene_t]

Oh I would only make it for our local club. I suppose in town with multiple clubs it would make sense to have an overall partnership desk.

I set up a google calendar where people can sign up to "attend" a club evening if they need a p, and they can see who else is "attending". Afraid it is not userfriendly enough for the average LOL/LOG. Besides, I would prefer to have only compatible partners visible, not everyone. Finally, the SMS alert is sent to people who attent, but that is useless in this case, it should be sent whenever someone else picks them. As it is, it is probably better just to sent emails to everyone.

Disadvantage of sending emails to everyone is that you would have to sent it again as soon as you choses a p to avoid other people responding. And two people may accept the invite at the same time. I would like it to work similarly to the BBO partnership desk. Heck, we could set up a zero-round tourney on BBO just to be able to use the BBO partneship desk

[NickRW]

OK. I was thinking of making (or someone else making) a fully functional thing. It could, for example, be added functionality in a product like Bridgewebs - which already has (or can have) a club's full calendar. In principle it would be easy enough for someone to go the site for their chosen club and pick a date, then either

1. Pick someone already on the list or
2. Add their name to the list together with an indication of
a. they will play with anyone or
b. they should be contacted first

There could even be an ignore list - like I will play with anyone except Hideous Hog - so don't display my name if he logs on. Once you'd registered the system would know your prefered method of initial contact - be that text, email, tell the person your land line number and get them to do it or show them a message like "meet me in the bar at 6:50 , I'll be wearing an orange hat".

If it could be added to something like Bridgewebs which has high market share in the UK and seems to be slowly expanding into other (english speaking) countries - well you'd have someone already being paid by clubs to create and maintain this sort of thing.

Nick

[JoAnneM]

How big is your club? We have a partnership chairman, and she records who is coming for specific games and she has a list of "set" partnerships for the different games. She also knows pretty much who won't paly with who, and she knows to try to match people up by phone or when they are by themselve, not to trap them into anything with other people standing around. So, she pretty much knows who needs a game.

[NickRW]

JoAnneM, on Feb 13 2010, 06:17 PM, said:

How big is your club? We have a partnership chairman, and she records who is coming for specific games and she has a list of "set" partnerships for the different games. She also knows pretty much who won't paly with who, and she knows to try to match people up by phone or when they are by themselve, not to trap them into anything with other people standing around. So, she pretty much knows who needs a game.

If you're asking me specifically, er 73 people who are actually members, with about 20 odd more that sometimes turn up as visitors. It is not a huge problem for us really - most people can find a game - though I am sure we'd get a little greater attendance if we either operated a host system or were a little more proactive about it all. We do put people's name on (the home page no less of) our website if they ask. We play 3 sessions a week.

Makes us a middle sized club by English standards - some, many in fact, meet once a week - some are 5 or more sessions per week

I think Helene's club is larger than mine.

Nick

[barmar]

A simple solution is to have an email list that goes to everyone in the club. If your regular partner isn't going to be available, send an email asking if anyone is interested in playing with you.

[nickf]

lots of clubs in Australia use the web services of http://www.bridge-club.org/ - one of the services they offer is pd finding service.

see the info on http://www.bridge-cl...osting/services

nickf
sydney

[aguahombre]

barmar, on Feb 13 2010, 11:48 PM, said:

A simple solution is to have an email list that goes to everyone in the club. If your regular partner isn't going to be available, send an email asking if anyone is interested in playing with you.

yep. the same email list which sends out the results after each game, now that we have Bridgemate or Bridgepad.

Anyone would needs a pard simply email's the local director -- who sends out a general message to all that the player wants a partner.

[helene_t]

Yeah an email list would probably be good enough, and better than what I could make out of google calendar.

BTW it is not an option to let the director or secretary have any responsibilities beyond maybe infrequent stuff like dissemination of address changes. They are volunteers and already have more to do than they should have.

[FrancesHinden]

helene_t, on Feb 14 2010, 11:59 AM, said:

Yeah an email list would probably be good enough, and better than what I could make out of google calendar.

BTW it is not an option to let the director or secretary have any responsibilities beyond maybe infrequent stuff like dissemination of address changes. They are volunteers and already have more to do than they should have.

I'm not a member so I don't know how it works, but see
http://www.bourneclu...dge/partner.php

[aguahombre]

helene_t, on Feb 14 2010, 04:59 AM, said:

Yeah an email list would probably be good enough, and better than what I could make out of google calendar.

BTW it is not an option to let the director or secretary have any responsibilities beyond maybe infrequent stuff like dissemination of address changes. They are volunteers and already have more to do than they should have.

Maybe the set-up is different for you. the director is frequently the club owner with a vested interest in doing extra things to make the players welcome and accomodate them.

Or the director is hired by an owner or a "board" to do a job. Sometimes the director's fee is dependent upon the number of tables. Helping partner people up, with a few emails, is not an unwelcome burden in those circumstances.

[helene_t]

There is no such thing as a "club owner" on this site of the pond

(Not true, the 't Onstein club is owned by Hans Melchers I think, but that is very unusual. In general, European clubs are associations, not companies).

[y66]

Craigslist has a community / activities board that can be used for this purpose. For example, http://london.craigslist.co.uk/act/

Standardish post titles such as <bridge partner> <club> <event> can be used to make searching easier.