[mycroft]

Very off-topic from wrong boards played - even with thread drift, this is off-topic.

I ran a 5 table Howell yesterday, and there was one very slow pair (and one "I'm glad there's a very slow pair today, it hides us from view" pair). I did my usual:

As long as they weren't going to the stationary table, I let them finish their board, and found a spare table to stick the two pairs "going to table 2" at. They got to play without having to wait 5 minutes, I could hurry-up the slow table, and get them to their next tables.

This time, however, I got notified that this was very confusing, and people didn't like it enough to complain to the club manager (but not to me, of course). "why are we at this table? Is this our boards? Are we sitting correctly? Where's the bridgemate?" In other words, "why are things different?"

I have noticed that whenever I do this, the players balk (this just seems to have been an extreme case of it). "I'm going to start you at this table so you don't have to wait" just doesn't process right.

I was told to pull boards from the slow pair instead. Which I can do, but my experience with that is "But we were late getting here because [the previous pair]" It doesn't matter that they're getting 60% or session score - they feel they're being punished for not playing 3 boards in the space of 2 against the slowest pair in the room. "How come *we* lose a board and all the other pairs didn't?"

Is there a better way to explain what I'm doing so it won't confuse?

(I just remembered I have a second set of guide cards for these movements at the club. I could actually give them a guide card for the table, so they at least can be comfortable they have the right boards and are sitting the right directions before the bridgemate shows up. But that will only help. Suggestions still much welcome.)

[pescetom]

You have my sympathy, but I think it's beyond the average bridge pair and well beyond the average club manager.
Better to stick with solutions they are familiar with, even if inferior.
Yes getting them to give up playing a board (for any reason and with whatever compensation, even against better opponents) is like subtracting a bone from a dog, but if they know that is what happens and that you realise it is not their fault then they learn to accept it.
I am a firm believer in subtracting one or two boards from the slow pair and only giving them back if they have time.