5 doubles teams

[makingprogress]

Please make some suggestions for handling a draw of 5 entries for a 35+ mixed doubles.

If we have 4 entries, we do around robin. Each team gets 3 matches.

If we have 6 entries, we divide them into two pools, play a round robin within the pool, then the top team in each pool matches, the second team in each pool matches, and the third teams match. Each team gets 3 matches.

With 5, a round robin with each match being best of 3 games is too much. It will interfere down the other tournament events, particularly if some matches go to 3 games.

Can you think of alternatives?

[Phil McBride]

Round robin is the best way but instead of best of 3 games play one game to 21 no setting

[Vorpulus]

Just say to them, 'Right, there's been a change of plan. You're going to play singles rather than doubles because the great Vorpulus suggested so and his words of wisdom are never questioned'.

[makingprogress]

Games of 21 are mentioned in the appendix to the laws as follows:
"It is permissible to play one game of 21 points, or the best of 5 games of 7 points by prior arrangement." My memory is that it used to describe setting to 3 if tied at 20. Was this changed?

[makingprogress]

Having the match be one game of 21 does not seem to be very satisfying for the players. Perhaps it's hard to maintain the level of concentration for that long when folks are used to a game of 15. Players who lose the first game of 15 like the idea of still haveing a chance.
Still, playing a round robin to 21 is the best idea so far and we'll use this next weekend barring another option. Any other suggestions?

[PeteG]

Paul, with regards to setting, no it hasn't been changed. You're right in setting to 3 at 20 all.

[makingprogress]

The Laws of badminton at http://www.intbadfed.org/Portal/desktopdefault.aspx?tabid=96
make no mention of a game of 21 in section 7, "Scoring S". It is mentioned in the appendix, but setting is not mentioned in the appendix.

[Phil McBride]

I was not meaning that there was no setting allowed but just trying to get the simplest option so there is no ambiguity to appeal against, but whichever you choose has to be published beforehand just to clarify the situation and anounced on the day of the tournament as well