Improved shotclock method

[MitchAlsup]

Didn't they just have a professional tennis match where it went something like 54 match points in a tiebreaker?

Wimbeldon: one player won the last set in a 70-68 (no tie-breaker). The match took place over 3 days--it was called for darkness, twice.

I tend to like the idea being presented here, but I still think both the chess clock and the 20-30 seconds and then the time bank need some additional thought.

Perhaps something like:
1) A player gets 30-45 <pick one> seconds to make their first shot, with a single extension per game.
2) any time not consumed on the shot is added to the subsequent shot, and so on.
3) time carryover is terminated at the end of a rack (for games other than 14.1)

So If a player arrives at the table, and pots 3 balls in only 15 seconds, that player would have 30+25+25+25 = 105 seconds for his 4th shot, and still have the extension available.

The unfortunate thing is that this basically requires a time keeper, and a computer rather than simple clocks. The time keeper aspect could be performed by the player (probably), but still, this requires a computer (laptop) at each table.

 

[softshot]

Wimbeldon: one player won the last set in a 70-68 (no tie-breaker). The match took place over 3 days--it was called for darkness, twice.

I tend to like the idea being presented here, but I still think both the chess clock and the 20-30 seconds and then the time bank need some additional thought.

Perhaps something like:
1) A player gets 30-45 <pick one> seconds to make their first shot, with a single extension per game.
2) any time not consumed on the shot is added to the subsequent shot, and so on.
3) time carryover is terminated at the end of a rack (for games other than 14.1)

So If a player arrives at the table, and pots 3 balls in only 15 seconds, that player would have 30+25+25+25 = 105 seconds for his 4th shot, and still have the extension available.

The unfortunate thing is that this basically requires a time keeper, and a computer rather than simple clocks. The time keeper aspect could be performed by the player (probably), but still, this requires a computer (laptop) at each table.

not necessarily an enterprising individual .. could make a credit card sized timer with time amounts for each player and the and the end turn button for each player...a program like that could run on the chip of an antique calculator..the TD could velcro them to the end of every table above the ball return.. and presto

 

[JoeyA]

The Chair

The fairest way and the BEST way to utilize a time clock/time bank is for the the chair's seat to keep track of the time.

Having player's to have to worry about whether they turned the timer on or off is unfair to the players. They have enough to worry about.

If the chair is fixed so that when they sit down their clock's time is suspeneded. When they get out of the chair, the clock starts running.

Those dirtbags that like to stand and/or gesticulate while their opponent is at the table would be in for a rude awakening.

It's bad enough that they will have to use strategy to effectively manage their bank of time.

I didn't put a whole lot of thought into this and I realize that this isn't going to keep a player from purposefully delaying the game but at least they wouldn't get punished for not punching the clock.

 

[Marie's husband]

The fairest way and the BEST way to utilize a time clock/time bank is for the the chair's seat to keep track of the time.

Having player's to have to worry about whether they turned the timer on or off is unfair to the players. They have enough to worry about.

If the chair is fixed so that when they sit down their clock's time is suspeneded. When they get out of the chair, the clock starts running.

Those dirtbags that like to stand and/or gesticulate while their opponent is at the table would be in for a rude awakening.

It's bad enough that they will have to use strategy to effectively manage their bank of time.

I didn't put a whole lot of thought into this and I realize that this isn't going to keep a player from purposefully delaying the game but at least they wouldn't get punished for not punching the clock.

Its funny that you brought this up because today I re-read what I wrote earlier and thought "why didn't I just have the clock seat activated"? So, since I was extremely busy at work I decided to search the internet for time clocks that are activated by someone standing up from a chair and I never did find anything. It doesn't seem that far fetched of an idea and with a little bit of research someone could probably find switches/pressure sensors that could be incorporated into a pad that sits on any chair that it could be used to stop/stop a time clock.

As for it being unfair for a player to have to remember to turn on and off the clock because they have enough to worry about already- I would think it would be a change in routine that each player would have to get adjusted too, but I don't think it is unfair to add that responsibility onto a player. My personal opinion is that a player would want to control there time clock so they new exactly how much time is left and how it was being operated.

Also if I was trying to implement this into a tournament, I would start of having the players do there own time clocks just so I could see the advantages and disadvantages of it. My opinion is, if you start out using time keepers when you try and implement time clocks and then try and go to the players keeping there own, it will be much harder for the TD to get the players to "buy in" on the concept and what you will here most is "why do we have to keep our own time clocks now, isn't that the time keepers job?". Now if you were to do it vice versa, I think you would have complaints about "why cant we keep our own time clocks", and "we don't need a timekeeper". again, just my opinion and cant wait to see if anyone actually sets a standardized shot clock system up and see what the results are.


Oh yeah, and like you said, it would be fun to watch how a person that normally acts a fool during a match reacts to being stuck in a chair.

 

[nathandumoulin]

That's a good point. On the other hand if you're watching it on TV and the match clock were ticking down then it could also be intense. Imagine the excitement of going into the final three games and player A has 15 minutes on his clock and player B only 5. Can player B get his shots in and win three games in five minutes? Will player A stall with safeties to run the clock out?

This would be pretty funny to watch. Unfortunately I'm afraid it would turn the game into a circus. Could be interesting though, and would certainly be worth a few tests.

So If a player arrives at the table, and pots 3 balls in only 15 seconds, that player would have 30+25+25+25 = 105 seconds for his 4th shot, and still have the extension available.

Good ideas, but I think the concept needs to be kept simple. The audience needs to easily understand what's going on, and the need for a time keeper will make this method impractical for non-tv tables.

a program like that could run on the chip of an antique calculator..the TD could velcro them to the end of every table above the ball return.. and presto

Agreed. I propose a similar cost effective device mounted on each end of the overhead table light. Each side would have a large digital read out of the 4 times (shot clock and time bank for each player), plus 2 large buttons.

The fairest way and the BEST way to utilize a time clock/time bank is for the the chair's seat to keep track of the time.

Having player's to have to worry about whether they turned the timer on or off is unfair to the players. They have enough to worry about

Try playing speed chess Joey. Within 3 minutes it becomes instinctual and does not distract from the player at all.

The suggestion about using a pressure sensitive chair for the players that keeps track of the time bank is amazing. In my opinion, the idea has one overwhelming flaw, which is that no spectator wants to see an epic hill-hill battle cut short by time constraint. If this can be overcome, the simplicity of the idea makes it much more favorable than my own idea.

What if we use John's suggestion and add a few minutes to a player's side when he/she reaches the hill? A simple extra button could do that to ensure that the climax of the match isn't cut short.