One-Winner Movements: Howell and Three-Quarter
When and how to use Howell and Three-Quarter movements so the whole field competes as one group with a single overall winner.
For championship events it is often desirable to compare all pairs as one group and crown a single overall winner, rather than ranking N-S and E-W separately as in a Mitchell. Two movements do this. Source: Mechanics for Duplicate Clubs with Small Games.
Howell#
The true Howell movement handles games up to seven tables and lets every pair play one round against every other pair. Pairs switch between N-S and E-W directions at the appropriate rounds so the whole field is directly comparable.
Three-Quarter#
The Three-Quarter movement handles larger games — roughly eight to twelve tables — where it isn't possible for every pair to meet every other pair in a single session, while still producing one combined field.
Guide cards#
Both movements are run with printed, self-explanatory guide cards placed at each table. You must use the correct card set for the exact number of tables — six-table cards will not work for a seven-table game. Any club that plays regularly should keep a complete set of Howell and Three-Quarter guide cards on hand; they make a good change of pace from the Mitchell.