An infinite class of \(Z\)-cyclic whist tournaments on \(v\) players, \(v\equiv 1\pmod 4\) (Q1917309)

A whist tournament on \(4m + 1\) players, \(\text{Wh} (4m + 1)\), is a schedule of games involving a team of two players opposing two others such that the following conditions hold: (1) the games can be arranged into \(4m + 1\) rounds of \(m\) games each; (2) each player plays in all rounds except one; (3) each player partners every other player exactly once; (4) each player opposes every other player exactly twice. Condition (3) above is called the partner whist condition and condition (4) the opponent whist condition. Collectively these two conditions are called the whist conditions. Each game (table) of a \(\text{Wh} (v)\) is exhibited as 4-tuple \((a,b,c,d)\) which denotes that \(a\) and \(c\) are partners opposing \(b\) and \(d\). Definition: A \(\text{Wh} (v)\), \(v = 4m + 1\), is said to be \(Z\)-cyclic if the players are taken to be elements in \(Z_v\) and each round is obtainable from an initial round by development \(\pmod v\). A \(\text{Wh} (v)\), \(v = 4m\), is said to be \(Z\)-cyclic if the players are elements in \(Z_{4m-1}\cup \{\infty\}\) and each round is obtainable from an initial round by development \(\pmod {4m - 1}\). Since the rounds form a cyclic set it is conventional to choose the initial round of a \(Z\)-cyclic \(\text{Wh} (4m + 1)\) to be that which eliminates 0. The major tool utilized to verify that a collection of \(m\) games can serve as the initial round of a \(Z\)-cyclic \(\text{Wh} (4m + 1)\) is the method of differences. It is known that \(\text{Wh} (v)\) exist for all \(v \equiv 0\), \(1 \pmod 4\). The author proves the following theorem: Let \(q\) be a prime, \(q \equiv 3 \pmod 4\), \(q \geq 7\). Let \(p_i\), \(i = 1, \dots, n\), be primes, \(p_i \equiv 1 \pmod 4\). If there exists a \(Z\)-cyclic whist tournament on \(q^2\) players then there exists a \(Z\)-cyclic whist tournament on \(q^2 p_1^{\alpha_1} \dots p_n^{\alpha_n}\) players for all \(\alpha_i \geq 0\). A \(Z\)-cyclic \(\text{Wh} (49)\) is exhibited and specific examples are provided for \(Z\)-cyclic \(\text{Wh} (49 \cdot p_1^{\alpha_1} \dots p_n^{\alpha_n})\).