guggie

Yes Helene The problem is the non-competition tables often have a real low standard of the game, more like coffee visit. The competition table have the better game, but also sometimes rudeness (it is far more easy to be rude in your own language;-)), quitting, and occasionally players who you know to be advanced at the most, to have staggering high rating. Besides that it is almost impossible to find a rating system that is adequate (remember those boring endless threads about it at the dutch forum??). As Holland is a small country, we all know who is really expert and who is not. The rating of those expert players was in no way reflecting their skills, as those players really didnt care about it. The ones who care are the rather mediocre players. I think rating induces people to show their worst character traits. I prefer the idea of Sceptic: Learning: can be at each level, but people loving the game and wanting to improve Arrogant: walk around in a big circle. and i add: Chit chatters: people not really caring about bridge but using it to socialize either f2f or on internet As I like to teach I love to play with beginner-learners, and as i love to improve my game, i love to play with higher-level learners.

I started my life on BBO on the Vuegraph. Most commentators do fine for my level (advanced is a friendly way to put it). Sabine Auken always find some new angle to ook at a hand, while also being amusing. I like the coke chit-chat, as long as some serious analysis is being done too. I ilke to option to be able to ask something (make use of it one of 10 )

Bambi can give a sigh of relief. It is not Bambi himself, but his mother who dies under the hands of cruel hunters. Remember well going there with my 4 yr old daughter preparing her before thoroughly for this sad event, resulting her asking me the whole movie: "when is his mammy going to die, when is his mammy going to die" on a rather sensation-seeking tone.

I know several people who are very dutch and appear nevertheless with russian names, tsech flags and so on. It gives me a glimpse of their personality;-). I like it. But Private, private, private and a globe.... I hate it. Try partnershipdesk, people listing themselves with a triple private&globe. Skip on to the next name! PS I like to know where people come from because I like to see different languages and try to understand, even speak them. Was once in Mamaia Rumania for a bridge tourney, learned the bridgeterms, and was very proud recognizing in a bulgarian conversation pupa di karo as diamond king;-)

I would add to the dislike list the globe as a no nationality sign. One of the great assets of BBO is sitting opposite a Nepalese player, playing againts Australia and Guatemala. I do respect privacy, but show something both of your views on bridge and your own skill, and a glimpse of your personality, albeit only your country.

For not native speakers it is hard to understand the specific Bridge-vernacular. neither is it to be found in a dictionary. Please - strats??? :unsure:

OK, i hoped someone would show the way to end in 3NT. I bid 5♣, that made for 21%. [hv=d=w&v=n&n=sk83hj9543daj74cq&w=saj642hk62d63c973&e=sqt95ht87dqt85ck6&s=s7haqdk92cajt8542]399|300|Scoring: MP[/hv] My p and I discussed that X should show 3 hearts (?). But I like the suggestion of Inquiry. Would a pass do?

[hv=d=w&v=n&s=s7haqdk92cajt8542]133|100|Scoring: MP[/hv] Bidding pass-pass-pass-1♣ 2♠(weak)-X (neg)-3♠-?? Full credits for EW for their annoying bidding. What now?

Well it just occurred to me that the online claim reject machinery has different pro's and cons than in real life. rejecting and ensuing continue to play could yield UI, but if you cannot work out the consequences of a 5-1 split it will not help you very much. On the other hand, after a rejected claim defense is double dummy. That huge disadvantage for the decllarer would discourage unjust claims. And just claims will not be disturbed by them. Actually, a neat feature of online bridge and quite a penalty for unjust claiming.

Dn the dutch online bridgesite we used the term "brulaap" meaning roaring monkey, for people who yell at their (expert) partners for supposed mistakes, while having made a lot of rather silly bids and plays themselves. If you kibitz with a lot of players, it really can be very funny to watch and comment. It should be very educating for the monkey to send him the chat log, though.....

I was playing glamoured an Mirjam was directing. I placed a careless double and the result was 4Sxx+1. Wow, -1080. Thank heaven for no kibitzers. Than mirjam broadcasted: Hurrah for Guggie who made 4Sxx+1 on board 2. Then I had to confess to the whole tournament Ths Mirjam!!! Many thanks!!!! ;)

Yes. How often can p reach dummy to take all those finesses? If I had 4 spades and any king i would say 3 spades, but the jack of diamonds doesnt turn me on

Well Mrs. Guggenheim should not want to defend 2♦X. And she has 4 spades. Obviously p has a 19HCP hand or something like it. Well, I have 4 spades but that is the only positive feature of my hand so i say 2spades and i hope the feeling of disgust with which i press the keys will be apparent at the other side of the ocean;-)

Tonight i could not sleep, logged in, wanted to play in tournament, no tournament coming up soon so subscribed as sub in a running tournament, after a lobbycall for subs. This lobbycall was repeated several times, (with or without "red" players) although I was on the sublist. I asked director if i had made some mistake, done somthing wrong or whatever. No answer at all It made me rather feel like I had leprosy Is there an etiquette about handling the subs on your list or answering calls?

Another one today, as I was helping Mirjam out on her birthday GLAMOUR. (Another BIG HUG Mirjam) Player calls: I have no double bidding card. LHO bid 1♠, p bid 2♦, RHO pass. She had: ♠K963 ♥9865 ♦4 ♣AKJ8] She had all my sympathy, I should have wanted to double also in her place;-)

I want to delete thsi one dont know how

My very first codirecting (with Mirjam of course) and my very first call. Player A complains: we dont get a new board. Table reads: round one completed, 5 minutes left So I explain she has to wait and will be moved, but this round complete Other 3 players haste to chat: we told you-so we told you so-we told you so Other 3 players make profound excuses for director call I say other 3 players no problem, and I thank player A for giving me for my first a director call which I can solve :blink:

Mrs. Guggenheim discovers BBO All of you who don’t know Mrs. Guggenheim should read S.J. Simons’ Why you lose at bridge. Mrs. Guggenheim, one of the protagonists of this classic, revived in Amsterdam, and recently made her debut at BBO. At first Mrs. Guggenheim visited BBO to watch the Dutch team on Vuegraph, then daringly seated herself at a table in the main bridge club. A nice Dutch gentleman helped her to play in a tournament and - she was hooked. On Ascension Day Mirjam_3 organised a tournament for the Dutchies. Her regular partner, the poor Mr. Smug, wasn’t there. She looked in the partnershipdesk, and thought the profile of RamJam rather cute. An invitation was sent and accepted, and off they went… On Board 1 she gets: ♠ AH976 ♥B5 ♦AV3 ♣T53 RamJam opens 1♥, opps pass, Mrs. G. responds (easy does it) 1♠, RamJam 3♥. Good old Blackwood reveals 2 aces. Well, matchpoints, and she rather fancies a diamond lead upto her hand. Mrs. Guggenheim bids 6SA. Jan Willem leads ♣9. Hm. [hv=d=w&v=n&n=st2hakq82d842caq4&s=sak976hj5daq3ct53]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] A bit of a disappointment: only 5 hearts and 15 HCP is also less than expected. And that ♣9 has a very nasty look. The Jack had better be onside and totally demoralized she ducks in dummy. East however produces the 7 and Mrs. G. utters a little cry of joy. Rearranging her numerous necklaces, she plays a small spade to the 10. Jojanneke (East) takes her Q and returns ♦7. How far are we? 3 ♣-tricks, 5 ♥-tricks and 1 ♦-trick makes 9, if you add 3 ♠-tricks 12, enough. Mrs. G. puts resolutely the Ace, and plays on hearts. Interestingly, West shows up with four. His lead from KJ must give him 5 clubs. Moreover, East has enough spades to let go one on the hearts. Well well. Feeling very dashing she leads a small spade to her 8, west discarding a club. 6NTC yields 11,4 IMPs. IMPS? Oh dear, it wasn’t matchpoints after all. She should have said 6♥. Complete hand: [hv=d=w&v=n&n=st2hakq82d842caq4&w=s5ht943d965ckj982&e=sqj843h76dkjt7c76&s=sak976hj5daq3ct53]399|300|Scoring: IMP w[/hv] A basic ♦-finesse would also have done the trick, but this is so much better for morale. They settle for table 1. The next boards nothing happens, they defend a 1NT for C in stead of –1, and slip down to table 2. But on board 7 they score: [hv=d=w&v=n&n=st2hakq82d842caq4&w=s5ht943d965ckj982&e=sqj843h76dkjt7c76&s=sak976hj5daq3ct53]399|300|Scoring: IMP w[/hv] After 2 x pass Rita (West) opens 1♣. RamJam overcalls 1♠, Joke (East) pass and Mrs. G. announces her near-opening values with 2♣. RamJam has just confided to Mrs. G. that he plays bridge only for 15 months. Would he understand? He answers 3♣, and Mrs. G. seeks refuge in the 3NT panacea. After a ♠-lead even Mrs. G. can fulfil her contract. As 2 of 6 tables didn’t reach game, and one pair failed in 3NT, our couple won 5,6 IMPs. The second board on that table wasn’t boring either. Mrs. G.’s hand: [hv=d=n&v=n&s=sk543hqtd85ckq763]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] After 2 passes RamJam opens 3NT. Would that sweet boy have mastered the gambling 3NT? It has all the looks of it. She passes, and Joke leads ♥5. Mrs. G. looks at: [hv=d=w&v=n&n=st2hakq82d842caq4&w=s5ht943d965ckj982&e=sqj843h76dkjt7c76&s=sak976hj5daq3ct53]399|300|Scoring: IMP w[/hv] She swallows. A new kind of gambling 3NT. Slam is there. Well, at least he cannot go wrong on the lead. After ♥Q he plays ♣A and ♣KQ, clubs splitting 3-3. What clubs… a tempo he plays a small ♠ to the Q. North sees no reason to play her A on air and ducks. RamJam cashes cool as a cucumber ♥A (Mrs. G. is fanning herself) and plays the diamonds top down. 13 tricks. Mrs. G. pleads: “Ronald, please consider my nerves and keep your coverage in spades and hearts until you know the diamonds are good.” The score is plus: +2.8! The one pair to bid 6NT was the only pair not to make 12 or 13 tricks. The lead was in the other hand after a weak jump overcall in ♥, and the leader played well to take the ♦-finesse for –5. The penultimate round they are NS on table 1. They win 3 IMPS, and encounter the same opps in the final round. Board 11: [hv=d=n&v=n&s=sk543hqtd85ckq763]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] Mecha opens 1♣, Chrisje responds 1♠, Blackwood reveals one ace for Chrisje and 6♠ is reached. RamJam leads ♦5. Mrs. G. views: Dealer: East Vul: None Scoring: IMP ♠ AQJ3 ♥ KQ5 ♦ 2 ♣ AKJ98 ♠ 5 ♥ JT9876 ♦ J764 ♣ T4 Her J is for the Q of Chrisje, who happily runs trumps until all trumps are gone (RamJam has 4). Then she starts on clubs, but oh dear she got stuck in dummy. Obviously RamJam has ♥A next to his ♦K. Please please let him keep a small heart…. And YEZZZZ on the last club he let go ♦10, and Mrs. G scores the decisive last trick with the ♥J. [hv=d=w&v=n&n=st2hakq82d842caq4&w=s5ht943d965ckj982&e=sqj843h76dkjt7c76&s=sak976hj5daq3ct53]399|300|Scoring: IMP w[/hv] RamJam and Mrs. G. win the Ascension Day Tournament with an excess of IMPS. Ramjam chats: “Thanks, it was fun, especially that penultimate board” He so reminds her of her grandson. Mollified she returns: “Thanks. You did wonderful.”

I like to sub, because sometimes I want to play for one hour and than it is ideal to come in halfway. And, and if gives you the opportunity to squander ♥ and ♣ as you meet all kind of people (Happily I give out much more hearts than clubs) To make life more easy for subs I have to requests: 1. when calling for subs, state how many boards rest 2. If a specific call for a sub is made, please let the small grey window pop up in front of anything else you are doing on your pc, either it is something silly as freecelling. or worjking on a scientific paper in word. Of course i NEVER EVER freecell ;) Maria