hallway

When I lose track of time the software does alert me to my obligations (excellent enhancement) For example today it sent me A sound alert accompanied by ->BILmanager: Automated message: STARTED: Tourney 383 Very handy when one gets involved in a discussion with a member and the minutes 'vanish'. It is enough. Finding ones self in the Tournament Lobby would be a bonus but hardly a necessity.

Paul is so right about that - over 3 1/2 hours of intense concentration, thinking, analyzing, typing and playing in one continuous seamless flow - I was in awe when I attended Fred’s first “Think with Fred” session , the wonder of it increases each time I witness it . He even manages to refer to the other players by name - it is miraculous. If a bridge genie ever appears on my screen and offers me but one wish - without hesitation it would be to sit alongside Fred as he does a Think with Fred session to see in person it actually happening. CARDSHARP is one of the BIL's original Honorary members (joined 18 September 2003 ) and still conducts a session every Monday at 14:00 EDT - thank you Paul :)

Three years ago (3 September 2003) I received an email from FRED "I am about to get on a plane and I may not be able to respond to e-mail until Monday, but what you are planning sounds great (I will respond in detail next week) and I have set up your private club. and so the BIL ,as the Beginner Intermediate Lounge is now affectionately referred to , came into being. Over the past few days I have received many accolades but without the Honorary membership the BIL would just be another Club of bridge players - with little skill. It is those Advanced, Expert and World Class players who with dedication , time , effort and a willingness to share their expertise that has given the BIL it's reputation amongst the beginners and intermediates as 'their place of learning online" At Fred's "Think with Fred" session yesterday I was able to acknowledge the time and effort of the members who have stepped up to 'keep the wheels turning' Today I want to THANK each and every one of the 186 strong Honorary membership - many of whom have been with me from those early months. The BIL members are deeply in your debt. Your efforts have not been in vain, 53 members have now gone on to become Advanced and yes even an acknowledged Expert . All have said that their advancement has come about solely because of the help they received in the BIL. Many members tell me that they have now joined f2f clubs and others that they now regularly play in local and regional tournaments where previously they would not have dared. One has started up a face to face Club in his home town area so dedicated to the game he has become. A fact I like to use to riposte those who claim that internet bridge will kill off f2f bridge ! To all the BIL's HONORARY members I salute you - the accolades are yours. ps - we still need a teacher from the Southern Hemisphere and Aspiring (the BIL's Mentor Co Ordinator is deperately seeking additional mentors

Teacher from Australia Needed The Beginner Intermediate Lounge has had an influx of members domiciled in Australia . They are pleading for a teacher to hold a session for them at an Aussie friendly time The 18 weekly teaching sessions currently being held in the BIL are either to early/late in the day and they miss out on most of the 15 or so tournaments too . Please email bil@bridgebase.com if you would like some information. Mentors Urgently needed Aspiring the BIL's Mentor Coordinator has a large waiting list of members keen to study with a Mentor East / West and Central America Greece Italy Germany If you have the time (a couple of hours a week would be a big help) and the patience :lol: she would love to hear from you dessergeant@yahoo.co.uk or bil@bridgebase.com Thank you in anticipation

The addition of HOMEBASE to the BBO Club/Organisations is a very welcome event indeed for myself and the BIL. I was pleased to see a number of BILlies and BIL mentors support the first Homebase tournament. The service Homebase are offering has many possibilities for use by both Mentors and Mentees in their quest to improve the quality of their play. The BIL has always given added value to our pay tourneys - board reviews following the tourney, emailed bridge movies reviewing selected hands, private tuition prizes, play with the teacher and throughout January Play with a Star (thx to Haig*, Ritong*, Granguru*, Vasanti*, Lrargerich* ) who all kept members spellbound with their commentary and play. Now the members (especially the Upper Intermediates ) can also find added value for their dollar and invaluable learning opportunities playing in the Homebase events. And I can stop worrying about scheduling events to keep them interested, they are a much needed component of the BIL - beginners competing with beginners is a recipe for going nowhere . Beginners being challenged by the Upper Intermediates leads to advancement and the realisation that the more you learn about the game, the more you find to learn. Congratulations Ben & Stephen on a successful launch I hope your Club goes from strength to strength.

A MILESTONE for BILlies Today I spent one of the most enjoyable hours I have ever spent on BBO Throughout 2005 CHICKEN and AZIR have used the BIL as a safe haven in which to Mentor their groups of YOUNGSTERS - 10 – 15 year olds who wanted to learn to play bridge. The FRED’s of the Future !! My dream of a YOUTH GROUP within the BIL took a giant leap forward today as the two groups competed in their first TEAM MATCH For the record it was a cliff hanger with USA taking the lead on the 7th board to finish with 22 to 21 . However, for me each of the players were the real WINNERS - it is the taking part and competing in a spirit of harmony and goodwill that matters most. These youngsters exemplified all that I preach in the BIL First and foremost that bridge is a game of Partnership - Cherish your Partner - Respect your Opposition “Cherish your Partner” - learn from the outset that you are never more than one half of the whole. To criticize your partner is to punish yourself. “Respect the Opposition” – give them value and you give yourself value and you will play the better for it. Being a good partner leaves the mind free of garbage so one can concentrate on the mechanics of the game. That is my mission to send forth contented players for whom bridge is not only a challenge but a pleasure . These youngsters went forth took up the challenge, carried no garbage, treated one another with respect and played good bridge. No matter to what heights one may wish to achieve in one’s bridge journey there will always be something for one to learn from every session one ever plays. To be receptive to those opportunities to learn one’s mind must be free of garbage. I know their coaches will have much to teach from today's play. I also know their pupils will be ready to learn. Carolyn & Thorsten have set a standard for all future mentors of the young and the not so young to follow . I am sure they feel well rewarded for their effort today. Thank you and congratulations Carolyn & Thorsten you and your Teams have given me the courage to continue , you have renewed my faith in the BIL - the effort is worthwhile. ! Let today be but a beginning.

A couple of months ago ASPIRING (Des) volunteered to act as Mentor Co ordinator for the BIL Naturally I welcomed her with open arms but then so have the members and she has been kept very busy. She now has a list of members waiting for the opportunity for some assistance. My members are noted for their desire to learn, they regularly attend the daily group lessons provided. To put that information to good effect though they need to have one on one assistance. Her list includes 2 members needing assistance from an Acol player in the UK 2 members needing assistance from a 2/1 player in Canada a member in Israel needing assistance just the tip of the iceberg ! Do you have the time / skill needed to pass on the knowledge that can turn a learner into a player. ? If so please contact ASPIRING on BBO (leave your email address) she will send you a questionaire and before you know it will have you at work. Have you got what it takes to join the ever growing band of BIL Honorary members (100+ now) who are doing so much to foster good bridge online. This week it has been my pleasure to add another 8 school children to a group now numbering 16 that are being tutored by one Honorary member. Another has a group of 5 x 10 year olds to mentor. These are the future . New mentors though are assigned just one adult member - so fear not :-) Thanks in anticipation

why not use the BBO TD's website Gweny et all went to a lot of trouble to set it up !! you can get to it via Explore Bridge ! or does no one ever use Explore Bridge ! that big button in the main lobby :-)) It used to have all kinds of help for aspiring TD's - presume it still does ? Why do we always keep wanting to re-invent the wheel - hmmmm?

The BIL has a policy of "we start on time" That does not always happen though , if I am in the process of helping someone I will add a couple of extra minutes . Or if trying to get a couple of extras to make up a table - when you have very small table numbers but still want to reward the players one does need full tables to start with. When Vugraph is on registration takes ages to come through. If someone can explain to me why people leave it until the last couple of minutes to register I would be eternally grateful - that is something I just cannot figure out. One reminds them in plenty of time and 5 minutes out hardly a sole in sight, then a rush in the last couple of minutes. Conversly there are those who register early go off line and do not come back online until 2 minutes before only to find the software has dropped them. I would like to think that all BIL tournaments would start within a 3 minute window. I don't think players should find that too onerous. We have trialled capping numbers 5 minutes from the start and it would appear to have some validity so we will pursue that.

I was approached yesterday about signing in 46 - yes 46 youngsters . At a school in the States the teachers were given the go ahead to set an 'unusual learning class' . One teacher offered to Teach Bridge - 46 have registered. Naturally I have passed on the intelligence to him that BBO is the ONLY place for them to practice and that the BIL if of course the best place of all :) and that BBO Educational Software is essential to their bridging success. I would like to think that I can refer all of these youngsters to BBF and the beginner intermediate forum in particular as they join up. <sigh> if only there were more Beginner level topics

I have a fairly lengthy list of members who would dearly love to receive some help. Some are really new to bridge so need gentle nuturing Some are ready to take on the challenge of playing 2/1 If anyone out there could spare an hour or two each week I would love to hear from you. You will be given Honorary membership to the BIL so that you can play with your mentee in peace and quiet - one thing for sure there are no table hoppers in the BIL - the opps stay glued to their seats :D You can, of course, ban kibs or ban chat to table so that you can concentrate on your mentee. Those already doing it (and there are dozens of them and one can never thank them sufficiently) tell me that: 'love it' . 'very satisfying', 'happy to do it'. So you will be joining a great group of people who already do so much to help the members. But with the membership growing daily there is always a need for more. While I'm on my knees there is one special person I would dearly love to find A teacher who would teach the BASICS for BEGINNERS - I really do mean though the very very BEGINNERS - Lesson one HCP are .........<no !! not a Handsome Card Player :unsure: > It is a darned hard thing to do online. Still as I am want to say, " I ask but I do not expect , but not to ask means I cannot hope" So hears hoping

I remember the day , sadly not the date - that hard drive went up in smoke , middle of 2001 though. Had completed my first series of bridge lessons, faced the firing squad in the clubrooms, decided - this is not for me !! Posted my resignation, thought I'd have one last look at bridge, googled it and up came Bridge Base 'educational' , had a look, emailed Fred to ask if it was ok for a beginner. Next day I was stunned I got a genuine personal reply !! Incredible - this is cyber space and YET this man obviously cared so much about the game that he would take time to nurture 'someone' a world away ! That is the essence that makes BBO the extra special place it is. I recall the excitement of logging in and finding 5 tables playing, then 20 and THEN 100 !!! Then the day there was a 1000 online - wonderful memories. Well nowadays my family call me a BBO junkie , still can't play bridge mind you - the title of Aged Void is justly earned :unsure: BUT I do like to give the Advanced + community the occassional warning "Watch out the BILlies are coming" :D

Every Table has the Table Description facility. Maybe if more HOSTS used that to state their 'table rules' they would have less problems. If enough desriptions say " You will be reported if you leave this table unannouced during a hand " players hopping about might get the message. :unsure:

Aisha - you know that was a compliment :) Being a member of <that other> Club only confirmed that all that talk of Super Accepts was knowledge you possessed/applied and not just showing off <_< . In those days it was accepted as recognition of above average playing skills to be invited to join <that other> Club and you were a fully fledged member B) Ken - I have spent hours debating the choices of skill levels. The BBO definitions are: Novice - someone who recently learned to play Beginner - who has played for less than a year Intermediate - who is comparable to most other players on BBO Advanced - who has consistently been successful in clubs and minor tournaments Expert - who has enjoyed success in major national tournaments World Class - who has represented their country in World Championships The simple fact of the matter is that probably 95% of people (am I too harsh ;) ) joining BBO never read that let alone apply it when choosing a skill level. You Ken are one of the few. So people just choose whatever they feel comfortable with, applying their own view of what each means to them. Just so, do they list a bevy of conventions. In the BIL I encourage members to list all the conventions they are learning to use. Reading up on them is a far cry from being able to use them appropriately and only by practising their use will they ever become proficient in their use. Showing rkc0314 on their profile gives their partner the confidence to 'have a go', on a good day the answer will take them where they should be , on a bad day ..... The important thing is that they will have learnt from the trying. As Fritz said all the Systems used by players from all over the world do make use of a variety of conventions. Knowing of/using them is not indicative of one's bridge playing skills. If one can't play the cards well....... To help me in the management of the BIL I made up my own definitions - which apply only to and are used only by BIL members. Except in an Honorary member capacity -I don't accept people who choose to call themselves Advanced, however, when they have admitted that was merely bravado they have been accepted as a Novice or Intermediate BUT those that apply telling me they are Intermediate but who I see with Advanced on their profiles (they lied!) I show them the door and make no apology for doing so. Whether or not they actually have the skill is not for me to decide, they have spoken. The BIL definitions are: Beginner - a newcomer to bridge , one who is learning the basic principles Novice - one who has played bridge in the past but now needs to up skill for Internet bridge (e.g. playing duplicate/new conventions) to once again be competitive. Intermediate - one who has a good understanding of the basic principles and is learning the modern conventions and those who are developing the skills to become an Advanced player. The BIL members seem relatively happy with those. Please don't suggest any changes :blink:

"low cost classes" who/where/what /when ???? - all are FREE !!!!

Oh dear - it must have been the shock of me actually trying to PLAY that has done it !! Hands one and two, cards slow, slow, slow - I checked the options - on Fast. Hand three :o altogether too much! - NetBridgeVu error - has to shut down - White Screen Sorry guys just when you thought you'd got shunt of it <_<

I have lost count of the initiatives I have tried - to provide help/classes for the BEGINNERS. I can protect the Intermediates from the Advanced by virtue of membership but I cannot protect the Beginners from the Intermediates. I cannot restrict tables to beginners only . I cannot prevent private chat during a lesson. Teachers have tried. I have tried. Beginners are naturally unsure and if they are very new to bridge it is all a mystery - ask a simple valid beginner question and their screen lights up with dozens (often sarcastic) comments from the oh so knowledgable Intermediate. Condition red and no coaxing on my part gets them back :) Each Sunday I hold a Beginner tournament - called BEGINNER - table description BEGINNERS only ONLY Beginners !!! - last Sunday I inadvertently made it Club restricted instead of Level restricted - 50% of those who entered were Intermediates !! I despair :( Any and all ideas on what and how to provide for BEGINNERS welcomed. Maybe there is a willing Expert reading this who would like to take up the challenge - ? Mini bridge for Beginners ? Having said that though I must acknowledge a growing group of Intermediates who have taken on board the BIL philosophy for helping newcomers to 'find their feet' and do help and encourage newcomers, playing with them, holding help tables etc. The BIL membership is extremely fortunate to have such a great team of Teachers willing to give of their time week after week to help the members to become better players . Each teacher will do that which they enjoy ! and why shouldn't they? Countless hours are spent preparing hands/text as well as the online time. In addition to the open lessons numerous hours are given each week by the Honorary members holding small group and individual mentoring. No BIL member has to attend any lessons. No BIL member has a right to EXPECT anything - Arclight :) BBO is a gift to bridge. The BIL is a gift to bridge. When you pay a membershsip fee and/or pay the teacher for their tutelage then and only then can you - expect . The BIL's creed for BEGINNERS:- 1. Honour your Partner. Bridge is a game of partnership. You are but one half of a whole. If you cannot accept that then take up Solataire. 2. Learn to play the cards. Work hard on your card skills - play the cards badly and bidding the right contract is worthless. Play the cards badly in defence and you will gift the opps a bad contract. 3. Learn the BASICS Decide on the System you want to use, they all have 'essential' conventions. Learn it thoroughly. "learn to bake the cake before you try to ice it !!" 4. Learn Partnership Defence You will find yourself defending far more often than Declaring. Learning to work as a team on defence will see your scores improve dramatically - but first you must know 1,2 and 3 ! Every member who joins is immediately given the Tools to do those things. 1. BIL Rule - Zero Tolerance for poor table behaviour 2. Buy Bridgemaster 2000 (Audrey Grant version for Beginners) Seek out the BIL teaching sessions that include card play 3. Download Learn to Play Bridge 1 (link provided) Seek out the BIL teaching sessions that focus on the System you have chosen 4. Download Learn to Play Bridge 2 (link provided) Seek out the BIL teaching sessions that include card play and check out the Links and Book sections You can take the horse to water ---- butttt will it drink ?????!!!!!! PS - the BIL though is not all about those who want to become Advanced >+ .learning, learning, learning. It is there too for those who simply want to enjoy a social game, 'mistakes' and all.

Now Scoob that is an idea I like :-)) For the LMMs (the ones you get when you log in ) that would be perfect . Use the same system as on here , maybe. When I log in if there is no message I know not to waste time checking the Inbox , if there is a notice I can choose to read the mail straight away or leave it for later. Wouldn't solve the online ones though one still needs either the members to have an option to block Club Chat and/or the Club Managers to have a means of filtering off members from receiving them Here's hoping it may make it onto the 2005 To Do List :-)) Happy New Year Everyone and heartfelt THANKS to Fred, Sheri and Uday for all those things that were on the 2004 To Do List and are now so much a part of our daily lives.

I always feel guilty when I send out Club Broadcasts because I know they are going to be an annoyance to the Honorary members. The dilemma - make them short and numerous or combine them and then annoy because they are long ? We just have to bide our time patiently until Uday can make it possible for Club Managers to filter out members from the broadcast list. At present if you are a member of a Club for whatever reason, you will receive each and every broadcast regardless of whether it deals with a matter that concerns you. When broadcasting by Chat (as distinct from LMM which is received when a member logs in) I do endeavour to send them as a run-on message with no line spaces - unless I hit the wrong button by mistake :angry: At the moment there are only two options for the log in ones - have the mouse poised and hit the ok , ok , ok without pausing to read (you can always go back and check your chat log if you think you might have missed one you needed to read :P ) or have your membership of the Club in question deleted. For the online ones well deletion of the membership is the only option :(

Plaudits to Fred and all the people who make BBO the success it is. To be able to play with people around the world is AWESOME. Many thanks to all those who fall under this umbrella. I love it!!!! Rosie 3334 Hear ! Hear ! from all the BILlies. <_<

A TD is not invisible to his/her tournament . As you say you can see them if they are kibbing your table but even if they are in the tournament lobby they will have made at least one announcement to the Tournament so all you have to do is click on the ID in your chat panel to send a private message. I , more often than not, log in invisible to work a tournament. The reason being that if I am visible in the main lobby the message a member gets when they hold their cursor over my name makes it seem that I am 'doing nothing'. ;) Quite rightly the member then feels they can contact me . Getting multiple messages concerning all manner of things - what is est?, where is the news? et all while trying to find subs etc and keeping the tournament flowing smoothly is far from fun. At least if the TD is invisible in the Main Lobby you can be reasonably sure they are giving you and the tournament their full undivided attention (however good or bad that may be :lol: )

Uday, I just want to add my voice to Bruce and Al's Any improvement to the way Director Calls operate will be oh so welcome . I have found it almost impossible to make people understand what happens. They just cannot seem to grasp that once they hit the director button I get their message BUT before I can finish dealing with whatever it was I was already dealing with - I have to clear their message and when I do that I have to start all over again on whatever it was I was doing - argggghhhhh I love a challenge but this is hair tearing stuff, especially when cyber space is shaky and there are a lot of 'hiccups' [edited:uday] A week or two back I just threw in the towel and cancelled - nearly had to put in a call for the 'men in white coats'. :P It would ne nice if: 1. A director call from a table disables the director button until the Director has cleared the initial call 2. Director calls do not interfere with what the TD's are doing but stay on screen 3. Director calls stack up like Leave Mail Messages - you have to clear them in order of receipt. It would be even nicer if the message to TD had a reply 'pad' so a message went back to the table for all at the table to see - then I could say "No" to going to the table but quickly let them know that their message is on my to do list ( something like "will do" - "coming' - "will adjust later" " - " you are caller # 13 !!" - "will fix it next year !") :lol:

Thank You all for your replies. I shall take the liberty of using some of the above in my Newsletter to my members, then they can all benefit. The BIL membership ranges from a young lad of 12 who the other day said he had read an article on bridge and thinks he wants to learn how to play to those I refer to as Upper Intermediates some of whom are really quite good players in disguise :lol: BEGINNERS are my true love - it is really for them that I do what I do. The BIL definition of a BEGINNER - Newcomer to Bridge - one who is learning the BASIC principles I have a Beginner Section through which they can ask questions and I will seek out the answers for them. The more they start asking the more times I will be seeking answers from the Forum so please forget the Intermediates in your replies , think BASIC !! Thanks for the help

I have a member of my BEGINNER Section who would like some advice. She writes as follows: Here is one of my burning questions. We have lovely guides as to how many HCP you need to open the bidding (about 12 or 13, unless you use the rule of 20 to open with less, on occassion), and how much you need to respond (about 6, or 8 points if pard opens 1NT). Are there similar rules for how many TIMES you can bid, or how high you may bid? When I am in a competetive bidding situation, I often feel flummoxed by knowing whether my 10 HCP are enough to bid a new suit at the 3 level, say, when partner has opened by RHO has intervened. I'm developing some feel for this, flying by the seat of my pants, but feel I may have missed some important, obvious, oh-everyone-knows-that sort of guidance. Would appreciate some input from you - remember please this is for a BEGINNER

CLUB The bottom line is simple - BBO is a PRIVATE site . It belongs lock, stock and barrel to Fred, Sheri and Uday. When you enter BBO you do so as their GUEST as we all do - no more, no less !! If I came knocking on your front door and you let me in you would EXPECT me to behave in whatever manner you find acceptable to you - if I did not , if I abused your hospitality for whatever reason, in whatever way - you would throw me out. And rightly so. Would you welcome me back ?? So on BBO you accept the Rules for the Site , behave in the approved manner or simply go play your bridge elsewhere. In spite of having abused the gift you were given, you were granted a chance to return, not once it would seem but several times - why on earth would they want you back in their 'home' - ever ?! - 2006 seems too soon !