euclidz

I have played a lot of Club Bridge over a lot of years in the UK and other countries and learned early on that there is an abnormally high percentage of people playing Bridge with an over inflated belief in their competence and an arrogant disdain for the competence of others. Since Covid I have played a LOT of Bridge on BBO with a LOT of different people and what p***s me off most are those people playing a system which someone has ‘tweaked’. There are numerous established systems invented by brilliant people but some of those people identified above think they know better and ‘tweak’ that system a bit. That’s OK but then they will ‘teach’ others their version of that system and then those people join me on BBO and want me to play their ‘tweaked’ version of that system AND they don’t know that their version of that system has been ‘tweaked’ by a sophomanic they think it’s the authentic version. IRRITATING.

Has your Club re-commenced F2F Bridge games? Is your club discussing re-commencing F2F Bridge games? If so I would like to know what measures (if any) you are implementing/putting in place to protect members? e.g., table money – cashless? screens? mandatory masks? gloves? hand gel? nothing?

Ah yes . . . . Sturgeon = Contrary

Is your Bridge Club meeting f2f after the 19th July? Note: Only relevant to the UK which lifts Covid restrictions on this date.

At the start of this current lockdown I didn't know anybody who had been vaccinated now I don't know anybody who hasn't been vaccinated (1st dose) that is amazing and something to be proud of. I wonder how different that would have been if we'd stayed in the EU? All that said, it seems likely that we will keep cooking up new variants until whole world is vaccinated.

Is your Club planning to resume f2f play - when?

with a joint holding of 26hcp South makes 10 tricks in NT's

Yes, he passed on his first bid, sorry, my error, his first call was a pass second call a double.

[hv=pc=n&w=sj842hkt3d3ckj982&e=sk95hq964dj96c543&d=s&v=e&b=3&a=1dp1hp1ndp]266|200[/hv] Here is his hand. I, working on the presumption that my partner is sane and equipped with clear thinking and logic formed the view that he must have a long suit with an entry after it runs out.

[hv=pc=n&e=sk95hq964dj96c543&d=s&v=e&b=3&a=1dp1hp1ndp]133|200[/hv] I am East my partner (an Expert) is at West. I must presume he is bidding 'expertly.' If I was equipped with similar expert ability what would I bid after he doubled? I am sat there wondering what he might have in his hand - what would you conclude that he has in his hand?

Choose 'Follow; on the name of the kibber that way you will always know where he/she is. Then . . . Start your own table and exclude kibbers OR Only join tables which excludes kibbers OR When you join a table ask the host to exclude kibbers

I use a PC laptop with Chrome and Edge. I play most evenings (UK time). For the past few months, on regular occasions (about once every other day) BBO freezes on me. When this happens it also completely locks down the browser so that I have to re-boot the machine before I can open the browser. This does not happen on any other occasion browsing any other site or application. I am not complaining I am just making a report hoping it might help those responsible for the ensuring stability of the platform.

It happens. It's difficult for most of us to understand but there are people out there who just can't help themselves. A few years back I reported to BBO four usernames (it was one person who, when playing, always had one of the other names kibbing). It soon became clear that this person consistently made bids and play which could not be made without knowing the content of all hands. Over many months I made reports to BBO with examples of bids/play and eventually those names stopped appearing (banned?). A short time later he/she popped up again with another name and 'haunted' me for a while before disappearing. I believe that any good reasons for allowing anonymous kibbing is far outweighed by all the bad reasons. Also, I would go further and enable the host to eject kibbers; the Host can eject players why not kibbers?

There is an Acol club and it was formed long before I joined BBO and presumably formed because some people, like me, would choose to play with and against others playing the same system. The rules of that Club is that you must play Acol but yes, every now and again someone individual or couple joins a table and play SAYC or 2/1 and because their are no moderators on BBO there is no way of ejecting them. It's a rare event and it shouldn't happen but there are nut cases everywhere. I play Acol and so the Acol Club caters for my desire to play with and against others playing the same system. The problem (my problem (call me selfish)) is that I don't want to play with or against learners (particularly against, I don't want it 'easy') and since March we've been flooded with learners; hence my suggestion above here.

I am very happy that some BBO users have made new friends (depending on how we define friend). I would however argue that the raison detre of BBO is to provide a platform to play Bridge, to learn, improve and enjoy playing Bridge not to make friends. That said if BBO are reading this thread at the end of the list of Clubs based on Bridge Systems and skill levels they might include a Club to make friends. I suspect that will not happen because anyone joining that Club is likely to spend more time 'making friends' than playing Bridge. Based on the presumption that Aims and Objective of BBO is to provide the best platform for meeting the needs of people who want to play Bridge I personally would like someone at BBO to sit down and think about whether the current structure (which has evolved randomly over time) could be improved with a little re-structuring along the lines suggested at the top of this thread.

I, like most of us here, am a member of (f2f) Bridge Club which is both competitive and social. it never occurred to me that people are on BBO to make friends. I'm struggling with the idea that anyone joined BBO to make friends with a person they will never meet but each to his own. I suspect that you are in a minority and that most people, like me, play Bridge on BBO for the game and nothing else.

First off, before anyone jumps on me for being critical I very much appreciate what BBO provides AND that it is free and I am truly grateful. It's great and it's free but (IMO) it could be so much better at no cost. As a ‘user’ it looks like the existing structure is something that evolved without a plan. As a user I want to be able to choose what systems I play with/against and what skill level of player I play with/against. I did find on google an old message from Uday Ivatury suggesting that was going to survey members "so that he could make BBO better". If he was to ask me for my opinion (stop laughing) on what should be done to improve the model, I would suggest the following. 1. Delete all existing Clubs. 2. Create Clubs based on Systems and ability. Suggested examples . . . SAYC (Advanced) SAYC (Accomplished) SAYC (Intermediate) SAYC (Improvers) Acol (Advanced) Acol (Accomplished) Acol (Intermediate) Acol (Improvers) Polish Club Precision Universal/Multiple (any system allowed . . . (for (weird) people who want to play one system against another) A N Other(s) Note: On 'skill level' as 99% of people will put themselves in the middle I think it's important to find two middle levels to force users to choose up or down. 3. Appoint (from amongst the membership) an Administrator and Moderators (who agree to be in that Club at some point every day) for each Club with the powers the set the rules of play within that Club, organiser tournaments, hear and adjudicate complaints, suspend or ban members. 4. Allow Private Clubs on payment of a fee.

I have always believed that the size shape and strength of the Benji 2♣ opening should be the same as the standard Acol strong 2's (ostensibly 8 playing tricks) and the below (EBU) link seems to support that belief. https://www.ebu.co.uk/documents/laws-and-ethics/convention-cards/benji-acol.pdf I played last evening with a player who opened 2♣ had a flat balanced hand with 19hcp and 5 quick tricks later suggesting it was a Benji 2♣opening. Today searching google for what I could find to describe what the Benji 2♣ opening bid should look like I DID find some reports suggesting it could be 19hcp and a balanced hand. What should a Benji 2♣ opening hand look like?

Here in the UK, as we move towards relaxing restrictions towards 'normal' it is generally accepted that we are going to have a new 'normal' and that new normal will include social distancing of 2 metres. My golf club re-opens tomorrow with new 'distancing' rules taken from guidelines on Golf England. There is talk of restaurants opening in July and I am in no doubt that they will drawing up the rules on how they must operate in the new normal. As we move forward I am sure that Bridge Clubs will be looking to the EBU/ACBL for guidance. I hope they thinking about the answers before the questions are asked? I run our Bridge Club and I can't see how it would be possible to play Bridge and maintain 2 metres distance not just at the table but also moving round the room and I can't see how we can safely handle and pass on cards and boards. Consequently I can't see a resumption to f2f Bridge until after the CV19 has run its course and I can't see us getting to that stage until the end of next year.

I watch the news and I follow the (UK) stats. There is lots of discussion on lifting restrictions and how that will happen. I play golf and I play Bridge. I can see a sensible argument for lifting the restrictions on golf (it's easy to keep 2m away from others and it's good healthy exercise). I can't see any way we can play (f2f) Bridge whilst maintaining 2M from each other and not touching cards etc., touched by others and so I can't see any good argument for lifting the restrictions on opening the Bridge Club. And, unless there is some form of miracle discovery I can't see an end to this until mid summer 2021 (earliest). So what are the options? I've played regularly on BBO for the past 5 years and enjoyed it and I am VERY grateful to BBO and the staff at BBO for the facility/service/resource but it has (IMO) under the sheer weight of numbers, become a bit chaotic. If Mr BBO asked my opinion (and I am not holding my breath) I would suggest creating a dozen different 'Clubs' based on Systems played and degrees of competence. I don't expect that's going to happen so my question is - what else is there? Is there (for example) a platform out there where I could set up my Club in a Virtual game i.e. set up a movement for x tables playing y boards starting at an appointed time and resulting in winners and losers?

I'd would like to know - Is he setting this 'virtual club' up within BBO or on some other platform?

Wow a bit OTT? Clearly you cannot believe that my reference to you as Andrew rather than John was intentional, it was a simple (and arguably understandable) error and not an intent to offend.

I am truly grateful to BBO for this fabulous resource/service which I have enjoyed for the past 5 years. I know the staff are currently all working very hard throwing buckets of water on overheating servers. Last night was another night of frustrated attempts to play a few hands. And I know the reason those servers are overheating is because the 'membership' doubled overnight. What I don't understand is why I should be happy about that? When CV19 hit us and the world started lockdown I went on-line to sign up for grocery deliveries only to find that all of the supermarkets denied registration to new applicants. Notwithstanding that the supermarkets' core objectives is selling more groceries they understood that they could not cope (their staff and servers could not cope) with the massive increase in numbers. BB0 made the decision to continue to allow unrestricted registration. I (of course) don't know why but I presume the owners of BBO believe pursuing that policy will increase profits now or in the future (and of course that is their absolute right to do so and none of my business). As an ordinary Bridge player, what I don't understand is why I should be happy about my (BBO Club) being flooded by new members crashing the system of causing pandemonium when the system's online? I play in the Acol club and the owners of the Acol Club (Lawrence, Sue and Andrew) have, on several occasions, in text to the members, expressed their delight at the increased numbers i.e. they are clearly delighted by the massive increased volume of new members. Clearly I am missing something, tell me why I should also be delighted?

Thanks I have looked at the link in the above post. I can see reflected on that page great delight in the recent influx of members. I have to say that I do not understand why table numbers rising from 25 to 150 overnight brings us (members of the Acol Club) so much delight? Apart from the general pandemonium this has brought we now have Clubs within the Club. Notwithstanding that BBO no longer supports Private Clubs we (in the Acol Club) have external Clubs setting up their own private Club within the Club. Those 'Private' Clubs then spend the evening imposing their 'chat' to everybody else in the Club - why does this bring us (ordinary playing members) so much delight? For me is raises the questions: 1. What are the objectives of BBO in structuring its 'play' into Clubs? 2. What is a Club?

OK let's try this . . . Clearly I don’t know how BBO got to where it is (and from the lack of replies to this thread nobody else does). As a ‘user’ it looks like the existing BBO structure of 'Clubs' is something that has evolved rather than something that was planned? I play in the Acol Club and from what I can see it looks like that Club was created by someone called Lawrence (username aacol) but I've never seen him in there and looking up games he's played I can't see that he's played any games in many years. If Lawrence has 'gone' who 'owns' the Acol Club?