cccccttttt

Letter to BBO online bridge: Bridge is a mental sport that requires memory and logic. However, aging players have a physical decline in their memory. Many thus play slowly or leave the game. Suggest BBO explore this option: [supply button that will popup a history of cards played, sorted trick by trick] For your business, demand should increase. For players, quality of play will remain high. For teachers, a useful tool. ct

After a pattern is complete, most pattern bidders will ask for either --Controls A=2 K=1 -- 3-2-1 points (Reese points, Relay points, Queen points, etc) It would be ideal to know both, but as bidding space is at a premium, most pattern bidders can only ask for one. Controls alone leaves unclear the Qs under the As and Ks. "Aces and Spaces" problem. Reese points alone can be bloated by queens to cause ambiguity. Does 8 Reese points show QQQQKK or AAQQ or AKQQQ or AAK ? However, we use a Hybrid Approach: As an example, we have an asking bid over 5 majors that shows hand pattern and controls by 3n. There are four paths to reveal any specific shape, thus the "4 routes". min route does not quality for higher route med route 4 con and 4+ honors (honor= A, K, or Q) strong route 5 con and 4+ honors max route 6 con and 4+ honors Say one takes the med route: AAQQ AKKQ KKKK with extra Qs possible. Strong Route: AAKQ AKKK with extra Qs possible. Max route; AAAQ AAKK with extra Qs possible. Notice that HONORS + CONTROLS = REESE POINTS This means that a partnership can express their Hybrid requirements using any combination of two of the three measures. cccccttttt@gmail.com

The use of time on BBO is now poorly handled. Chess, backgammon, and Go have long ago solved this problem. Use two clocks, one for each pair, that starts at O and runs till say 8 min. When it is your turn to bid or play a card, your clock is running. After your bid or play is made, your clock stops, and opponents clock starts. If your run out of time on the round, its your own fault, not the opponents. You will get a 25% for the round at match play, or lose say 10 imps at imp pairs. If time allotment of 16 minutes for a round is by popular demand too low, then run tournaments with different time allotments. BBO could make a real improvement in the game. ct

Suggest BBO use clocks for tournaments: Each pair has a clock and is allotted so much time per board depending on the event. A clock only ticks when it is a pair's turn to bid or play a card. At the moment they hit the screen button to complete their bid or card play, their clock stops, and the other pair's clock starts clicking downward. Most boards will be completed within the allotted time, so move on to next board, with new clock settings for both sides. If a clock does run down to zero, an automatic favorable score is assigned to the other pair. When a director is summoned for whatever issue, both clocks stop until the director restarts them. Benefits: ---all slow play issues handled smoothly and fairly ---reduces an area of tension between pairs ---assists each player to better manage their time Downside: ---BBO software change ---period of adjustment for new player Tournament Chess and Go have long used clocks, and Backgammon has finally adapted them in the bigger events. Online Bridge would also benefit. ct

Suppose at match play you compile the results from many tournaments for boards that start with a Fantunes 2S opener. Add up the match scores in percents, and divide by the number of boards. Then multiply this by the number of hands in say 1000 deals that qualify for a Fantunes 2S opener. Then do the same for the usual weak 2S. My experience is that Fantunes will get a better rating. As few cares enough to actually do these computations, its more a question of finding a system that suits your personality. ct

Chess long ago realized that some players use time as a weapon. After chess clocks there was no more problem. Suggest that BBO is in a great position to test a better way of controlling time. After each bid or card play, the timer for the other side starts and and ours stops. Each side gets so much time to complete the bidding and play. Disconnects count on the clock. If allocated time for one side expires before the board is finished, assign an automatic average minus. Might take some testing but BBO is ideal area to test out such an approach. ct

Suggest that over 1S the two heart and two club Suggest 2/1 responses to 1S opener reverse the 2C and 2H meanings. After an opening 1S responder has x KJxxxx KQx xxx He bids 2C and opener bids 2H with singleton, 2D with doubleton, and 2S or higher with a fit and various strengths. (or some other similiar scheme) Notice that the trick taking power of this hand varies by 3 tricks depending on openers heart holding. xx KQxxx KQx xxx If opener shows a singleton, try 2S. If opener has a fit, its a game try. When responder has clubs, the 2H response is a bit cramped, but opener mostly rebids 2S. "Two Under suit showing bids" are used by Bergen in various preempts, and can be used in other situations. On the downside, if they are effective, its odds on the ACBL will restrict them from sectional or regional competition. ct