brecherdc

When I try to Start it brings up a "This screen will allow you to examine and edit your ACBL number recorded on BBO" window, which first asks me to login (strange because I'm already logged into BBO), then shows my ACBL number (which I can't change), but then there's no way to play the hands.

Totally agree!!! I've been meaning to suggest this for a while.

I'm getting a Database Not Available error (Err=2006) when I try to login. It says wait a few minutes and try again, but it's been half an hour.

Of course, I never said it was unfair. It's just...different.

I truly enjoyed the BIC Practice rounds this weekend -- a rare Daylong that wasn't "best hand". And I thought it worked very well. Any chance we can get more like that? My usual BBO diet is primarily Daylongs and Robot Duplicates which are almost always "Best hand", but some variety would be nice. Speaking of which -- one thing I don't like about "best hand" is that it gives you information about other hands (i.e. that no one has more HCP than you). It really affects how you bid (and play) -- if you've got a 12 count you bid a lot differently knowing that partner has at most 12 HCP as well. Or if you have 13 you know for sure that East's opener is at most 13 as well. And if you et a 10 HCP hand you know 100% that everyone else has 10 as well. It definitely changes things -- arguably it's just not real bridge. How about just having "good hand" instead? e.g. guarantee that you have at least 10 HCP but your partner could just as easily have 9 or 19.