Tola18

Yeah. Bridge has a certain air of a game for senior citizens (ie 60+). How to get younger people, yes even youngsters, of both sexes? If you use some form of material where photos are possible, do have photos of younger people playing (or possibly wellknown players)... Courses designate at juniors: a lot of junior photos. Courses /events designate at grown up, but still young people: photos of these ages. If you cant have photos, try to mention it in words.

How are things going? What is confirmed, what is still not confirmed?? What is 100% official and what is hopefully rumors?

Yes, one must focus and concentrate. Not only on the exact spot, but also on the exact colour. I saw the followed colour, but did they follow suit?? I have glasses, and thus I dont see very broad. On the computer I see all cards in one glance, but in f2f I must turn the head and look after...

Oh may. Having decent 11 points opposite a 2C bidder, you shall not hope to make 3NT with Gods help. You shall think about bidding and making slam. (Although 3NT happens to be quite playable here, slam not being ironclad - not with hearts uneven distributed). Besides, chances are excellent there should be play in hearts. This for responder. Opener. Good 21 points is usually enough for a 2-bid. But the 4441 are tricky. 1. The points getting full value first when you do have found good fit. So my advice is always to take away 2 points in the beginning. Add them back (and some for ruffing values) firstly when you have found a good trump-fit. 2. This bidding as done shows usually a good 5+ suit. Thus a fit of xxx is enough for positive support. The responder should normally bid 3H... 3. Bidding the 4441 you cant be sure if the fit is on 4 or on 3... This is one reason more to open with 1 in a suit. If partner pass, you dont have any slam and even game is not probable. If partner bids something, you will find some good solution. We do see, 4H will go home on sheer rawforce, but the otherwise normal 6 H will probably be a disaster, with the singelton on wrong hand. Even with the trumphs less hostile distributed, say 42, 6H is bad. But a 41 break would make. Here, hearts are very mean distributed. Heart slam would be difficult also with 5-3 and 5-0.... But a diamond slam is a good bet... So funny and oddly enough, here do we have an example when two different wrongs makes one right - and NS DO have a playable contract.... :)

You can copy a message. Thus if your message went to wrong person, it is no big deal to copy it and send to the correct person. rightclick on the message (edit: ie person at that message) - and you see the alternatives. Or Im misunderstanding you?? ps: I can witness you are good at teaching and explain. (I do kibitz you sometimes.) Pity you do it often in argentinian-spanish....

There exists a smiliar proposal; autoplay of the last trick. As it is not unusual people quit now when the hand is over, so to speak. the autoplay would be easy connected to this automatic registering of result. Two improvements for the price of one. :

I see nobody is seconding my proposal. :( So nobody has any difficulties nor problems in training good defence with your partners?? :) Excellent. It makes me VERY happy! :)

I suppose that would work. Thanx for your help! :) Although still I want and propose something immediately and easy. Just sit down and do it.

Do we talk about the same thing? You seem to talk about training for myself. Im talking about training defence WITH my partner. (play with myself only mentioned)

We do have the Partnership-bidding room. Excellent device. The though matured in me, what we do lack is a room for Partnership defence. Say, you get one hand, bidding and contract. Made your lead, dummy appears, and so on. Good if everything can be retracted after the play, so we can chat and analyse at will, perhaps replay. I presume a GIB must be the declarer, as our play may vary... This device surely more complicated to make than the Partnership bidding, but shouldnt be impossible. Probably even not especially difficult for our skilled and experienced programists. Cant I play with a robot, and have as many defences I like?? There are a lot of robotprograms, some even cheap and still decent?? No, it is no training with my partner... No real improving of the skills.

Now, the Acolists have always been known for their light openings, especially in majors. But this was of course when Acol was ACOL, ie with Acol 3/4 strong openings = the Acol-twos. Modern proselytes to Acol can of course use Multi2D + Acol-twos, and thus still have the best possible from these worlds. I like this solution very much.

I second Mgiurgieus proposal. The last stick in the hand should be shown at least one full second. At the same time we can have one more little improvement: the last card of the hand played automatically. - and semislow.

I find the idea of using BBO to letting her play the cards after the auction is over as marvellous. A good help for newbies. The minibridge is also good I believe. Here is the trick, I think, to try and interest also some other youngsters. Preferably her pals. But if not some others she can met and play with... Books? i know there are books to learn children Acol. Perhaps even one by Klinger? Basic Acol should btw be a good first system to teach.* PS: *This said, I believe Acol is also good enough for serious competitive bridge too, and modern Acol? Your ability is the main limit. The only drawback of Acol I can find from a young beginners view is most on BBO use Sayc or similiar...

Yeah. With young Beatrice already a good adv level in understanding of bridge. and having 15 years to develop further being still junior.... Tremendous.

Not only novices. Also some decent club players (intermed) are very bad at signalling. It is only a strain on them, etc. Having no signals is the most wise with such partners... I know. I have had such partners. My experience is, as a rough rule of thumb, players below advanced are as a bunch unreliable about marking. Cheating? Yes, I suppose that happens. But very many pairs have for custom to drumming with fingers in the board, humming, making faces during bidding and also during play. This would bother me more. And still, most of them apparently arent chating. They are simply nervous.

Yeah. I suspect many experts/advanced+ do voluntarily choose to play such a hand on the 4-3 Moysian fit, not only as an emergency exit. The possibility to find a 53 fit being an extra plus.

Im not sure someone individual must keep the table playing. F.eks. Im kibitzing, and surfing the Internet simultaneously. Ie, I´m on the balcony together with others kibitzers, but surfing... After I while I look what is happening. Nobody there, the machine says: you are now the host, Tola18. Ie, the machine dont kills the table when all the players left as long as there are any kibitzers left. Any of these kibitzers left (in any case the new host!) can proceed to play, adding on the numbers. Another example is the players changing, but the numbers of boards adding - also if you wash out the movie/Imps, the boards are adding on. So the 300 IS a interesting curiosity yes, but no proof at all somebody individual was playing them all. Although I suppose it must have happened folks did played around the clock: some players seems to be there almost anytime you visit BBO...

Sure. Although it is very common they dont. Even players who ARE otherwise nice and polite. As the tournament procedure is more or less automatic, it shouldnt be a very big deal with an automatic warning, I presume. Only BUT is tournaments sometimes starts later. So what? The players would be warned and perhaps wouldnt begin new boards and must wait some... No big deal.

Sounds interesting. Im googling on it, but could you tell more / give a good link?

I want to emphasize this: These enthusiastic leaders, "fire-souls" in swenglish, are tremendous important, I believe. Almost always when we see a successful activity - it is in much because of them. One single or a group / team of them. It may be a grown up (or a few). Or it may be a couple of young persons with some support of grown ups. I can write up some examples I have seen myself, will do it perhaps later on. Just now I want to start the follow up question: What to do to find and encourage such persons? Make it possible for them to work and do their good?? I think one answer can be, it is good if they can make a living out of their bridge commitment. One example: In Sweden it is tradition the club officials are working on voluntary basis. No pay. As best expenses paid (ie stamps and phone). But there ARE some clubs driven professionally/semiprofessionally. These clubs are, by the way, often succesful. Lets proceed with this discussion! (perhaps in own thread?)

This was a little practical joke. But the instead recommendation of Hans Christian Andersen fairy-tales was good. A+-level. Useful both for beginners AND advanced.

Adam, so is the name of your dragon?? :)

Will there be also a big Junior Camp afterwards, like in last time?

They have also a well worked out system for contested auction, with among others nuances what is a fighting bid, what is mild invite and what is a strong invite. This would be interesting too see. Their main system is probably too complicated for a common mortal. Their bidding philosophy though is also interesting, and no secret.

I agree with the first post, 54 is often much stronger than 44 or 53. Especially with somewhat shaky hands without raw force. (Having raw force 44 or 53 is fine). You MAY very well get down, but it will almost never by costly. A wonderful thread!