trefl44

Yes, we play online (BBO) because is free, thank BBO, thank you Fred. For me and for all my friends here in Canada and North America playing bridge on BBO is the one of the most fantastic things that happened to the bridge community at large, worldwide. What I am concerned with is the fact I have discovered lately that the free tournaments organizers/managers/directors have and in some cases exercise absolute and totally non-democratic power on the tournament members. And that I cannot accept, not just me - many, if not majority of the group(s) in question. Would it be possible to have a few members named and registered with BBO and within a specific tournament to act as an appeal/review committee? These are very well established groups (one of them I am referring to has over 1200 players registered). The problems I described before are not new. People do not complain because they either don't know how to or they are afraid of possible negative consequences. This is nothing to do with the TD's certification (maybe it is, but not necessarily related to the Laws), more - in my mind - with maintaining and promote an open, democratic and friendly culture of BridgeBase online :)!

I have no problem with your and Helene's replies. Don't take me wrong, as a "brick and mortar" bridge club director I understand all efforts the BBO TD's put into efficiently running tournaments days in days out and I appreciate it very much! But my main frustration comes from the fact that a TD has the power and, to my mind, exercises it freely to ban an individual for life for mostly minor and sometimes innocent actions! Thank you!

These are free tournaments - for one East European language speaking players, basically.

Last month I joined a few private bridge clubs on BBO. In general I am very happy I play tournaments there, the game level, the atmosphere are more than expected :). But I have encountered a major problem with one of them, and it is strictly related to the personality and manners of the TD. I know - you can say: "leave it, go somewhere else". But I like everything: the time of the day, the partners/opponents, the level of the game, you name it... The only thing is the actions of a person in charge that I have problems with. These are some of the issues: 1. you cannot challenge his decisions, if you do - you are expelled for life, 2. you cannot argue with him, if you do - see #1, 3. whenever there is a discussion in the tournament chat, he is either patronizing or rude, 4. you cannot be late at a start of the tournament, if you do - you are expelled for a week, at least, 5. you cannot have any connectivity problems, if you do - the same as #4, 6. TD arbitrarily sets the number of players participating on a given day (there are over 1200 members, the maximum number of lucky players allowed = 120, sometimes 100) 7. One day, TD did not show up, and there was a bunch of players on a reservation list ready to start so I started chatting with two of them. Apparently, there was a problem with in the past, he was suspended or something 3 years ago. I understand, TDs are volunteers, they spend their private time allowing others to have a good time. But this man evidently strives to exercise his power while directing. So my question is this. Do we need something like an appeal/review committee that monitors and assists TDs to do the best possible job and the BBO members to have the chance to continue playing with a group of friends even if there were some (minor) problems in the past?

My pet project is to be able to create/modify *.lin files for teaching purposes. Locally. So, I have created a few deals going into a Teaching Table in the Windows version. Then I have played them in combination with the web version (thanks for a great help page: http://www.bridgebase.com/help/v2help/a-few-notes-about-preparing-deals.html) and saved them on my computer. Now I am hitting "the wall", I need a description for NetBridgeVu parameters (I have already found out they are different from those of the Handviewer). For example, I am looking for a parameter to hide 3, and then (after bidding) 2 hands. The ks (kibitzing South) doesn't work. Can you give me some hints/directions? Thank you

There is no doubt that bbo vugraphs are the greatest thing under the sun for everyone. Unfortunately, there is only one thing that occasionally drives me nuts. I am talking about commentators, their level of expertize and the quality of their comments. I have quite a few favorites, among them fred (obviously :)), larry, michael, gavin, but on my other (black) list there is also a (small) number of "favorites". I have nothing against a modest/limited "color commenting". I am talking especially about these comments that state the obvious (even for an average/novice player). They add nothing to the show, quite opposite and their frequency is clearly above average, as a result they they raise the noise distract heavily from watching the game. There are my questions: Is there any selection process in place? Is it enough to put a "world class" skill level in your profile and be accepted? Is commentator's performance evaluated somehow? Can i be coached? Could i be fired? Andrzej Kolinski

In this case, what I plan to do is to convert to or even start in a pbn format and then go back to a lin format; I've tested - it is not that difficult. The other option would be to open a lin file in a text editor and do the necessary editing. Thank you for your help, Diana!

Thanks, but ... 1. If I chose: dealer - S vulnerable - NS It gives me deal number 15 (because of the dealer selection and vulnerability, obviously) - and I want to start from #1, is it possible to change number 15 to number 1 somehow? 2. Editing is available in the web version, thanks - is it available in the BBO downloadable version as well? 3. Can I create/edit my deal using the web version and then save it on my hard drive using the BBO downloadable version, or they are two different animals for this purpose? Thanks #2 :blink: Andrzej

While working on a set of deals for a teaching table I encountered a few problems (BBO browser/movie): 1. I couldn't edit an already created deal - modify hand, adding bidding/play, etc. - the only option available to me was to delete the whole hand and start from scratch; 2. I couldn't change a dealer/vulnerability - working with a set of hands from a book I was unable to follow the order, for example for the board #1 the dealer is South, and NS are vulnerable and as we all know #1 == S/none. Is there anything that I am missing? Andrzej

Hello, I have visited a teaching table screen a few times and each time I tried a non-existent option, I guess - to be able to use previously prepared, saved deals for presentations. I think this would be an interesting and necessary addition. Thank you!

Awaiting Paul Marston's complete version of Moscito I found strange things appearing when visiting his website http://www.australianbridge/moscito.pdf. Have you too?

I looked at the BBO_moscito and I must admit I liked it. I also run a simulation of opening bids using Henk's dealer.exe: 0-4 pass: 9% 5-9 bal pass: 18% 1C: 14% 1D: 11% 1H: 12% 1S: 6% 1N: 7% 2C: 3% 2H: 3% 2S: 3% 2N (5-5) 2% (I didn't like 5-4) other: <1% It is a quite aggresive system (we all know that). What is more important is that the opening bids are nicely balanced: 5-9 -> 11% 10-14 -> 39% 15+ -> 14% You will pass 27% of the time (not much room left for the opps). Any comments?

1c: 15+ 1d: 10-14, 4+h 1h: 10-14, 4+s 1s: 10-14, 4+h and 4+s 1n: 10-14, bal, no 4-M unless 4333 2c: 10-14, unbal. 5+c, max. 3-M 2d: 10-14, unbal. 5+d, max. 3-M To me the above structure is more coherent and easy to learn than some other ones mentioned in this thread. Obviously, including 2d as 10-14 and diamonds takes away an option of using Multi, Ekrens, etc. but gives the rest of the openers more natural meanings.

For last 4 years I play Moscito at all times with my regular partner. We started from German, then we deviated to terrorizing Terrorist , touching slightly GIB. We studied Rene's notes, we ordered Nigel's book and we went through Richard's material. With this package I can say one thing for sure in support to the latest hrothgar post. To be a successful Moscito bidder you have to have (in this order): - logical, frequency based limited openings structure (1nt - 10 or 11 to 14 balanced), - effective, frequency based developments after limited openings (1nt response to play, precise, nevertheless aggresive raises, 10-12 invitational and exploratory responses), - intervention handling structure, - symmetric, easy to remember pattern-type relays after 1c (German or Nigel is should be good enough). I would gladly leave any other stuff for later. Please count me and my partner as avid students of this very interesting Moscito course, BBO way. -