RogerPfi

Bridge Movies replacement player – SOLUTION With the end of Flash, BBO no longer supports their online 'Bridge Movies'. For a friend I have written a converter that can convert that 'XML’ style format into the even older .lin file format. The lin file format can be played on my free aaBridge app, which being written in Java will run on Mac Windows and Linux. (Google aaBridge). Of course you will need to have the text ‘source’ of each of your ‘online bridge movies’. If you edit one of these files and look inside you will see gobbledygook like … <frame> . . <effect type="tx" param= . . "ar%3CTEXTFORMAT%20LEADING%3D%222… I am happy to do this conversion for free. My direct email address is roger.pfister (at) gmail.com Please mention this to any one you know who has made any ‘online bridge movies’, as they now have no way to benefit from their efforts. -- Roger

I have had an email from 雨悠悠 asking me to add Chinese character support to my free software app aaBridge (Win Mac Linux). I have had trouble emailing him back. If reads this forum ... It is now DONE http://rogerpf.com/aaBridge So lin file authors can now use Chinese characters in any .lin files they write. -- Roger

BBO Alerting rules - where are they ? (please) In trying to explain sensible alerting conduct I have been unable to point to a BBO doc that says what the procedure is. To take a recent example - one pair said they did not need to alert any bids above 3NT and they where playing very non standard stuff. I know they have got this (very reasonable f-to-f ) approach from the ACBL and that even then they have a duty to explain their bids AFTER the auction. Sadly they did not appear to appreciate this. All of this could be quickly cleared up if only I knew where the BBO "Alert Procedure" document was so I could tell others about it. Many thanks if you can help. -- Roger

As you asked I have added this as an option to aaBridge http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q292/RogerPf/ii_w_2010/biddingBoxColors.jpg The aaBridge thread is here - http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/60736-aabridge-a-free-bbo-style-bridge-playing-app/page__gopid__755098 -- Roger

Bidding boxes were coming into the UK in the mid 80's around the time I stopped playing bridge. I know four color decks existed then and just like today they are/were hardly ever used. I guess the BB makers were just making their product relate to the "standard cards" we know and love (or hate). -- Roger

Actually the producers are both in the US (not my part of the world at all). :) You make a good point (as programmer) I know that once it is decided to add an optional feature it is almost no extra effort to make it 'rich' with multiple choices. So now all we need to do is to encourage the 'BBO decision makers' to think favourably on this idea. Any suggestions as to how? -- Roger

Ahh - Spades - black . . . Hearts - red . . . Diamonds - Blue . . . Clubs - green that's how them make 'em these days. [sigh] I did not choose the colors. here is a BRIDGE DECK http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q292/RogerPf/ii_w_2010/color_deck_1-1.jpg here is a POKER DECK http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q292/RogerPf/ii_w_2010/color_deck_2.jpg

Your wish is my command, it is an option in the software. I added the option because in the UK it is standard NOT to print any symbols when showing bridge hands in newspapers, after a while you just get to rely on all black text and the standard suit order. http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q292/RogerPf/ii_w_2010/aabridge01.jpg -- Roger

It is possible to improve the spacing between the cards (of the same suit) in "hand display" format? And can something be done to squish the "10" a bit? I (and others) find the touching card format hard to read. A little bit of spacing would be so nice. In particular I find 'getting the hand shape' so very had with the current compact format. However, I do agree that you do want some positional 'jitter', a GRID of cards would also not work. I know that this would be ultra hard to do for the javascript handviewer. But it is it a possibility for the flash app that most of the world now uses? One suggestion - when I did a .lin player (see this BBO forum thread and the example image below). I created a small truetype font which had the capital "T" be reproduced as a "10" symbol. (see below) I also replaced a few characters with spaces of various widths. And so could add 'little spaces' to separate the cards. I used the free FontForge font editor to make my font and embedded it in the app. http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q292/RogerPf/ii_w_2010/aabridge_four_color_example.jpg Yes - have started two separate threads today. The logic being two separate ideas, two separate threads. If this was wrong I apologise. Even if none of my suggestions ever happens, I want to give a big thank you to everyone at BBO for the wonderful site. -- Roger

A four color deck would be wonderful Years ago there was a patch to the BBO windows client so that it would show a four color card deck. It only worked on with "small" decks - See example below. It would be so wonderful to have this back properly done with the web clients. http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q292/RogerPf/ii_w_2010/bbo_old_four_color_deck.jpg And because of it, when I did my own .lin player and bridge playing app, see this BBO thread - http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/60736-aabridge-a-free-bbo-style-bridge-playing-app I was inspired to do the hand diagrams in four colors. Four color hand diagrams would also be wonderful. The image below is a from a BBO .lin file from a Viewgraph presentation (with the players names removed - just for this image) http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q292/RogerPf/ii_w_2010/aabridge_four_color_example.jpg And even if this never happens a big thank you to all the BBO people. -- Roger

Yes, thanks for the reply - I agree this is sound reasoning, BUT isn't there a lot more to be got from that fact that neither player has chosen to bid 1N, which from my new 2/1 book, appears to be "the bid" to make if you can in such situations? What are the inferences I should be able to draw (assuming these opps were "good") players?

1♣ - 1♦; 2♦ - As someone converting from 4 to 5 card majors, this is a serious question. In Acol I know what nearly every natural action means. But is Standard American there are (what I would expect to simple auctions) that leave me lost. How many clubs does the opener have (or range)? How many diamonds does the responder have (or range)? How many diamonds does the opener have (or range)? Which of the two partners have set HCP limits (and shape limits) on their hands and what are they? Thanks if you can help. -- Roger

My guess is that you have not exited the previous version. We all get so used to ChatAssistant running all the time. Click the red x to close CA and try the install again.

Teaching Table - Display Bug - 'Work Around' First the solution - click the "Hand diagrams" button this one http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q292/RogerPf/ii_x_2009/teachers_bbo_button.jpg a couple of times. :) Now for the problem, you come late to a teaching table OR you are happily there watching or (even worse) playing and get booted of and immediately log back in and go to your seat. What can happen is IF you are in play (not bidding) mode and there are trumps then the algorithm to display them goes wrong instead of showing them in the new place it fails and shows a lot of nothing. Look below, there are in 4♥ and in some of the hands have a lot of the cards missing !!!! (If you are at the table when the hand is loaded then - NO PROBLEM) http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q292/RogerPf/ii_x_2009/teachers_bbo_bad_display.jpg But if you use the magic button a couple of times http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q292/RogerPf/ii_x_2009/teachers_bbo_button.jpg You get to see them - like so :) http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q292/RogerPf/ii_x_2009/teachers_bbo_good_display.jpg Please spread the word - its the students who need to know most. Of course if you are about to say - "I already knew that" well all I can say is - why didn't you tell the rest of us. :) -- Roger

ChatAssistant build 1712 - now on the site Fixed in build 1712 with other small corrections, see release note on the download page for details. Downloads from the normal place http://rogerpf.com/bridge/CA40_Downloads.php .