bglover Posted September 20, 2003 Report Share Posted September 20, 2003 I have been a bridge teacher/mentor for many years now, but generally I have not taught beginning bridge. Rather, by the time my students get to me they have taken a beginning course somewhere or read some books and are committed to improving their games. I have had rather good luck with many of my students/mentees (if thats a word). Many have moved on to far exceed my capabilities as a player and quite a few have won significant tournaments. I don't think I am being too full of myself to say that I helped them on to the path to better bridge. Which brings me to people on BBO. I have, both formally and informally, offered to help lower level players improve their games. There are a few people I mentor individiually, and they are genuinely interested and trying to improve. However, my regular partner and I will frequently open a table and ask for beginner or intermediate players who would like help with their games to sit in. Altho filling those seats are never a problem, the players never ask questions and rarely want our comments. Last nite I (and inquiry and cascade) volunteered to help run a beginnner/intermediate game. The participants were told they could ask us questions privately if they felt they needed help. Together, the three of us fielded a grand total of 1 question. I hope all people reading this, no matter what the level of skill, will think about it. If you are an advanced player, perhaps you can consider ways you can make yourself more accessible to lesser players in an effort to help them. Perhaps consider becoming a member of Fifth Chair. If you are a beginner, do not be afraid to avail yourself of the resources here on BBO. In addition to Fred's fine facilities (including a wonderful library), there are people here who are willing to help if you approach them and ask. Don't be afraid to ask for help. There are people willing to give it... but, don't wait for them to come to you either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallway Posted September 20, 2003 Report Share Posted September 20, 2003 2over1 - Your help was greatly appreciated at the Beg/Int Lounge Tournament as indeed was all the help and support we received. You say: "If you are a beginner, do not be afraid to avail yourself of the resources here on BBO. In addition to Fred's fine facilities (including a wonderful library), there are people here who are willing to help if you approach them and ask. Don't be afraid to ask for help. There are people willing to give it... but, don't wait for them to come to you either. " Excellent advice - sadly The truth is most of us are "afraid to ask' Which is one of the core reasons I have for starting the Beginner Intermediate Lounge. I will use my own ftf group as a microcosm example of this :-- at our lessons when the teacher asked a question I found myself being the one that spoke up (I fully expected to be wrong , if I knew the answers I wouldn't need to be paying for lessons - lol), when I said nothing there was - silence :D- when I found BBO I had the five members of my group with computers download it. One attended one of Wayne's sessions and just once played a few boards with me. Just one other played once. Too inimidating was the reaction. Yet, in my Lounge at home they want to know all about what I have gleaned that week from Wayne's sessions and the posts on BBF !! heaps of questions ::) 9 out of 10 I haven't a clue so then I am told - 'well ask' !! ::) With the BIL the 'space' will be the members (hopefully they will come to perceive it as their Lounge at home) then when people such as yourself 'make yourselves more accessible' by coming to the Lounge to play/mentor they will participate and the questions will flow.I believe this can/will happen. In fact I was immensley gratified a few days ago when I 'dropped in' on a table and the three Beginners were chattering away with the 4th who was helping them. The BIL Honorary Members List has 3 x 5th Chair Mentors who have said they will use the Lounge to hold their sessions and it is my hope that more will do likewise. I would like to welcome more and more such willing people. Ones who will from time to time hold impromptu sessions. Open a table and send out a message to invite the members to congregate. Maybe the informality of that will pave the way to getting participation from those present. The Main Bridge Club IS a very intimidating place - we know just how little it is we know about bridge and we DO want to learn and improve BUT those that WANT to be helpful are indeed a small minority. I was told that it takes at least 3 good boards to offset the effects of one bad board and that holds true with table behaviour ..........you see the problem......... BBO is global and that in itself creates a challenge for the B/I's . We are learning in our own little corner of the world the prevalent system here/there. In my case Acol - now being told I should have bid.........from an Adv++ SAYC player would 'lead me up the garden path' when I do so need to be kept 'on the straight and narrow' :) So in the BIL good people like yourself can offer to ,from time to time , hold mentoring sessions on a particular system be it Acol, SAYC, 2/1, Polish Club, Precision or whatever at times that would suit the members most likely to be using/learning those systems - just say the word and I will tell them. Through the BIL Newsletter I hope to bring to the attention of the membership a realisation of ALL the resources here on BBO that they can avail themselves of. Meanwhile the Club News does bring to members attention some specific articles in the Bridge Library. Newcomers to the game are the Future of the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bglover Posted September 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2003 As an addendum to all of this.... When it appeared that Inquiry may not make it last nite, I asked amongst my peers for volunteers to help me answer questions when the game began. I had no trouble getting people to say they would help. I had so many volunteers that I actually had to say to people "no thanks, I don't need you now." They all knew what the purpose was-- to help beginners improve. They had no qualms about helping. At the actual game, after it started, more experts showed up and were willing to help. I noticed at least a half dozen additional experts watching and I am sure "willing to help" had anyone asked them. Yet, as previously stated, there was 1...1 question. We are out there people... find us... watch us... I, for one, will gladly answer ur questions (in private) if you are kibbing me (be polite an don't ask me in the middle of a hand im declaring). I know there are others...Maybe they could post their names here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csdenmark Posted September 21, 2003 Report Share Posted September 21, 2003 Hi Maureen! I don't know what your members are interested of - but if I can be of any help to you - I will be ready! Just tell me - you now know Messenger is easy and effective communication - so please don't hesitate! I cannot help you with bridge based on classic standard(acol,2o1,sayc etc.) but regarding artificial bridge systems - I will be ready any time. I had made a set-up for team-matches for your members - but nobody seems interested. If the interest is there now - we can just start Basic League. It is still there(pages just hidden but not deleted): http://groups.msn.com/Tournament/basicleague.msnw We are running APTAP: http://groups.msn.com/Tournament/f1.msnw - and I will be ready to do more of that kind - if other strong teams will be ready! Else a handicap tourney makes no sense! Those of your members who like to play Precision will be welcome to join Precision Tournament Group - I will gladly modify the rules for joining - they are right now assuming only experienced players to join. As soon we have some more info from Fred about how to handle private clubs in a decent way - I have agreed with Dwayne that we will organize some invitional tournaments. If your members want to meet Precision pairs for friendly competition - your proposals will be very welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhutobello Posted September 30, 2003 Report Share Posted September 30, 2003 First of all "Thanks to all of you who want to improve the game for us "lower class" players" ;D ;D I think the iniative from Maureen and Ben is great, and when we see what people can do in order to get in, it must be an succsess B) The reason for me to repond to this thread is the call for questions from the players or lack of them. ::D From myself I can answer as following:"I feel I am not good enough in brigde to ask a good question"" If I have a question, do I have the ability to ask it in a foregin language, in a such matter that it will be understand?"and so on.. I hope you mentors don't loose the interst because of lack in questions. I think if you give it time, and some people start to ask, more will follow, and when we all are warm and secure, you all will start yelling for help ;D ;D Thanks 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luis Posted September 30, 2003 Report Share Posted September 30, 2003 I don't know if it helps but I will answer questions whenever you want guys, in the middle of a hand, in the middle of the bidding, before the lead, after the lead etc. I don't lose concentration when playing online and even if I do it's not the Bermuda bowl.So if you can stand my pathetic play and nonsense bidding and want to ask questions you are welcome. If it is my table feel free to throw your comments or questions directly to the table chat being careful of spoilers :-) Luis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inquiry Posted September 30, 2003 Report Share Posted September 30, 2003 I hope you mentors don't loose the interst because of lack in questions. I think if you give it time, and some people start to ask, more will follow, and when we all are warm and secure, you all will start yelling for help ;D ;D The lack of questions was not a problem for me. The directors/mentors can only be at one table after all. And sometimes, having the director at the table is distracting enough. Several times when I joined a table just to kibitiz (directors have to be somewhere after all.. and it is no fun to just sit in the lobby), I had players ask me "what is the problem" or state "we didn't call you." There is an educational goal, of course, to the BI lounge, but it is also suppose to be place to allow hassle free, environment. If people start asking a lot of questions, or having mentors point out mistakes (AT THE TABLE), it might become like "unwanted" lessons from the main room many are exposed too. The mentors have to find a very delicate balance... I prefer after the match analysis or privately asked and answered questions. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRG Posted September 30, 2003 Report Share Posted September 30, 2003 First of all "Thanks to all of you who want to improve the game for us "lower class" players" ;D ;D I think the iniative from Maureen and Ben is great, and when we see what people can do in order to get in, it must be an succsess :D The reason for me to repond to this thread is the call for questions from the players or lack of them. ::) From myself I can answer as following:"I feel I am not good enough in brigde to ask a good question"" If I have a question, do I have the ability to ask it in a foregin language, in a such matter that it will be understand?"and so on.. I hope you mentors don't loose the interst because of lack in questions. I think if you give it time, and some people start to ask, more will follow, and when we all are warm and secure, you all will start yelling for help ;D ;D Thanks 8) When I taught a niche aspect of computer software development (Software Configuration Management), I used to tell people -- "There is no such thing as a stupid question." This is true of all endeavours, bridge included. A good question might be as simple as, "You said xxxxxxxx. I didn't understand what you meant. Could you explain it in simpler terms?" or "You said that you know xxxx. I don't understand why I should know that. What am I missing?" and so on. If anyone ever says that a question is silly, or "everyone knows xxxx", then they need to re-examine their own teaching skills. ASK AWAY!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhutobello Posted October 1, 2003 Report Share Posted October 1, 2003 ;D ;D ;D Thanks JG we needed that one! ;D ;D ;D But as you know, we are all diffrent. ::) I know that it's few or non "dumb questions", because a question give birth to an answear, which give birth to a discussion and in the end wich will enlighten you one way or another. :D But as sure as there are people with high ego, there are people with" lower thought " (not negativ) about themself. Many of these you will find in the classification Beg, int. And even if "you" have many questions, "you" see rather that another member ask them. Here I can say that I loved John Laird's questions on the site,simple and the answers was excellent, and I hope other will follow, or himself pick it up agein,but I am "sure" I will be the reader for now. ;D Another important point that Ben made was the table and what to expect. If the main thing is to discuss a board with Kibitzer, then close chat to board, and open for question right away and under the whole prossess.. this will give more involvment then asking question after. When deal is finish and if this is a teaching table, open chat to board and discuss general guidng, not personal fault, (the players know already that he/she made a dumb move, so let him/her ask) But I promisse that I shall start to think on a question or two until next session of beg-int. Maybe they can't stop me if I start ....but... ;D ;D Have a nice day all 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rado Posted October 1, 2003 Report Share Posted October 1, 2003 Hi all friends, Please include me in the list. As many of you know I'm trying to answer all question, although sometimes urgent work appears and might be a little delay. Regards,Rado Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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