how old is too old?

[goobers]

Sorry, wrong wording. It doesn't have a negative effect on my game, I just meant that I don't focus very much because there are just so many other things going on around me. The lack of concentration made me feel as if playing online isn't improving my game, but that's untrue. It's just not improving my game as much as if I were playing f2f.

 

But I'm not complaining :)

[helene_t]

The "escape" from face to face play vs the growth in internet games started earlier in chess than bridge. The first effect on the chess clubs was devastating: chess clubds became close close to deserted

[....]

After some years though, a strange phenomenon occurred: unknown players started to attend to major tournaments, plyers that were coming from no well known chess clubs. And they were sucessful, too ! Tgey hand started from the intenet and by playing vs computer programs.[.......]

 

for a newcomer, either in chess or bridge, the club is not a friendly environment. Sure, he/she will always find some patzer that wants to play with him/her (although 90% of the times this patzer will criticze mot of the play or bids rathe than being friendly and accept the natural mistakes for a beginner)

[.....]

So, rather than complain, many intermediate and experts should start an OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS about their attitude towards weak players, because IMO, quite often THAT is the REAL reason why players are leaving f2f clubs to play online

Very interesting, Mauro. Your comment makes a lot of sense.

[Gerben42]

We're seeing it happen in bridge too now. Andrzej Jaszczak (11jaszczak on BBO) was unknown to the tournament scene (so my insiders tell me) when he suddenly turned up and started to beat up the experts :blink:

[Al_U_Card]

Time being the valuable commodity that it is, finding the time to go to a game, play and then stick around for the results and have a beer to discuss hands......

 

Online play has filled a tremendous niche for keeping one's hand in, getting some play, filling a loose hour or so etc. I look forward to more "online" serious bridge but that may be some time away.

 

I agree with Chamaco's points 100% I was very lucky to find a f2f mentor that put up with my learning curve back in the 80's as I made the transition from kitchen bridge to duplicate.

 

Here on BBO, more exp-beg games should be encouraged (even if just 3 or 4 brds) so that there is an opportunity to provide some payback for what we get out of the game :blink: