80 yo partner

[awm]

I don't think "what is bid on BBO" necessarily matches "what is standard."

 

For example, I'm sure that it's standard that 1♣ - P - 1♥ - P - 1NT does not include a four-card spade suit. If you read any book on standard bidding it will tell you to bid up the line. But say you run a bridgebrowser survey. You will see:

 

(1) Some people who have agreed to bypass 1♠ rebids with balanced hands. Fine agreement to have, but not standard.

 

(2) Some people who bypass 1♠ to rebid notrump because they mistakenly think it's standard.

 

(3) Some people who bypass 1♠ to rebid notrump because they don't want partner to declare the hand.

 

(4) Some people tactically bypassing 1♠ because their spades are really bad and/or they are 4333.

 

(5) Some people who play some artificial method (i.e. 1♣ strong).

 

It wouldn't surprise me if a significant number of people were bypassing 1♠. That doesn't make bypassing standard.

[han]

If most people mistakenly think bypassing spades is standard, does that make it standard?

 

In other words, who cares?

[inquiry]

Well, I think that with such overwelming numbers from BridgeBrowser, it is safe assume that the various posters who state that 3S on this auction as preemptive is not standard. In fact, i have only seen 3S as preemptive a few times in many years of playing. I don't play it as preemptive myself, but i know that is a choice of many good players. I use the six card suit, about 9 to 11 points myself, but that is because i double with light shapely hands that include only 3 cards in the unbid major. But if I think my hand is good enough to force to game, i do not jump to 3S.

[1eyedjack]

I don't think "what is bid on BBO" necessarily matches "what is standard."

Standards vary locally. And for BBO purposes an entire nation may comprise a locality for this purpose. But if you are looking for a worldwide overall standard I would need some convincing that an analysis of millions of online hands (and you can muck in OKB for this) played by tens of thousands of players online does NOT provide a reasonable measure of that standard.

 

I certainly would not accept the individual personal experiences of any one player as being significant evidence to the contrary.

 

It is possible that there are some qualities prevalent in those with a tendency to play on-line contrasted with those with a tendency to play face-2-face that might skew the standard, but that hypothesis would need testing, I think (and I don't know how), before admitting to the melting pot.