last trick

[mink]

today I observed a few times that there was an unnecessary delay when the last trick was played. It appears to me that sometimes people simply forget to click on their last card as it it obvious that this has to be played. Therefore it would be nice if the last card is played automatically if not clicked. There should be a 3 seconds delay for each player in order to see the cards as they are played. During this delay it should be possible to click on the card to speed up things.

 

I think this automatical play should occur unconditionally as I cannot figure out any disadvantage.

 

Karl

[Deanrover]

Seconded.

[fred]

today I observed a few times that there was an unnecessary delay when the last trick was played. It appears to me that sometimes people simply forget to click on their last card as it it obvious that this has to be played. Therefore it would be nice if the last card is played automatically if not clicked. There should be a 3 seconds delay for each player in order to see the cards as they are played. During this delay it should be possible to click on the card to speed up things.

 

I think this automatical play should occur unconditionally as I cannot figure out any disadvantage.

 

Karl

 

The disadvantage is that some people do not like to feel like the have "lost control". At one point we put a feature like this into one of our educational products and several people complained.

 

I will monitor feedback on your suggestion and consider adding this to BBO is the sentiment is strongly positive.

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

[JRG]

As long as there is a slight delay, as suggested by the original poster, or as long as the completed trick remains displayed for 3 or 4 seconds, I think it is an excellent idea.

 

I have got caught forgetting to play to the last trick. Usually because the last trick is often when everyone at the table starts discussing the deal!

[inquiry]

I have to admit I sometimes forget to play to the last trick as well.... maybe another button like the play singleton automatically, but instead, play to last trick automatically would sastisfy everyone.. those who want to play to last trick automatically can select that option.... and those who don't want to play automaticall do not have to use it (i do not use play singletons automatically but would choose play to last trick automatically)

[Deanrover]

It is really darn annoying when the tournament clock ends when on the final trick. Fred's point about loss of control is fair, how about in tournaments BBO lets the players complete the final trick at their own pace - but - if the tournament clock ends after the end of the 12th trick then the final trick is automatically played out for scoring purposes.

 

This idea could be extended.

 

When x cards have yet to be played when the round ends, if every possible permutation of actions leads to the same number of total final tricks then that number of tricks should be scored. If x<5 this is by definition true. But it could be true in extreme cases for x=52. DF could ascertain whether such a "solution" exists for the actual x, and in the vast majority of cases it would not be too computer intensive. Perhaps DF would only search for a solution if X<25 otherwise it could encounter a really nasty hand that mucks everything up.

[Elianna]

This idea could be extended.

 

When x cards have yet to be played when the round ends, if every possible permutation of actions leads to the same number of total final tricks then that number of tricks should be scored. If x<5 this is by definition true. But it could be true in extreme cases for x=52. DF could ascertain whether such a "solution" exists for the actual x, and in the vast majority of cases it would not be too computer intensive. Perhaps DF would only search for a solution if X<25 otherwise it could encounter a really nasty hand that mucks everything up.

A slight problem is that not everyone plays as well as deep finesse!

[Deanrover]

This idea could be extended.

 

When x cards have yet to be played when the round ends, if every possible permutation of actions leads to the same number of total final tricks then that number of tricks should be scored. If x<5 this is by definition true. But it could be true in extreme cases for x=52. DF could ascertain whether such a "solution" exists for the actual x, and in the vast majority of cases it would not be too computer intensive. Perhaps DF would only search for a solution if X<25 otherwise it could encounter a really nasty hand that mucks everything up.

A slight problem is that not everyone plays as well as deep finesse!

I must have explained badly, sorry :P

 

I'm talking about the situation where, no matter which cards are played the same number of total tricks end up being made.

 

So for example if there were 5 tricks to go and South held all remaining 5 trumps, then no matter how good or how bad a player he was (and you can't revoke on BBO anyway!) North-South will take the remaining tricks.

 

Or, slightly more complex. South is playing in ♠ below, with West on lead. No matter what, N-S have the last 5 tricks. It would be a great shame for this not to be scored because someone disconnected/someone didn't know how to claim/opps were deliberately stalling etc.

 

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[hotShot]

1) An option "Autoplay last card" that one can select would be fine with me, and i would use it. But since the tourney moves on if all tables are finished, i often delay my card for the last trick to type a quick "gl for then next round, opps" or "ty p, has been nice to play this tourney with you". You cannot trust the round clock if it says there are 3 minutes left. This could lead to people delaying the last but one trick for this purpose.

 

2) As a TD i would love to see a sever side autoplay the last trick This would save me some adjustment work.

 

3) I don't like the idea of autofinishing boards, if more than the last trick is out. It has been suggested that if the outcome is clear the board should be autofinished. Players that minimised their rate of error by playing slow, would gain an advantage over those who played fast to finish in time.

[Deanrover]

3) I don't like the idea of autofinishing boards, if more than the last trick is out. It has been suggested that if the outcome is clear the board should be autofinished. Players that minimised their rate of error by playing slow, would gain an advantage over those who played fast to finish in time.

Agree. I think it should only be autofinished when the round times out and every single possible play of the cards leads to the same final number of tricks.

[lukasz]

3) I don't like the idea of autofinishing boards, if more than the last trick is out. It has been suggested that if the outcome is clear the board should be autofinished. Players that minimised their rate of error by playing slow, would  gain an advantage over those who played fast to finish in time.

Agree. I think it should only be autofinished when the round times out and every single possible play of the cards leads to the same final number of tricks.

It can hurt the system. There is a lot of tables and any played trick

system should to check if there is no other way to play.

[MickyB]

The only problem with autoplaying the last trick(s) is when the last manually played card was a misclick, but I think it is worth this loss. Rather than autoplaying the last couple of tricks when the number of tricks taken has already been determined, I think the remaining cards should be revealed to all players for a couple of seconds, along with "declarer makes x of the last y tricks, contract making with z overtricks" or whatever.

[scoob]

i'm all for an option to autoplay my last card

 

i think autofinishing hands would be an unnecessary expenditure of fred/uday's time and system resources. we all know how to claim, let's just do it. it isn't hearts or euchre.

[1eyedjack]

I can see no downside (compared with existing system) to permitting the individual player to enable autoplay to trick 13 from his own hand, by a checkbox option in the user preferences. Perhaps his own preference should also automatically extend to dummy when he is declarer.

 

As to whether it should be optional or compulsory you could perhaps make that available at the discretion of the host. That would be the table host in the the main playing area, or the tourney host in a tourney, or the match controller in a teams game. It would be up to the individual player whether or not they participated in an event with that control in place, and market forces would then determine whether it was a bad idea.