On-Line Bridge "Flip Test"

[jdeegan]

:( I am surprised when skimming through the postings on this thread that nobody has stated the simple theory - actually a paradox or conundrum - that defines this problem. To have a proper context for a competition three things need to be true:

 

1. Each pair should have the maximum latitude to use the bidding system they believe to be the most effective for their side - this (can) make the game better and more interesting.

 

2. The opponents should understand this bidding system and all of its ramifications as well as the pair playing it - the better to construct countermeasures..

 

3. Both players in each partnership should understand thoroughly the system they use - no partnership 'misunderstandings'.

 

Reconciling #1 and #2 has been done fairly effectively in face-to-face games by limiting conventions and systems more severely according to the fewer boards played per opponent and the skill level of the competition - long team matches at the highest level have few restrictions. The alert procedure augments this.

 

Everything goes all to hell when #3 does not hold, at any level of bridge. I play a lot of indies on BBO just to keep in practice. In the better indie games ones card defaults to BBO's version of SAYC. Everyone plays the same system. This works amazingly well. In BBO pairs games one has a problem even when playing BBO's SAYC. With no time for discussion, how do we defend against a strong 1♣ opener, et.al. BBO might help by expanding BBO's SAYC and 2/1 systems to include more defenses against commonly used non-standard systems.