Skill Level of BBO

[columnyl]

I found that we can select Skill Level in BBO profile. They are World Class, Expert, Advance, Intermediate, Beginner and Novice. How can I know what skill level I should select for myself? Are there any examinations?

[matmat]

look here: http://www.bridgebase.com/help/3/topics/sk...text/intro.html

[barmar]

Note that even though you may try to follow those guidelines, many other BBO users do not. You'll find many players who classify themselves as Expert when they clearly aren't, so take the ratings with a grain of salt.

 

Unfortunately, rating inflation like this is sometimes forced on people. Most bridge players seem to think they're better than they are, and consider it beneath them to play with a lowly Intermediate. So you have to rate yourself at least Advanced to be taken seriously. The result is that almost everyone is Advanced, and the rating loses its meaning, so the truly advanced players are forced to rate themselves as Expert.

[babalu1997]

Note that even though you may try to follow those guidelines, many other BBO users do not. You'll find many players who classify themselves as Expert when they clearly aren't, so take the ratings with a grain of salt.

 

Unfortunately, rating inflation like this is sometimes forced on people. Most bridge players seem to think they're better than they are, and consider it beneath them to play with a lowly Intermediate. So you have to rate yourself at least Advanced to be taken seriously. The result is that almost everyone is Advanced, and the rating loses its meaning, so the truly advanced players are forced to rate themselves as Expert.

the default level is advanced.

 

no one plays with intermediate rating.

[JoAnneM]

Advanced

Someone who has been consistently successful in clubs or minor tournaments

 

Expert

Someone who as enjoyed success in major national tournaments

 

The difference between those two statements is probably about 7,500 masterpoints. Having no rating available between those two is silly.

[matmat]

Advanced

Someone who has been consistently successful in clubs or minor tournaments

 

Expert

Someone who as enjoyed success in major national tournaments

 

The difference between those two statements is probably about 7,500 masterpoints. Having no rating available between those two is silly.

i think the difference is closer to 7700 masterpoints.

[H_KARLUK]

Without any doubt that scale is correct. It is non-negotiable and perhaps formal in many countries.

 

In my country, i've 38 years experience playing bridge. (Mid of this month i hope to step 52th age in my life). During that period I observed a term to describe non-classified within those categories, which may seen unusual to readers.

 

It is "strong amateurs". Each like a "specialist".

 

I respect their value. Mostly seeing that nice community as brilliant double-dummy solvers on many great websites and/or forums where new ideas gently discussed.

 

Perhaps they have not too much time to compete in daily or top events. Sometimes they come in silence and win or be a nearest winner. Rarely they form a team and then people admired their wisdom.

 

Worthwhile to reflect, i still not solved the main reason of their interest in game.

 

Social or Competitive. Sorry, I am unsure. Just their efforts also recognized by senior authorities here "untiring and very nice".

 

Regards

Hamdi

[655321]

the default level is advanced.

 

no one plays with intermediate rating.

http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=22709&st=87

[fred]

Advanced

Someone who has been consistently successful in clubs or minor tournaments

 

Expert

Someone who as enjoyed success in major national tournaments

 

The difference between those two statements is probably about 7,500 masterpoints.  Having no rating available between those two is silly.

JoAnne,

 

The definitions were not intended to be specific to BBO members from ACBL countries. We have members from well over 100 countries. I am not sure of the exact number, but I strongly suspect that North Americans make up less than 25% of the BBO membership.

 

In most other countries there are not anywhere near the number of tournaments that the ACBL offers, the tournaments are not divided neatly into Sectionals, Regionals, and Nationals, and in many cases ACBL notions like "flights" and "strata" that are so familiar to you would be seen as completely foreign to most bridge players.

 

But even if you consider ACBLland, I think you are wrong. Like it or not, Sectionals and Regionals are "minor tournaments". That was not always the case with all Regionals, but it is the case now. As I am sure you are aware, there are plenty of ACBL members across the masterpoint spectrum who have been consistently successful in Sectionals and Regionals, but who do not play well enough to contend at the National level.

 

And also note the difference between "consistently successful" and "has enjoyed success". The former implies a history of success while the later implies at least occasional success. Furthermore, "success" does not mean the same as "winning" - if you have finished in the top 10 a couple times in ACBL National pairs events then by all means you should consider yourself an expert.

 

Therefore the difference between "advanced" and "expert" as we define them may not be as wide as you seem to think, even in ACBLland (not that expressing the size of this gulf in terms of number of ACBL masterpoints makes much sense even for ACBL members and means nothing at all for the other 75%+ of our membership).

 

The notion I tried to capture when I created the definitions of the above-intermediate ratings was that "advanced" meant "above average" and "expert" meant "exceptionally above average". I tried to do that while keeping the definitions simple, non-country specific, and based on achievement rather than perception. In retrospect I think I did OK.

 

Hopefully you agree it would be absurd to try to define these terms in a great detail on a country-by-country basis.

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

[NickRW]

The notion I tried to capture when I created the definitions of the above-intermediate ratings was that "advanced" meant "above average" and "expert" meant "exceptionally above average". I tried to do that while keeping the definitions simple, non-country specific, and based on achievement rather than perception. In retrospect I think I did OK.

I think you have argued eloquently that there is less difference than one might otherwise suppose between "advanced" and "expert". But, if one is to accept your definition, then you're leaving "intermediate" as an awfully large and undifferentiated bucket.

 

Since nobody wants to think of themselves as "beginner" or "novice" for too long and are going to shed those labels as soon as they can and since "advanced" or better is, according to how you've defined it, probably well under 5% of bridge players, then is it surprising that people don't like the "intermediate" label either?!

 

Not trying to be unnecessarily critical Fred, just playing devils advocate with your answer. Basically what you're saying is that "intermediate" is "someone who is not a beginner/novice [i.e. has an excuse for how bad they are] but otherwise unworthy of any better categorisation". Perhaps that works for you - it obviously doesn't work for BBO intermediates.

 

Either that or you are pitching "advanced" too high. If that is the case it would be understandable at your level - but does it work for the bridge playing community?

 

Nick

[helene_t]

i think the difference is closer to 7700 masterpoints.

It is 7642.87. But since nobody awards fractional masterpoints this whole self-rating is futile :)

[pclayton]

Six slots isn't enough I don't think

 

I like the YMCA's method for aquatics:

 

Guppy, minnow, fish, flying fish, shark, etc..

 

Somehow the cute names de-personalizes it, but it also reflects levels of competence.

[Gerben42]

Those who play with you in real life will let you know what your true rating is.

[matmat]

Those who play with you in real life will let you know what your true rating is.

bbo, as we all know, is fake life :)