Skill Level

[aisha759]

To each his own.... This was supposed to be a thread about why people change their skill levels back and forth, and that often....it went off track again about real names and flags...

Only stars are required to do so, and that was discussed on another thread..

 

A warning to whoever is going to play with me today, it's one of "those" really terrible days, so if you see "intermediate" dont believe it! ;)

 

Incognito :) (aisha) (UN flag)

[luke warm]

To each his own.... This was supposed to be a thread about why people change their skill levels back and forth, and that often....it went off track again about real names and flags...

Only stars are required to do so, and that was discussed on another thread..

 

A warning to whoever is going to play with me today, it's one of "those" really terrible days, so if you see "intermediate" dont believe it! ;)

 

Incognito :) (aisha) (UN flag)

i go from beginner to advanced, depending on the kind of bridge self-esteem problems i'm having at any one time, based usually on how i most recently played

[dogsbreath]

Misho hits the nail on the noggin. In my early days on BBO I provided real name,flag and e-mail address. Result was a flood of very unpleasant 'spam' ..so no e-mail addr any more. Then I started changing my 'name' .. not for any other reason than it amuses me to be called 'Mano' when i put my name up as

'Mano VerBoard' for example. Additionally my travel opportunities are restricted by family problems, so i conducted a 'world tour' from the comfort of my laptop .. using a different flag/name for each session... did this harm anyone? I think not.

 

As for 'skill levels' .. the BBO guidelines are reasonable for novice, beginner, intermediate level but open to interpretation after that. Is easy to be an 'expert' in a small country like N.Ireland.. where our entire bridge-playing population is lower than a small state in the USA. I feel that to call self an 'expert' you should have considerable experience of several systems, including at least one of the 'Modern'

non-approach-forcing methods. World-class is daft .. if FRED doesnt give you a star than you are unlikely to be World-Class ..ie expert + significant success in major tournaments. I think this is a fairly common view .. there are many strong players on BBO who play as 'advanced' only .

 

It might be worthwhile to have a 'Qualified Teacher' status .. as this is a skill that expert or better players may NOT have ( like the difference between Tournament and Club golf professionals).

 

rgds Dog

 

furnulum pani nolo

[slothy]

I am proud of my country, my parents and my name! But I can understand, if somebody don't like to share same information. Can be really important reasons to do that - like security job (military), country restrictions, religious restrictions... I prefer to believe and fail than to not believe and fail - matter of own choice and view of life.

My dear Misho

 

I am proud of my country, my parents and my name!

 

I have to be honest, my fellow Bulgarian compatriot, and say, you made me cry. And it is hard for a man to admit that. The emotion you provoked in my heart was overwhelming. My bottom lip is quivering as i write. :) ;)

 

I have not cried as much since watching Dr Zhivago and that time Julie Christie twitched her nose at Omar Sharif and she got angry and uncontrollably neurotic coz he opened Muideberg with a 6 card suit and they were in the wrong contract (see other thread). It was one of the saddest moments in cinema history...

 

Can be really important reasons to do that - like security job (military), country restrictions, religious restrictions...

 

SO if i am a Buddhist Monk working for the CIA and residing in the Vatican (NO FLAG for the Vatican btw...have to inform Freddie. Bridge really taking off between vespers in the Roman Catholic church). Life can be a real sacrifice you know....

 

(well actually i work for FBI but shhh)

 

I dont understand this thread to be honest....yes

 

If someone wants to submit their name in their profile fine. I prefer it as it tends to personalise the experience. If they dont want to then fair enough it is their right, CERTAINLY superceding MY right to insist they reveal it.

 

But i can say with upmost modesty, it is not long before they tell me their name anyway (if they are female, takes a couple of weeks to reveal their age, but i have my stategems). If they dont reveal their names and i feel i would like to know it, then i have other people more open with whom i prefer to play with. I dont turn them away or refuse to play with them again but dont go out of my way to do so.

 

As for my dear friend Claus, i have to say with all your soliloquies about rights and freedom of expression you seem to insist upon some incognito policy???? Dont get it. END OF STORY.

 

As for me i put private as my skill level. For the obvious reason that i dont wish to be judged by what other people seem to put as theirs. Dont really see a need to prove ANYTHING. If somebody wants to know they can play with and decide for themselves. If people complain it is more a reference to their own insecurity about what they have put in their profile.

 

Alex MSFPMC

 

(Member of the society for the proliferation of the Multiberg Convention)

 

Hee hee

 

PS

 

Just a point to Ulrich

 

Freiherr Ulrich von Lichtenstein MSPEM (Member of the society for the preservation of European Monarchies)

 

For how long have you wished to support institutionalised in-breeding?

[mishovnbg]

Hi Slothy!

 

Be a man, choose your skill and try to defend it at table! Unlike some of "private stars Fred's selection" :).

 

Misho

[Chamaco]

I am one of those who use a "not proper" skill level or nationality on BBO.

 

With the "nick" = Chamaco, my skill level is set as intermediate, which I believe it to be a decent assessment given the BBO field.

However, I use the Malaysian flag, because I self named my self the "Tiger of Mompracem", the nickname of Sandokan, a malaysian pirate character born by the pencil of the italian writer Emilio Salgari.

So I slaughter :P my opps on the bridge table with lot of blod loss... No prisoners !!

 

I also have another nick = "Taricone" which non italian people won't understand. It is the name of a character of a TV reality show in Italy, a really dumb guy "a la Rambo", with lots of muscles and little brain.

And there, I self assess myself "World class".

Of course italian people understand it is a paradox (like logging in as "Rambo" and claiming to be world class) and just laugh.

When non italian players ask me aboiut my skill level, i just telle them immediately it is a joke.

 

So my boittomline is that these things are taken probably too seriously: I do this as a joke :P , and not to disrespect anyone, just like - probably - others who log on BBO just for having some fun.

 

After all, as other posters argued, it is very easy to see after 4-5 hands who is who...

[csdenmark]

These postings confirms to me that skill level is an obsolete feature. I think it is common knowledge that all performs better playing their preferred systems and their preferred partners.

 

I am very sure Jeff Meckstroth has not lost anything of his famous skills just because he had played a different partner in Cavendish and did not perform well in that way. The skill level of Fred is neither affected whether he would have ragained top position of Cavendish.

 

The skill level is an information of your general ability to handle bridge and your knowledge of systems, conventions and playing features. This is not affected whether you have a bad day or a good day.

 

The higher skill level you put up the better you will need to live up to good standards for:

 

- information/help to those asking you

- decent behavior at a bridge table

- playing correct acc. to convention card

- alert correct

- informing spectators of your specialities

- a general contribution to create a pleasant atmosphere at your table

 

I also wonder how somebody will be able to put up 'expert' unable to play anything but standard classic.

[ehhh]

BBO once published a guide as to how one might interrupt the various levels.

I've been unable to relocate them. Does anyone know how to locate them?

In any case the bottom line is HONESTY.

[slothy]

Hi Slothy!

 

Be a man, choose your skill and try to defend it at table! Unlike some of "private stars Fred's selection" :P.

 

Misho

Please Misho, stop it!!!!!, or you gonna make me cry again :P

 

Seriously, to get down to brass-tacks, by my 'overall' performances on BBO, IF i were to put expert on my profile, it would be self-prophesising :P . But, by MY definition of EXPERT, I do *not* consider myself one. And for me this is the rule-of-thumb that I wish to abide by. Of course, this does not mean that i do not want to study and improve my game, QUITE the opposite. It simply means that i reserve judgement for those who put EXPERT by theirs.

 

When i had given myself an EXPERT rating - more out of self-ego-baiting than anything else, on a couple of occasions i took a line of play that was wrong, but fully justified in my assessment at the time and at the table. 2 minutes later, I could not be bothered to have to take 15 minutes to explain to my partner, himself a self-professed EXPERT, why i took this particular line when his justification for taking HIS line (after seeing 52 cards of course) was absurd and based on his knowledge of where the cards were placed!!

 

Of course, when you get it right, you get the pathetic comment "Wdp, you took the line i would have taken" duuuuhhhh! Then you find it very difficult to stop yourself from making a reciprocal embittered comment when he goes off in a cold contract. (i do try, honest ;) ) Then, SUDDENLY, he comes round to the idea that partners shouldnt be critical and take into account the fact that one takes a view and sometimes gets it wrong. jajjajaja

 

I am very happy to take constructive criticsm/ advice off someone i perceive as better than me, whether it be in bidding theory or play, as imo, this is the best form of instruction, and it is delivered in a way in which s/he intends it as such.

 

So, Misho, i have no desire to waste time having to defend myself, for the main reason that, if i have to, by this time, the person i am trying to defend myself with isnt really interested in my justifications anyway, if you get what i mean. And i am not that sensitive or concerned to have a person, and s/he not someone i consider a friend or someone i respect, tell me that, in his/her opinion, i am not a good bridge player.

 

Bridge is important in my life, coz i enjoy it and it occasionally gives me satisfaction, as does the social networks it weaves. But playing it with people who ooze arrogance and wreak a perverted pleasure out of trying to demean others with a misguided, self-exalting, self-delusional belief that they know better, without any justification, is not.

[Ulrich]

"I also wonder how somebody will be able to put up 'expert' unable to play anything but standard classic. "

 

Well Claus, I disagree with that. I am definitely beyond World Class, but the only system I know how to play is the Ulrich mini Diamond system, together with Ulrich Multi 2 openings. I will outline this here one day when I have more time. Maybe in the meantime you would like a copy? It is the only system allowed in the Lichtenstein National Championships, held on Feb 29th every year.

 

Freiherr Ludwig von Lichtenstein PSPEM

(President of the Society for the Preservation of European Monarchies).

 

- I got a promotion -

 

Sincerely,

Uli

[Fluffy]

I used to put my skill as world class, even when I was playing sleepy and horrible, just becuse about 50% spanish guys online are 'experts', felt the need of differencee myself from them, but now I don´t have that need anymore :)

[Abadaba]

BBO once published a guide as to how one might interrupt the various levels.

I've been unable to relocate them. Does anyone know how to locate them?

In any case the bottom line is HONESTY.

The catagories are listed in Explore Bridge > Bridge Library > (choose your language) > The Rules of this Site

 

Novice - Someone who recently learned to play bridge.

Beginner - Someone who has played bridge for less than one year.

Intermediate -Someone who is comparable in skill to most other members of BBO.

Advanced - Someone whohas been consistently successful in clubs or minor tournaments.

Expert - Someone who has enjoyed success in major national tournaments.

World Class - Someone who has represented their country in World Champioships.

[csdenmark]

Jack here a thread to one of the former discussions about identy in ID.

 

http://bridgebase.lunarpages.com/~bridge2/...owtopic=620&hl=

(As it is a thread from the former BBO Forum - the layout is a bit different)

 

You will here see Fred has still the same position - but hard contested he has committed himself to modify the information. As far as I can see this has not taken place as "Rules for these sites"(I think only place with such kind of information) still is: It is not necessary for players to include their actual names, e-mail adresses, or countries in their user profiles, but we encourage our members to do so. On the other hand his position in the rules is different to what he stated in the thread you mentioned.

 

This will be my last post here regarding name and flag. I don't like de-railing threads. If sombody wants to continue those topics I will be ready - but please then open a separate thread for that.

[csdenmark]

I think I recognize the definition of skill level as stated by Abadaba. I dont agree to the wisdom of that as I think merits in one area tends to be of little interest acting in other areas. Not necessarily obsolete as the areas online/offline have something in common of course.

 

To me good ethics is of decisive importance. Else I will prefer a distinction something like this:

 

Beginner: A person striving to reach a fair level of standards enabling him at least to ask questions from which he will be able to gain more insight

 

Intermediate: A person who has reached a comfortable level enabling him to deal on equal foot with majority of players

 

Advanced: A person with surplus enabling him to deal with most of the field enabling him to help others and to ask the tricky questions

 

Expert: A person with an unquestioned surplus with good knowledge in most parts of what is on agenda. With special skills in communication for helping others in their aspirations

[uday]

csdenmark, you misunderstand the BBO position on identities.

 

- Anonymous usernames are completely fine

- Stars are a mild exception to this general rule

[1eyedjack]

Jack here a thread to one of the former discussions about identy in ID.

 

http://bridgebase.lunarpages.com/~bridge2/...owtopic=620&hl=

(As it is a thread from the former BBO Forum - the layout is a bit different)

 

You will here see Fred has still the same position - but hard contested he has committed himself to modify the information. As far as I can see this has not taken place as "Rules for these sites"(I think only place with such kind of information) still is: It is not necessary for players to include their actual names, e-mail adresses, or countries in their user profiles, but we encourage our members to do so. On the other hand his position in the rules is different to what he stated in the thread you mentioned.

 

This will be my last post here regarding name and flag. I don't like de-railing threads. If sombody wants to continue those topics I will be ready - but please then open a separate thread for that.

Claus, a valid argument does not require special emphasis, nor does it require selectively quoting text whilst omitting sections from the same passage that do not suit your position. Immediately following the passage that you quote is the sentence

This information may be kept private by making sure the "Allow others to see this information box in the profile window is unchecked.

 

The entire tenor of this section of the rules of the site and other public statements is that whatever the "recommended" treatment there is absolutely nothing wrong in an individual deciding not to follow that recommendation, and if he does fill in the personal information there is absolutely nothing wrong in his concealing the entirety of that information from other members (if perhaps not from management).

 

Claus, it is clear that you have a very strong conviction on this matter. There is nothing wrong with strong convictions, and you are welcome to them. However I suggest that you are out of touch with the groundswell of opinion that makes up what is regarded as courteous conduct. The comments in your site lack balance, ascribe to those who conceal their identities less than honourable motives, without any justification, utterly fail to acknowledge an alternative point of view and present as axiomatic a code of conduct of which you present a small minority view.

[csdenmark]

Jack I have made my final statement to the subjects name and flag in this thread about skill level. If you want my comments to those subjects - please open a thread aimed for that.

 

This is only to repeat: My web-sites are NOT for debate on a BBO platform. BBO web-sites are NOT for debate on my web-sites. So it has to be in a free world of information. The views expressed at each of the places are certainly for debate - that is a main reason for all web-sites.

 

About quoting. I normally quote all I find of importance and then I add a link for the full text so that all can see what I mean and have an easy access to make their own, maybe different, judgement from that. The problem here is the text is not available as web-site.

[slothy]

Ummmm Guys :D Calm Down!!!!!!

 

Or neither of you will get a lollipop!!