I play my worst bridge when I'm:

[gwnn]

I hope, Rossoneri, that you used "friend" in a different way as I used "have a friend".

[jchiu]

Interesting thread for sure. Having been bored enough to read the entire thread, I offer three reasons not already mentioned that affect my bridge results. In order, I think my perception of ability is affected by

 

1. Randomness - already mentioned

 

2. Perception of partner (and teammate) skill relative to all of my partners. If I think a partner is below average, I will start pointing out more mistakes, operating more frequently and making more mistakes. Playing a more conservative game when I am afraid to step out on a limb also has reduced the upside of my actions.

 

3. General feeling toward the playing conditions. Positive examples include

- that cute caddy (maybe related to Csaba's frivolous comment above)

- having a comfortable hotel room

- having a short but pleasant walk, generally outdoors

- having a good breakfast, not the bacon, eggs and sweet cereal/pastries

- having a relaxed discussion environment during the tournament

 

4. Playing too fast - already mentioned

 

5. Form. This is what they discuss in Cricinfo analysis articles, or what they call slumps in baseball. It is much more difficult to break out of three or four poor days to start a tournament than fall off a showing of good form.

[Rossoneri]

I hope, Rossoneri, that you used "friend" in a different way as I used "have a friend".

Well, "friend" because she used to be a school junior of mine, but I find her very off-putting for reason mentioned above plus the fact that she's rather arrogant in doing things.

[jjbrr]

I hope, Rossoneri, that you used "friend" in a different way as I used "have a friend".

Well, "friend" because she used to be a school junior of mine, but I find her very off-putting for reason mentioned above plus the fact that she's rather arrogant in doing things.

Tell him what I've taught you, gwnn.

[jjbrr]

I think it's funny "on tilt because of partner" is the leading problem. I learned in kindergarten that every time you point a finger at someone else, there are three fingers pointing back at you.

[aguahombre]

I think it's funny "on tilt because of partner" is the leading problem. I learned in kindergarten that every time you point a finger at someone else, there are three fingers pointing back at you.

True, but it happens. And the ones who chose that one are being honest and admitting the fault. As was I, who chose tilt because of opponents

[Phil]

This is what they discuss in Cricinfo analysis articles

Link?

[Fluffy]

congrats phil you got votes for every thing in the poll, you probably got a record here.

[cherdanno]

congrats phil you got votes for every thing in the poll, you probably got a record here.

And he still got complaints about missing options!

[jdonn]

congrats phil you got votes for every thing in the poll, you probably got a record here.

And he still got complaints about missing options!

The option I want is not there, seriously!

[Phil]

Ok Josh just to make you happy, you can add a poll choice, although I think playing too fast / too slow should replace "other".

 

If an Admin wants to jump in - go ahead.

[jdonn]

Playing too fast or slow is a symptom not a disease. My choice would be lack of focus due to laziness.

[Hanoi5]

I concur with laziness. Yesterday I was playing 3♠x with:

 

♠9x

♥T9xx

♦KJxx

♣9xx

 

♠QJTxxxx

♥Qx

♦---

♣AKTx

 

I got to 3♠ and was doubled by West who had opened a diamond, rebid 2NT over her partner's hearts, which were bid twice once of them after the NT. Ace of hearts was led and I had in my mind from the beginning that West had to have 4 spades to AK. A club ran to my ten and I played a low spade towards dummy, the 9 winning, East playing low. I just played a spade then! I didn't realize West had only AK now! I noticed it when I was recounting the boards from memory in the postmortem. Very bad.

[blackshoe]

This one's easy, but the right choice has to be "other" because... I play my worst bridge when I sit down at a bridge table. :D :D

[Echognome]

One way to interpret "on tilt because of partner" could be that you are on tilt, because partner has been berating you. Or you aren't playing your best, because your partner is being a <insert expletive here> jerk. That could tilt anyone.

[jjbrr]

Maybe "tilt" has different meanings to different people, but I dont think the feelings of partner bashing me are the same as what I feel when partner does something tilty, which, in my own opinion, can only really result from something annoying or bothersome or stressful, like a quirky habit or a silly or unexplainable mistake.

 

if partner berating me is tilt inducing, then I agree with everything said and would say that for certain that's a great way to ensure that I play horribly the rest of the day.

[Echognome]

I'm just saying that as an answer to "I play my worst bridge when I'm.." that partner could very well be the cause because of his behavior. I hardly ever get upset if partner makes a mistake, but I get upset when partner makes a mistake and then blames me for it! That makes me play worse.

 

Given the choices in the poll, I thought one could interpret "on tilt because of partner" as being the closest option.

[Fluffy]

I get upset when my partner doesn't follow my line of defence and it turns badly.

[Codo]

I got upset after blundering a board, but luckily I improved. Unluckily I still blunder, but I am able to focus on the next board better afterwards.

 

I would play worse if my partner would blame me after he made a mistake, but I have the right partner, he is not blaming me during a session.

 

So to me, the most significant point in practice is not to take a board/ opponent/ tournement serious.

[Jlall]

unexplainable

Side note: I didn't think this was a real word heh. But the dictionaries have it. Google comes up with 1.2 mil hits for unexplainable and 6.3 mil hits for inexplicable, so I think it is still a minority saying.

 

Some forums debated the difference between inexplicable and unexplainable but basically people use them interchangeably. Some people say one is "has no explanation" while the other is "has an explanation but cannot be explained." Aaron Haspel has some deeper theories :P

[gwnn]

Just because it's inexplicted, doesn't mean it's inexplicable.

[jjbrr]

I typed inexplicable and deleted it.

 

This isn't the first time I used a word and it started a debate about usage. I like keeping people on their toes.

[ggwhiz]

One answer is missing from the poll....... Never?

 

I'm consistently mediocre, inspired every decade or so but opps or pard don't change that, only me.