Bidding system and language preference

[coyot]

I've been wondering about "what system do opponents play" quite often...

 

A possible solution to clear out misunderstandings would be:

 

Require every player to configure his profile to show bidding systems that he is capable of playing. Probably an extra page with a set of checkboxes, or an .ini file.

 

The systems could be ordered by preference...

 

When two players meet at the table, the system could try to "preselect" a system for them, based on the combined preference value. If it could not find a match, it could choose SAYC or BBO basic as default or force the players to agree on a system.

 

This preselected system would appear somewhere on the table so that the opps could see it.

 

I believe that in 99% of the cases, the system would be automated - you'd sit down at the table (be it indy, pickup, tourney sub or MBC) and you would see what should be the best match for you and partner...

 

This would clarify a lot of problems and wrong assumptions. Also, the system could keep track of basic bidding conventions (only the simple ones, in order not to help the bidding side... just alertable openings and maybe transfers etc...) and alert them automatically.

 

There would be more uses for this enhancement, not just preventing misunderstandings. Basically, your "view" settings could filter out people that don't play any of the systems you play. This would allow quick filtering of:

Possible partners at registration desk

Free seats in MBC.

 

Also, individual tournaments could easily specify the allowed system(s).

 

The .ini file could allow for a few levels of knowledge:

3 - preferred system

2 - know and play this one

1 - can give it a try

0 - no way.

 

Similar thing could be implemented for language:

3 - fluent

2 - passable

1 - read only (or, more likely bridge only B))

0 - Not a word apart from basic swearwords :))

 

This would again allow you to filter tables, players, possibly vugraph commentators.

(Vugraph commentator would only have to specify which language he is broadcasting in explicitly).

 

I know this would mean a whole truckload of work, but I think that it would greatly improve the quality of bridge experience, especially for pickup bridge.

[Gerben42]

For systems you could add an option

1.5. Yes but rather play something else.

 

I can play Std. American but much rather play Polish Club.

[coyot]

For systems you could add an option

1.5. Yes but rather play something else.

 

I can play Std. American but much rather play Polish Club.

I think this is covered by the higher preferences. If you rate WJ as 3 and SAYC as 1, you will get WJ preference with anyone who does not show equally strong preference to SAYC over WJ. (But of course, those scales can be much richer...)

[mink]

hi coyot,

 

recently I suggested something quite similar to this.

 

Karl