NPR

Are there any Bridge players on the forum.

During lockdown I have evolved from Trickster to Bridge Base on line to Realbridge that allows pairs and duplicate play.

Real bridge (although you have to pay about £0.30 for 20 boards ) is without doubt the most superior and most closely replicates table bridge.

I've played for 40 years

Not much of late though so some of my conventions will be a bit shit. Blackwood, Stayman etc should be OK

Yes.

Am playing Bridge Base Online as we speak with my brother father and a friend.

sorCrer wrote: Sun Jan 17, 2021 6:44 pm I've played for 40 years

Not much of late though so some of my conventions will be a bit shit. Blackwood, Stayman etc should be OK

its a godsend during lockdown, all I do is walk the dog play on line bridge, the crossword and split logs.

Openside wrote: Sun Jan 17, 2021 11:47 pm

sorCrer wrote: Sun Jan 17, 2021 6:44 pm I've played for 40 years

Not much of late though so some of my conventions will be a bit shit. Blackwood, Stayman etc should be OK

its a godsend during lockdown, all I do is walk the dog play on line bridge, the crossword and split logs.

Morning OS. I'm doing the first two but not splitting logs. Unless it's Napiers! Sent you a mail to which you've not replied. I expect I'm in the spam folder.

I happened to find a certain Latin inscription when weeding out my pictures.

Openside wrote: Sun Jan 17, 2021 11:47 pm

sorCrer wrote: Sun Jan 17, 2021 6:44 pm I've played for 40 years

Not much of late though so some of my conventions will be a bit shit. Blackwood, Stayman etc should be OK

its a godsend during lockdown, all I do is walk the dog play on line bridge, the crossword and split logs.

I signed up for Red Cross meals on Wheels deliveries for 3 days a week to get me out of the house during our lockdown. Loved it

Hi Enz. I am a certified "care worker" now. Been looking after some elderly and vulnerable for quite some time. Sometimes just a phone call is enough to lift their spirits. It's as dead as a doornail in the Town now with most of the shops shut. Having to let The Management cut my hair!

Enzedder wrote: Mon Jan 18, 2021 6:04 am

Openside wrote: Sun Jan 17, 2021 11:47 pm

sorCrer wrote: Sun Jan 17, 2021 6:44 pm I've played for 40 years

Not much of late though so some of my conventions will be a bit shit. Blackwood, Stayman etc should be OK

its a godsend during lockdown, all I do is walk the dog play on line bridge, the crossword and split logs.

I signed up for Red Cross meals on Wheels deliveries for 3 days a week to get me out of the house during our lockdown. Loved it

Good for you, we volunteered but haven’t heard a peep!

Used to play every lunchtime at work, in my youth. Really loved it. Haven't played for years though.

Ovals wrote: Mon Jan 18, 2021 11:20 pm Used to play every lunchtime at work, in my youth. Really loved it. Haven't played for years though.

I have iBridgeBaron on my phone and iPad. Play 30-60 minutes every day. My bridge club has being playing weekly games on Bridge Base Online since April (and overseen by our director). Am now a fan of the Two Over One bidding system.

Macrosan wrote: Tue Jan 19, 2021 12:32 am

Ovals wrote: Mon Jan 18, 2021 11:20 pm Used to play every lunchtime at work, in my youth. Really loved it. Haven't played for years though.

I have iBridgeBaron on my phone and iPad. Play 30-60 minutes every day. My bridge club has being playing weekly games on Bridge Base Online since April (and overseen by our director). Am now a fan of the Two Over One bidding system.

What’s 2 over one?

Currently playing Acol but would like to try Strong no Trump and 5 Card Major

Openside wrote: Tue Jan 19, 2021 7:48 am

Macrosan wrote: Tue Jan 19, 2021 12:32 am

Ovals wrote: Mon Jan 18, 2021 11:20 pm Used to play every lunchtime at work, in my youth. Really loved it. Haven't played for years though.

I have iBridgeBaron on my phone and iPad. Play 30-60 minutes every day. My bridge club has being playing weekly games on Bridge Base Online since April (and overseen by our director). Am now a fan of the Two Over One bidding system.

What’s 2 over one?

Currently playing Acol but would like to try Strong no Trump and 5 Card Major

It is a variation on Standard American (5 card major). Basically a game forcing 2 bid (generally a minor) over a 1H/S.

It's the post mortem that does it for me. That social aspect which goes missing in online games.

By some strange coincidence Ms GL took up bridge when I retired. I think she’d like me to take it up now but it holds no appeal for me, just seems complicated for the sake of it. I compare it with chess, which is complicated in that there a huge number of possible moves but the principles are simple. I’d probably be a bad loser as well.

GogLais wrote: Wed Jan 20, 2021 12:00 pm By some strange coincidence Ms GL took up bridge when I retired. I think she’d like me to take it up now but it holds no appeal for me, just seems complicated for the sake of it. I compare it with chess, which is complicated in that there a huge number of possible moves but the principles are simple. I’d probably be a bad loser as well.

same is true of bridge there are infinite possibilities but the principles are pretty simple

sorCrer wrote: Wed Jan 20, 2021 4:30 am It's the post mortem that does it for me. That social aspect which goes missing in online games.

Try real bridge it is card play and Audio Visual combined. Its really good.

I might have a look but I’m a chess man. Been playing online for nearly 20 years

Un Pilier wrote: Wed Jan 20, 2021 6:56 pm I might have a look but I’m a chess man. Been playing online for nearly 20 years

I just can't get into chess

Openside wrote: Wed Jan 20, 2021 10:48 pm

Un Pilier wrote: Wed Jan 20, 2021 6:56 pm I might have a look but I’m a chess man. Been playing online for nearly 20 years

I just can't get into chess

I've won quite a few competitions. Trying to get The Management to learn the game. It's worse than climbing K2!

Drew with a grandmaster once. Not bad for an eleven year old.


Now "Go" is on another level. We have a master on here. GuLi.

Openside wrote: Sun Jan 17, 2021 6:30 pm Are there any Bridge players on the forum.

During lockdown I have evolved from Trickster to Bridge Base on line to Realbridge that allows pairs and duplicate play.

Real bridge (although you have to pay about £0.30 for 20 boards ) is without doubt the most superior and most closely replicates table bridge.

Trickster is sh*te and the dealing is loaded.

Openside wrote: Wed Jan 20, 2021 10:48 pm

Un Pilier wrote: Wed Jan 20, 2021 6:56 pm I might have a look but I’m a chess man. Been playing online for nearly 20 years

I just can't get into chess

It’s like a lot of other things ; you need to get to a certain level before you can play properly and start to enjoy its complexities. The thing that appeals to me is there is zero luck - it’s all down to you and your opponent.

Having said that, I enjoy card games too and would certainly have got into bridge had I the opportunity to do so. Used to play a lot of Solo back in the day, which has some similarities iirc.

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 4:50 pm

Openside wrote: Sun Jan 17, 2021 6:30 pm Are there any Bridge players on the forum.

During lockdown I have evolved from Trickster to Bridge Base on line to Realbridge that allows pairs and duplicate play.

Real bridge (although you have to pay about £0.30 for 20 boards ) is without doubt the most superior and most closely replicates table bridge.

Trickster is sh*te and the dealing is loaded.

Ms GL uses Trickster and reckons that the opening hands aren’t evenly distributed - can play an hour without getting an opening hand. Also the hands often seem extremely unbalanced compared with table bridge. Apparently this means something but I don’t understand.

GogLais wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 10:59 pm

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 4:50 pm

Openside wrote: Sun Jan 17, 2021 6:30 pm Are there any Bridge players on the forum.

During lockdown I have evolved from Trickster to Bridge Base on line to Realbridge that allows pairs and duplicate play.

Real bridge (although you have to pay about £0.30 for 20 boards ) is without doubt the most superior and most closely replicates table bridge.

Trickster is sh*te and the dealing is loaded.

Ms GL uses Trickster and reckons that the opening hands aren’t evenly distributed - can play an hour without getting an opening hand. Also the hands often seem extremely unbalanced compared with table bridge. Apparently this means something but I don’t understand.

Basically the site loads the hands against you unless you pay for chips. It's their way of trying to make non-payers lose... and thus buy chips PLUS keep the fools who pay them money happy.

I kept some stats on there playing Spades and was getting average biddable hands of under 2 after 100+ games. Since the theoretical average is over 3 (13/4), although no-one ever bids up to 13, that proved it.

GogLais wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 10:59 pm

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 4:50 pm

Openside wrote: Sun Jan 17, 2021 6:30 pm Are there any Bridge players on the forum.

During lockdown I have evolved from Trickster to Bridge Base on line to Realbridge that allows pairs and duplicate play.

Real bridge (although you have to pay about £0.30 for 20 boards ) is without doubt the most superior and most closely replicates table bridge.

Trickster is sh*te and the dealing is loaded.

Ms GL uses Trickster and reckons that the opening hands aren’t evenly distributed - can play an hour without getting an opening hand. Also the hands often seem extremely unbalanced compared with table bridge. Apparently this means something but I don’t understand.

I would agree you get some crazy distributions - I had 9 clubs a couple of weeks ago

Another shout for trickster being gash

might have a look at real bridge, thanks

Happyhooker wrote: Tue Jan 26, 2021 10:10 pm Another shout for trickster being gash

might have a look at real bridge, thanks

Real bridge is the real deal, but is essentially a club platform, rather than a free to play (as trickster or BBO) It has been developed in Cambridge since lockdown so is pretty new and improving all the time.

Openside wrote: Tue Jan 26, 2021 11:08 pm

Happyhooker wrote: Tue Jan 26, 2021 10:10 pm Another shout for trickster being gash

might have a look at real bridge, thanks

Real bridge is the real deal, but is essentially a club platform, rather than a free to play (as trickster or BBO) It has been developed in Cambridge since lockdown so is pretty new and improving all the time.

typical. oxford develop a vaccine, cambridge develop a bridge platform.

yea, i gathered it wasn't free to play by errrr, reading your post. i used to be a pretty handy club player and with the extra time over the last year i started getting back into it, but found chess obviously easier to organise remotely.

was it you talking of dumping acol and going to strong no trump and 5 card major? if so, do it, it's far superior imho, but make sure you and your partner study it and know what the fuck you're doing. i've seen some fairly hysterical fuckups when people are in the process of switching conventions

Happyhooker wrote: Tue Jan 26, 2021 11:17 pm

Openside wrote: Tue Jan 26, 2021 11:08 pm

Happyhooker wrote: Tue Jan 26, 2021 10:10 pm Another shout for trickster being gash

might have a look at real bridge, thanks

Real bridge is the real deal, but is essentially a club platform, rather than a free to play (as trickster or BBO) It has been developed in Cambridge since lockdown so is pretty new and improving all the time.

typical. oxford develop a vaccine, cambridge develop a bridge platform.

yea, i gathered it wasn't free to play by errrr, reading your post. i used to be a pretty handy club player and with the extra time over the last year i started getting back into it, but found chess obviously easier to organise remotely.

was it you talking of dumping acol and going to strong no trump and 5 card major? if so, do it, it's far superior imho, but make sure you and your partner study it and know what the fuck you're doing. i've seen some fairly hysterical fuckups when people are in the process of switching conventions

nothing beats a transfer bid when your partner forgets you are playing transfers or my all time favourite was 2 club opening bid as a weak two, partner (correctly) assuming it was strong and forcing bid 6NT immediealy doubled they went 5 down

Openside wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:44 am

GogLais wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 10:59 pm

Torquemada 1420 wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 4:50 pm

Trickster is sh*te and the dealing is loaded.

Ms GL uses Trickster and reckons that the opening hands aren’t evenly distributed - can play an hour without getting an opening hand. Also the hands often seem extremely unbalanced compared with table bridge. Apparently this means something but I don’t understand.

I would agree you get some crazy distributions - I had 9 clubs a couple of weeks ago

Were you opening? I'd probably preempt with that lot. What were the points like?

I'm quite keen to try an artificial system like Little Major - but there's not a huge amount of info about it.

The whole concept of a 'Strong Pass' sounds fascinating.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strong_pass

Only one, from my alma mater. The Mathematical Bridge over the Cam.

Tommy Brown wrote: Wed Jan 27, 2021 3:50 pm I'm quite keen to try an artificial system like Little Major - but there's not a huge amount of info about it.

The whole concept of a 'Strong Pass' sounds fascinating.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strong_pass

Sounds like a good way for non-expert players to get themselves tied up in knots. Interestingly, banned below BB/VC.

"Thus, strong pass systems are classified as HUM (highly unusual method) and allowed only on competitions of Bermuda Bowl/Venice Cup level, with additional provisions that the pair playing HUM method must submit their convention cards in advance, and their team loses the right to choose the opponents (i.e. they must seat first and let the opposing team select the lineup). HUM systems are banned altogether on lower-level competitions, especially on pairs events (as a round of 2-3 boards is too short to require all other players to prepare the defense against strong pass in advance)."

Globus wrote: Thu Jan 28, 2021 12:48 am Only one, from my alma mater. The Mathematical Bridge over the Cam.

I was disappointed when I was told by our walking tour guide that it's a SCam and not the wonder it's made out to be.

sorCrer wrote: Wed Jan 27, 2021 11:20 am

Openside wrote: Fri Jan 22, 2021 10:44 am

GogLais wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 10:59 pm

Ms GL uses Trickster and reckons that the opening hands aren’t evenly distributed - can play an hour without getting an opening hand. Also the hands often seem extremely unbalanced compared with table bridge. Apparently this means something but I don’t understand.

I would agree you get some crazy distributions - I had 9 clubs a couple of weeks ago

Were you opening? I'd probably preempt with that lot. What were the points like?

They were too good to preempt, besides with any support from partner you were looking at Slam. Preempting tends to leave it there...

Point of order it is "online" or at a pinch "on-line"

ASMO wrote: Thu Jan 28, 2021 1:02 pm Point of order it is "online" or at a pinch "on-line"

Point of order: it's openside. WE'RE LUCKY IT'S NOT TYPED LIKE THIS oops caps locks

Globus wrote: Thu Jan 28, 2021 12:48 am Only one, from my alma mater. The Mathematical Bridge over the Cam.

You didn't go to Cambridge.

But great to see you are feeling better

Slick wrote: Thu Jan 28, 2021 1:24 pm

Globus wrote: Thu Jan 28, 2021 12:48 am Only one, from my alma mater. The Mathematical Bridge over the Cam.

You didn't go to Cambridge.

But great to see you are feeling better

Wrong on two counts. But hey ho.