[smythen]

just finished an online tournament.

first bid was 3h(alert),description "barrage".

after bidding and before I made the opening lead I asked the meaning of the alert.

the opp was slow in responding, so I called the director. just as director came on, opp replied " we go o".I asked what "o" meant.

dir privately responded that "I should read more on bridge"

do I misunderstand alerts?

I expected a clear description of the alert

[hrothgar]

smythen, on 2015-April-07, 13:47, said:

just finished an online tournament.

first bid was 3h(alert),description "barrage".

after bidding and before I made the opening lead I asked the meaning of the alert.

the opp was slow in responding, so I called the director. just as director came on, opp replied " we go o".I asked what "o" meant.

dir privately responded that "I should read more on bridge"

do I misunderstand alerts?

I expected a clear description of the alert

Few quick comments

1. BBO has a lot of players who don't speak english as their first language. When you see someone describing a bid as "barrage" rather than preempt, this is a pretty good sign that that don't speak english well

2. "Ghoulash Madness" Indy tournaments bear little resemblance to bridge. If you're concerned about proprieties, play in a difference class of game

[helene_t]

Hi Smythen,

Welcome to the forum!

Yes, your opponents and the TD were not very helpful. "Barage" means "preempt" but if you don't know that, your opponents are supposed to explain.

[smythen]

hrothgar, on 2015-April-07, 14:07, said:

Few quick comments

1. BBO has a lot of players who don't speak english as their first language. When you see someone describing a bid as "barrage" rather than preempt, this is a pretty good sign that that don't speak english well

2. "Ghoulash Madness" Indy tournaments bear little resemblance to bridge. If you're concerned about proprieties, play in a difference class of game

thank you

I understand that English is not primary for all.
if opp had not alerted I would have taken it as preempt.

1)seems to me that the director could have replied that "barrage" means preempt instead of telling me that" I should read more on bridge"

2)especially since your comment on goulash indicates that it is not normal bids, reading more on bridge would not have helped nor solved the problem of the meaning of the term "barrage"

3) I was not concerned with proprieties, I just wanted to know what the term "barrage" meant

[smythen]

helene_t, on 2015-April-07, 14:43, said:

Hi Smythen,

Welcome to the forum!

Yes, your opponents and the TD were not very helpful. "Barage" means "preempt" but if you don't know that, your opponents are supposed to explain.

thank you, I now know what the term means.
that is exactly what I did, ask for an explanation.

that's why I wondered if I was expecting something wrong from the alert system.

thanks again