[Geoff103]

I admit to a huge degree of annoyance when applying for a seat on a two-tweams-match on BBO.

It appears that hosts routinely refuse players with an Acol profile and so-called Advanced and Expert players can be hugely aggressive and rude when one finally does get to play. For my part, I ALWAYS agree my partner's card even when I have limited knowledge of their system believing it will add to my understanding.

This is rarely reciprocated. Why are SAYC players so insular?

[The_Badger]

Geoff103, on 2017-November-24, 07:02, said:

I admit to a huge degree of annoyance when applying for a seat on a two-tweams-match on BBO.

It appears that hosts routinely refuse players with an Acol profile and so-called Advanced and Expert players can be hugely aggressive and rude when one finally does get to play. For my part, I ALWAYS agree my partner's card even when I have limited knowledge of their system believing it will add to my understanding.

This is rarely reciprocated. Why are SAYC players so insular?

To be honest, Geoff, I think you are making life difficult for yourself. First, Acol is a marginal system outside the UK and us Brits have to accept that there are far, far more SAYC and 2/1 players than Acol players in the world. Also, agreeing your partner's card when you have limited knowledge of their system and methods, and then 'cocking things up' for want of a better expression will have a downside.

Without sounding patronising, do your best to learn SAYC or 2/1 bidding and the conventions you encounter from books or online sources before you go and play. Kibitz team matches and write down the most popular conventions players use: that is your initial template. Also, read up on about the differences between Acol and SAYC or 2/1 bidding: there have similarities, especially Acol and SAYC, but they are different. It's not just a matter of using a 15-17 NT as opposed to a 12-14 one.

That said, I do not know what level you play at, or your overall experience - I have looked at your online profile - and it does seem you have been playing bridge for a long time, but so have many other players who have not taken on board that sometimes you have to re-learn the game, be an old dog learning new tricks, to keep up with it.

I wish you well, and trust that your team experiences will be more profitable in the future.

[Geoff103]

The_Badger, on 2017-November-24, 10:09, said:

To be honest, Geoff, I think you are making life difficult for yourself. First, Acol is a marginal system outside the UK and us Brits have to accept that there are far, far more SAYC and 2/1 players than Acol players in the world. Also, agreeing your partner's card when you have limited knowledge of their system and methods, and then 'cocking things up' for want of a better expression will have a downside.

Without sounding patronising, do your best to learn SAYC or 2/1 bidding and the conventions you encounter from books or online sources before you go and play. Kibitz team matches and write down the most popular conventions players use: that is your initial template. Also, read up on about the differences between Acol and SAYC or 2/1 bidding: there have similarities, especially Acol and SAYC, but they are different. It's not just a matter of using a 15-17 NT as opposed to a 12-14 one.

That said, I do not know what level you play at, or your overall experience - I have looked at your online profile - and it does seem you have been playing bridge for a long time, but so have many other players who have not taken on board that sometimes you have to re-learn the game, be an old dog learning new tricks, to keep up with it.

I wish you well, and trust that your team experiences will be more profitable in the future.

I agree with a lot of what you say.....but these BBO matches are generally over 8 boards. Would it really disconcert a non-Acol player to accommodate an acolyte p for just 8 boards? I've seen plenty of experienced SAYC partnerships do badly where one player is poor. What's the difference with some slight misunderstanding by an Acol player trying his best to get to grips with SAYc or 2/1?

[The_Badger]

Geoff103, on 2017-November-24, 11:26, said:

I agree with a lot of what you say.....but these BBO matches are generally over 8 boards. Would it really disconcert a non-Acol player to accommodate an acolyte p for just 8 boards? I've seen plenty of experienced SAYC partnerships do badly where one player is poor. What's the difference with some slight misunderstanding by an Acol player trying his best to get to grips with SAYc or 2/1?

I think the problem probably lies with using the word 'Acol' and other players envisioning a quaint tidy British (Commonwealth, sometimes Dutch) system with 4 card majors and a 'potentially fatal - lol!' weak no-trump, that has been well and truly superseded by a standard 5 card major opener and a strong no-trump option worldwide.

Yes, plenty of Acol players play five card majors nowadays, and some even use an intermediate 14-16 no-trump - God forbid! But if you say 'Acol' on your profile, and then join a SAYC or 2/1 game, you are probably looked upon, I am only surmising, as a lesser player in some way, not familiar with how the majority play.

You might be a far better cardplayer and tactical bidder than the other players, and let's face it how many players actually know full SAYC or 2/1 bidding in its total entirety? - I certainly don't and I'm honest enough to admit it. I have to look up bids in certain situations now and again - but going to a SAYC or 2/1 table and saying 'Acol' is your main system is just making a rod for your own back, I feel.

[eagles123]

If you feel that you don't get accepted into many TM's with an acol profile, why not change your profile to sayc or whatever when u want to play TM! It wouldn't even take a minute to change it and change it back once you're finished!