[dugite]

My regular partner(in on and offline bridge)and I use a couple of conventions that need special defences.In Bridgebase I sometimes feel it is almost cheating when we use them.
Ad hoc partnerships cannot be expected to have the expertise to deal with them,but we use this site to practice bidding and play.I feel almost ashamed to take advantage of nonknowledge(is that a word?).

As an example:we play modified Myxomytosis 2s.These openings promise a number of options.EG
2H=a weak 2 in S or
=a strong 2 in H or
=5+C and 5+D(with strong,weak or intermediate strengths) or
=23+HCP and a balanced hand.

I know that at other sites I could link a page of suggested defences to my profile.Is there a way I can do similar here?.We always alert and explain our
bids but somehow this doesn't feel like it is enough.

I have thought of making a webpage and putting the URL in my profile but I am almost computer illiterate and if there is an easier then bewdy bonzer ripper ;D


Thanks for listening,
Dugite

[csdenmark]

I prealert in this way over table:

!C!D!H!S!C!D!H!S!C!D!H!S!C!D!H!S!C!D!H!S!C!D!H!S!C!D!H!S!C!D!H!S!C!D!H!S Claus Sønderkøge. I live in countryside – Island of Mors – near the Northsea. ALERT! WE play PRECISION CLUB. 1!C=16+ else limit openings – most 11-15. Convention card(cc) is up and you will have more info here: http://groups.msn.co...ILES/intro.msnw – Welcome and good luck!



Sad to say - nearly nobody is interested to be informed - but I have done my duty!

I think you are right not to use such kind of openings against pairs not prepared for that. And in main bridge club - you will have very hard times to find pairs who will be ready to play more than a few hands against such weird openings and expected continuations.

Todd Andersen announced yesterday he would organize some tourneys for such and where standard classic systems were not accepted. Precision Team Group will soon organize some invitional tournaments where you will be welcome to play your full register - and we will love you I promise!

[DrTodd13]

First, on a side note, check out my web page dugite. I invented
a convention called purple 2's that are almost exactly what you
quoted in your post.

To the primary point, at a normal table I see no problem with
playing such conventions. I tend to put a note on the table
saying that we play some unusual conventions and if people
don't like it they are free to leave. This may happen a few times
then you'll find some people that are less judgemental. We need
to encourage people to adopt generic agreements to multi-meaning
bids and the best way to do that is to use them.

In tournaments where no conditions of contest are posted I'd also
have no guilt about using these. I do however usually have
suggested defenses available for people.

Todd

[paulg]

This kind of thing is a general problem and your concern is creditable.

It is unfortunate that the convention cards do not have a "notes" facility that allows suggested defences for unusual conventions to be easily shown.

Although I'd expect most adv/exp partnerships to have generic methods against this type of opener, clearly pickup partnerships are going to be at a disadvantage and are not going to be interested in learning a defence.

Perhaps for these maybe announcing your suggested defence, especially the meaning of double and 2S, is helpful.

Against intermediates, I let them openly chat their 2NT overcall range and tell them that it is best to play all doubles as takeout.

My view is that the more people see these methods, the less frightened they will be and they will learn how to defend.

But I imagine that you will get different cultural reactions. The Poles are probably taught how to defend this at age 5, whereas the ACBL would not allow this even in their Bermuda Bowl qualifying tournaments.

Good luck,

Paul

[bearmum]

:

I guess that really complicated conventions(which need special defences) should be kept for tournaments rather than "pick up" games in the general room --- one of the problems I have playing BBO is that MOST folks in lobby have incomplete profiles (AND by the time I've found them they have a P anyway--- another of my gripes with the software ) EVEN if a link available to SEE the defences to conventions it probably wouldn't work with a P you have not played with before

Here in Australia at big Bridge tournaments all systems are rated green blue red or yellow ---- AND those red or yellow cannot be played against green. Not sure if that could be applied to online bridge though )

[inquiry]

As for keeping complicated conventions out of BBO. Well, I think I don't support this idea. This raises the question of what is a complicated convention. What seems complicated to you or me, might be normal in some parts of the world. I also don't support this idea because the BBO offers a chance to try out new ideas outside of "serious bridge". By that, I mean real tournment play (I take BBO bridge quite seriously). The thing to do, is to tell your opponents when they join your table or you join theirs that you have some complicated methods. That way, if they are uncomfortable they can ask you to leave or they can leave themselves.
An even better way to practice complicated conventins is in a partnership bidding room. Sadly, no opponent's bidding, but you can follow the advice of, I think Rado, who said to simply state your partner that the opponent's bid x or y (of course, forcing pass no longer can be tested as the hand ends up being passed out). In that case... simple state I make pass and then bid using chat rather than buttons.

Ben

[Free]

If you play complicated conventions ONLY in tournaments, HOW will you ever be able to use them well??? Everytime you use a convention, your opponents try to make it hard on you, start doubling or bidding,... And by only learning your little paper(s) with biddings you won't get far.

I play with several partners, and online I play the system I usually play here in Belgium. That means some conventions aren't known, others are. I have defenses against every system we play, but nobody ever asks. I really don't care what people think about our system, because it works really well when we play it right, and not only because opponents don't know our conventions (but that sometimes helps ofcourse). I just play it, and if ops can't stand it, they can allways leave.

If you want a high level of bridge in BBO, ALL systems and conventions should be allowed. An international bridge-"club" has a lot of so called 'standard systems', which are unknown in some other regions. Who is to decide if a convention is too complicated if you can hardly check if that convention is played a lot in some regions? I say accept everything, makes playing bridge more interesting!

[bearmum]

Sorry I guess I didn't make myself clear ( OR maybe I didn't understand what the discussion was about)

IF a convention is one which needs a LONG discussion as to the defence against it I consider THAT to be one NOT for pick up partnersas in lobby tables ---- if ONLY for the time it would take to find AND agree on the defence to it :

THOSE were the conventions I was suggesting might be only used in tournaments for those considering themselves anything above "intermediate" players

[DrTodd13]

Once you learn bidding principles, it shouldn't take more than a few
moments to discuss a defense to a system/convention you're not
familiar with. When I play weird systems/conventions, I let opps
discuss freely at the table when the convention first arises. If you
are outclasses by opponents using some weird system then perhaps
finding a lower table would be a good solution. If you are adv playing
adv then perhaps you need to learn how to bid rather than crying
foul that opponent's convention is confusing you.

[pbleighton]

Todd writes:

"When I play weird systems/conventions, I let opps
discuss freely at the table when the convention first arises."

I'm a fan of the unusual in bidding. However, I do understand some adverse reactions to it. If your (admirable) approach to "weird systems/conventions" were widespread, I think a lot (but not all) of the antagonism towards the unusual would go away.

I think there is a burden on the users of the unusual which is often not met.

Peter

[Free]

For some players a convention is extremely weird, to others its a normal convention.

Say I open 2C and explain it as "weak 44+M or SFG or NT 21-22". Is this a weird convention? To me (and I think a lot of players) it isn't, but other see their 2-level openings as only possibility 2C strong and the rest weak which is waste of bidding space. How do you defend against something like that? Similar to your defense against multi-2D if you ask me...

There are soooo many conventions which are similar to others, that indeed there shouldn't be a lot to talk about to find a defense against it if you know at least some systems and conventions.

[csdenmark]

Quote

For some players a convention is extremely weird, to others its a normal convention.

Say I open 2C and explain it as "weak 44+M or SFG or NT 21-22". Is this a weird convention? To me (and I think a lot of players) it isn't, but other see their 2-level openings as only possibility 2C strong and the rest weak which is waste of bidding space. How do you defend against something like that? Similar to your defense against multi-2D if you ask me...

There are soooo many conventions which are similar to others, that indeed there shouldn't be a lot to talk about to find a defense against it if you know at least some systems and conventions.

Play it if you like - no problem with me! But unless you have a loaded informative cc you will not get away with that information with me as opps.

[Free]

I'm working on it, but there's soooo little space to type really everything... : maybe a sugestion for the software :