[robv2]

Does anyone know anything about this system? I cannot find anything about it anywhere. He's trying to sell his system for $35. I received the following email:

"Isn't it fun to watch the experts' bidding? They always seem to find
the slams and marginal games that most players routinely miss. Well, now
you may join them in their bidding success WITHOUT complicated
conventions and pages of system notes!!

Hi! My name is James Alperin and I am an accomplished bridge
player, teacher and director and now serve as president of Unit 531, District
22. I have developed a unique bidding system called "Shamrock." It is an
ACBL approved (for use in tournament play) precision-type system. Shamrock
is based on a big Diamond it allows you to open all 10 point hands and then
quickly describe your values to your partner. I have played it successfully
for many years and have had great success in tournament play,
including an 83% game."

[cherdano]

Based on the text you quote it sounds like a waste of time even to open the book when it is lying in front of you.

[Elianna]

I should preface my post by saying that I've never heard of this person or his system, but I'm highly dubious of his claims.

I will first note that being a bridge teacher and unit president has NOTHING to do with bridge skills. He also doesn't note WHERE he got the 83% game. (Not doubting that he acheived that, just wondering in what type of game. Tournament could even apply to a club game, or a side game in an awful field.) I also note that he just lists that as his only bridge accomplishment, and not any national wins. So I have doubts as to his credentials as a player.

This is not to say that learning his system might not improve your game. I bet that it's carefully thought out, and that if you adopt it, you will be playing a more detailed system than what you are currently playing (assuming that you are a typical beginning/intermediate player). Many people find that changing to a different system automatically gains them better results (once they learn that system).

However, there have been many thread here about whether it's better for beginning/intermediate players to learn new systems/conventions, or whether they should concentrate on more fundamental issues.

Anyway, it's up to you whether you wish to purchase it or not. If you really want advice, I would say that if you have the money, buy it, and then take it to a local expert and ask him/her to review it for you. Otherwise, if you don't have money to burn, you'd probably be better off getting a detailed book about your current system. There's a lovely book review thread here that might give you good ideas of where to start.

[rbforster]

If you want to play some sort of strong diamond (or strong club) system, don't waste $35 on something you've never heard of. There's plenty of good systems available for free on Daniel Neill's System Page!

[han]

cherdano, on Dec 2 2007, 11:12 PM, said:

Based on the text you quote it sounds like a waste of time even to open the book when it is lying in front of you.

Well said.

[the hog]

If is a "unique" system, yoy won't be able to play it because of regulations. If it is based on a bid D system, try Magic D or Burgay D. If it is based on a big C system - well there are many. Not wishing to sound sceptical, but....I have never heard of this guy. Maybe others have.

[cherdano]

The guy is also a spammer (I just received the same e-mail).

[beatrix45]

Wow. The man had an 83% game playing a system none of the opponents understood. Where is Geo. Day now that we really need him?

[Free]

report spam...

[CarlRitner]

I wasn't even sure we were going to get a "book" as a deliverable so I wrote back and asked if this was an e-Book or a real book or what. All I got back was mostly the original email, but not an answer to that question.

e-Books have their place, to be sure, but one needs to know if that's the $35 surprise.


Cheers,
Carl


ACBL Library Used Bridge Books

[SoTired]

I wonder where this guy got the e-mail list? From the ACBL? Could he have mis-used his position as Unit President to get an ACBL e-mail list to send private spam? Does the ACBL know about this?

The credentials are obviously shakey. I doubt this system is of any value since it is advertised by spam. Similar to the value of "enlargement" ads I receive. I also question his claim that it is ACBL legal. He does not mention any system details. For all you know you receive a one page write-up for your money.

True spam

[pclayton]

Sounds like a late-night informercial.

Wait, there's more! Buy now and get ten grand slams for free.

[glen]

I received the spamrock email to an account that the ACBL knows of, but I don't use at all for any other bridge activity. Thus one might draw the conclusion that somebody has obtained the email addresses of some or all of the ACBL members and are using the email list for commercial purposes. If so, perhaps there was a fee for that, which might explain the $35 cost of the book.

[keylime]

Phil,

You forgot the installments man! What about the gift that you get to keep if the system doesn't work for you, like a LED convention card holder or a bidding box that is solar-powered or something like that.

[helene_t]

What Free said: Just report it as a spam. And complain to ACBL that they give their member lists to spammers.

If you're looking for a Christmas present for someone, I'd rather go for one of Keylime's solar-powered bidding boxes

[matmat]

i'm thinking about getting mirror necklaces for my favorite opponents.

[helene_t]

Right, the guy is a jeweler, or at least there is a jeweler with the same name.

Furthermore his bridge credentials seem to be comparable to mine, lol.

There is no info about shamrock known to google, other than the text in the spam mail.

[ArtK78]

Recently, I received an e-mail from a prominent ACBL member advertising his newsletter. A couple of days later I received a follow-up e-mail apologizing profusely for sending out the original e-mail unsolicited, and stating that I had been removed from his mailing list (although I could certainly contact him to be added to his mailing list). Apparently, someone had complained to the ACBL about the e-mail, which violates ACBL policy on solicitations and may be in violation of some laws.

[mcphee]

Another sensational system, that at least 2 people have played. Is the fee of $35 payable to you if you play the system, or for the book done as desk top printing?