[jerblum]

I am a fair intermediate player.  I know how to count the hand, how to count tricks, how to count the missing points, how to construct their hands.  I know how.  I just dont do it.

I sit down at the table, and no matter how I pause at trick one, I just dont count.

I need a practice program.  A program that will force me to say every so often how many spades have been played, and how many points West showed up with.

I dont know if this is the right place to post this, but I know what I need.

Jerry

[fred]

Quote

I am a fair intermediate player.  I know how to count the hand, how to count tricks, how to count the missing points, how to construct their hands.  I know how.  I just dont do it.

I sit down at the table, and no matter how I pause at trick one, I just dont count.

I need a practice program.  A program that will force me to say every so often how many spades have been played, and how many points West showed up with.

I dont know if this is the right place to post this, but I know what I need.

Jerry

Our company has produced a producted with renowned author Mike Lawrence called Counting at Bridge. I suspect this program will really help you.

You can find out more about this products (as well as over 20 other educational software titles that we have devloped) through:

www.bridgebase.com/software

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

[jerblum]

I ***HAVE*** Counting at Bridge.   Nice program.  Also PBL 1 and 2.  All good explanatory programs.

But I want something to DRILL me, over and over.  And again.

Jerry Blumenthal

[keylime]

Counting...there's a skill that is priceless in the game. Maybe I can create a small exe file that would interface with bridge software to prompt the user to do this vital activity.

[jerblum]

Ideally, the program would generate random deals, and play them with average machine competence, and would interrupt repeatedly lto demand answers to the count questions.

Jerry

[keylime]

A random number generator combined with a good logical core should suffice in what you desire to achieve.

[Neil]

Hi,

I think Jerry's hit the nail on the head. He knows what he needs to work but can't do it at the table because he has opponents waiting for him to play a card. Unless he can train his brain to automatically ask the right questions progress is going to very slow.

A computer is an obvious tool as it doesn't get impatient. I used and still use GIB for exactly that purpose. Here's the drill....in defense as well as declarer play.

1.) At the opening lead, stop and write down what you know from the bidding and the lead.

2.) As every subsequent trick is played write down what additional information you have. Try to work out the most likely distribution and high card locations.

The key time is when you are fairly sure of 2 suits. This often happens very early in the hand, maybe trick 3 or 4. Work out the combinations left in the other 2.....there won't be that many.

3.) When you think you have the full distribution write it down.


After a while stop writing it down. I play with a constant conversation going in my head. There's only one way to make it automatic and that's repetition. You know what the questions are: who has the AH, are diamonds 3-2 or 4-1. Can I find out for free.....

[jerblum]

Thanks for the suggestion about GIB.  I'll look into it.

Jerry