[scotland]

should psyches be allowed during friendly games?

[hrothgar]

scotland, on 2020-December-07, 11:48, said:

should psyches be allowed during friendly games?

Do whatever you want...

[mycroft]

Why not? They're allowed in the rules?

It strongly depends on what you mean by "friendly".

If I'm playing with my friends, and someone psyches, "hey, if you got me, you got me". If they're psyching on every hand because they're just goofing around, then maybe they shouldn't be invited to the next "playing with my friends" game - unless, of course, it's my traditional example of being invited to take over from someone in the game I was kibitzing (with a bunch of juniors) where I said "well, if I'm actually going to play, I need to get a beer first". The game at which my response to "have you worked out your partner's carding yet?" (she wouldn't tell me) was "No. In fact, I think she's switching it up every hand or two." The game at which the foul language was flowing as fast as the beer.

If it's one of those "we're all friendly here" clubs, then psyches are allowed, but just as gently discouraged as calling the TD over misinformation or coffee-housing. Note - there's a reason I don't play at those clubs. They're just as "friendly" in fact as a 1980s church social club (and likely populated by many of the same people). Proper behaviour is just as controlled as in a "serious" club; it's just that instead of being controlled by the director, it's controlled by cliques and gossip and disappointed looks and invites (or pointed lack of invites) to one's home after.

If it's my long-passed "friendly introduction to the Open" Tuesday night game, where half the tables were just out of the under 300s, and the other half started with national championship entrants and went up to serious contenders, then I would (and did) discourage psychics from the A players against the newer players, along with teaching unless asked (and sometimes even when asked), intimidatory director calling, and other little edges that would discourage those newer players from playing, say, the Wednesday night shark tank game some time. And if it happened anyway (especially if it was one of those "baby psyches" that "everyone" would do, like 1♥-X-1♠ on 1=3=4=5 4 count), I would carefully explain to the newer players the legality, the fact that it's very rare, and that since it's a losing tactic in general, and so would never be used if they thought they could win playing straight up, it was a compliment they were giving the weaker players ("we no longer think we can beat you just by playing straight up").

[AL78]

Is there such a thing as "friendly games"?

If it is a group of people playing in a private home, then ideally it should be a consensus between the players. If it is a club, then it is down to the local rules/director. My club doesn't forbid psyches but it does record them in case one individual is doing it frequently or their partner is fielding it.

[nudnikbp]

Don't make psychic bids with a regular partner and don't psych against weaker players. Ethical issues occur in both of these situations.

[pescetom]

nudnikbp, on 2020-December-22, 00:06, said:

Don't make psychic bids with a regular partner and don't psych against weaker players. Ethical issues occur in both of these situations.

I'm not sure it is unethical to psyche against weaker players - more like illogical, as mycroft argues.

There may be a case for considering it unethical to psyche with an occasional partner, when other competitors are restricted by a regular partnership.

[mikeh]

Back in my university days (many, many years ago), there were ‘friendly’ games that lasted many hours. The only times I made it to breakfast one year was when we played all night.

Psyching was common, but not done randomly. We were very serious about the game (2 of the regular players during one year (much) later became multiple national champions), but we were young and trying things out.

I remember over calling a schenken 1C opening, at favourable, with xx in hearts and zero hcp. LHO passed, waiting for the reopening double, then found himself on lead, as his partner, with a minimum and lots of hearts, passed. Down 7. Much hilarity ensued, but amongst all this, we were learning about the game, including how to deal with psyches.

Many years later, in a Regional Open Pairs, I held Qxxx xx Qxxxx xx and, at favourable, saw partner deal and open 3S. RHO bid 4S and it was my turn. I bid 6H, followed by two passes. rHO gave me the evil eye and passed. She was afraid I’d run to 6S if she doubled, and she was afraid of a spade loser if she bid grand, holding a stiff spade. Her partner led the stiff spade Ace. Down 12.

Psyching should always be part of the game, for anyone wanting to become any good at it.

One should, imo, pick one’s spots. I don’t ever psyche against very weak players. I don’t psyche against plain weak players unless I know them to be eager to improve and wanting to learn. Then, I may psyche if the hand was one where I’d consider it against an expert pair. I do so with a view to helping my opponents learn. One needs to be careful: I only do it against people I consider friends. Invariably they later ask how they could overcome the psyche, and I’m happy to explain, because that’s why I did it. Next time, when someone else (or me, but these don’t happen often) psyches,hopefully they’ll do better. Heck, they might even be inspired to psyche themselves!

Expert pairs are hard to psyche against. The easiest ones are those with a penchant for psyching themselves, since then they don’t know who to trust....their partner or the psycher, but some hands just call out for action.

Say you’re playing a big club method, and partner opens 1S at favourable. You hold Kxxxx x Jxxx xxx.

Yes, 4S is certainly normal, but LHO clearly has a big hand and will take action. Since they may be on for a lot of tricks in hearts, you could try 2H, ostensibly natural and gf.

This can blow up on you, since partner may have a maximum with hearts on the side but that’s the point. Psyches should always carry a risk: partner has to be as liable to be fooled as either opponent. If I ever did respond 2H in this situation, I’d never do it again with that partner no matter how many hands we played. Constant or frequent psyching gives rise to implicit agreements, where partner will cater to your psyche.

Sorry for going on at such length, but the bias against psyching, which came into the game as the bridge population aged and became more conservative, is annoying. It’s part of the game,just like bluffing is part if poker, but with more rigorous ethical obligations in partnerships that like to psyche.

A few months ago, I held a big hand. Partner opened in first seat and the opps competed vigorously. At my final turn, I was pretty sure that partner had psyched (we probably psyche, as a partnership, more than most), but I could just construct a legitimate but dead minimum opening hand, so I doubled. Had I a Queen more in hcp, I could have sold out, since the auction, and my hand, would have made it clear that partner psyched.

Partner agreed with my action. Fielding a psyche requires that bridge logic make it clear. Otherwise, you are taking advantage of an implicit agreement.

[Cyberyeti]

I find Mike's post interesting. Having been somebody who psyched a lot I ended one partnership when partner fielded 2 psyches I hadn't actually made.

When you have a reputation for psyching even when you haven't strange things can happen at the table.

Two that come to mind where partner having a whale decided he really ought to redouble even though he was fairly sure I've psyched. One was the auction 1♥-P-2N(limit raise or better)-P-3♥(min)-X and now the best result opps can get is -960 but they actually went for 1700 instead, we were about to go -1 in 4♥ if they shut up due to the 5-0 trump break. The other was a 3N contract where somebody doubled the final contract, partner redoubled, I had a 9 or 10 count with a 6 card suit and when the smoke cleared I had 1400 the strange way having failed to make another overtrick that was possible.

My favourite psyche was in a long teams match by my partner, I knew he'd psyched, but had no clue what he had, my hand was xxx, xx, Axxx, Qxxx and I heard him open a gambling 3N. Anyway, RHO did what you're supposed to do, led an ace, looked at dummy and played a second heart, partner won his 6 remaining hearts and the ♦A, a snip against a vulnerable spade game.