[struct48]

 mycroft, on 2026-January-25, 11:58, said:

You're a software engineer, you know how to use search(*). Maybe look through my posts on this forum about the Permanent Pickup Pool, and you'll see comments to others about how getting out of it could solve their problems.

Are you Zia Mahmood?

No?

Then no thank you. Your screeds (your term, not mine) aren't worth my time.

 mycroft, on 2026-January-25, 11:58, said:

I agree, I can't play bridge at your level.

Then your screeds are definitely not worth my time. Gosh, you must be miserable in this forum. Have you considered shifting over to the Beginner/Novice board? Or perhaps a different game entirely? I hear Crazy 8's can be quite fun.

Here is a ball. Perhaps you would like to bounce it?

[struct48]

 mycroft, on 2026-January-25, 11:58, said:

Oh well done. You've shown the reason you're in the PFPP in spades. I only implied it last time, because I couldn't prove it.

Here's why this approach won't work.

Bridge is neither a civilized debate nor an effete tea party. Nobody worth their salt is going to give any weight to your tone (pa)trolling.

Unless the ACBL has started awarding points for good manners, you're not helping anybody's game, and you're not furthering the discussion in any way that's productive.

So how about you kindly, pretty please, with sugar on top, hold your tongue until you have something of utility to offer?

[AL78]

blackshoe, on 2026-January-24, 11:02, said:

A beginner is someone who has just started to play. A novice is someone who lacks experience. A beginner is usually a novice. A novice is probably a beginner, but there are "perpetual novices" who have been playing for fifty years and haven't learned anything.

They have experience in playing at a low standard.

[AL78]

struct48, on 2026-January-22, 11:48, said:

* If you bid again after a weak 2 or preempt when not forced, ...

You live in SE England.

[struct48]

 AL78, on 2026-January-26, 02:39, said:

You live in SE England.

Wot? Birchington-on-Sea lads & lasses fancy givin' their 'eads a wobble?

[jillybean]

mike777, on 2026-January-25, 12:14, said:

I am thinking of going for a few days to our upcoming national event.
Have not gone perhaps in thirty years

Go, good luck, enjoy and post some hands.

[akwoo]

OP - If you want to guarantee a good enough partner without putting in some effort to build social capital in some community...

go hire a pro.

Just as in the other partnership activity

[thepossum]

Bridge players on BBO seem almost unique in judging someone's knowledge, experience, ability and skill level by one incident/error/variance. Maybe some parts of professional life have people like that too

Other sports and games even the world's best are allowed to fail occasionally

Just look at yourselves

At least I found someone else to avoid at the tables. I am just intermediate anyway

Some strange personality dominates the game and then makes out it is the wrong game for us

That suggests I am having a go at a personality type. No, just people to avoid, and not invite to any fun social events

But as an intermediate I often mix with the "advanced", "expert" and occasionally even "world class" players and "stars"

And it happens consistently, and I am suitably modest, even on BBO. Case in point today. Somehow I scored 100% as the only person to bid an easy slam. But I make mistakes occasionally too and hate trivial details. Some people rely on variance and some basic judgment. And we do not careif we reach any round of any national tournament. But seriously, if you expect 100% perfection and that level of control you will lose the creative people. But yes I avoid clubs. Clearly the wrong game for me. As you were and keep trying to make the game fun and appealing

But the thought that some obnoxious person would make out I was a beginner after playing for 40 years or more. But I should not dis a different personality type. Do they show the same respect to us. Some people are on my ignore list. I hope that means I never accidentally sit at their table. And I should not judge those with egos so fragile they think like the OP. But I hope they grow and join the human race one day. Been a while since an OP caused that kind of reaction but seriously

Should I post an example hand - how seemingly all these "better" players were in the wrong strain and most did not even make game when I (me and my partner lol - I should credit my partner but it took my opening bid) bid and made an easy slam. yes easy. Can I write a post in the same style as the OP. If anyone failed to bid that slam they are certainly not advanced or experts. That is how you destroy ridiculous arguments by highlighting the absurd with an example. That is all it takes

I do love the regular appeals in lobby chat "expert please". I have worked in many fields with many experts. There are not that many that they would be reading BBO lobby chat.Maybe the world has changed. Far too many experts in all fields. BBO is just a window onto the world. I am in many ways happy to be regarded as a novice, under some meanings of the word. A perpetual novice

[mw64ahw]

w.r.t. skill level
'belt mean no need rope hold up pants'

[struct48]

 thepossum, on 2026-January-27, 03:50, said:

Bridge players on BBO seem almost unique in judging someone's knowledge, experience, ability and skill level by one incident/error/variance. Maybe some parts of professional life have people like that too

Other sports and games even the world's best are allowed to fail occasionally

One time I consulted with an attorney about a traffic accident, and he concluded the other party's insurance company was violating my Third Amendment rights.

"Interesting," I replied. "Are you sure?" They insisted. So I quickly left their office and reported them to my state's Bar Association. Now INAL, nor a paralegal, nor a legal expert. So gosh, how presumptuous and arrogant of me, right?

That attorney wound up being disbarred.

The next day, stressed out and experiencing stomach pain, I went to my local Urgent Care, and the physician who evaluated me concluded I needed an immediate mediolateral episiotomy.

"Interesting," I replied. "I'm a man. Are you sure?" They insisted. So I quickly left their office and reported them to my state's Medical Board. Now INAD, nor a nurse, nor a medical expert. So gosh, how presumptuous and arrogant of me, right?

That physician's license wound up being revoked.

To take my mind off the pain, I played a few hands on BBO. I opened one hand 1♠︎, LHO oc'd 2♣︎, my "Advanced" partner made a shutout jump to 4♠︎ with ♠︎AQxxx and 13 hcp in support, and then partner berated me for not making a slam try because "the meaning of a jump to game changes in competition." I gently pointed out that if anything, a shutout becomes weaker in competition and they should have cue-bid 3♣︎, but they doubled down and became more belligerent.

This really happened.

So with a polite "tya 🙂," I left that table and went to another. At the new table, my "Intermediate" partner opened 1NT, I responded 2♣︎ Stayman, and they rebid 2NT.

"P, are you familiar with the Stayman convention?" I gently inquired.
"Yes," they replied.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"I don't think you are. 2NT is not a valid rebid."
"I know Stayman. You're just not familiar with what 2NT means," they retorted with a huff.

This also really happened.

So, forum? Why are we defending the incompetent, and why are we impugning my character to do so? Enquiring minds want to know.

[struct48]

 akwoo, on 2026-January-26, 15:11, said:

OP - If you want to guarantee a good enough partner without putting in some effort to build social capital in some community...

go hire a pro.

Just as in the other partnership activity

Yeah… if you want to argue that I'm the problem…

go play Cribbage.

It's got lots of knobs. You'll feel like you belong.