[Limpit]

Yes, I've been told off for saying "wdp" and "wdo", but i talk too much anyway. I can see that the Etiquette Tip today (Sept 17) makes sense.

However, I'm not good enough to always know for sure if a good result by either side is due to brilliant declarer play or due to a defensive error, so will try to keep mouth shut.

By the way, how do i PRIVATELY say "wdp:)" Phone them up?? lolll

[glen]

at the end of every tourney round, you can talk privately to your pd (clicking on name etc.) - of course if you run out of time, there is no way to privately say "speed it up pd"

[helene_t]

hi Ang, welcome to the forum!

IMHO there is nothing wrong with saying wdp, wdo etc after a board has been played. It is dubious, however, to say wdp before the board has been played out as it may appear as a hint: "you can make the rest, p!"

Some people dislike the wdp remarks when they are given when declarer just made a routine play, though. (1eyedjack has on his profile: "if I say wdp I mean it" )

[PassedOut]

helene_t, on Sep 17 2008, 09:02 AM, said:

Some people dislike the wdp remarks when they are given when declarer just made a routine play, though.

I dislike this also. And it is extremely disconcerting when partner types "wdp" after I deceive the opponents or they otherwise misdefend.

[glen]

I certainly dislike the VWDP!!!!!!! after we make 4 awful def mistakes, allowing a hopeless contract to make overtricks, doubled

[Al_U_Card]

To really gild the lily, how about: "irp" (interesting result partner) as a way of just saying that plus 11 imps in a partscore is, well, errrr, interesting?

[Trumpace]

I think we should program BBO to censor out (v)wdp and (v)wdo if the profile does not say "Expert" or "World Class"... lol

About wdp/wdo, it is annoying because they expect a typ/tyo in response and think it rude otherwise. I don't care whether they think the hand was played/defended well or not and frankly I don't see why people are _so_ offended by such comments.

[TimG]

I once had opponents give each other a high five across the table. I was sort of amused, but my partner was rather upset.

[matmat]

TimG, on Sep 17 2008, 03:01 PM, said:

I once had opponents give each other a high five across the table. I was sort of amused, but my partner was rather upset.

♥ Tact

[dicklont]

glen, on Sep 17 2008, 09:21 AM, said:

I certainly dislike the VWDP!!!!!!! after we make 4 awful def mistakes, allowing a hopeless contract to make overtricks, doubled

I dislike making 4 awfull mistakes, allowing a hopeless contract to make overtricks, doubled.
I can handle their vwdp that comes after it, although I find that it shows you're not a very good bridgeplayer.

High five IRL I find very inappropriate.
You just don't do that.

[Al_U_Card]

Not that long ago, a couple of rookies stumbled their way into a 1% (or so) slam. On a reasonable lead (the only one to give it a chance) they proceeded to make 3 or 4 totally anti-percentage plays and ended up bringing it home.

The congratulations and exaltation were abounding. I turned to the most effusive of the two and said "You did well to find that line, not many would have had the guts to pull it off. I look forward to playing you again and enjoying your enthusiasm for the game."

At least it helped me ....

[matmat]

i find it very annoying, actually, when opps congratulate one another on a job well done when it is obvious that I or partner made a set of absolutely abhorrent plays.

That said I don't mind congratulating partner with a little WDP on an exquisitely carved contract.

[JoAnneM]

I have actually said something to opponents who did the "vwdp" thing to their partner after I screwed up a defense, only to find out that dummy was off putting the laundry in the dryer and didn't even watch the hand.

Now I try to not let it bother me. I try even harder to not screw up the defense.

[waubrey]

I think it's fine to congratulate partner. It's pro-forma. The other side should not take offense. People shouldn't get bent out of shape over it.

[TimG]

Some people always thank partner when they put down dummy (in ftf or online). Some people always say "wdp" when partner makes a contract and "ntp" when they go down. They view these things as being courteous, no different from saying "hi, how are you" to the checkout person.

To me, sometimes people go so far in an attempt at civility that their actions are almost the opposite. Isn't it a bit condescending to think that partner will be pleased with the "wdp" or "ntp" when partner's effort wasn't well done or nice?

I once played against someone who, when he played a card from dummy, always called the card followed by "please, partner". "King, please, partner"..."Queen, please, partner"..."small, please partner" etc.

[kenberg]

I have come to accept the wdp although I rarely use it myself. I reply ty or maybe just t. Or I don't reply at all if my success was due to an opponent's error.l. My own policy is to say something specific if I can, especially to opponents, if I think a specific line of play was actually well chosen.

In general I am always happy to discuss play, even, or maybe especially, if I am in error, providing it rises above comments such as "If you had taken the finesse the other way you would have made it".

The most useful comments, private or otherwise, I think are along the lines of "What did you make of my discard of the five of diamonds?. Most partnerships have huge areas of ambiguous understandings and no one should take offense at efforts to clear these up.

[helene_t]

I have quite thick skin I think but there is one thing that really annoys me: when people say "why didn't you give me a ruff?" with the obvious intend "it was idiotic not to give me a ruff!"

I dislike rhetoric questions in general, but the ones designed to elicit the answer "because I am an idiot" are especially annoying.

If they just say "It was stupid of you not to give me a ruff" I have no problems with it at all.

[Al_U_Card]

Hi Helene

Your forebearance is admirable if somewhat misplaced. (btw "thick" skin is the term for insensitivity in the non-sensory meaning)

Any partner that says such things does not deserve your partnership.

To say, "I signaled in hearts for a ruff, was it not clear?" or even "When we have the same number of trumps, looking for a side suit ruff is important, so if I lead your long suit and there is length in dummy, it is for a reason."

But implying your lack of ability because you did not follow his play intention is pretentious at best and deplorable in general.

[mycroft]

Helene, here's a (self-)quote I bring up in times like those:

"90% of bridge questions that start 'Why did you...' or 'Why didn't you...' are looking for the response 'Because I'm an idiot.' Partner isn't going to stop asking until you admit it, so you might as well do it right off the top. I would, however, suggest you not finish the sentence, which is '...for choosing to play with you.'"

Frankly, when I have lost my mind, I don't mind admitting it; but I'd rather admit it myself than have partner goad it out of me. If I can't figure it out at the table, well, I'm not Meckstroth. But if, partner, you think I can't figure it out afterwards, having seen all 52 cards, why are you playing with me? Find yourself a better partner.

Another one, from Jeff's Imperious Rules of Bridge (among other places): "There's only one person in the entire room who is on your side and wants you to do well. It's easy to convert him to the other side. Don't."

Note that none of this applies when bashing out system or working on real questions, or analyzing the game after the session - away from the table where the embarrassment can be kept private, and where partner expects his mistakes to be pointed out just as readily. But those are part of the 10% I was talking about earlier.

[JoAnneM]

Just today I played a contract in 3nt making six. My partner watched the play very intently and at the end asked "How could we have bid that". How could she not have noticed that the opening lead gave me a double finesse in a suit missing the ace, that I could never have picked up!

I was actually too embarrassed to answer and just shook my head at her.

That's why I don't like discussing the hands at the table.