[smiffy]

I have started playing Bridge a couple of years ago at Yahoo's and only after being well into it discovered BBO.
So, for those unaware, let me tell you (rant) about bridge at Yahoo's:

- At Yahoo-Bridge experts play at "advanced" tables. The most prominent feature of an "advanced" player is his understanding that bridge is, above all, a game of quick reaction. Once you stop clicking on cards, rest assured at least one player at the table will tell you "Faster please", "Faster", '"Fast", "FASTER" or "FASTER!!!". If you don't immediately click on a card then he will either boot you or, when unable to do so, leave himself. This is usually followed by several people coming to the table and, seeing that you are in the middle of a hand, leaving right away.

- At Yahoo-Bridge don't bother saying "Hi". Nobody else does. Unless you come to a particularly cheerful table you come in silence, you leave in silence.
(The equivalent of a greeting at Yahoo-Bridge is "Clear score" or "Faster" which has the advantage of immediately marking you as an "advanced" player)

- At Yahoo-Bridge don't ask for explanations or discuss bids. This is considered "table-talk" and an absolute No-No. The fact that almost no player has a profile does not count. The fact that this is just casual internet gaming with random partners does not count. Just as lighning-speed bidding and play the forbiddance of "table-talk" is sacrosanct amongs the "advanced" players at Yahoo-Bridge.

- At Yahoo-Bridge beware the 7NT-bidders. In a session of about 1-2 hours, having gone through roughly 30-50 table hoppers, expect at least one 7NT-bidder. He comes to the table, bids 7NT and leaves for another open table, doing the same thing there. These 7NT-bidders have a surprising stamina. One can see them doing that for hours without end.
And don't be surprised if these 7NT bids get doubled. (After some thinking)

- Table hoppers: At Yahoo-Bridge a random person coming to your table will only stay if he has some decent cards. With considerably less than an opener he will leave right away and look for a table with a hand that suits him. Rinse, repeat.

- At Yahoo-Bridge do not, i repeat, DO NOT open a hand with a bid of 2 clubs. It almost always gets passed out. If not, expect to get raised.

- Consider any jumps to be forcing at Yahoo-Bridge ("Pass p????????????????????").

- There are no weak 2 bids at Yahoo-Bridge. Some people have heard of the concept but usually find it inferior to their counterpart. Also expect the not at all uncommon strong 3 opener.

- Beware the Ad-Bots at Yahoo-Bridge! Similar to the 7NT-bidders they come to the table, post their ad and immediately leave. These ads either have sexual content or, more common, promote a card-counter. Yes, a tool designed solely for the purpose of cheating. The ad goes something like this "Tired of always losing? You will never get booted again in the advanced section! Stop being frustrated and start playing like the pros! Get Card-Counter...!"

- Expect to get yelled a lot at at Yahoo-Bridge. Expect to get called a beginner a lot at Yahoo-Bridge. (You pass opener's 1NT? Beginner! You open 1NT yourself with 15 hcp? Beginner! ("1NT is 16-18 p!"). You jump to game in opener's major holding 5 of them, a void and 7hcp? Beginner!). Expect to get called an idiot, a moron, stupid, and whatnot (beginner). Expect to get booted a lot.

So if you're in for a challenge or feeling slightly masochistic, try Yahoo-Bridge! It's free!
But God, I'm glad I'm here!

[matmat]

been there, done that.

tbh, some of your comments about yahoo bridge apply to bbo as well -- it's not the platform, it's the people. the BBO staff does do a nice job weeding out some of the bad apples, but "faster please" and table hopping in search of a good hand are common. Similarly, more than half of BBO is above average skill-wise... in fact, probably close to a third is expert or world class....

[helene_t]

I recognize all this.

If you play a partscore and dummy thinks it is just a matter of overtricks he will often scream "CLAIM!!!" at trick 1 and leave if you don't claim immediately.

If you ask partner "is SAYC ok, p?" he will probably ignore you, otherwise make jokes of the fact that you try to make bidding agreements on Yahoo.

Don't use a female avatar on Yahoo, btw.

Quote

You open 1NT yourself with 15 hcp? Beginner!

I had this one also. "What? The idiot opened 1NT with 15 points?". And then I was booted.

[ArcLight]

>- At Yahoo-Bridge experts play at "advanced" tables. The most prominent feature of an "advanced" player is his understanding that bridge is, above all, a game of quick reaction. Once you stop clicking on cards, rest assured at least one player at the table will tell you "Faster please", "Faster", '"Fast", "FASTER" or "FASTER!!!". If you don't immediately click on a card then he will either boot you or, when unable to do so, leave himself. This is usually followed by several people coming to the table and, seeing that you are in the middle of a hand, leaving right away.


To a lesser extent, I encounter this on BBO as well.
I am trying to count and reconstruct the hands so I don't play as fast as others.
I may stop and think (when its my lead). Hands I play may take 30 seconds longer than at other tables

I label my table "Thinking Allowed - not Speedball"

I have dummy telling me to play faster , both as declarer and defender.


BBO is MUCH better than Yahoo, but there still many rude people.
(And some nice ones too)



>Similarly, more than half of BBO is above average skill-wise... in fact, probably close to a third is expert or world class....

[mycroft]

ooh, now I want to take my Precision partner and play there for a bit :-)

Ah well, they'd probably complain "he passed partner's 1NT with 10 points!" followed by "he only made 1..." followed by "psych!" as they finally get around to counting my (Alerted, explained) 10-12 opener.

nah, I'm too old for random vindictiveness.

[NickRW]

Frankly, none of this is a good advert for free online bridge

[effervesce]

smiffy, on Sep 25 2008, 12:17 AM, said:

- Consider any jumps to be forcing at Yahoo-Bridge ("Pass p????????????????????").

- There are no weak 2 bids at Yahoo-Bridge. Some people have heard of the concept but usually find it inferior to their counterpart. Also expect the not at all uncommon strong 3 opener.

The scoring at yahoo is rubber bridge. The bidding systems used at rubber bridge do deviate significantly from duplicate bridge.

From what I've learned of 'rubber bridge standard' is that-
1) People do NOT use weak twos at rubber bridge
2) ALL jumps are FORCING
3) There are alot more low level penalty doubles-so don't assume that your double is takeout or responsive

So on these points, in fact it is not what is wrong with yahoo, but is what's wrong with you, in that you assumed Standard American is used in rubber bridge. No, it is NOT.

Also, indeed, rubber bridge players in general play hands alot quicker. While at duplicates you may get 7-8 mins per hand, at rubber bridge players generally play 2-4 times faster (even when playing for real money).

[smiffy]

effervesce, on Sep 25 2008, 07:34 PM, said:

The scoring at yahoo is rubber bridge. The bidding systems used at rubber bridge do deviate significantly from duplicate bridge.

From what I've learned of 'rubber bridge standard' is that-
1) People do NOT use weak twos at rubber bridge
2) ALL jumps are FORCING
3) There are alot more low level penalty doubles-so don't assume that your double is takeout or responsive

So on these points, in fact it is not what is wrong with yahoo, but is what's wrong with you, in that you assumed Standard American is used in rubber bridge.

These are very interesting points you make. It seems to me that as much as rubber bridge is a very traditional approach to this game, so is the bidding.
However I personally can see no advantages in playing strong 2s and making jumps unilaterally forcing. This is just crude, is it not? The method of scoring here seems totally irrelevant to me.
There might be a (slight) case however with doubles being penalty orientated more often due to the players greater willingness to sacrifice.

Anyway i must strongly oppose to your statement that there is something wrong with me .
Seriously, go to Yahoo-Bridge and ask anyone in which way rubber bridge bidding deviates rom SA. I promise you, chances are you might spend days until you find someone who knows what you are talking about. I myself have been playing there for years but the points made by you were utterly new to me.

As said by helene: "If you ask partner "is SAYC ok, p?" he will probably ignore you, otherwise make jokes of the fact that you try to make bidding agreements on Yahoo." Dito.

[waubrey]

I've played Rubber Bridge at Yahoo and at Pogo and I have encountered all kinds of systems. I would say this though: The quality of play is poor, there are a lot of rude people, and Rubber Bridge is very bad for you because it creates bad habits. If you bid the way you would in duplicate you will lose. But the bidding habits you acquire in rubber bridge will kill you in duplicate.

Now I play canasta at Pogo and oddly enought have not encountered many rude people. In fact I've made several friends there and had a good time playing. I have no idea why canasta players seem to have better manners.

The worst thing about rubber bridge at Pogo and Yahoo is marathons. People will overbid you to keep you from finishing the rubber and winning. They will pile up thousands of set points against them in an attemot to just outlast you.

[croquetfan]

i have had the same experience playing hearts on on of these sites. Cash a couple of tricks to avoid being thrown in and you get "idiot - boot him"!