[GrahamJson]

Here's an idea; why not have a simple BBO standard system, with a few basic conventions. When playing with a random partner you automatically use that system. This could speed the game up and avoid a lot of confusion.

[OBSugar]

As a beginner on BBO, I learned to bid Gerber. Partner bids 4c, pauses. Then I ask, "Gerber?" If he says yes, it is. If he says no, it isn't. Many years later, I have yet to find a more reliable way to use the convention.

[akwoo]

GrahamJson, on 2016-August-01, 15:57, said:

Here's an idea; why not have a simple BBO standard system, with a few basic conventions. When playing with a random partner you automatically use that system. This could speed the game up and avoid a lot of confusion.

Which standard system?

If it has a 15-17 NT, all the English players will complain. If it has a 12-14 NT, everyone else will complain. That doesn't even get into the problem of the Chinese players who have never heard of any system other than Precision and don't understand English very well.

Also, even with the most basic conventions (Stayman even!) there are BBO players who won't know what it is.

[camarks]

While certain basics ought not be asked about [transfers, stayman], I would much rather deal with a few relevant questions during the bidding than sit through a five minute, largely irrelevant, system discussion every two or three hands as players come and go.

[smerriman]

OBSugar, on 2016-August-01, 17:46, said:

As a beginner on BBO, I learned to bid Gerber. Partner bids 4c, pauses. Then I ask, "Gerber?" If he says yes, it is. If he says no, it isn't. Many years later, I have yet to find a more reliable way to use the convention.

Not for expert partnerships, but the most reliable way on BBO: it's only Gerber if it's obviously Gerber, in which case a question should never be necessary. Once I opened 1♠, my partner responded 4♣, and stated 'Gerber'. I sighed.

[GrahamJson]

akwoo, on 2016-August-01, 19:27, said:

Which standard system?

If it has a 15-17 NT, all the English players will complain. If it has a 12-14 NT, everyone else will complain. That doesn't even get into the problem of the Chinese players who have never heard of any system other than Precision and don't understand English very well.

Also, even with the most basic conventions (Stayman even!) there are BBO players who won't know what it is.

Outside of BBO I usually play Acol, 12-14. But I know that world wide most play 15-17 with 5 card majors, and that is what I assume any random partner on BBO will play. I therefor suggest the standard system would be based on this. I believe that there is an Acol room for those that prefer that system. Perhaps there could also be a precision room (maybe there is already).

Perhaps you won't please all of the players all of the time, but some simple standardisation must be better than having lengthy discussions before or during the auction.

It's probably asking too much, but perhaps having a simple standard system would help less experienced players to concentrate on basic skills rather than seeing how many conventions they can list on their card.

[helene_t]

By the way, the way to ask such questions ethically is to let the partner whose is NOT on turn to bid make the system choice. So when you are dealer and you have an opening hand you can ask "which system, p?", and when you are on lead you can ask "which leads, p?". This CAN still be abused but the risk is much smaller.

Obviously you should not be making complicated non-essential agreements like suction against strong club on the fly. But you need an opening structure, an nt structure, some agreed strength of your jump overcalls etc.

[661_Pete]

1eyedjack, on 2016-August-01, 13:09, said:

I very much doubt that he bid it to mislead you. To resolve never to play together again as a result is of course your prerogative.

You are quite correct, on the basis of what I put in my post. In actual fact, there was a bit more 'goings-on' on that table, during that session, than I cared to mention, and I'm not going to go into details now. It was quite a long time ago.

In consequence, although I don't actually have the person in question blacklisted, I feel there are better partners around than that one! Nevertheless, I'll let it pass, if they purposely join a table I'm at. They haven't, not since.

[OldPlayr]

I don't think that anything can be done about comments. In online bridge, players can (and do) use skype or messaging to share information outside of the BBO session. This goes on in all online gaming, not just BBO. It has a lot more impact in online poker for money stakes. One has to just accept it, or not play online.