[AL78]

thepossum, on 2024-February-04, 03:56, said:

What happens to people who play ok at a certain level but never seem to improve
Another reason I am scared of clubs. I would be stuck

Try to find a partner who is considerably better than you, and use them as a mentor (as long as they are willing). Read bridge books aimed at intermediate players, especially on defense, and try to understand the logic of why a certain line in a certain layout is best.

There is no reason to be scared of clubs, some clubs have duplicate sessions aimed at less experienced players, and if not, just play in the open sessions, the worst that can happen is you get hammered, but finding out why you got hammered and what you might be able to do better next time is what will help you grow as a bridge player, even if it isn't great for the self-esteem. The fear thing has been mentioned to me before. Last week when I was at the table where the original hand was played, I told them afterwards if they had played that board in the afternoon duplicate (which is open) with nine tables, they would have got a joint top, so if a set of more experienced players pick up a hand with two cold grand slams available yet can only find a part score or end up in the wrong game, the standard is low and they have little to be scared about.