2007-09-20 07:29

Hand Evaluation - History Lesson

PITBULLS:

“People who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it” . This quote applies to Bridge players also. Edgar Kaplan said “you must learn from the Bridge mistakes of others as you do have time to make them all yourself”. This sentiment has been the purpose of these articles from day one. We all can learn from our own mistakes & the mistakes of others as long as we park our ego at the door. Nobody in our group is so good at this game that they do not make errors. We will not promote a “fools paradise” where we all will pretend that you do not make hand evaluation , judgment & systemic errors in Bridge. Why ? because we all can benefit from discussing them & learn.

To “err is human” & to repeat these errors time after time is irritating to say the least. If you do not learn from history, you are doomed to repeat it. Unfortunately , partner sees the same errors being committed over & over again. We write them up in these articles so that we can learn , improve & not repeat the errors. If you feel that you have not made any errors , debate the issue & we all can learn from points bought up in the discussion.

I am very careful in choosing which hands I write about. If hands from our play, they must have Bridge merit. In other words, be based on Bridge logic , hand evaluation , judgment or system. If they are silly tired errors or lapses in concentration, they do not get written up. I justify writing them up based on my own 40 years of experience playing this game at a reasonably high level. This does not make me right !! Debates just to protect your own ego or the ego of a spouse is silly. Debate the Bridge merit & not that it was just you & of course you are right & I just lack the skill to realize it. We do not give a $%%#@ who among us made the bid , but what is the Bridge logic or issue. Witch hunting is permanently out of season here. I happen to like everybody on the distribution list , so saying that I am not being constructive is absurd. We play on teams with each other or as partners so it is my best interests that everybody improves. This is my selfish motive.

These articles eventually get published on my web site & read world wide. I only use names if the person did something good or I will lie to make sure they did something good . Generic terms like Pitbulls , Tormentees , partner etc of course are used whether the person is viewed in a favourable or unfavourable light. Over time , memories fade & nobody can remember who made the bids anyway. I use my own errors, if they are worth discussing & I do not feel the worse for it. I am amazed at my own errors sometimes but I get over it. I do not care if everybody on the distribution list sees my Bridge error. On the contrary , I hope they can learn from it. I hope I can learn from it.

Who made the bids are not important !!! As far as I am concerned they are XYZ . If somebody does some sort of deep analysis to try & figure the person for blame or put down purposes , it is they who have a problem. I am not in the destructive criticism business , never have been nor will I ever be. If you have difficulty with this approach as you feel that you do not make Bridge errors , then leave the scene. Advise me & I will take you off the distribution list for these articles. I am a great believer in preserving partners & team mates Bridge ego, during play but that ends when the tournament ends. Otherwise , I am doomed to watch history repeat itself time & time again. My enjoyment gets eroded so I would quit the team or the partnership at high levels. Club games , sectionals or regionals , I do not care even if errors are repeated. These are social Bridge games.

Insecure Bridge egos are the biggest detriment to learning possible & after 60 years on this earth , I have no idea how to handle them. You can kill people with Bridge kindness by never mentioning their Bridge deficiencies. It is a catch 22 , “preserving their dignity “ vrs helping them & all of us improve. One or the other has got to go & my choice is your opinion about your Bridge infallibility. These articles are not intended as public relations or advertising for your Bridge prowess. If your ego can not handle it, shoot the messenger , I can take it . The other alternative is to play “fun” Bridge . Competitive tournament Bridge should not be your pastime & you are wasting your time & especially our time. This is the very last article on this subject as I am tiring of it & I am too old to change.