How to avoid snobbish behavior with on-line bridge

[Sandy Barnes]

I have seen much snobbish behavior when playing on-line, at both OKBridge and BBO. What are your thoughts on this subject? One thought that I have is the nature of Self Ranking methods lend themselves towards over inflated self serving opinions. Perhaps a questionnaire which includes Sectional/Regional/National wins, and some other qualifier that the program uses to establish a person's rating.

[Lorne]

Post by Sandy Barnes
I have seen much snobbish behavior when playing on-line, at both OKBridge and BBO. What are your thoughts on this subject? One thought that I have is the nature of Self Ranking methods lend themselves towards over inflated self serving opinions. Perhaps a questionnaire which includes Sectional/Regional/National wins, and some other qualifier that the program uses to establish a person's rating.

I solve the problem by not playing online !

Not a great solution I agree but I only replied to publish an experience
I had about 15yrs ago - I played the following in 6N:

KQxx
AJx
KQJx
AQx

Axx
Kxx
A10xxx
xx

West led the heart 10 and I played low from dummy. My (unknown to me)
partner had ranked himself as world class and already questioned my
ability and on seeing me fail the take the 'no cost' finesse as he
described it said I obviously did not know what I was doing and left the
table.

I won in hand and played K,Q,A of spades. RHO had 4 spades so I
stripped him of diamonds by playing K,Q,J and threw him in with the last
spade. As he held the club K and heart Q he was end played and I was
the only one who made the contract (which has no play if you put the J
in at trick 1).

My oppo were delighted (surprisingly). Apparently this guy was well
known as an obnoxious person and they had lots of fun posting the hand
everywhere they could think of and copying the links to the person who
left the table.

On another occasion I opened 1N and passed the 4N response. Apparently
it was blackwood and that person also left the table telling me that
idiots should not be allowed to play.

[Player]

Unfortunately I have to play online due to my country of residence. I agree with Lorne. I played with a pickup, an Estonian idiot, who claimed he was world class. On the first hand he abused me for bidding 1s vul vs not over 1c on Ajxxxx x qt9x xx rather than making a wjo.
The "bidding" was
(1c) 1s (x) 2h
(3c) p (p) 3d
(p) 4d
Then he launched a tirade about my 4d bid.
His hand x kjxxx axxx xxx

[p***@infi.net]

Post by Sandy Barnes
I have seen much snobbish behavior when playing on-line, at both OKBridge and BBO. What are your thoughts on this subject? One thought that I have is the nature of Self Ranking methods lend themselves towards over inflated self serving opinions. Perhaps a questionnaire which includes Sectional/Regional/National wins, and some other qualifier that the program uses to establish a person's rating.

Ideally I would play with a pre-arranged foursome. That never happens so on those rare occasions I play online I stick to the relaxed club -- which reduces, but does not eliminate rudeness. It does seem to avoid Turkish "experts" flooding the tables.