Discussion:
Not sure how to improve my game
(too old to reply)
a***@yahoo.co.uk
2019-07-20 12:38:57 UTC
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I have a desire to improve my game and greatly reduce the sub 50% scores (that really shouldn't be happening as often as they are). I've been looking at statistics over the last year, and found I have defended 70% of the hands, so improving my defence looks to be the most efficient way of proceeding. One problem I repeatedly have on a typical evening is maintaining focus. There are some hands where I can work out what is going on quickly, formulate a plan, and execute it for a good or average score. There are hands where I have an idea of what is going on, and come to the conclusion there are two possible ways to continue, layout A requires me to play card A and layout B requires me to play card B. I seem to get these wrong more often than I would like, and playing card A with layout B ends up blowing a trick for a near bottom. Then there are occasions where my mind goes blank and I lose most of the stored inferences about the hidden hands, so end up almost guessing or doing some kitchen bridge play which fails for a near bottom. Is there a way to improve mental stamina, so I don't keep flagging and slipping up in situations where I should be able to logically work out the best card to play? I usually start to feel fatigue from about halfway through an evening.
Bertel Lund Hansen
2019-07-20 16:44:39 UTC
Permalink
Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
I have a desire to improve my game and greatly reduce the sub
50% scores (that really shouldn't be happening as often as
they are). I've been looking at statistics over the last year,
and found I have defended 70% of the hands, so improving my
defence looks to be the most efficient way of proceeding.
Another approach would be to bid more aggressively.
Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
Is there a way to improve mental stamina, so I don't keep
flagging and slipping up in situations where I should be able
to logically work out the best card to play?
Yes - physical exercise.
--
/Bertel
a***@yahoo.co.uk
2019-07-22 22:37:27 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bertel Lund Hansen
Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
I have a desire to improve my game and greatly reduce the sub
50% scores (that really shouldn't be happening as often as
they are). I've been looking at statistics over the last year,
and found I have defended 70% of the hands, so improving my
defence looks to be the most efficient way of proceeding.
Another approach would be to bid more aggressively.
Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
Is there a way to improve mental stamina, so I don't keep
flagging and slipping up in situations where I should be able
to logically work out the best card to play?
Yes - physical exercise.
--
/Bertel
I am not lacking physical exercise. I am cycling the 20 mile round trip to work twice a week and work on my allotment on summer evenings and weekends. Exercise doesn't do much for my mental stamina, if anything, it makes me more tired and less alert.

I would like to bid more aggressively, but it is difficult to come up with bids holding flat single digit point counts if partner can't find a bid, or if partner overcalls in a suit where I have shortage. That is a big factor behind why I defend a lot and often declare only three or four times in a 26 board evening, I pick up a lot of poor hands, the only compensation is that some of them have enough firepower to be able to contribute properly to the defence. The last hand I posted on here I got hammered for being reckless, that was an overcall I made on a hand that I would normally have passed on, and that was a better hand than a lot of hands I pick up.
Fred.
2019-07-23 19:00:48 UTC
Permalink
Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
Post by Bertel Lund Hansen
Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
I have a desire to improve my game and greatly reduce the sub
50% scores (that really shouldn't be happening as often as
they are). I've been looking at statistics over the last year,
and found I have defended 70% of the hands, so improving my
defence looks to be the most efficient way of proceeding.
Another approach would be to bid more aggressively.
Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
Is there a way to improve mental stamina, so I don't keep
flagging and slipping up in situations where I should be able
to logically work out the best card to play?
Yes - physical exercise.
--
/Bertel
I am not lacking physical exercise. I am cycling the 20 mile round trip to work twice a week and work on my allotment on summer evenings and weekends. Exercise doesn't do much for my mental stamina, if anything, it makes me more tired and less alert.
I would like to bid more aggressively, but it is difficult to come up with bids holding flat single digit point counts if partner can't find a bid, or if partner overcalls in a suit where I have shortage. That is a big factor behind why I defend a lot and often declare only three or four times in a 26 board evening, I pick up a lot of poor hands, the only compensation is that some of them have enough firepower to be able to contribute properly to the defence. The last hand I posted on here I got hammered for being reckless, that was an overcall I made on a hand that I would normally have passed on, and that was a better hand than a lot of hands I pick up.
I have the Type-A tendency to ignore my body's discomfort when I'm sitting
for a while. If I play EW then I must get out of my chair and move
at the end of each round and loosen up a little. Also, if a round was bad this
physical separation helps me regard the next round as a new beginning.

Fred.
Charles Brenner
2019-07-27 04:32:33 UTC
Permalink
Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
Post by Bertel Lund Hansen
Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
I have a desire to improve my game and greatly reduce the sub
50% scores (that really shouldn't be happening as often as
they are). I've been looking at statistics over the last year,
and found I have defended 70% of the hands, so improving my
defence looks to be the most efficient way of proceeding.
Another approach would be to bid more aggressively.
Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
Is there a way to improve mental stamina, so I don't keep
flagging and slipping up in situations where I should be able
to logically work out the best card to play?
Yes - physical exercise.
--
/Bertel
I am not lacking physical exercise. I am cycling the 20 mile round trip to work twice a week and work on my allotment on summer evenings and weekends. Exercise doesn't do much for my mental stamina, if anything, it makes me more tired and less alert.
...I pick up a lot of poor hands ...
Is that based on actual data, or impression? If data, does it cover every session or might you have skipped recording some sessions that didn't leave you feeling so pessimistic?

Assuming you seriously believe you've been the victim of bad cards, do you also believe the trend will continue, i.e. do you apply to this situation the standard wisdom that "the past is the best predictor of the future"?
a***@yahoo.co.uk
2019-07-27 07:56:13 UTC
Permalink
Post by Charles Brenner
Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
Post by Bertel Lund Hansen
Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
I have a desire to improve my game and greatly reduce the sub
50% scores (that really shouldn't be happening as often as
they are). I've been looking at statistics over the last year,
and found I have defended 70% of the hands, so improving my
defence looks to be the most efficient way of proceeding.
Another approach would be to bid more aggressively.
Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
Is there a way to improve mental stamina, so I don't keep
flagging and slipping up in situations where I should be able
to logically work out the best card to play?
Yes - physical exercise.
--
/Bertel
I am not lacking physical exercise. I am cycling the 20 mile round trip to work twice a week and work on my allotment on summer evenings and weekends. Exercise doesn't do much for my mental stamina, if anything, it makes me more tired and less alert.
...I pick up a lot of poor hands ...
Is that based on actual data, or impression? If data, does it cover every session or might you have skipped recording some sessions that didn't leave you feeling so pessimistic?
Assuming you seriously believe you've been the victim of bad cards, do you also believe the trend will continue, i.e. do you apply to this situation the standard wisdom that "the past is the best predictor of the future"?
It started off as an impression, but I don't like to form opinions based on feeling alone if I can help it, so I looked at the data (easy to do on Bridgewebs). That concluded that over the last 12 months, I defend far more that statistically I should do (around 70%). I did, out of interest, look at my poor scores and my average HCP from the evening and there is a correlation, lower HCP on average, more likely to have a bad evening. There was a brief period when I seemed to get better cards, and felt I could participate more in the play, but it has since gone back to poorness. If you want further evidence I can go back and write down my average HCP for all sessions over the last year.

I have been hoping (and expecting) regression to the mean will happen at some point, but it hasn't so far, and I confess I don't understand why I consistently seem to pick up worse hands than average. The cards are randomly dealt, so it should even out over the long term. I start a bridge evening with enthusiasm, and finish feeling very disappointed and rather low.

The worst evenings consist of picking up a lot of flat single digit HCP hands which are near impossible to get into the auction unless partner has a hand suitable to bid, hence the three or four times I am declarer in 26 boards.
Will in New Haven
2019-07-27 19:07:36 UTC
Permalink
Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
Post by Charles Brenner
Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
Post by Bertel Lund Hansen
Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
I have a desire to improve my game and greatly reduce the sub
50% scores (that really shouldn't be happening as often as
they are). I've been looking at statistics over the last year,
and found I have defended 70% of the hands, so improving my
defence looks to be the most efficient way of proceeding.
Another approach would be to bid more aggressively.
Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
Is there a way to improve mental stamina, so I don't keep
flagging and slipping up in situations where I should be able
to logically work out the best card to play?
Yes - physical exercise.
--
/Bertel
I am not lacking physical exercise. I am cycling the 20 mile round trip to work twice a week and work on my allotment on summer evenings and weekends. Exercise doesn't do much for my mental stamina, if anything, it makes me more tired and less alert.
...I pick up a lot of poor hands ...
Is that based on actual data, or impression? If data, does it cover every session or might you have skipped recording some sessions that didn't leave you feeling so pessimistic?
Assuming you seriously believe you've been the victim of bad cards, do you also believe the trend will continue, i.e. do you apply to this situation the standard wisdom that "the past is the best predictor of the future"?
It started off as an impression, but I don't like to form opinions based on feeling alone if I can help it, so I looked at the data (easy to do on Bridgewebs). That concluded that over the last 12 months, I defend far more that statistically I should do (around 70%). I did, out of interest, look at my poor scores and my average HCP from the evening and there is a correlation, lower HCP on average, more likely to have a bad evening. There was a brief period when I seemed to get better cards, and felt I could participate more in the play, but it has since gone back to poorness. If you want further evidence I can go back and write down my average HCP for all sessions over the last year.
I have been hoping (and expecting) regression to the mean will happen at some point, but it hasn't so far, and I confess I don't understand why I consistently seem to pick up worse hands than average. The cards are randomly dealt, so it should even out over the long term. I start a bridge evening with enthusiasm, and finish feeling very disappointed and rather low.
The worst evenings consist of picking up a lot of flat single digit HCP hands which are near impossible to get into the auction unless partner has a hand suitable to bid, hence the three or four times I am declarer in 26 boards.
Maybe it _is_ the cards but I have gone years without declaring fewer than five or six times in 26 boards. I averaged eight times the last six months that I played and my partners averaged nearly seven. Maybe we were card racks but letting the opponents pick the trump suit has been a bad idea since before contract bridge was devised. (My grandmother made us play auction with her and the fight for the right to name the trump suit was fierce)

Will in Deerfield Beach
https://sites.google.com/site/grreference/
a***@yahoo.co.uk
2019-07-27 19:39:50 UTC
Permalink
Post by Will in New Haven
Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
Post by Charles Brenner
Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
Post by Bertel Lund Hansen
Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
I have a desire to improve my game and greatly reduce the sub
50% scores (that really shouldn't be happening as often as
they are). I've been looking at statistics over the last year,
and found I have defended 70% of the hands, so improving my
defence looks to be the most efficient way of proceeding.
Another approach would be to bid more aggressively.
Post by a***@yahoo.co.uk
Is there a way to improve mental stamina, so I don't keep
flagging and slipping up in situations where I should be able
to logically work out the best card to play?
Yes - physical exercise.
--
/Bertel
I am not lacking physical exercise. I am cycling the 20 mile round trip to work twice a week and work on my allotment on summer evenings and weekends. Exercise doesn't do much for my mental stamina, if anything, it makes me more tired and less alert.
...I pick up a lot of poor hands ...
Is that based on actual data, or impression? If data, does it cover every session or might you have skipped recording some sessions that didn't leave you feeling so pessimistic?
Assuming you seriously believe you've been the victim of bad cards, do you also believe the trend will continue, i.e. do you apply to this situation the standard wisdom that "the past is the best predictor of the future"?
It started off as an impression, but I don't like to form opinions based on feeling alone if I can help it, so I looked at the data (easy to do on Bridgewebs). That concluded that over the last 12 months, I defend far more that statistically I should do (around 70%). I did, out of interest, look at my poor scores and my average HCP from the evening and there is a correlation, lower HCP on average, more likely to have a bad evening. There was a brief period when I seemed to get better cards, and felt I could participate more in the play, but it has since gone back to poorness. If you want further evidence I can go back and write down my average HCP for all sessions over the last year.
I have been hoping (and expecting) regression to the mean will happen at some point, but it hasn't so far, and I confess I don't understand why I consistently seem to pick up worse hands than average. The cards are randomly dealt, so it should even out over the long term. I start a bridge evening with enthusiasm, and finish feeling very disappointed and rather low.
The worst evenings consist of picking up a lot of flat single digit HCP hands which are near impossible to get into the auction unless partner has a hand suitable to bid, hence the three or four times I am declarer in 26 boards.
Maybe it _is_ the cards but I have gone years without declaring fewer than five or six times in 26 boards. I averaged eight times the last six months that I played and my partners averaged nearly seven. Maybe we were card racks but letting the opponents pick the trump suit has been a bad idea since before contract bridge was devised. (My grandmother made us play auction with her and the fight for the right to name the trump suit was fierce)
Will in Deerfield Beach
https://sites.google.com/site/grreference/
Well I have no idea how you manage that. Random variability must happen to you as well so you must have the occasional evening where you predominantly pick up poor hands and have below normal contracts your way.

http://horshambridge.co.uk/

Click on "results", click on "16th January, Pairs (6.5 tables), click on my scorecard (Adam Lea & Linda Southward). That was a more extreme evening.

I declared twice and partner declared three times out of 22 boards.

My average HCP count 7.73.
I picked up six opening hands in total. Three of them I had no suitable bid to get into the auction after RHO opened. On one board (14) when I opened a weak NT, LHO overcalled 2S on QJ542 AK J542 Q5, found partner with four card support, and made it for a top. Admittedly we might have done better here, South could make a takeout double.

If you have the time or inclination to go through that scorecard, I challenge you to find a way of myself (North and East) declaring anywhere near eight contracts.

Other evenings are less extreme, but often follow the same theme.
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