Barometer or not for BBO matches?

[mrdct]

A couple of players last night requested that I disable "barometer" scoring for future BBO practice matches.

Obviously disabling barometer scoring better replicates a real-life match, but some other players have indicated that in a practice match they like the immediacy of the feedback through the ability to have a quick look in movie at the bidding and play in the other room. A possible solution for people who don't like the "barometer" is to stick a Post-It Note over the offending part of their computer screen.

What would everyone like me to do for future matches?

While I have your attention, can I remind everyone that on BBO you self-alert and self-describe your own bids only. If you want to ask about a bid, do so by either clicking on the bid (which prompts the bidder to explain or clarify his bid) or use private chat (the left and right arrows at the bottom of the screen). There is no need to make any comment about your partner's bids.

[BGN]

I think it is much better for a practice match to have the barometer on so you can see what the hand was about at once, and also see whether the other table solved the problem.

These are really interesting hands and it is terrific to be able to learn from them while they are fresh in my mind.

Also, it's already hard enough to stay awake at 9:00 on Sunday night at a lonely computer without making it even more boring! ;)

And an afterthought - presumably if barometer is off, you can't see what happened at the other table at all??

[zol]

I would also prefer it on.

It gives you "instant feedback" and a good feel for how you handled the hand in relation to peers.

[sartaj]

A couple of players last night requested that I disable "barometer" scoring for
While I have your attention, any comment about your partner's bids.
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My vote is NO

To attain any meaning, practice should reasonably reflect real playing conditions.
Those who like to review the hands, let them do it in their head and waste energy the same way they (probably) do at the table.

Our biggest weakness is playing under pressure. Say you miss a slam and they make a close 3NT. Its more a test of character if we can play without knowing the score . Rather than knowing the score is 0-0 or 0-26

[BGN]

Sorry to disagree with the esteemed Sartaj, but not knowing the score doesn't create pressure (for me at least) when there's nothing at stake. It creates boredom!

[dave_w]

Put me down for another vehement NO to barometer scoring. When you are playing the only thing you should be focusing on is the current hand - what's happening right here and right now. Worrying about the scoreline or what happened on the previous board or what the hands were on the previous board, going and looking at the movie (even if there isn't the other table's results) are ALL bad practices and distracting from the real job of focusing on the current hand.

There is plenty of time to analyse the hands afterwards. When you can look at the hand objectively, not with the emotions of a bridge game clouding a cursory inspection of the hand. We get a document with ALL the other tables results - and get to look at it, then add in some Kommentary and THAT's when the effort of learning from the hand should occur. Not straight after the hand.

How does your opinion of the barometer change if you are the table that's ahead? Do you now keep checking back to see when they've completed each board to see if they solved board 5 or not. How many boards back are you going to keep thinking about when trying to play the current hand.

I hope that Sartaj and I aren't a vocal minority on this issue

[Nigel]

I'm with Dave no barometer

[eokkoe]

Curious. I was unaware that this was an issue for the prepared matches we're using for our training program. If you're bored after 20 of these deals, we're not doing enough to keep you busy. Correct me if I'm wrong, but we are playing these 20 deals straight through or 10 and 10. In either case, there's a lin file available at the conclusion of play, so if you want to compare at the end of the session, it's all there for you.

The idea is to simulate match conditions in all respects. You all oufght to be able to play hard for 10 or 20 deals without needing to refer to the bridge movies.

Apart from that, we're logging the IMPs won and lost in these matches, so that ought to be incentive enough for you all to stay focused. If you thing the results are irrelevant, consider that everyone will eventually play with and against everyone else and this is one way we can see what's actually happening.

We invite all of you to produce reports on other matches you play, with IMP scores and annotated deals. The more we see of you the better we're able to evaluate progress and keep the momentum going in the right direction.