[Badmonster]

My fear with indies is that I'm going to tube a great player's chances of winning. When you play in Indies does it aggrevate you to be paired with a weaker partner, or is it something that's expected?

[han]

No worries, there are very few great players in an indy, and those that do should know not to expect good results.

[kenberg]

I don't qualify as a great player but I will give you an answer since I play in indies somewhat frequently.

I expect my partners, in indies and elsewhere, to pay attention, to be polite and ethical, and to do their best. I play better than some, worse than others, just like everyone else.

If you find (I doubt you will) that almost everyone is playing at a substantially higher level than you are then I think it makes some sense to find a different game but otherwise join the game and have a good time.

Incidentally you find some quite good players there.

Ken

[han]

kenberg, on Feb 24 2006, 02:49 PM, said:

If you find (I doubt you will) that almost everyone is playing at a substantially higher level than you are then I think it makes some sense to find a different game but otherwise join the game and have a good time.

Hmm, I'm not sure that I agree with this, but it is moot anyway because it isn't the case for badmonster.

[kenberg]

Hannie, on Feb 24 2006, 04:08 PM, said:

kenberg, on Feb 24 2006, 02:49 PM, said:

If you find (I doubt you will) that almost everyone is playing at a substantially higher level than you are then I think it makes some sense to find a different game but otherwise join the game and have a good time.

Hmm, I'm not sure that I agree with this, but it is moot anyway because it isn't the case for badmonster.

Every once in a while you encounter a player who appears to be totally lost. It can't be much fun, or very instructive either, for him and it makes something of a hash of the game for the rest of us, whether as partner or opponent. That's all I meant. Of course playing against the strongest opponents who are willing to play with you is both an enjoyable challenge and instructive. And right, it doesn't apply to BM. I just read the post and started chattering. I'll learn.

k

[barmar]

Indies are a crapshoot. Everyone who enters one should realize this, so they shouldn't be surprised to be partnered with some weak players.

The real problem tends to be the ones who are weak but think they're good. They tend to assume their partners are weaker than they are, so they'll try to mastermind and hog the auction (can't let the loser across the table declare ).

Another problem is that there are some players who tend to be overly critical. They probably shouldn't enter indies in the first place (see my first paragraph), but maybe they're just as critical with regular partners, which is why they can't keep them and have to play in indies.

[Sigi_BC84]

In my opinion the following applies:

• If you register for an indy, you get what you've paid for; this includes horrible partners
  
• Everybody in an indy should know that, so while it's certainly not a pleasant experience to totally wreck a board, that shouldn't ruin your day as well.
  
• Criticising partner for bad play in an indy is totally inappropriate in my eyes. Just wait for the next board and that's it.
  
• Anybody who cannot live with that should simply not play in an individual.

The results you get in an indy are usually quite arbitrary anyway. There will certainly be a correlation of indy results and playing strength on average over time, but for every given event the chances that you'll come out next to last are quite high IMHO, regardless how good you play -- this especially applies to short tournaments (most are shorter than 10 boards). So I guess nobody should leave an Indy with the feeling that their good result has been "tubed" by some specific player, since you should have reckoned with that beforehand anyway.

--Sigi

[luke warm]

i don't like indys very much, but if i was in one and if deb popped in as my partner, i'd feel better about my chances that particular round

[Badmonster]

You guys are too sweet.

[jillybean]

I play in indys just for fun, I find it is a very relaxed type of game. I can get some good results just playing stock standard, basic bridge with no agreements other than 'sayc'.

I never know how to respond to 4nt in indys, fortunately that doesnt come up too often.

I dont think the problem is with the beg/intermediates - watch out for the self rated 'experts'

jb

[sceptic]

I agree with Jilly, except I would go so far as to say watch out for half the self rated advanced as well

[pigpenz]

if you cant hold your tongue dont play in an indy

[AceOfHeart]

I like playing indi alot. But there are some experts/advanced that are total a**. Worse than most intermediate/beginners. So dont worry about weak players ,worry about weak players disgused as strong ones

some crimes i seen done by them to me

1) Not supporting partner. Even with 5 card trump support. They chose to bid 3nt.

2) Bidding NT

3) pushing the blame to you when it is clearly their mistake

4)insulting you when it is not your fault/when you go down in only makable double dummy contracts

5)bidding 1S after 1m 1H with 4 cards instead of negative dbls when he wrote neg dbl in his profile

6) all attempts to hog. They think by paying the 1 buck entry fee they earn their right to declare half the boards.

[Free]

Indy's are a great place to meet people and have some fun, but not for playing good bridge. You'll play them once and notice this. If you like it, you'll keep playing indy's, if you hate any board to be flushed down the drain you better stay away . Having a weaker player partnered up is almost automatic. I'm only afraid if I get an 'expert' in front of me with otherwise empty profile. These are usually total beginners who think they know something.

I've had several people saying 'hi' to me when I come online, but I didn't know them (so I thought). It seemed that they played with or against me in an indy on one of those boards where you can really show you skills. Always fun that they remember you!