[VixTD]

WellSpyder, on 2018-April-10, 08:21, said:

While it may be a slightly harsh way of putting it...

Well, I told you I was irritated.

WellSpyder, on 2018-April-10, 08:21, said:

I find it hard to believe that many people think as effectively about their opening lead while also doing other things as they would do if they focused just on thinking about the lead. I therefore also believe that in almost all cases where people write down the contract and declarer first, the opening lead takes longer than it otherwise would have done.

I often do some of my thinking during the auction, particularly when it looks fairly likely what the final contract will be, so as not to waste time, and as I've said, maybe some more while writing down the contract. To then be told I'm wasting time when I haven't quite made up my mind is annoying. I don't mind if other people do it differently and can't think clearly while they're doing something else; I don't assume they're wasting time, and I don't presume to tell them what to do.

I am the sort of player who likes to have a think at the sight of dummy, and if I'm filling in my scorecard as dummy goes down, I sometimes find that trick two is already underway by the time I've had a chance to glance up and see the dummy. This interrupts my train of thought and slows the game down even more.

[blackshoe]

I'm trying to break myself of the habit of writing things down in the middle of a hand. For one thing, I think it'll help improve my memory, eventually. But habits are not easy to break.

[Vampyr]

barmar, on 2018-April-11, 08:36, said:

I was asking Vampyr, since she said entering the lead is pointless. Obviously if your site displays it, it's not pointless for your club.

I don’t know, because like everyone else I go over the hands with the hand records and do not look at the online travellers.

[StevenG]

Vampyr, on 2018-April-11, 14:45, said:

I don’t know, because like everyone else I go over the hands with the hand records and do not look at the online travellers.

That surprises me. Now our Community Centre finally has wi-fi, the results are usually online by the time I've got home. (We used to have to wait for the scorer to upload them from a memory stick, wwhich might not have been until the next day.) So I use the website to look at the results, travellers, leads, everything, and the increasingly excellent analytical tools Bridgewebs provides (both for my club and, apparently, the North London club). Even if, as I suspect, Vampyr finds a bar rather than going home, there are still smartphones.

[Vampyr]

StevenG, on 2018-April-11, 15:55, said:

That surprises me. Now our Community Centre finally has wi-fi, the results are usually online by the time I've got home. (We used to have to wait for the scorer to upload them from a memory stick, wwhich might not have been until the next day.) So I use the website to look at the results, travellers, leads, everything, and the increasingly excellent analytical tools Bridgewebs provides (both for my club and, apparently, the North London club). Even if, as I suspect, Vampyr finds a bar rather than going home, there are still smartphones.

Well, true, but after I have gone over any points of interest with friends I do not go home and look at them again by myself. But anyway you seem to be talking about club bridge and the North London club doesn’t require leads to be entered. And I don’t know whether we use Bridgewebs.

[WellSpyder]

VixTD, on 2018-April-11, 11:48, said:

I am the sort of player who likes to have a think at the sight of dummy, and if I'm filling in my scorecard as dummy goes down, I sometimes find that trick two is already underway by the time I've had a chance to glance up and see the dummy. This interrupts my train of thought and slows the game down even more.

That is possible, of course, and I do occasionally find the same thing happens to me - though it requires declarer to ignore the recommendation to pause before playing from dummy, and for my partner to acquiesce, too. When it does happen, my approach is to pause and think about dummy anyway. Then I look at what cards others have played at T1. Then I turn over the card I played at T1. And then I start thinking if necessary about T2.....

I guess others might complain that this means my writing down the contract after the opening lead is delaying the game just as much as those who write it down before leading. But in the vast majority of cases this isn't true, because someone will have done the thinking they are supposed to do before playing to T1.

[weejonnie]

StevenG, on 2018-April-11, 15:55, said:

That surprises me. Now our Community Centre finally has wi-fi, the results are usually online by the time I've got home. (We used to have to wait for the scorer to upload them from a memory stick, wwhich might not have been until the next day.) So I use the website to look at the results, travellers, leads, everything, and the increasingly excellent analytical tools Bridgewebs provides (both for my club and, apparently, the North London club). Even if, as I suspect, Vampyr finds a bar rather than going home, there are still smartphones.

We use Bridgewebs - and I try and get both sets of results (we play two sessions) up by 11.00pm. All players, of course, have seen the results on the computer at the club. Our community centre is basically in the same position- just got WiFi working.

And then come in the queries and mis-scores . . . Fortunately I have a (non wi-fi) copy of Scorebridge at home.

[barmar]

VixTD, on 2018-April-11, 11:48, said:

I am the sort of player who likes to have a think at the sight of dummy, and if I'm filling in my scorecard as dummy goes down, I sometimes find that trick two is already underway by the time I've had a chance to glance up and see the dummy. This interrupts my train of thought and slows the game down even more.

If you're not the opening leader, then you can be screwed no matter when you write down the contract -- other players may take action while you're doing it. Unless you do it right before your play to trick 1, which is likely to annoy the other players even more and also slow down the game.

There's no perfect solution as long as writing down the contract at the beginning of play is allowed (and I don't like the idea of prohibiting that). So let's not let the perfect be the enemy of the good -- try to be as reasonable as possible. And don't get too hung up on players who don't do it exactly as you prefer. Remember, it's just a game.

[pescetom]

blackshoe, on 2018-April-11, 12:17, said:

I'm trying to break myself of the habit of writing things down in the middle of a hand. For one thing, I think it'll help improve my memory, eventually. But habits are not easy to break.

Here in Italy only the most obsessive players write things down at the end of the game and in any other situation it would be regarded with suspicion.
Perhaps this derives from the laws:
"Unless the Regulating Authority provides otherwise a player is not entitled to any aids to his memory, calculation or technique during the auction period and play."
Our RA does not provide otherwise, although of course the right to require about the contract after the auction remains.

[blackshoe]

I'm guessing Italy doesn't print their system cards on the back of the personal score card.

[Vampyr]

blackshoe, on 2018-April-16, 16:09, said:

I'm guessing Italy doesn't print their system cards on the back of the personal score card.

It doesn’t matter where it’s printed, as long as the scorecard is closed during play. Of course in Swiss teams/pairs this is often not done. Of course, this will only show information that isn’t available anyway unless you’ve written down the opening lead.

[barmar]

pescetom, on 2018-April-16, 15:01, said:

Here in Italy only the most obsessive players write things down at the end of the game and in any other situation it would be regarded with suspicion.
Perhaps this derives from the laws:
"Unless the Regulating Authority provides otherwise a player is not entitled to any aids to his memory, calculation or technique during the auction period and play."
Our RA does not provide otherwise, although of course the right to require about the contract after the auction remains.

As long as you don't consult your personal score sheet during the auction or play periods, you're not violating that law. Writing down the contract hardly counts.

You're certainly allowed to use a personal score to aid your memory after the game is over.