There is a lot of discussion going on right now at the highest levels of ACBL. Covid-19 has accelerated the urgency for many issues, while also opening up new ideas we couldn’t have imagined before the pandemic.
Getting From March to Today
As a community, tens of thousands of ACBL members migrated to online bridge in the span of weeks. Club owners quickly formed alliances and many ultimately found a way to host games while maintaining their local player base. We have regular special events for earning silver and gold points that draw noticeably larger crowds. These massive paradigm shifts will never be perfect, but I’m impressed with what ACBL and BBO have accomplished so far.
What Now? What Do I Want To See?
Now that we’ve all been playing online for 5 months, there are a few things I think many others hope to see soon. Some should be easy fixes; some will be controversial. But I have in mind a wish list of important fixes that would keep the game fresh and engaging for many:
1.) Swiss Teams or Bracketed Round Robin
Easily my biggest request, why is almost every ACBL event still a pairs game? IMP scoring and team matches already exist on BBO. I understand there are some considerations with security, and some new software logic to host a swiss format, Victory Points, and potential 3-ways. But I would have hoped we would have it by the 3rd online gold point regional.
In theory, the online experience could have one big advantage over face-to-face teams: we would have hand-records of the team match, even if we aren’t using pre-duplicated boards. Each match could still use random deals, but at least every player could review the results at both tables. What a great potential learning experience!
The ACBL Management Report suggests there might be another gold point event in early October. Let’s try to have swiss by then!
2.) Nationally Rated Online Events For Limited Players
Since Covid ACBL-hosted some big online tournaments for top flight players. The feedback seems to have been very positive from each event. But why limit things to the world champions? For the rest of us, we already lost a year of NAP and GNT.
Some big 0-6000, 0-2500, and 0-500 nationwide KO events would probably draw a large crowd. It would be the replacement for Mini and Micro Spingold, and perhaps creation of a Nano Spingold. We could also have Red Ribbon and Blue Ribbon replacement events – I’m sure everyone agrees we need more ways to spend our stockpile of ribbon qualifiers.
3.) Robots That Do Proper Carding + Just Defend Tournaments
I know not everyone is a big fan of the robot tournaments. However, I have learned enormous amounts by practicing with robots. The one big drawback for BBO, and most bridge engines, is a lack of proper carding. Bridge Baron and Fun Bridge both claim to honor certain carding rules, but in my experience both still leave much to be desired.
Once we have robot partners that are capable of human-like attitude, count, and suit preference signals, there will be so much more that one could potentially practice. The next logical step would be a new Daylong Tournament: The Just Defend tournament. It will be like Just Declare, where you see the full auction, but you are always on defense.
More On The Wish List?
There is much more I could add to the wish list, but I’ll stop for now. What does everyone else think? Is there more I’m missing?
I just completed North American pairs which offered me a chance to get red points.
Moving forward, I think we should remove SYC black daylong as those who got 75 black points would no longer need to play in club games
Alternatively we can raise the black point requirements
Silver points
Silver week but maybe we can have a daylong silver point games to help boost club incomes
Red points
I think NAP pairs and special club games can help get red points
Gold points
Team events would offer good chance to win gold points
Individual tournaments
This would be fun and help those who have difficult finding partner
Robot + Human events
I think it would be fun for those who have robots as partners to be able to compete in such events
A Robot + Human event is very interesting! I would definitely play it. I guess the only way to make it fair is to randomize the position each round or each hand. In other words, if each pair is one human and one robot, then I would prefer to have my human opponent on my left, and the robot opponent as my RHO.
If instead the robot is my LHO, then I have the extra uncertainty of how 2 robots will bid after me, while still giving my human opponent the last call. But maybe people prefer the other way – what do you think? More advantageous to have human or robot as your LHO?
Looking for more silver point events…
Seems like they have accomplished receiving gold points but silver points still seem to be lacking
Thanks to all for the great ideas but just moving forward getting points black silver & gold seem to be on everybodies minds lately.
Maybe its because we have more time to think about what points we really have or how we can get them or what…..
It is a trying time for all……thanks for all that is happening so far. mjm