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| Bridge Baron v 17 £5.99 plus p&p from The Bridge Shop. Tel: 020 7486 8222 I did what most people do when presented with a new piece of software: I just went straight ahead and tried it - no studying of menus or reading of Help screens for me. There was a button labelled 'Compete' so I clicked on that. Then I saw that the 2006 Cavendish was one of the tournaments listed, so I clicked on that. It was a bit like the time I played bridge in Houston, paired up with someone whose partner hadn't turned up, and with no time to agree a system. I assumed we were playing some sort of Standard American and so did the Baron. No-one quite knew what was forcing and was not, so we just jumped to game if that seemed the right thing to do. Everybody played very quickly. We did OK and finished just above average. 'Why don't we discuss some things before our next game?' I suggested. The Baron was amenable and seemed pretty knowledgeable too. He was happy to play any one of seven different systems and could play most of them at a basic, intermediate or advanced level. 'Great,' I said, 'let's play Advanced Acol. Now what about specific conventions?' The Baron showed me a list of eighty conventions, and invited me to pick the ones I liked. I was a bit embarrassed that there were some that I hadn't heard of, but all my favourites were there so we agreed on Jacoby 2NT, support doubles, Walsh and half a dozen others. Then he asked me how quickly I wanted him to play. It seems that if I let him think for up to 30 seconds he does better. 'Gosh!' I exclaimed, 'I wish my regular partners were like that.' I didn't want to exhaust him, so I said that 15 seconds or so would be fine. He often uses all his allocated time, so I am pleased I didn't choose 30 seconds. The Baron and his chums are an ethical lot; they never think with a singleton. If the Baron has a weakness, it might be his declarer play, but I never found out. Every time he's declarer he asks me if I want to play the hand. What a nice guy! Our second game was at the Fall Diamond State Sectional and guess what - we won! I have to confess that I used the F9 'Undo' option twice; there are no tournament directors in the Baron's world. I had a drink after the game (I looked at all his menus, but it seems the Baron doesn't drink) and found out a little more about him. He's been playing bridge since 1982 and has actually won five world championships. 'That's a few more than me!' I quipped. He does a lot of teaching: if you want to practise a convention, then he will find lots of suitable hands for you. The 2006 Cavendish and 2005 Diamond State weren't the only tournaments we could play in; there were twenty-three in all, from 1993 to 2006, with about eight sessions in each. If you don't fancy a Installation was easy and the Baron is what I believe computer people call 'user-friendly'. I am certainly enjoying my time with him. I don't play bridge on-line (although the Baron let's you do that too), but with all those tournaments to play in, I don't really want to. Gotta go, the Baron and I are about to play in the Kansas City Spring Nationals. Simon Cochemé |
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