[EdmundB]

I like to say wdp often. but sometimes, it's not that partner was brilliant; it's that the opponents made a mistake. or two.

Is there any BBO-acceptable way to say "you didn't give back the gifts, p?"

[Maaa]

Maybe - one day - we get the option to talk with partner privately - during we´r waiting for new rounds ? This would be the perfect place to do so


Marta

[EricK]

You could use wdp when opps make a mistake, and wpp (well played partner) when partner played well.

And remember to deny doing this if the opps ask

Eric

[the hog]

Remind me of 2 members of the Squaddra Azzura - forgotten which two - who used to say Grazie if the dummy was what was expected and theank you when it was not. Anyway dummny was put down to a "thank you from a daydreaming partner", wherupon partner responded "Thank you, what do you mean thank you. I bid my hand perfectly".

[aisha759]

I would say something like " wow that was lucky p" and add a smile at the end
or "opps generous today p" again with a smile

I find it's the best way not to offend anyone (the smile i mean )

Aisha

[hallway]

As in bridge there are no guarantees - tourney due to start in 5 minutes - 51st request - fingers numb from typing - stress levels rising !
I Play in your tourney
Sorry members only :-)
What you laugh at me for ? You ignorant lady I nice person you should not laugh at me.
Panic as I scrambled to explain that I was not 'laughing' the smile was to take the edge off the rejection - the 'conversation' continued until I realised my tourney had started without me !! Luckily they were all happily playing no directing needing to be directed.

I guess what I am trying to say - there is no right or wrong - global chat is a minefield !

[csdenmark]

EdmundB, on May 22 2004, 03:39 AM, said:

I like to say wdp often.  but sometimes, it's not that partner was brilliant; it's that the opponents made a mistake.  or two.

Is there any BBO-acceptable way to say "you didn't give back the gifts, p?"

To take advantage from opps.' mistakes is really brilliant. - If you are unable to see the brilliant side of your partner - you will need a coach.

Telling me your proposal - will just be the end of a partnership!

[EdmundB]

Since I don't normally have two hours to play anyway...

[1eyedjack]

I try to restrict my "wdp" comments to when partner really has done something to deserve it, rather than a kneejerk reaction to his making (or our beating) a contract. It is not that I am deliberately trying to be antisocial. Quite the reverse, I want it really to mean something when I say "wdp", so partner realises that it is genuine appreciation rather than a social nicety.

Confess I find it mildly irritating when someone says "wdp" to me for making a contract and collecting 10% of the matchpoints.

[McBruce]

You folks should see what goes on in online Backgammon. Some people actually type "nr" (nice roll) when you click and the computer rolls a game-winning dice roll for you. I'm always wondering whether it is a subtle way of saying "you lucky goombah, without these great rolls you're getting you'd have no chance!"

My variant is "yay pard", when partner makes a good result and the opponents make no obvious mistakes. There's a skill in seeing a player's single-dummy problems while watching double-dummy, and a related skill in commisserating by assuming that there must be a reason for a result-changing error:

"Unlucky [LHO] -- I'd have ducked that A♣ as well and paid for it later!" This sort of post-hand comment by the dummy can actually prevent RHO from berating partner, something I just do not need.

"Nice play despite the result pard--finessing the ten works in the long run, but not this time."

I like the Thank You / Grazie story. I think Zia mentioned in his book that the Pakistan team in a world championship event using screens (where it is often awkward to discuss things during a match with partner), had something like this uncontested auction:

Opener: 1NT
(15-17)
Responder: 2♣
(Stayman)
Opener: 2♦
(no 4-card major)
Responder: 2♥
(five or more hearts and four spades)
Opener: 2♠

This was alerted and the opponents asked. "It's artificial," said Responder. "He has a doubleton heart and 2 or 3 spades. He would have bid 2NT, except that 2♠ also carries the message that he is very sorry about the result on the last hand."

[1eyedjack]

I quite liked the story I read years ago (I don't know where), where the explanation to opening leader went SOMETHING LIKE

"he has 3 Spades headed by the Q, 6 Hearts headed by the AQJ, Kx of Diamonds and xx of Clubs, and (with sad expression) we cannot make anything".

[Free]

I only say "wdp" when he deserves it. Sometimes however it's because opps made a mistake and p played a nice line so he wins in the end, but when it's a clear gift from opps I try to see if they played that way because of wishful thinking or not. When it was, I say "nto". Standard games don't deserve much comment, just "glp" and that's it. Sometimes I even say wdp when it's -1, since it should be a good score. I also compliment my p on his bidding sometimes: "nice bidding p".

I don't think you have to congratulate opps for making a mistake and put a big smiley behind it to turn your knife around in the bleeding wound. Nobody likes to lose, and when you start laughing with opps because of mistakes, it's not nice at all.

[badderzboy]

With my regular Online partner I tend to use the following :-)

One thing we do as a partnership is never take comments as a criticism but constructively anyway but my translations are :-

wdp - polite contract made or opps messed up
vwdp - nice play but not too hard ...

wd "Name" - great play
vwd "Name" - how do u do that - perfect play !!!

gtp - DOH!! - slight brainstorm on that hand I suspect (We tend to own up anyway afterwards as we know where we went wrong!)
gtp & comment - unlucky with this or that - bad break - finesse missed etc

gdp - when opps go down by our play not a declarer goof...

nto - just being polite
nto & comment - usually bad break but play seemed correct from my seat!

I also tend to get "u lucky so & so" from partner but u have to be in it to win it!

Steve

[McBruce]

I was playing at a club once when my partner responded 5♠ to Roman Keycard. The opponents asked me what 5♠ meant.

"He promises two keycards," I began. I detached a card from my hand and laid it face down on the table. "He also claims to hold this card."

[slothy]

I hope opps werent on the Club Ethics committee McBruce