[Antrax]

I'm finding it very difficult to practice counting at the table. Both as declarer and on defense, I often start a hand with a solemn resolution to (say) count declarer's HCP. Then I find out during the hand I've forgotten I'm supposed to keep track. Sometimes I can reproduce the play in my head and remember the count, sometimes not. Clearly this is the result of a lack of practice, but I'm not sure when this can be practiced. On BBO there's no tolerance for slow play and on the club we would frequently run out of time (we get 7 minutes per board, which is usually exactly enough). I tried practicing it with robots but their fast pace of play really throws me off and makes it more difficult.
Is there a recommended way to practice these skills without getting sucked into hands? Counting when I'm the dummy? Practicing alone with a deck of cards somehow? Anything other than the count to 13 flash game?

[kgr]

Antrax, on 2011-December-05, 10:33, said:

I tried practicing it with robots but their fast pace of play really throws me off and makes it more difficult.

You can play as slow as you want against robots?
BTW: Keep trying to count as much as possible (declarers and partners HCP, declarers number of tricks, distribution of declarer and partner - count distributions in 4333, 5422,...). This is difficult in the beginning, but in the long term it is the best way to improve your bridge).

[jillybean]

Here's the game Fred created to help in learning to count

http://bbi.bridgebas.../game/game.html

[gwnn]

There was a nice freeware program posted around here on this, let me see if I can find it. It is very useful and works well. I kind of forgot to use it in a long time but if you have the willpower to improve, I think it's great.

edit: yes! found it!
http://www.bridgebas...unt-01-program/

This post has been edited by gwnn: 2011-December-05, 11:00

[EricK]

You could buy a computer bridge program. Then you can play as slow as you like but practice counting in a proper bridge environment.

[nigel_k]

I always mentally reproduce the play to get a count when I have a problem, rather than keeping a running count that I update after every trick. It shouldn't be that hard to remember which honour cards have been played.

[han]

It would be worthwhile to find some nice people on BBO who are more tolerant about pauses.

[JLOGIC]

Quote

It would be worthwhile to find some nice people on BBO who are more tolerant about pauses.

Maybe from the forums Met some of my favorite BBO opps as well as friends via the forums.

[Fluffy]

You should start with easy ones, counting HCP when opps open NT and distribution when opss show 2 suiters or 7+ card suits.

[inquiry]

You can practice with either your hands or something like vugraph hands. Kibitz only one players hand (declarer or defender or always the same player). Then try to count out the entire hand before the opening lead (try to visual what you know about the unseen hands), then click the next card thing and re-evaluate. Go as slow as you need. You will eventually speed up It will help to know the defenders carding and leading agreements (low from 3/5, 4th best, etc). This allows you to try to count hcp, visualize possible honors in the unseen hands, count distribution, etc. IF you get it way wrong, go back and try to figure out what clue(s) you missed. Here is an example i showed a few weeks ago.

opening lead: ♥4 to ACE, 3 8
Assume 4th best leads, udca.

How many hearts do you anticipate your partner has? How many spades do you anticipate west has? How many hcp do you anticipate west has (range). what do you think of east's bidding (side note). This is a hand from recent bbo vugraph.

Trick 2, spade A, partner plays the seven (suit preference)

Trick 3. Spade king, partner plays the 3.

Trick 4 spade queen, partner plays the spade 4.

what is your estimated count now? Can partner hold a singleton?

why didn't west raise 1♠ to 2♠?

what do you think might be going on?

Declarer plays a low club from dummy, you win king, partner plays the five, declarer the two

---

This works very well with your own hands in review... in the how could i have known kind of review.

[Antrax]

kgr said:

You can play as slow as you want against robots?

Yes, I know it's ridiculous, but still I get stressed when the bots play fast. Same problem if I were to buy a bridge-playing program or anything of the sort. I think I'm somewhat conditioned to not think deeply when using a computer - I know I play chess much worse online than I do in front of a real board.
jillybean, thanks, that's the "count to 13 flash game" the OP mentions.
inquiry, that's an interesting idea, I'll try that and see if maybe I can concentrate on a computer screen if there's no "action" whatsoever. BTW, did you link the right hand? You ask questions about bids that weren't made and hands that are revealed