[32519]

Ever since Mr. Ace made a scathing post here it seems as though people are hesitant to post in the expert forum.

[jillybean]

And that's a good thing, right?

[MrAce]

I'd rather have it empty, than seeing it filled with things that doesnt belong there.

But anyway, here are the reasons why it is silent now.

1-We do not have too many experts who likes to HOST a topic. They usually lurk arround and prefer replying to topics that are hosted by others.

2-In former A/E forums, it was mostly those who rated themselves as ADVANCED, hosted the topics.

3-People now think they claim to be an EXPERT if they post there, since ADVANCED part of it is gone.

[broze]

 MrAce, on 2012-March-19, 15:01, said:

I'd rather have it empty, than seeing it filled with things that doesnt belong there.

But anyway, here are the reasons why it is silent now.

1-We do not have too many experts who likes to HOST a topic. They usually lurk arround and prefer replying to topics that are hosted by others.

2-In former A/E forums, it was mostly those who rated themselves as ADVANCED, hosted the topics.

3-People now think they claim to be an EXPERT if they post there, since ADVANCED part of it is gone.

Yes, the problem is that the people least likely to need advice (and therefore post questions) are the experts but they are also those who are most qualified to classify a problem as an expert one. I'm not really sure at whom the forum should be directed, but I hope that people are not dissuaded from seeking expert advice because they think it presumptuous to post there.

[MrAce]

 broze, on 2012-March-19, 15:17, said:

Yes, the problem is that the people least likely to need advice (and therefore post questions) are the experts but they are also those who are most qualified to classify a problem as an expert one. I'm not really sure at whom the forum should be directed, but I hope that people are not dissuaded from seeking expert advice because they think it presumptuous to post there.

They can ask their questions somewhere else and experts will answer. You dont need to post it in expert forums to find expert answers.

Now saying this i may sound like expert forum regulars have a very high expectancy for the posts or questions asked there. No, not really, they just dont like the questions that are asked for the sake of asking something, or just because someone is bored and have nothing better to do so he posted something. Imo the one i reacted was one of them.

EDIT : Also some of the experts discussing the hands in BBO FORUM EVENTS. This also has an effect on the expert forum traffic imo.

[broze]

 MrAce, on 2012-March-19, 15:24, said:

They can ask their questions somewhere else and experts will answer. You dont need to post it in expert forums to find expert answers.

Ok, yes, I have just seen the blurb for the advanced forum : "Experts are invited to help find solutions to issues raised here." In which case I imagine that the "Expert" forum will either be extremely quiet or mostly dominated by people who merely consider themselves experts - time will tell.

Let us not speak of the content of "Interesting bridge hands", a title which one would hope should be almost completely redundant. For me, BBO missed a trick when upon starting these forums they didn't separate 'cardplay' from 'bidding.'

[phil_20686]

 broze, on 2012-March-19, 15:48, said:

Let us not speak of the content of "Interesting bridge hands", a title which one would hope should be almost completely redundant.

I think the point of the interesting bridge hands is that they aren't meant to be technical problems as such. Sometimes they are hands we got right at the table, but just thought were worth sharing, other times they are hands where the opposition have been somewhat ridiculous, giving you an off centre problem.

The expert forum seems to be exclusively for problem hands that someone got wrong, and then convinced themselves in the PM that there was a way to get right, and are wondering if their solution is actually right, or if its just a thin rationalisation for resulting

[mikeh]

 phil_20686, on 2012-March-19, 16:01, said:

I think the point of the interesting bridge hands is that they aren't meant to be technical problems as such. Sometimes they are hands we got right at the table, but just thought were worth sharing, other times they are hands where the opposition have been somewhat ridiculous, giving you an off centre problem.

The expert forum seems to be exclusively for problem hands that someone got wrong, and then convinced themselves in the PM that there was a way to get right, and are wondering if their solution is actually right, or if its just a thin rationalisation for resulting

My reasons for not starting many threads include not playing a lot, so not having many hands. But the main reason I almost never start a topic in the expert forum is that I don't want to post hands I got right, and with respect to hands I got wrong, either I never saw the mistake....still think my auction or line was best, if unsuccessful, or (and this is common) recognize the mistake and form the distinct impression that I was some form of idiot for not getting it right....that the mistake was so bad that the problem doesn't belong in the expert forum.

For example, the hand I just posted in the Interesting Hand forum was one where, at the table, I played very casually (the conditions of contest were not exactly conducive to deep thought, but still...) and realized at trick 4 that I had probably already blown the play...and quickly found out that I had. I very much doubt that the Frances' and Andy's and Justins et al would have gone down, so I am not posting it in the expert forum.

Having said that, I don't think the hand is a really easy one, so I hope it gives a number of readers some entertainment.