[ehhh]

What is it about indies that individuals feel the need to play individually?

Is it simply distrust?

[hrothgar]

Its more difficult to cheat in an Indy

[barmar]

hrothgar, on 2014-August-26, 13:40, said:

Its more difficult to cheat in an Indy

And that has what to do with the question? He wanted to know why people try to mastermind or hog the auction.

[barmar]

ehhh, on 2014-August-26, 11:36, said:

What is it about indies that individuals feel the need to play individually?

Is it simply distrust?

Basically, yes. They don't know their partner, they have no idea of his skill level, so they tend to assume the worst. Many of the people playing in an indy think they're the only one who knows what they're doing, they have to take charge.

And in many cases they're right. Read this thread about people playing in BBO Express tourneys -- they're supposed to play 2/1, but many of them don't know it. Bridge is supposed to be a partnership game, but that's undermined if you can't even be sure he's playing the same system as you.

[diana_eva]

ehhh, on 2014-August-26, 11:36, said:

Is it simply distrust?

I think so, yes. If it's a random indy where you aren't familiar with anyone.

If a club, or an indy organized by a community of some sort, I'd guess it doesn't happen that often.

[barmar]

diana_eva, on 2014-August-26, 13:51, said:

If a club, or an indy organized by a community of some sort, I'd guess it doesn't happen that often.

Our district has an annual Individual Regional every January (the only such tournament on the ACBL calendar, as I understand). While many of the players are regular tournament-goers, it also brings lots of kitchen bridge players out of the woodwork. They play much simpler systems than regular tournament players are used to -- you even occasionally run into "No transfers". It's easy for tournament players to mistake unsophisticated systems as implying poor players. But many of them have been playing for 50 years, they know how to play the cards.

[TylerE]

ehhh, on 2014-August-26, 11:36, said:

What is it about indies that individuals feel the need to play individually?

Is it simply distrust?

I'd say it has more to do with the (barely extant) average skill level. Indys are BAD BAD fields.

[WellSpyder]

My county has recently started organising occasional flighted individuals, ie with the field split according to skill level. (Of course you can't actually measure skill level. The idea is that over time your flight will depend on past performance in the event. Initially, the National Grading Scheme is used.) With most of the participants known to each other, and some flighting as well, the event seems to be much more enjoyable than other individuals I have occasionally played in over the years, and avoids the problem mentioned in the OP.

[helene_t]

barmar, on 2014-August-26, 13:49, said:

Many of the people playing in an indy think they're the only one who knows what they're doing, they have to take charge.

And in many cases they're right.

QFT. As we all know, 80% of all bridge players are better than their partners

[paulg]

WellSpyder, on 2014-August-27, 02:52, said:

My county has recently started organising occasional flighted individuals, ie with the field split according to skill level. (Of course you can't actually measure skill level. The idea is that over time your flight will depend on past performance in the event. Initially, the National Grading Scheme is used.) With most of the participants known to each other, and some flighting as well, the event seems to be much more enjoyable than other individuals I have occasionally played in over the years, and avoids the problem mentioned in the OP.

Flighted individuals have been run in Scotland since the 1930s.

With most of the participants known to each other, and some flighting as well, the event seems to be very enjoyable for those who like these things.

They have not avoided the problem mentioned in the OP In recent years, the acknowledged best player in the top flight has only finished first or last!

[mycroft]

I would expect that in the top X flights, "this event seems to be much more enjoyable than other individuals". You've got rid of 90% of the people who epitomize "if you have never been passed in Blackwood, you cannot win an individual." (--Jeff Goldsmith).

I would expect that in the other flights, it may not be that way - especially as they have lost the 5 or 6 players that will help them get their good boards, those being replaced by others who "don't know how to play".

I also think that one of the good things about individuals is that you get to meet and play with people you never would, and new partnership or mentorship opportunities arise from it. It's not like bridge is cliquey or anything, after all. Flighting it...kills all of that.

[helene_t]

I like indies. Much less ethical issues when there is no such thing as partnership understanding. And also good for the social function of the bridge club. I am not sure why they are not popular. In a culture where most partnerships played home-grown systems I could understand. But given that most club players here in EBU land don't know which suit their regular partner would open with a 4432, and don't know whether FSF is a GF or not etc., I fail to see the disadvantage of indies.

[helene_t]

hrothgar, on 2014-August-26, 13:40, said:

Its more difficult to cheat in an Indy

barmar, on 2014-August-26, 13:44, said:

And that has what to do with the question? He wanted to know why people try to mastermind or hog the auction.

Oh I mis(?)understood the question the same way as Richard did.

[ArtK78]

Many years ago there was an annual Life Masters Individual held at one of the ACBL Nationals. This was a prestigious event at the time. A story goes that Edgar Kaplan was paired with an LOL. The LOL had an opening hand and some mishap occurred resulting in a bad score. The LOL commented "I don't know what happened. I had 13 points." To which Kaplan replied, "My fault, my dear. I thought you had 300!"