Essential bridge links

Bridge continues to be popular! I've assembled some bridge resources for you to enjoy.

FREE bridge games and demos:
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Easy Bridge - This game is rather old, but it is free and functional. Mark reports that the computer bids "crazy" about 25% of the time. I would say that it does not respond well to preemptive bidding. If you pass low point hands it seems to get to it's contracts okay. Only plays rubber bridge, or single hands (part-game, game, non-trump, slam). Great for non-trump play and slam bidding practice.

Wbridge5 - This game apparently won the ABCL 2008 computer bridge tournament, and it's free (!). It's written by a French programmer, but although a little more "stark" that Easy Bridge, it's apparently much more powerful.

Bridge Baron - This program is $64.95, and is a very polished and professional package. It has a suppliment book available for purchase, and you can also purchase ABCL tournaments from past years to play against, just as if you were a participant - you get the same duplicate deals, and it shows you how you would have faired against competition in the event. It is slick, and in it's 19th version appears to have everything but the kitchen sink included. The free demo is worth checking out. As of 12/7/08 there is apparently a $5 discount available at Amazon.

Online Play
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Bridge Base Online (BBO) - This free site is apparently part-owned by Bill Gates. It's been around a while, and has a slick interface, unlimited free play (with registration), and plenty of (free) tournaments to join. It is registered with the ACBL, meaning you can play in tournaments to get Master Points. There is generally a small fee to play in ACBL events. You can rent ($3/month) "robot players" to play against, or take empty seats if you wish. Excellent site, although somewhat minimalistic, and the help screens are worthless. You'd have to play at a bridge club or be quite well-read to understand all the screens.

Bridge Info
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Northeast PA Bridge (nepab.com) - Home page of NEPA bridge. Nice page detailing what's happening in the area. Also has details of the March 2009 Steamtown tournament...

ACBL (American Contract Bridge League) - This site is the granddaddy of the bridge world. Has a lot of useful information here. Necessary to have a membership to accumulate Master Points in tournaments. Home of the official rules of bridge.

Bill and Warren play bridge

Did you know that the two richest men in the world play bridge?

Nice article here about Warren Buffet and Bill Gates and their exploits in the world of bridge.

Warren apparently played 4,800 hands in one year online at www.bridgebase.com , which I understand Bill is a part owner now.

Bridge

What is the best card game ever invented? Hands down, it's contract bridge (pun intended).

I learned to play bridge back in the early nineties, teaching myself with a number of books (Joy of Bridge by Audrey Grant, On Bidding by Alan Truscott, and the "Bridge in the Fifth Dimension" series by Victor Mollo). I had only one opportunity to play against humans, drafting a spades player named Todd Stokes who was a fellow-volunteer at Watchtower Farms. We played against another couple, who happened to be married, and who were quite good. We got our clocks cleaned.

The Macintosh computer was my partner after that, as I never got around to teaching bridge to my friends (although I may have tried to show my family once). I got a kick out of the game, and would occasionally try game out eventually against a program called "Easy Bridge" (available free on the 'geek).

Recently I introduced the game to my Texas Hold'em group, as we were all seeming to experience fatigue after monthly play since last December. It's been a hit with Mark, Chris, Jamie, Trudy, and Colin. We've played weekly on Friday nights, and have had a blast! We've played 4 nights so far, and we're building our player base and expertise.

I stumbled accross a book called "The Backwash Squeeze, and other improbably feats" by Edward Mcpherson. Reading that lead me to bridgebase.com, where I've played a few tournaments online. Turns out that bridgebase is apparently part owned by Bill Gates (!?), and is a fantastic site, with thousands of serious bridge players on from around the world at any one time. Pretty cool.

I managed to finish 14th out of 140 in a recent tournament (see screenshot above, I am "Phunt0m"), so I'm getting better...

Got web game?

Addictive flash games are back...

Gotta check this one out.

Spiel '08

Updated 11/1/08

Essen Links:

Nice Essen Gallery

Biggest Surprises

New games @ Essen, sorted by ranking

Kulkmann's G@mebox

Official Spiel page

ESSEN, Germany. The Spiel. From Wikipedia:

"Spiel

Internationale Spieltage SPIEL, often called Essen after the city where it is held, is an annual four-day game trade fair held in October (Thursday to the following Sunday) at the Messe Essen exhibition centre in Essen. Many german-style board games are released at the fair.

Unlike the other major German game fair, the Nuremberg International Toy Fair, Spiel is open to consumers as well as publishers and designers.^[1] The fair often has over 130,000 guests with 151,000 in 2006, although numbers were low in 2007 due to a German rail strike.^[1]

The Deutscher Spiele Preis, the International Gamers Awards, and Essen Feather are presented at the fair.

It is currently the biggest gaming convention for board gaming, RPG, ect. in the world, followed by Gen Con Indy in Indianapollis, Indiana. It is reputedly the biggest and best public show for boardgames, card games and CCGs, with designers and publishers demonstrating their newest games, retailers selling games at discount, and a large fleamarket with a wide range of new and used games. In addition, there is usually a hall of comic book sellers, and one or two halls with RPGs and live action material, and a hall of large inflatables and activities for kids. The show sometimes has computer games, but these are unusual.

The exhibition centre is called the Messe Essen. It is in an area of Essen called Margarethenhöhe, in the South of the city."

Reports (with photos) have started to make their way across the gaming universe...

St. Pete expansion finally here?

Thanks to Boardgamenews for this article, detailing the cards of the new St. Petersburg expansion.

I like St. Pete a lot, but have played it face-to-face maybe twice? I have played it probably 100 times on brettspielwelt.de. I have been getting beat regularly lately too... Maybe this expansion will give me a better chance online (I doubt it).

Who's buying this expansion when it's available? Leave comments below and let's discuss.

Uwe interview

Interesting interview of Uwe Rosenberg (creator of Agricola) can be find here. Uwe really has a smash hit on his hands, Agricola is clearly a world-wide phenomenon. And he has a new game coming out shortly: Le Havre.

When asked about it, he said: "I hope, that the friends of complex games, also like LE HAVRE. But the target audience is a bit smaller than for AGRICOLA, even if the rules are explained faster."

Solitare Agricola

I've logged about 10 full games of solitaire Agricola now, and am having a lot of fun. I cracked open what appeared to be the "E" deck (which stands for "beginner" for some reason), and played about 6 games. I discovered quite a few more "E" cards in the shrink-wrapped pack of "I" cards, and have played 4 more.


So far my scores in the first four games are: 60, 63, 70, and now 76. I kept the Carpenter from the first game, Chief from the second game, Plow Maker from the third, and will be keeping Seasonal worker from the fourth.

What is fascinating is the different shortages and challenges you are faced with in the game as you progress. Food is scarce in game 1, then stone begins to become an issue. Depending on what occupations come up, you may have problems finding reed or clay - or at least "over-spending" for them and facing a lower score.

Reading some posts on the 'geek, I've taken a much more critical eye on the benefits (or lack) from different minor improvements and occupations. For example, Wood Cutter sounds like a good deal (+1 wood each time you pull wood) - but when you count the fact that you are only pulling wood 4 times in a game, and you must spend a action +1 food to actually place the Wood Cutter - you might as well just pull wood a fifth time and save yourself the 1 food!

Plow Maker is an awesome occupation, as it clearly saves you 1 extra move, usually two. You can plow three times and place 6 fields, saving you 2 full actions for the cost of 4 food (1 for the placement of the Plow Maker, and 1 each for the 3 extra fields you generate). That is a clear winner, and so much better than Mushroom Collector, Clay Mixer, Hedge Keeper, etc.

An exception is Stone Carrier, which might pay you out only 2 stone for the cost of an action and 1 food - this is probably well worth it if you plan on a high score, as stone is the ticket to Well, Stone Oven, Pottery and all the other "bonus" Major Improvements.

I did not do very well in my first game of Agricola with Kevin, but after 10 solo games I think I will be very competitive the next time we square off in this one...

What's latin for fun?

What a good time I am having with Agricola! Single player, unfortunately. But I have really been getting a kick out of "puzzling-out" different strategies, trying to optimize my score under different conditions.

I haven't timed myself yet, but I am thinking it's taking me about 30 minutes a game. Most of the early moves are easy of course, which is a great thing about Agricola that clearly will make it more approachable for young people and non-gamers. Rosenberg has made the game extremely scalable by using cards to carefully increase the resource production for 1 - 5 players. Since the different options are introduced somewhat randomly (4 different cards revealed in the first round, 3 in the second round, etc.) and one at a time, the players are shown progressively more options.

Advanced players can fuss about what cards come next, but even a successful guess may only uncover a small advantage. Newer players can blissfully take the most obvious choice, and as long as the keep the overall goal in focus, should feel like they are making progress.

And the gorgeous theme of the game means that players who are not into competition can feel like they are just "bettering their best score" with each game, not even competing.

I'll give it a few more weeks, but I am thinking this game moves to a nine on the 'geek in my ratings.

Check out this excellent single-player "record sheet" available on the 'geek.

Desert Island games

This was a popular "geeklist" a while back if I recall. Playing Agricola with Kevin and discussing whether it was better than Puerto Rico led me back to wondering what my absolute favorite game would be, if stranded on a desert island.

Of course, we'd have to assume that we had (ahem) and adequate number of players available. And I supposed that would make you think about the conditions you'd be playing in (a tent? under a coconut tree?), etc.

But check out the poll on the right side, and if you see a game that you think significantly out-ranks the others, give it a vote. Then click "comments" below and lets discuss it. ;)