Getting Back to Bridge

Sorry for the gap in posting. Starman (my partner in bridge, as in life) and I haven't played "real" bridge -- meaning bridge with people -- for two months. The last time we were out in public was also the last time I got really really sick with some gallbladder-related problem. I've been fine for two months, though, so I really can't be phobic about it.

Bridge doesn't actually make me ill. Just cranky!

Over the holidays, I didn't play a lot online. Recently we've gotten back to partnership practice. This entails Starman and me in the same room (more on that in a bit), each with our own computers, playing the same hand as partners. We play against robot opponents, and our scores are assessed against other players. Most of those people are humans playing with a robot partner and against robot opponents, so it's pretty fair. I assume it's also a reasonable assessment of our abilities. We're still not strong players, and the gap in our making bridge a regular part of our lives hasn't helped.

In particular, I've been having trouble with frustration. When I play by myself (with three robots at my online table), it's hard to live with my own mistakes. (There's a way on BBO to see what other people did -- their bidding and the play of the hand -- so you can see how they did better than you did. Sometimes it's better defense by the robot opponents, and I have to shrug that off. Sometimes, it's not them, it's me.) I get angry at myself, and that opens some old wounds.

I made a resolve not to yell at Starman when it's just the two of us together in the room. (We don't cheat {much} and I wouldn't mind playing in different rooms but it's good to be able to discuss bidding and play of the hand.) I know it doesn't help anyone. So far, the only method I've found that is foolproof for not yelling is not caring. Hmmm... Not perhaps the best way to maximize my bridge results. So my challenge is to care, to work hard, to keep learning, and to be completely Zen and at peace with my partner.

I'm glad I'm not being scored on that Zen thing!