2008-03-14 17:48

Hand Evaluation - Comfort Level

PITBULLS:

In any sport or hobby , you must learn how to win. Stress is a performance killer so you must learn how to deal with it. Just the fact that you are doing well induces stress in some people. If you do not learn how to deal with it , you are bound to self destruct. You should have a plan to avoid stress inducing risks & play steady with a eye to seizing the moment. This is your plan so tenaciously stick to it. Highs are too high , lows are too low so keep an even keel.

No Bridge player can hope to succeed without having the ability to stick to a plan. This is decisively true in the often surprising and dramatic world of tournament Bridge. You can’t let your convictions be shaken, or you’ll jump from pillar to post the moment times become difficult, and, in the end, have little to show for it. Yet only if you’re comfortable with what you’re doing will you be able to stick to your plan. And comfort (peace within and a cool head) in the frequently volatile world of Bridge is only achieved, I believe, when you are able to stand on the calm bedrock of common sense.

Common sense means having a Bridge strategy to win & sticking to your plan. Common sense means having reasonable, achievable goals. Common sense means never trying to hit a home run, and never berating yourself with remorse for a situation that doesn’t work out. Common sense means spreading out your risks, but not so much that you lose control over your game.

The instant you deviate from a common sense approach, falling under the sway of egotism or defeatism, you’ll lose your comfort level because you’re no longer grounded in the reality of the situation. When you lose your comfort level you become fearful, greedy, superstitious, “intuitive,” prayerful, victimized---you enter into all the emotional states that ultimately provoke Bridge mistakes.

You are your own worst enemy , when you lose your comfort level. There are 4 opponents which obviously include you & your partner. Inferiority complexes do not belong with your hobby of playing Bridge. Keep a grip on your emotions so they do not become the enemy. Your sport is good stress & your personality disorders are bad stress. Enjoy the moment & relax so you can think properly. Stress paralyzes the brain so it can no longer function. Let the opponents beat you , do not beat yourself. Playing at high level competition makes no sense otherwise. Use humour & other relaxing techniques like breathing properly. Do not rush & slow things down to a crawl. Haste creates waste by inducing errors. Concentrate to shut out thoughts that do not belong in the game. Concentrate solely on the task at hand , which is playing good Bridge & think of losing or winning after the match.

Honour thy partner & be polite to the opponents are also good stress reducers. Shut out bad thoughts that might hamper your performance. The power of positive thinking is sometimes needed to stick to your game plan. If you game plan is to be swingy , stick to it ! If your game plan is to minimize errors & not give anything away try to stick to that plan. Do not mix the two plans. This is learning how to win.