In reply to eagles123 post of June 2009 ( in a thread that started in 2004) zelandakh replied (April 2, 2013) that BBO defines a beginner as someone who has 'played bridge for more than 6 months but less that a year' - yes the guideline for choosing a skill level on one's BBO profile does indeed says that.
If only reality were that simple It is a conundrum one I have battled with these past 9 years
It begs the question how much playing does one have had to do in those 6 months
I had a member join the BIL just last week - been a BBO member for YEARS - been playing with Robots, been kibbing tables BUT she is very much a beginner level bridge player and when one of my BILHosts talked her into sitting at the table - it was the very first time ever that she had sat to play with humans. I am pleased to say she enjoyed it so much she is now attending every lesson she can get to and is the first in the queue to take the 'hot seat' during a lesson. Do we now have 6 months to turn her into an Intermediate or did her time as a beginner run out years ago playing with robots ?
I have members who joined the BIL as far back as 2005 who are still just 'beginner' level players. They play socially with their peers couple times a month and have no interest in becoming competitive players or playing any better than they do now.
On the other hand I have had someone who had never played bridge sign up for a series of BIL Beginning Bridge Courses and take to it like a duckling to water, went on to join an improving/upper intermediate mentoring group and was recommended to be given BIL Graduate membership ( considered able to hold his own with low level advanced players) within the year. Time to leave the nest ! I only look after beginner and intermediate players.
The BIL classifies players on 6 levels Starter, Beginner, Improving Beginner, Intermediate, Improving Intermediate and Upper Intermediate. These levels though, in this online environment, are still self rated but at least they do need to think about what they know and what they don't. They get invited to join courses and/or assigned to a mentor based on the level they have chosen for themselves and they very soon find out if they have under rated themselves or have been thinking they are better than they really are.
Our mentors choose what level of player they wish to tutor and those that have under or over rated themselves get reassigned.
But it is still subjective. We try to focus on what it is they know and can apply confidently at the table.
I have had Upper Intermediate Hosts helping with the 'housekeeping' at a Beginner class on Basic Declarer Play who have admitted to having learnt something. Yet, one would reasonably presume that being able to hold their own at Upper intermediate level there should be nothing they don't know about Basic Declarer Play
It is an unsolvable conundrum. Part, of the fascination that is Bridge.
But I do so wish, as I did when I posted to that other thread back in 2004, that when a BEGINNER asks a Basic Bridge Question that they be given the courtesy of a BEGINNER level reply and not belittled by having all manner of fancy stuff thrown at them by those who just want to show off what they think is their superior knowledge.
- or is it perhaps that they are afraid of the up and coming competition
![:o](http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)
It doesn't matter how long you play bridge or how very good you become at it - there will ALWAYS be something more to learn !
and like it or not the new to bridge BEGINNER player is the FUTURE of Bridge - they should be encouraged, nurtured and treated with respect.