When I was in college, I used to complain a lot about my friends and roommates who wanted to sit in the dorm room and play computer games with their online friends rather than do things with actual people. During my third year, it got to the point that my roommate was playing world of warcraft over 60 hours per week while the rest of his life suffered. I played bridge at the club about once a week, at a tournament maybe once a month, and online rarely, while having a healthy balance between school, bridge, social life, and physical activity throughout my 4 years at Tech. When I count the time I spend on bridge now, it probably is close to 40 hours per week - twice at a local club, a tournament every 3 weeks or so, and 3 or more hours on BBO each day (mostly not playing, though), plus the time I spend writing on here. But I very rarely if ever have turned down a social event with friends to play bridge online. Maybe that is just because I don't really have many friends here. I don't want to be like that roommate.

Earlier tonight, I opened 1H, LHO doubled and p raised to 2H. Having no agreements about advances, I guess it should be assumed to be a normalish 6 to bad 10 points even though many if not most advanced players play transfer advances or Bromad or use something else to show a true constructive raise and like to keep the direct raise as a really weak raise. Anyway, I had an 18-count and didn't even invite. I don't think I've ever seen an 18 hcp hand that wasn't worth an invite after a simple raise from partner but this was one: KTxx, AQxxx, K, AQx. Partner came down with J, xxx, Txxxxxx, Kx and I managed to make 3 via something like 3 hearts, 1 spade, 2 spade ruffs, 3 clubs but probably could have been held to 2.