DR. JOHN ( PIONEERING PSYCHO-THERAPIST ) AT YOUR SERVICE Let me first introduce myself.........for I am the world's leading authority on psychological, personality and behavioural disorders. Although most of my work involves writing up research papers I still practice at the surgery. However, for many years now I have targeted bridge players for both my research and as clientele. Never in the world of competitive arenas have I come across a more "afflicted" group of individuals as the bridge players. Indeed their conditions, afflictions and disorders are both unique and notorious. This severely persecuted group of card playing addicts seem oblivious to their plight, and although these victims and sufferers can display acute symptoms, far too many remain firmly in denial. And of the few that do come knocking on my door, quick-fix permanent cures seem in short supply. The purpose of this blog site is to make all players (and those thinking about taking the game) wake up to the reality of how bridge can affect them in both a perverse and adverse way. So as a starter, I would like to talk about a widespread affliction called CONVENTIONITIS: this is a very common compulsive obsessive disorder which causes sufferers to seek out and use more and more conventions and gadgets in their bidding and play. The progressive nature of this illness can result in system cards expanding into 12 page booklets of such breath-taking complexity, newcomers to the game are left speechless. Many of those associated with this disorder suffer from the delusion that the number of conventions and gadgets on their system card somehow correlates favourably with their ability to bid and play the cards. They perceive themselves as bridge experts, and should a newly adopted convention deliver a rare and occasional triumph at the table, the evidence is now there for them to justify its use. Any memories of earlier disasters following its use are banished forever. Moreover, every time a success is recorded, sufferers are only encouraged to seek out and adopt new conventions that are being regularly published by those who represent extreme cases with this particular disorder. Clients, I have tried to help, initially respond to therapy, but once back into the cut and thrust world of competitive bridge their innate lack of will power simply allows the disorder to resurface again.