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I would like to suggest that BBO add an, perhaps optional, statistic to profiles: average matchpoints won in robot duplicate and robot rebate tournaments. Something like the average of all boards played over the past 3 months, with a minimum of 72 boards (that's 9 robodup or 6 robot rebate tourneys). Players would gain because, while playing against robots is certainly a somewhat specialized skill, it is still a more objective measure of skill than anything else I could think of on BBO. BBO would gain because this would encourage more participation in their tournaments, for which they charge a small fee.

Welcome to the forums, khall56. As aguahombre mentions, this has come up recently. Notable in that thread, in my opinion, is this post by awm, which references this thread by bluecalm, which has actual data for this question at the expert level. There's also this post by jlogic (and more by him and others, which I'll leave you to find yourself) expressing the seeming consensus opinion that most of us who are at a point where we would be asking this question should really be studying cardplay over bidding.

need ... downvotes ... what's this obsession with rating?!

That reply by Adam to a first-time poster might single-handedly bring back downvoting. I hope someone can find the other thread for him. edit: I found it http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/44497-bidding-is-80-of-bridge/page__p__530457__fromsearch__1#entry530457

IMPS, both red RHO opens gambling 3N as first to act. You hold: Ax AKQxxx x Kxxx What u call? Regards and Happy Trails, Scott Needham Boulder, Colorado, USA

[hv=pc=n&n=sat82haj7dckqt652&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=1h3d4cp4hp]133|200[/hv] agree with 4c? What now?

+1

is anyone tempted to start with a negative double?

I just remembered the forums have an ignore user feature. It shall be used. --- major edit, but now i don't have to deal with her anymore. wooohooo.

[hv=pc=n&n=s4ha9752dk8642cak&d=e&v=0&b=14&a=1spp]133|200[/hv] What's your plan? And what do you do?

You're looking for this thread: Montreal Relay. This answer was presented to you courtesy of the BBF Systems Index.

I'll bet that many of us, at some point in our youth, toyed, however briefly, with the idea of inventing this system. That is why I am very gratified to discover that it really exists. So it has all the disadvantages of a strong club without the compensating limited natural openings? Well, you can't have everything. This system may well make up in entertainment value what it lacks in playability.

[hv=pc=n&w=saqj43hkt8dcaqjt5&d=e&v=0&b=14&a=p1d]133|200[/hv] You don't have a bid to show 5-5 in the blacks. Do you prefer to double or bid 1♠? Or have you something else in mind? What's your plan?

For High Card Point Fanatics, KD Joshi or something similar is a suitable system- doesn't make a good system but if you aren't sophisficated about hand evaluation and matching then its as good as any other. There are quite a few bridge players for which having 25 HCP means you must be in game or double opponents.

The importance of having the strong hand declare is overrated. It is something that some teachers tell the students in order motivate them to learn transfers. The main reason for playing transfers is that it allows responder to show more hand types. For example he can show an invitational hand with five hearts by transfering and then bidding 2NT. Or he can show a strong two-suited hand by transfering and then bidding a new suit. Or he can show a strong hand with one suit and a singleton by transfering and then jumping in the singleton suit. Those hands can't be shown if you play only stayman and otherwise natural methods. And additional advantage is that the 1NT opener gets to declare the contract but that is not so much because he is stronger (which he won't always be when playing weak NT). It is more because he has shorter trumps and therefore more likely to have side suit honours that need protections against the opening lead. Here responder had presumably slam interest so I suppose he could start with a forcing 3♠ bid. Then they could cuebid. But maybe he thought he could get the information across more accurately by using transfers. How did the auction go? On the other hand, if responder doesn't use transfers and simply bids 4♠ he has the advantage that less is known about his hand than would have been known about partner's hand if he used transfers. Also, transfers give opps the option of making lead directing doubles. In short, there are many pros and cons for using transfers and which of the two hands is stronger is probably not the most important issue.

im bidding 2D but am raising 2H to 3, I do have a good hand afterall

If, as you say GIB plays support DBL, then it should show 3 card ♥ support. One possibility is, perhaps support X do not apply thru 2♠ or perhaps not versus pre-empts, doesn't make much sense to me, but it's the best I can come up with.

wtf? Do you think B/I players are brain dead? Please don't do them the discourtesy of underestimating them.

Rounded to 100%

You may or may not have been wrong, but you were most definitely rude.

A successful line is not always correct. A correct line is not always successful.

May I have Unu over Unu? Treat 3NT as if it were 2NTUnu. 4C -> 4H stronger than immediate 4H. (Or if you will a Namyats in competition)

It's not the first round of bidding that boggles beginners, it's subsequent rounds. I'm a strong advocate of five card majors right off the bat for this reason. Responder can start looking for four-four major fits, while opener has the responsibility for most of the five-three fits. The system u suggest, with a short club instead of 4+ club, would do nicely -- no beginner has trouble finding a bid over 1 club... This is basically the Vienna Club, which i played for a while. It is surprisingly effective.

Rick is in my Fantasy Baseball League and if the match goes as his season has, you are a cinch. I'll tune in, sounds like fun.

OK, pretty quick and pretty decisive concensus. Now I want to know: Do you 4H bidders think it is close? What kind of hand would be a min for the call? How do you evaluate the risk involved in this position? is it a matter of the normal 'now or forever hold my peace' theory over preempts? would you take the same action over 3S, or 4m (not namyattish)? what about 5m? Most of us don't have much opportunity to think about high level preempts, or to act over them, and I'm looking to learn something.... Regards and Happy Trails, Scott Needham Boulder, Colorado, USA

I'd double, this is potentially a great hand for hearts as well.

X. If they are to bid 5♦ they will do it even if you x or bid 4♥. The danger is to lose a slam since 4♥ is to be bid with hands not always strong but with a good quality ♥ suit. You only need ♣Axxxx to have a chance in 6.With AQxxx♣ in front the slam gets almost cold. If you bid 4♥ your pd will never know when you do it on this hand or with ♠xx ♥AQJxxxxx ♦x ♣xx. Beside that you conserve the chance to play 3ntx when his pd has a hand with who might stay in x. X for me.

So, the 2NT opening I assume is a 2-point range. In the auction 2NT-3♣// 3♦-3♠, opener basically has 2 ways to show ♥ and still play from his side: 4♣ and 4♥. If 4♣ is a super-accept for ♥ within a 2-point range, shouldn't this be showing strong controls rather than just a max? Therefore, the last-train meaning for 4♥ over 4♣ is less useful. Or, is it better to play that 4♥ over 3♠ shows poor controls, and 4♣ shows willingness for slam but not necessarily a great hand?

I would pass 1D. I abstain from part 2 because I just don't X 1D with this hand type ever, I'd rather pass then X and describe my shape well and try to guess about level later if it's spades. If 1D got passed out with opps vul I would be pretty happy, I am gonna go plus several hundred probably and we will very often not have game.

All the reading and practice in the world won't count for squat if you can't do it at the table. Go to every BIG tournament you can. My personal record was entering the Vanderbilt as the 104 seed out of 105 teams.

Mgoetze, go ahead and try to characterise 'simple' using your background in maths. Write down a few points and then compare a few systems and then come back and write a reply to this. Let us see how it goes.