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[citation needed] studies suggest even infants prefer their own race.

I think that would make all the difference. His stated line ensures that you could not have won a diamond trick. Without that qualifier, it would be consistent with the claim for him to play a low one next. It's not even that rare for players to do that - give up a trick early that they think they have to lose.

Great article in the Dallas Morning News this AM about how Townes Van Zandt wrote Pancho and Lefty amidst Graham's 1972 "Explo". https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2018/02/22/howbilly-graham-closed-dallas-co-wrote-townes-van-zandts-pancho-lefty

Here is a key difference, for this discussion, between 16 and 70. Someone who is 40 expects, or at least hopes, that he will someday be 70. He does not expect to someday be 16, even if he did see Peggy Sue Got Married. There is thus no way in hell that we will be voting to exclude 70 year-olds from voting. Perhaps you are willing to agree to give up your vote when you are 70, perhaps Cherdano is, but imagine it being put to a popular vote. It might get 27 votes. I don't mean 27%, I mean 27 votes. It won't happen. I think we almost octogenarians bring a few things to the table. For one thing, we are very aware that at times in the past we have been wrong. But another thing, for those of us who have had a good life, we really do hope we can help to pass along a prosperous and secure country to future generations. I recognize that I do not always see things clearly. I also recognize that people who see things differently from me might have a few blind spots of their own.

I can't believe this thread. Yes you don't want to splinter "because splintering with an A is bad". Did you actually look at the hand? Splintering with an ace can be bad because KQ from partner can provide useful discards, yet he will devalue them. NOT ON THIS HAND! ♦KQ will indeed be completely worthless, since we don't have any pitches to make when playing in any spade contract. And somehow it's supposed to be better to show your diamond shortness by bidding 1H-3C-4S than to just show it with a splinter. And no, those who assume 1H-1S-3C denies 4 spades are not "less astute". There is a reason this style of delayed raises went out of fashion among top players about 30 years ago - jump shift auctions in standard are quite loaded already, and adding yet another hand type to them makes them even worse. But the top mark goes to Nigel who ranks 2♣ and 3♠ but not 4♠, with a hand that wants to be in game opposite ♠Kxxxx and out.

Yes, but nevertheless SB was in a worse position than he would have been if the COOT did not happen, even before he called. If he bids, this is technically an opening bid, but semantically an overcall. But there are usually no methods agreed for this kind of overcall. A nice idea for example would be to bid 1♠, showing takeout of ♠. But how can he know that partner would interpret it like this? Would double by North now be a comparable call or not? And if North passes, there is some risk that tt on the East seat might pass, too, without bothering to consider the auction carefully? If West bids 1nt, does this promise a ♠ stopper or not? There is a lot of potential damage for E/W from the start, and the law refuses to compensate for this in case of a non-comparable call, other than silencing South for one round (not clear which side will find this to be helpful). However, I agree with the majority here that Law 12B1 is only descriptive and does not authorize the TD do make an adjustment. Law 12A1 grants an authorization, but only if the infraction in question is not covered by any Law. This is not the case here - BOOT in handled by Law 31, and this mentions explicitly the Laws 16C, 26B and 72C. This means that Law 23C applies only in case of a comparable call. We see the same principle implemented in Law 27 (insufficient bid), so this is wanted by the lawmakers and not an accidental effect.

Wow the benching of our foreign minister was noticed? Incredible! We didn’t notice we were too worried with our 500 m star crashing in training,leading to a speed skating event with no Dutch medals. Should be rules against that really... Anyway, Buma gone, Zuma gone, pretty good week! Trump we don’t care about. After all he is only president of less than 5% of “not Netherlands”. Which btw is way behind us in the medal table and according to 538 only wins in circus attractions not real winter sports :-)