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One of the regular posters on BBF (wank) was part of the Wolfson team that went on to win the 2019 Vanderbilt. Link here Well done, Alex. It'll be good to have you post some problems faced by you on BBF in the coming days & weeks.

It’s often bothered me the way politicians do this dog and pony show where they talk about individual people and then have a few beneficiaries of whatever program in th audience. Certainly I feel like statistics would be more convincing — pass gun laws because thousands of children die from guns every year in the US, not because Bob and Mary Smith lost their son to a shooter in Bumbleville Oregon... But both parties do this, and apparently it works to “personalize” the issues for voters who are perhaps less mathematically inclined. I’ve mostly learned to ignore it.

I think Larry Cohen has a good rule for opening borderline hands in fourth seat: If you're playing against two of the top players at your local club and expect to get slapped around in the auction/by defense, pass. If you're playing against a pair who will let you pick up a few extra tricks, will overbid to compete, or will not push your bidding too high, open.

I open. Little downside risk. Game is not out of the question. I have some defense. Partscores count, too.

If 3♥ would be weak and 7, A109xxxx is taken off the menu so partner won't be able to cash his suit, I will play him for Qx, A109xxx in the majors and play ♠7. If A109xxxx is possible, then it's a tougher decision, would be embarrassing to catch partner with void, A109xxxx, xxx, Hxx and find declarer makes 4 spades and 5 diamonds, I suppose for that reason should switch to the 9 and declarer still doesn't have 9 tricks.

what is N bidding on? air? if ♥K played from dummy then unblock Q

The usual way that this is taught is to transfer a king. But you still end up with a balanced 11-count with an ugly five-card suit and I don't want a diamond lead. If I do anything, I double. It is marginal, but it is possible that partner has a good hand and a club stack, so I double.

Kaplan and Sheinwold would never systematically open this hand non-vulnerable. Vulnerable they would not open a weak NT with 12 points unless it had 2 & 1/2 or more quick tricks. They were a great partnership, until Betty left her husband Sheinwold to marry Edgar Kaplan. 11.6 points according to Kaplan(KnR points).

Those who say yes "automatic" seem to have a short memory for the times opening this garbage has gone horribly wrong. I have certainly had some 100% results from passing this sort of hand, accompanied by rage from the 4th seater who says "everyone opens that hand!" (chuckle, chuckle, I didn't). Either partner has a good hand and carries you to a bad 3NT.. "oh unlucky partner, going down in a balanced 24 count", or opps have 4/4 spades and neither opens or partner has garbage and you go 300 off. As another responder has said, you need overall statistics, not just the memory of occasional triumph!

Thinking of balancing over 1♣ with diamonds reminds me of the story in his book on balancing reported that he had balanced with an intermediate 2♦ overcall(minimum opening bid strength with a good 6+ card suit), the opponents found their major fit, bid slam, made 7, and debated in the post mortem who was responsible for not bidding the grand. While the spade ace in this hand is probably good enough to set a grand, an opposing slam is possible, an opposing game is only slightly rare, a switch from a losing part score contract to a better result common, and also your partner may overbid. I would pass. Incidentally, Lawrence's jump overcall was quite proper.

I think that any of the following bids is reasonable and would not fault partner for choosing Pass Double 1♦

More questions about the mental health of Dennison Tim Apple. Oranges. German Dad. Mental Health Experts Warn That Trump Is Losing It. Problems with apples, oranges, etc. A lot of people think Dennison is bananas.

I would pass also.

I would open but I wouldn't like it.

thanks. i played well in the sf and qf. i made 2 absolutely pathetic declarer play errors in the final though (plus other stuff i got wrong less unreasonably). the qf was the biggest game i'd ever played in my life at that point. so obv the final was huge. i couldn't sleep the night before with nerves, excitement or whatever. then i played far too quickly and made these 2 stupid mistakes. that was probably the nerves as well. eventually when we won there was no feeling of elation. it was all relief and i felt emotionally drained. if i'm lucky i'll be in the same position again one day and it won't be as intense.