doclands

The BBO client not only reads in the pbn file but it also creates an lin file with all of the hands in it as soon as you open up the pbn file! I use this all the time to convert pbn files produced by my own hand generation programmes so that I can use them on BBO for partnership bidding practice. It is stored next to your original pbn file, with the same name but the lin extension.

Hi guys Are there any analysis programmes out there? I know that Deep Finnesse can tell me what can be made double dummy and how for a given hand but that is as far as I get. The more involved the better. If you do know of any programmes, or other things that Deep Finnesse does, what sort of things do they do? A few posts on this forum have mentioned 'running an analysis' - what was meant by this? Many thanks doclands

I'm interested in suggestions as to style in the following type of situation : you have agreed a minor at the 3-level and are in a game forcing position. What do you play a new suit at the 3-level as and why? - a cue (shows extra values) - a stop (says nothing about values - could be either (doesn't show extra values unless 3N gets removed???) We currently play the latter but find that it was always a cue and the lack of knowledge of extra values can cause problems.

We've played Keri for several years and find it much preferable to Stayman etc. Those passing after 1N - 2♣ - 2♦ - 2M should be bidding 2N more often and only passing suitable hands - the idea isn't to pass whenever you are minimum and have 3cd support! We even play the Keri 2♣ sequences after a 1N rebid. Lots of pluses and few minuses. It does help that neither of us plays with any other partner in real life! Cheers doclands

Hi I use Keri over 1N. 1N - 2C (forces 2D and creates several uses for a lot of bids) 2D (forced) - 2N (GF) 3C = no 5cd M and not 4333 of any sort (now 3D asks for 4cd M and 3M shows 5cd M) 3D = 4333 (any 4) 3M = 5cd M I will do a fairly full keri if it is wanted but I am going on holiday for 3 weeks so it will have to be later. I have to analyse countless hands from county teams matches played by our teams of 8 and time after time they lose out by not using Stayman on 4333 when partner opens 1N. I often do 40-48 boards for 3 teams of 8, so 12 pairs so I get a lot of feedback and that is my experience. I know some will disagree but that is what is great about bridge :lol:

Your question was when not to use Stayman. A common failing is to not use Stayman when you are 4333 - failing to realise that partner doesn't have to be 4333 as well - more usually partner will be 4432 and the extra trick and trump control is there. If you have a system which can find whether partner is 4333 then use it and play in 3N when both hands are 4333. Also I suggest you think of playing in 3N when you are 5332 and partner is 4333 and you have a 5-3 fit - but play in 4M if it is the 5-4 fit. Does point count come into the equation and very poor trump suit and soft and hard values - of course - nobody said Stayman was easy :). Good rule of thumb - always play in your 8 card major fit unless you are both 4333 or 5332 opposite 4333 unless you have an extremely good reason for not doing so. One hand being 4333 is not a good enough reason, but unfortunately many think that it is, sadly including many of our county team players ;)

Hmmm - hate to say this, but the line looks routine which makes me a ) a genius b ) an idiot c ) psychic

Well the auctions show (i) 2 places to play (but not the minors) so ♠ and a Minor (ii) the minors ( I am not allowed to use ( followed by b followed by ) lol - it produces a funny face). I have an identity crisis - who am I bidding 4♥ if pard opened 3♥ seems normal so I am therefore not the partner of the 3♥ opener. 4♣ or gambling with 3N if the bidding has gone (3♥) - p - (p) - to me ... so I am not the doubler Perhaps I pulled out the 3♥ card by mistake and I am the opener ;) I need another drink lol.

Many thanks inquiry - problem solved! :D

Thanks inquiry, I looked at that and can load a pbn but no way to save it - or am I missing something?

Hi guys Is there a bpn to lin file converter? I have scoured the net but failed, with the exception of a DOS based programme. I have a programme for generating hands with the parameters I need - 100 hands instantly with fanunes opening bid etc. etc. great ! but I wrote it to produce a final pbn file. If I want to use handsets for teaching purposes or bidding practice purposes on BBO I need to be able to change them into lin format. Any help appreciated. I suppose I could write a programme to do this as well but the format is quite messy, so no point in re-inventing the wheel if someone has already done it :) Cheers doclands

2C*- x - p - 2S END * natural 11-15 and good 6cd suit (not a totally unreasonable pairs auction) OR 1C - p - 2C - x p -2S END (again not an unreasonable pairs auction) I like the post - good to see a more unusual topic :rolleyes:

I dble = any game try - or a hand I don't know what to do on lol (plus I play Lebensohl). Nothing is perfect but I prefer to eliminate as many guessing situations as possible. John Armstrong used to say, get your own hands sorted out first and use anything left to try and get a penalty - but there's usually not much left lol.

This post is why bridge is such a great game - lots of different views, which people believe are the right ones, or at least sensible ones - but more importantly these are views that people have thought about. How many different bridge paths have we all come along to get where we are today :)

One thing, which my comments were based on, appears to have possibly been missed. This was described as a club game with and expert partner - also my comment as to whether the original poster was also an expert was intended as trying to obtain necessary info to give an informed comment, not intended as criticising the post or poster (I now have a little pink warn thing which I don't thing was there before :)) If this is indeed two experts playing in a club game then it is an unnecessary risk IMO because of the two doubletons. By the way, what are the little pink 'warn' things?