
wodahs
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Mobile app 5.0.6 feedback thread
wodahs replied to diana_eva's topic in Suggestions for the Software
Thanks. Terrific Android app. I do wish though that I could adjust the audio - - - with the tablet volume controls I cannot turn down, or off, the swishing sounds of the cards being played (in hand diagram mode). Maybe I'm missing something. Android 6.0, if that matters. -
I was curious myself, so did a quick and dirty double-dummy sim. For what it is worth: North has 16 balanced, South 9 balanced. Contract is 3NT. North makes 60.7% of the time, making average tricks of 8.76. South makes 58.6%, with 8.69 trick average. That's about a 3-4% edge (to making the contract), as defended and played by Deep Finesse.
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I have Android tablets. Tablet Old was running the older version, Tablet New the newer one. On Tablet Old, I used an apk extractor (thanks Google Play Store) and extracted the BBO apk to Dropbox. On Tablet New I uninstalled the newer version, then I used an apk installer (thanks again Play Store) to reinstall the old version. So I'm now running the older version on both tablets yeahhhh.
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I'm having trouble liking the new version, although wish I could. I use it on tablets, in landscape orientation, primarily for kibbing. When in landscape orientation, the new version loses too much 'viewing' window to the advertisement running along the top, and the header or whatever it is called ... Teamgame Table 1 etc. I'd say 25% of the screen is taken up by those two items .. they overwhelm. There, I just measured it. The 10" diagonal screens I am watching are ~ 8.5" wide by 5" high. The 5" height loses 1.25" to those two top items. I understand you need the ads, but it would be a big improvement if the ad area could be shrunk slightly, and maybe a smaller fontsize used on the Teamgame Table 1 etc. Or maybe they could be run alongside each other, and not on top of one another. It might not be as much of an issue on a 4x3 tablet. The problem mostly goes away in portrait orientation. It loses the same 1.25", but applied to a 10" height, is much less intrusive. I hate to ask, but Is there any way to back out of 4.1, and reinstall 3.91?
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Need Help to Type Suit Symbols
wodahs replied to captyogi's topic in General Bridge Discussion (not BBO-specific)
A few years ago I got real ambitious and used a font maker to add suit symbols to a traditional keyboard. Spade symbol was assigned to '[', or whatever. Google for open source freebie font makers. Your new 'bridge fonts' can be used in Word, or most other similar programs. <br><br>Alternatively you could write a Word macro, and even color your fonts if that seems useful. -
Best T-Walsh Defense?
wodahs replied to mgoetze's topic in General Bridge Discussion (not BBO-specific)
I like X = takeout of their major, then everything else is transfers. Use the bidding space they opened up to your advantage. So after (1D), then X = takeout of hearts, 1H = spades, 1S = whatever you want a cuebid of 2C to be, 2C = diamonds, transfers as high as you want to go. Leave 1NT out of the transfer ladder if natural, it has positional value. -
(1C)-1S-(2C)-X What should it mean?
wodahs replied to steve2005's topic in Non-Natural System Discussion
I like playing transfers there, with X = diamonds, 2♦ = hearts, 2♥ = constructive raise, 2♠ = competing. That's very useful when responder puts some pressure on with a (3♣) or (4♣). The problem of course is potentially missing a 4-4 heart fit. To minimize that chance, we tend to X instead of overcall with most (54)xx hands, and we play Raptor so if partner has shown a minor, say here (1♥) 2♦ (2♥), not having overcalled 1NT he will rarely have 4 spades. -
We use transfers in any generic position where (1) three suits have been bid, and we've bid one of them (2) double is a legal call. Transfers begin with X. Notrump bids are natural. If partner has bid (the more common occurrence), transfers end with the suit below his. If partner has not bid, transfers end with the suit below my rebid. When partner has bid, the first eligible position is the Snapdragon position, and you end up with a kind of Transfer Snapdragon. After say (1♣) 1♥ (1♠), then X = transfer cuebid here, usually limit raise or better 1NT = natural 2♣ = diamonds 2♦ = constructive raise 2♥ = junk raise You always get a 2nd raise, but depending on the suits involved, you might not get a transfer into the unbid suit. After (1♣) 1♠ (2♥), then X = constructive raise 2♠ = junk raise The second eligible position is the Support X spot, and you get a kind of Transfer Support X. After say 1♦ (P) 1♥ (1♠), then X = clubs 1NT = natural 2♣ = transfer cuebid 2♦ = constructive raise 2♥ = junk raise Here is the third position. I will stop here, but the positions keep going. After (1♣) 1♦ (P) 1♥; (2♣), then X = diamond rebid (this is very powerful) 2♦ = better than minimum raise 2♥ = minimum raise If partner has not bid, the structure looks like this. After 1♦ (1♥) P (1♠), then X = clubs 2♣ = better than a minimum rebid 2♦ = minimum rebid We also use transfers here (1♣) 1♠ (2♣), then X = diamonds 2♦ = hearts 2♥ = constructive 2♠ = junk To mitigate the loss of a responsive double here, we play Raptor and we double with most (54)xx hands, so partner is unlikely to have the unbid M.
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Factory reset also worked for my Nexus 10. Make sure you are well backed up though, and I'm running into some things that didn't fully recover properly.
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As a half-assed workaround, you can kind of use the browser version of BBO, if you use the Puffin browser (which kind of supports Flash). I say 'half-assed' because I can only kibitz anonymously because Puffin won't let me sign in as a member. However if you only want to kibitz, you might give it a try. Puffin is available on the Play Store.
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Ditto Nexus 10 dammit. Here is a discussion about how one might restore back to KitKat.
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support doubles through ?
wodahs replied to movingon's topic in General Bridge Discussion (not BBO-specific)
I use a wrinkle that you might call Transfer Support Doubles. You can use this method through levels higher than 2♥. You begin a transfer ladder with double. The transfers continue through the suit below partner's. Auction proceeds 1♦ (P) 1♠ (2♣); then X = diamond rebid 2♦ = heart reverse 2♥ = "good" spade raise 2♠ = "lesser" raise This is a simple reorganizing of the traditional Support Double responses, but it creates transfer suit(s). In this sequence, you might make "good" raise = 4-trumps and "lesser" raise = 3 trumps. For sequences that force the raise to the 3+ level, you use the same structure but redefine "good" and "lesser". Auction proceeds, say, 1♣ (1♥) 1♠ (3♥); then X = "good" raise 3♠ = minimum raise You might defined "good" here as, say, 14+ with 4 trumps, so partner knows you are stronger than a courtesy raise. You might even define "good" = unlimited, and continue to describe your hand after partner "rejects" your transfer invitation with a simple return to 3♠. Another example 1♣ (2♦) 2♠ (3♦); then X = heart reverse 3♥ = good raise 3♠ = minimum raise Compared to standard Support X, you sometimes gain a transfer into a suit or two (depends on the suits involved, see the 2nd example). That transfer opportunity is fabulous. And you can use the same structure at higher levels. You can use the structure even if you don't like Support X ... in the 1st example "good" = 14+ (even unlimited) with 4 trumps, and "lesser" raise = minimum 4 trumps support. There is a disadvantage. In the 1st example, the 3-trump raise is 2♠. Using standard Support Double, the 3-trump raise is X, which gives the partnership more bidding space to investigate a better contract. -
We've played them for 2-3 years, but starting the transfers at XX, and leaving 1NT = normal, because 1NT has some positional value. So 1♥ (X); then XX = spades 1♠ = clubs 1NT = normal 2♣ = diamonds 2♦ = 'good' single heart raise, say constructive 2♥ = annoyance We also use them after partner overcalls, say (1♦) 1♠ (X); then XX = clubs 1NT = normal 2♣ = transfer cue, usually a limit raise+ (distinguish from 3♦ with pard, maybe 3♦ shows a 4-fit) 2♦ = hearts (unlikely here) 2♥ = good single spade raise 2♠ = junk We also use a similar system in most auctions after any three suits have been bid, we have bid one of them, and double is a legal call. You lose whatever you now use 'X' for, but you gain a single raise and in many cases, a suit transfer. Transfers start with X, and (if partner has bid) end with the suit below partner's suit, or (if partner has passed) end with your rebid. First eligible position is 'snapdragon' position say (1♦) 1♥ (2♣); then X = transfer cue 2♦ = constructive 2♥ = junk So that often evolves to Transfer Snapdragon. Those particular bids don't produce a suit transfer, but (1♦) 1♠ (2♣); then X = transfer cue 2♦ = hearts 2♥ = constructive 2♠ = junk At opener's rebid, the system evolves to Transfer Support X, say 1♣ (P) 1♠ (2♦); then X = hearts 2♥ = good raise (in Support X fashion, you might equate 'good' = 4-raise) 2♠ = bad raise (maybe 3-raise) You can play those Transfer Support X beyond the usual Support X range (probably with both raises showing 4-fits), say 1♣ (1♠) 2♥ (2♠); then X = club rebid 2NT = normal 3♣ = diamond reverse 3♦ = good heart raise in context, better than 3♥ = competing These positions can arise deep in an auction ... here is one analogous to Maximal Doubles. (1♦) P (1♥) X; (2♥) 2♠ (3♥) then X = stronger spade raise than 3♠ And if partner has not bid, you gain a very powerful self-transfer situation say 1♦ (1♥) P (1♠); then X = clubs 1NT = normal 2♣ = self-transfer strong rebid (maybe equivalent of normal 3♣ jump) 2♦ = normal rebid We also use them when partner has overcalled and opener's suit is raised say (1♣) 1♥ (2♣); then X = diamonds 2♦ = solid heart raise 2♥ = competing You lose responsive doubles here, so we're careful when we overcall 1♥, not to also hold four spades (we'll find some excuse to making a takeout double instead). The system is very useful when the opps pre-empt say (1♦) 1♠ (3♦) where a standard raise to 3♠ has a wide range; X = hearts 3♥ = solid spade raise in context 3♠ = competing
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If you play support doubles, here is a wrinkle, a reorganization, that transfer fans might enjoy. Transfers start with Double. Say the auction has been 1♦ (P) 1♠ (2♣); now X = diamond rebid 2♦ = heart reverse 2♥ = good raise (say here, four trumps) 2♠ = bad raise (say here, three trumps) You could switch up 2♥ and 2♠, but usually the 'better' raise is the transfer into the trump suit. And if you didn't want or need the ability to show a three-card raise, you could use the raises 2♥ and 2♠ to show two strengths of four-card raises at a nice low level. The 2♦ transfer heart reverse is very handy, with a very weak responder being able to tell partner "I'd really love to be able to stop here" by accepting the transfer. You won't always benefit from the transfer effect, depending on the suits bid. Here 1♣ (P) 1♠ (2♥), there are only the two raises: X = good raise 2♠ = bad raise
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We play transfers there, starting with Double. X = clubs 2NT = natural 3C = good+ diamond raise 3D = junk raise So 3C it is
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I'd prefer to keep the low-level good raise (the cue-raise), but I see your point. When responder passes, I'd love to play Rubens Advances, but partner keeps missing them, sooooooooo ... I suppose you could include both constructive and limit in the 2H raise, with an increased risk of getting too high.
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I'd prefer to keep the low-level good raise (the cue-raise), but I see your point. When responder passes, I'd love to play Rubens Advances, but partner keeps missing them, sooooooooo ... I suppose you could include both constructive and limit in the 2H raise, with an increased risk of getting too high.
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I'd prefer to keep the low-level good raise (the cue-raise), but I see your point. When responder passes, I'd love to play Rubens Advances, but partner keeps missing them, sooooooooo ... I suppose you could include both constructive and limit in the 2H raise, with an increased risk of getting too high.
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I'd prefer to keep the low-level good raise (the cue-raise), but I see your point. When responder passes, I'd love to play Rubens Advances, but partner keeps missing them, sooooooooo ... I suppose you could include both constructive and limit in the 2H raise, with an increased risk of getting too high.
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That's an excellent position to build a transfer ladder, in which case XX =spades 1S = clubs = cue-raise 1NT = natural 2C = diamonds 2D = constructive heart raise 2H = junk raise
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Was updated Jan 20, 2014. The older version was terrific on my Google Nexus 10 HD tablet (2560x1600), and just a teeny bit hard to read on my 4.5" HD phone. The new version is a little easier to read on my phone so hurrrahhh! However on the tablet, the graphics have deteriorated somewhat. On the playing screen the lettering is stretched horizontally (pictures of cards OFF) and doesn't seem as crystal clear as on the older version. Also I preferred the larger chat area on the older version. My vote would be to keep the older version for the tablet, and use the newer version for the phone.
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When in doubt, run, and be in doubt a lot. Oh and use a system that gives the opps many chances to rescue you, which is why I like to use a XX forces Pass system. In my experience, opps are more likely to double if they have trump tricks, instead of just on power, so when scrambling it is preferable to have as many honour tricks as possible in the scramble suit. With something really horrible like xxx xxx KJT xxxx I think your best chance for them to rescue you might be to pretend you have a diamond suit.
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Bridge World Magazine
wodahs replied to mike777's topic in General Bridge Discussion (not BBO-specific)
The internet is killing BW, sadly. I took a look at their subscription numbers (they publish them late in the year) a few months back, and circulation has been in a nosedive for the past few years. -
Simple raise? (1D) 1S (2H) ??? - IMPs Red v White
wodahs replied to WesleyC's topic in Expert-Class Bridge
You might consider using Transfer Doubles in that position. In that auction (1♦) 1♠ (2♥) ??, Double would show a good raise (constructive, say) and 2♠ just noise. If the auction had been (1♦) 1♠ (2♣); then Double = transfer into cuebid = limit raise+, 2♦ = hearts, 2♥ = constructive raise, 2♠ = noise. -
Psyching and enjoyment
wodahs replied to EricK's topic in General Bridge Discussion (not BBO-specific)
I think 'strength' psyches have lost much of their effectiveness (assuming they had any) in the past few years what with 9- and 10- point openings, responding with air, etc. They just get ignored. 'Length' psyches still pack some punch but partner should never be sniffing them out more often than the opps ...