mr1303

I think people are mis understanding my comment here. I would like to clarify my position. I do not tell my partner anything that can unfairly assist him in his play of the hand. All I do is tell him things like "That shows 16+ HCP" (if he reverses) or something similar. Or "I'm only guaranteeing 2 diamonds by that 1D opening" Firstly, most of the time I play online with friends of mine, who I am quite happy for them to discuss in a similar fasion. Secondly, my regular playing partners are not advanced players, and I wish to help them learn this great game of ours. Thirdly I don't take any pleasure in setting opponents by 1100 over a bidding misunderstanding. I'd like to think that other people feel the same way about this. If after reading this, people still feel that I am cheating, then I will stop doing this. However I do not feel I am hurting anyone by my actions, and at least I can say I am honest about it, and do not do it to gain an unfair advantage

There are a few of my friends from university who play on here. Yes I have their hotmail addresses etc, and yes I occasionally discuss bridge hands whilst I'm playing. 1) I never do this when playing a tournament. 2) Our discussion does not consist of "The King is singleton and offside" or anything similar Is this "cheating"? I disagree. I don't see anything wrong with discussing bidding conventions, or attempting to improve the play of my partner. The main bridge club isn't ruthless competitive bridge.

Hand 1: 3NT Jump to 3NT shows a long running minor and a stopper in opps suit, exactly what you have. Hand 2, if 3D is forcing to game (as opposed to 1 round force), 4D, setting trumps and asking for a cue. 6D looks to have excellent chances if he has the ace of spades, AK of hearts and diamond K, and 5 diamonds must surely be safe opposite a strong 1NT. Hand 3, 5D! Occasionally right to raise on a void. By the way, 2H and 3H were fine, showing your exact distribution. Partner should not rebid on this way without long strong diamonds. If he has rubbish kick him under the table later.

My pet hate about directing tournaments is that no-one EVER seems to be happy. Directing a tournament is hard work, and requires the patience of a saint, and no-one seems to understand that. For example, yesterday I had several people message me several times about how he had been unfairly booted from the tournament. I told him that I hadn't excluded anyone (on this particular occasion) for rude behaviour, and so if I had removed him, it was due to poor connection, as generally if anyone asks me for a sub, I do substitute. He then proceded to tell me that this reason wasn't good enough, and wanted another! I ignored him from this point on. The next guy was also complaining about how he'd been booted and hadn't had any connection difficulties. This one had been excluded from the tournament because it was a survivor, and he'd been knocked out. Not to mention all the whinging about adjustments.

I only have one wish For people to read the description of the tournament I post. I set up an Acol tournament. One pair played Acol in it. I set up a tournament for those who were playing previously before a crash You can imagine the problems I had

I disagree that it is a breach of bridge ettiquette to say wdp if your partner makes a contract through misdefence. If I make a contract, be it through good luck or good play, I would like my efforts to be acknowledged by my partner, and would consider it ruder for my efforts to be ignored. Especially so, if either I or my partner had overbid (as happens fairly frequently), and we knew we'd overbid, then knowing that your partner was not angry at your bidding relaxes you, and enables you to play well on the next board. There are times in a new partnership, where I have said wdp, even when the contract was cold and the play simple, and my partner has told me not to say such things as they are "insulting" to the opponents. I certainly do not feel relaxed in this situation, and generally do not play for much longer at the table. If people take offence to comments such as well done, there are plenty worse things that someone could say that are more worth taking offence about. Mark

I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one. Maybe due to different styles. I would have no problems opening 1NT (12-14) on something like Ax Kx QJ10xx Kxxx Where opposite a 5-5 hand 3NT may well be the best place to play.l For invitational/GF 5-4 I use stayman, and over 2D bid 2H/S if inv and 3H/S if GF. I've never had any difficulties playing it this way, and so see no reason to change.

I've never seen any use for 2NT as a natural non-forcing bid to a weak 2, but you should at least discuss what it does mean with your partner. Ogust is a straight forward response if you tend to bid all sorts of rubbish as weaks 2s, but if you're disciplined a feature ask may be better. E.g. if you can always expect KQJxxx in openers hand, or something similar, asking for a singleton or void may a better method. Another point to remember is not to bid on with a misfitting 13 count 3NT is very unlikely to make if you have a small singleton opposite partner's weak 2, so a bid of 3NT should be based on Kx support AT THE VERY LEAST.

Number 1, it does remove an escape if you use stayman on a hand like this: SQxxx Hxxx Dxxxxx Cx Playing a weak NT, hands like this come up often enough to be able to use garbage stayman. Number 2, I prefer to use this sequence as a slam try in clubs. Presumably in order to use it as extended stayman, you need to be 5-5 in the majors. I use transfers in this situation 1NT 2H 2S 3H is GF 5-5 1NT 2D 2H 2S is invitational 5-5 A bid of 2NT/3NT after these sequences by 1NT opener suggests that the 1NT may have been slightly off center. Mark

In my experience the problem is not the lack of young people playing the game, but the stereotype. Most non bridge people assume that bridge is for the "nearly dead" to quote a few of my friends, despite the fact that several young celebrities play, including Radiohead, Clive Anderson, Martina Navratilova etc (source: Christine Duckworth, EBU education services manager). However, the situation in the UK is not nearly as bad as you seem to think it is. I'm strongly involved in (British) university bridge, and amongst the top universities, the skill level is up there. Maybe not world class, but we'd give most advanced/expert players a good game. I've also noticed that there are a lot of young (under 25) players using BBO. As far as I'm concerned, this has to be a good thing. Mark Reeve General Secretary University of Bristol Bridge Club

Ah yes, the good old overuse of Blackwood. Here was one I had today 1S 2H(not game forcing, but at least encouraging 3C(definitely game forcing, shows a hand that would have jump rebid) 3S (4th suit, not sure where we're going) 3NT (predictable) 4NT (showing extra values, definitely not Blackwood) 5S (This looks like a 3 aces response) 6NT (Might as well, we're not missing any aces) Partner explained to me that he thought 4NT was RKCB for the previous suit bid, clubs. Despite being off an ace, 6NT came in with a lot of jam. By the way, 2nd one definitely to play, 1st one RKCB if not agreed, but could well be natural.

Last night I was co-directing a survivor tournament. On the last board, person A bid 4NT (I forget how the rest of the auction went) and proceded to explain to the table that it was asking for aces. Note, this was not to the opponents, but to the whole table so his/her partner could reply. From the opponents complaint, this was explanation took place about 20/30 seconds after the bid had been made, and the partner then proceded to bid 5C. What was the correct decision to make in this situation? I asked a yellow, who told me not to worry about it and let play continue, but the opponents were not happy with this.

Without previous agreement, I would always take this to be Blackwood of some sorts (whichever agreed), but there is a very good case for that to have some other meaning. Having said that, it is always risky bidding without a known fit at the 5 level.

From my experience the main difficulty is deciding what the score should be adjusted to. I have had several arguments over my decision to adjust scores. I find that players are not too bothered over the odd overtrick, but a redoubled slam is very contentious. Any suggestions as to how to make this easier? I like to think that I could spot most reasonable plays by looking at the movie.

When its clear that it is is misclick, then I will always grant. It isn't sporting to take advantage of a clear misclick. That example of redoubling when you clearly didn't want to double just causes bad feeling in what is supposed to be a friendly match

This is a problem though, especially for us international users without credit cards, or friends who have them. Would debit cards be accetable, such as Switch or Delta (for us British people) or Maestro? I must confess that I would be reluctant to send a cheque (thats how we spell it over here) to America

I've just completed a speed bridge tournament, when I limited to 16 pairs, at 4 mins a board. Unfortunately, I couldn't get the boards done in time, and most were given averages. What would be a better time? I still want the pressure of being against the clock.

I've just been playing in a board where an attempted sac against a cold 6H went 5 off for -1100. If it had gone 4 off, which it nearly did, it would have been very close to a top. One of the opponents said that it was bad judgement (which it was) and my bidding was stupid (which it wasn't and I considered extremely rude), and I was very close to booting for this. Would this have been justified?

I also have a question. Some tournaments are organised for several days in advance. How is this done? I have an option for the number of minutes in advance, but my maths isn't that brilliant, so calculating the number of minutes in 5 days is something I'd rather not do.

On hand 1, pass. When making a vulnerable overcall, you need something like an opening hand. This hand is about minimum for an overcall when vul. Hence, you've told your story already. Surely best to leave any further action to partner. Hand 2, one diamond. If you open 2C, then partner will strongly overvalue AQxxxx in Spades. Playing weak 2s, this hand isn't quite strong enough. An acol 2D would be suitable though. Hand 3, vulnerable at teams, bid 4S. Remember you've forced partner to bid, and he could have nothing. Anything else is an overbid

I'm currently playing in the Precision tourney, in a 16 board unclocked event. I've been here for 2 hours, and I'm still haven't finished the 12th board. I know the idea of unclocked matches is to allow everyone to take the time, but I think this is going too far. How does everyone else feel about the speed of unclocked events?

There is a convention I play whereby a jump to 3C shows the other two suits, highest and lowest. Thus I possess the ability to show exactly where my two suits are, by using either a Michael's (two highest), Unusual NT (two lowest, or a 3C jump (other two). I much prefer this than a weak jump overcall in clubs, although by partnership agreement a 2C overcall could be more distributional based rather than point count based, and with a 7 card suit we go to the 4 level.

Is Voidwood exclusion RKCB? If so, what would the responses be?