mr1303

Well, following a good few years in the wilderness (really since Winter 2005) England finally look like they're getting their act together, since Kevin Pietersen became captain. Since the team isn't drastically different from the team that looked fairly poor against New Zealand, what exactly is KP's secret?

The trouble is (as I see it) is that master points seem to be available to either a) players with a lot of money or b ) players who have played for a very long period. Either way, they see themselves as superior (and certain competitions are based upon this) than those who are a) poor (like me) or b ) haven't played for very long (relatively)(like me). I know of one person of authority in the EBU who made several statements along the line of "I'm a good player, I have the masterpoints to prove it!" which he used to belittle any argument I came up with against him.

1H for now. This heart suit is good enough to search for a fit. What I do after that depends on what partner bids next.

About the whole "Vul @ IMPs" thing, surely partner knows it's Vul @ IMPs as well. Game try for me.

From another point of view: You hold [hv=s=sqxxhxdaxxckqjxxx]133|100|[/hv] The idea is that this is a hand that would be happy making a lead directional double of 3C (or bidding 3C over 2S) but not bidding at the 4 level. You are in 4th chair, and the bidding goes 1S P 3C (alert) to you. Assume for the moment that double of a Bergen mixed raise is for take-out of spades, but lead directional for most other meanings of 3C. At this point, you do not know what 3C means. You do not have a position that you always ask about alerted calls. What should you do? There are a number of options as I see it. 1) Double without asking what 3C is 2) Ask what 3C is. If it turns out to be a mixed raise, pass and accept that partner will not be able to lead a club for UI reasons. 3) Ask what 3C is. If it turns out to be a mixed raise, double anyway and accept the bad score you'll get when partner bids hearts. 4) Ask what 3C is. If it turns out to be a mixed raise, bid 4C and accept the bad score you'll get when dummy hits with not very much and you are too high. Any thoughts?

Some people out there care about finishing 19th or 20th in a Green Point event (EBU land) if they win a couple of matches and therefore green points. No doubt there is something similar in ACBL land and other parts of the world. Do you care? Please discuss.

Despite having 15 HCP, I really dislike 1NT. These days I'm much more of the 16-18 school of 1NT openers, having been murdered in 1NT X far too often. With a tenuous spade stopper, flat distribution and no real trick source, 1NT looks very wrong. My personal view is that double vs pass is very much a 50:50 proposition. Whilst game does make, this requires South to have exactly Kx of clubs (or stiff K). Therefore you have found a fairly odds against game, that most of the time will lead to -100

If partner has a normal opening hand with a small singleton heart, game is not looking remotely good unless partner has significant extra values. That is what tends me to look towards 2H rather than 3.

This sounds like one of those bids I wouldn't make since I wouldn't be sure what it would be, and equally I wouldn't know what to do with the answer. Theoretically I like it to be encouraging for diamonds but not as strong as an out-and-out cue-bid (and so therefore more encouraging than 5D). However I've never had a partnership agreement on something like this.

Presumably people presume that 2H is at least semi-natural, thus making a raise to 3H natural-esque as well? Otherwise I see 3H as some sort of 4th suit bid, which looks good to me as it keeps game in 3 strains alive (3NT, 5C and 5D). Or am I sounding like Ken Rexford?

College for me was where I took some drugs, drank a lot of alcohol, played a lot of bridge and dated a lot of women. Somehow I ended up with a degree at the end of it.

After 2S X 4S, do we X on partner's hand? Is X here penalty, or convertable take-out? If I knew that X from partner was 2 trump tricks and an AKQ on the side, I would pass, but expecting it to be take-out ish I pulled and went for -500

6C should make at least some of the time. Leading the unsupported ace of diamonds isn't exactly obvious.

I was going to vote Ken Rexford as well, until I saw the vul. 4H is too much at this vul so will be happy with 3H. Any other vul 4H looks good to me.

Do you mean weak 4-4 in majors, or weak 4+ 4+ in majors. This seems to be a significant difference. If the agreement is that the 2D opening shows exactly 4-4 in the majors AND CANNOT BE LONGER THAT THIS then I think there is more scope for a misinformation ruling, since bidding now becomes a lot more ropey as there is much less guarantee of a fit. South has bid as though he expected 4D to be a safe run-out if doubled in 3NT knowing that West was likely to be short in diamonds. If the agreement for 2D is a major 2 suiter, showing AT LEAST 4 cards in each major (and 4-4 is possible) then I agree this is sour grapes.

If I'm me, I bid 4H. I allow points for good declarer play. If I'm you, I pass and hope I don't get doubled!! On a more serious note, whether or not I bid 4 depends greatly on my table presence. If this at a tuppence ha'penny club game with LOLs on both sides etc, I will bid 4 every single time. If I'm playing against FG in the (instert high level pairs competition here) I would pass this immediately. I guess my methods might come into play here as well. If I usually open light (and partner is aware of this) then 3H should be full strength, and vice versa. If partner has an ability to make a mixed raise (e.g. Bergen) then this may influence matters as well. Whether or not I'm playing weak/strong NT also affects things.

1D for me, for the reasons that Hrothgar gave. I have opened 2C on this hand far too many times, and had an auction like: 2C 2D 3D 3NT and I put this dummy down, partner has a few scattered values including Jxx of clubs, and I roll off with 5D on ice. Or the alternative, when I play in a ropey 5D contract when I should be in 3NT etc.

In case it makes any difference (almost certainly not) this occurred in the UK, so EBU rules and regs apply.

The followed occurred this evening. I was playing in a 2H contract. My left hand opponent revoked early on in the play, but I was not aware of this until the last couple of tricks were played. At the end of the hand, I requested that the cards were not touched until whether or not a revoke had occurred had been investigated. (For factual purposes, my line was "please may I see what card was played to trick 6"). At this point, I requested a tournament director to attend the table. My right hand opponent stated that there was no need to call a director and that it could be sorted out between the players at the table (my feeling was that this was not said in a friendly manner, but this may be difficult to prove). I replied that the rules clearly state that when attention is brought to an irregularity, the director MUST be called. The director investigated, ruled 2 tricks in my direction, and wondered off (playing TD). Right hand opponent then proceeded to say how the situation was ridiculous, that I always call the director for no reason, and refused to play the next two boards. I called the director over again, who ruled Ave+/Ave- for the next two boards, and the round ended. Any thoughts on the above?

[hv=d=s&v=b&n=sak10h8xxdajxxca9x&s=sq98xxhak107dck8xx]133|200|Scoring: MP[/hv] You have the not so hot sequence: 1S 2D 2H 4NT 5H 6S where 4NT was RKCB for hearts, and 5H showed 2 without the queen. You get the king of diamonds lead. Any suggestions for a line of play?

A few answers to the additional questions: 1) If you ask South why he bid 2S, he will explain the following: "We have no agreement on what 2 bids we are playing. It is unlikely that he has a strong or weak 2 in diamonds given that I have 6 of them, particularly so now East has passed. A Benjamin 2 bid is a possibility, but I have a fair hand myself. Given I have a spade void, it is likely that partner has a weak 2 in spades. Many good players in this club, including my regular partner play the multi here, and so it is likely that partner has assumed that is what we are doing tonight." 2) If you ask North why he raised, he will explain the following: I am aware that we have no formal agreement on the matter. However, I have a very strong spade suit with good intermediates, plus a super-maximum for my bidding. I believe that my initial decision to open a weak 2 was incorrect, so I am trying to catch up. I did not alert 2S as I did not want my partner to "wake-up" as a result of the explanation (he is a director himself). 3) Virtually everyone plays Acol in the club. Around 40% of players play some variant of the multi (usually the stronger players). 4) The play proceeded as follows: Club lead to the Q and A. Small diamond to the king, then diamond ducked into West hand. Club lead to the 10 Head to the Q and A Club lead to the king Cash winners. Hearts broke 3-3 West thought East might have the king of clubs. East had Kxx of spades and did not want to switch.

[hv=d=n&v=n&n=sqj1098xhkqxdkxcxx&s=shj9xxdaxxxxxcak10]133|200|Scoring: MP[/hv] N/S are a pick-up partnership. They have agreed Acol but not much else. North opens 2D. (EBU rules so all 2 level openings have to be alerted or announced). South looks confused and after a searching look from East, explains that he isn't sure what 2D means East passes. South bids 2S. West passes, North nows bids 3S, followed by a pass from East and 3NT from South, which ends the auction. On a small club lead, South makes 11 tricks for +660. E/W call the director and ask for a ruling. 1) What extra information would you request as director? 2) If you can rule with the information given, please do so.

There is hardly a club in the UK (admittedly I have not played North of the border) that does not use match points as its regular format.

Not that shortly. End of the second round is nigh, and he is still in the last group tomorrow, just one behind K J Choi of Korea. Ladbrokes.com have him at 20/1. I reckon that's a good each-way bet with the current leaderboard.

Yeah, oops for me as well. My initial thought was that double was most incorrect, but is actually unlikely to cause any major problems, whereas 4H is quite likely to be a disaster .