broze

I play the same as Mr. Ace. Very good practical treatment in my experience.

Simple is right... 1♦

Your bid, but see below [hv=pc=n&e=saqjt9862haqj3dc6&d=n&v=n&b=5&a=1c]133|200|[/hv] RHO opens 1♣, and while you are thinking about what to do partner passes! Director informs you that partner has to pass for the rest of the auction. What do you do now? (As an aside, what exactly am I authorised to know about p's hand, and when am I allowed to know it?) Sorry about multiple questions and sorry if wrong forum.

Deleted original answer. Misread problem. 2S now.

People often moan about others having their headphones too loud on public transport. I don't really understand this. The journey isn't going to be too long and it's not like there aren't other noises! This just comes across as intolerant. However what I CANNOT stand is people with excessively loud headphones *in libraries*. Why so loud??? It's already very quiet and so it's just inconsiderate. :angry:

Yes - good point. So the leak is fairly substantial. Still it wouldn't surprise me to find that it was fairly negligible due to low frequency. I guess this depends on your style - seems difficult to quantify.

Aren't the losses pretty negligible in that auction though because you'll be using Stayman anyway? As I see it the relevant case are (using 2N as puppet): A) Loss: 1N:2N, 3M:3N (vs when the 2N bidder would have used Stayman - i.e. the knowledge leaked is the extra Major card in opener's hand) Rare. Substantial leak. B) Loss: 1N:2N, 3M:4M (vs 1N:2C, 2M:4M) Again only extra Major cark leaked. Rare. C) Loss: 1N:2N, 3D:3M, 3NT (vs 1N:2C, 2D:3N) Opps will not lead the Major responder has shown. Common. The biggest leak, but only relevant to the lead. D) Gain: 1N:2N, 3D:3M, 3NT (vs 1N:2C, 2M,3N) Common. Huge gain, both on the lead and in the play. A and B are both pretty rare cases I imagine (even more so given that opener will sometime choose to avoid 1N with the 5cM for one reason or another). Whether using Stayman on hands where "you don't want to find a 5-3 fit" is a net gain seems to depend on the size of D above. I can't say for sure but I imagine it comes out on top. Unless I am missing something.

You clearly haven't seen the climate change thread.

Hi, can someone explain to me how to do this? As CSG said, is it possible to do in the editor or should I just become au fait with the code? Also 'boldbida' raises a good question... Also, a side-issue. By what method can I quickly get a handviewer URL link to a hand posted in the forums? EDIT: Okay, I have worked it out by just creating the whole hand and then cutting out the two hands that I don't want to be visible and replacing them with "shdc". So it seems it is not possible to do this in the actual editor. This is a shame and I don't understand why. It would be such a quick and easy feature to implement.

Congrats to Magnus! What a massive moment for chess. It's been an honour to watch his rise to ascendancy. Having said that I am a huge fan of Anand and it was a shame to perhaps not see him at his best this past week. 0 chance of him retiring before '14 Candidates imo. Care to explain your thoughts about Giri gwnn?

Basically I came to my usual conclusion that stoppers are for children. ;) I think it is wrong to use 3♠ as specifically "S stop, club doubt" and use it more generally as "doubt about NT" so you will bid 3S without a stop in either black suit or with a generally flimsy hand. With a stopper in one of them just bid 3NT; this gives less away and the opponents might not find the right lead anyway.

Interesting that you should mention this, I have been thinking recently about this exact situation which only really occurs when the level of the auction is at 3♦. You don't have enough room for all your probing: what do you do with a club stop but no spade stop? Also (slightly less of) an issue in auctions like 1S-1N-2D-3D-.

I appreciate it's all very easy to criticise after the fact but the first hand imo is a 100% blatant 4♥ bid in response to 2♥. There are loads of complete minimums where you are just cold for game; e.g. xx KQJTxx xx xxx. As for the second the 1♠ overcall is just ugly. And presumably it isn't just a style thing for you or you wouldn't have chosen 3NT. I would seriously consider 2♠ overcall [EDIT: though have just noticed that this is not available for you] and probably make it (rightly or wrongly) but 1♠ is a zero and completely anti-partnership. There are aggressive overcalls and then there's that. There must be some element of "constructiveness" or it will damage you more than opps. Your 2♥ and 3NT (though I prefer 2) are totally reasonable imo.

I prefer pass initially but don't hate double. If p makes a balancing double bid 2NT if that's natural for you. If 2NT shows both minors (as it would for me) it's a decision between that and 2♠. 2♠ risks p being 31(54) and 'pick a minor' risks him being 4144. I would lean towards 2♠ - p is weak and more likely to have 4♠ for his double plus the fact that if the opps double 2♠ you can scramble.

Horrid spot. I might venture a pass here (worth it for p's face alone upon seeing the dummy). Plus, passing leaves us a lot of wriggle room if opps start doubling. 3♠ is a huge mistake imo - not only do you have nowhere to run to if opps start doubling but you could be sailing past three better contracts on a guess. Your best contract is probably 3♣ but obv you can't bid that to play.

Zero chance of +1 and every possibility of down two. Easy double.

If my partner made a undiscussed splinter in my opening suit and expected me to work it out then he wouldn't be my partner for much longer! Under my meta-principles there is no splintering in partners known 5-card suit. Also haven't specifically discussed this sequence but as with most unnecessary jumps when you have the option of going a bit slower (via leb which I'm assuming you have here) I would take it as a picture bid. Now keycard.

Nice problem. Opps are clearly in a Moysian so LHO is 3343 or 2353. I don't really know what to make of pard's D discard except that it implies he's not guarding diamonds at all so it may have suit preference implications. That suggests playing a club for a promotion. You have to play a spade if LHO has KQJ♥ because giving up the ruff and discard will be fatal. A club will work when p has Q or Jxxx in trumps which is more likely. If declarer ruffs high then there just aren't enough tricks. If p did have a hand where he does need a spade switch but can't clearly encourage (e.g. KJ9) I feel sure he would have played a high D at trick three. The 6 is probably either middle from 3 or bottom from 9876. EDIT: (in fact if p does have 9876 he might have to get rid of one so that if you go for the promotion he can ruff a diamond when opps run them).

Should we expect to see the sessions we play online come up on our 'members' section? Presumably we win "net" masterpoints on there as well. How long do these take to come up?

Can you suggest another...? I pass as well. EDIT: Sorry, for some reason I assumed MPs where I would definitely pass. More hearts will be coming from partner something like 75% of the time I reckon so I stand to do better by passing. At IMPs I am too nervous of missing the game so I choose 1N. Would be nice if I was playing BART if p bids 2C.

I think it's best to call this double "convertible values" but I would expect 4♥ for sure. We need to balance finding our 4-4 heart fit against hurting them when the 2♣ bidder has a singleton spade - we know the opps have a misfit. Hand type 1 is ruled out for us because we will either shade a 2♥ bid initially (depending on suit quality) or bid 2NT now showing 5=4 or 5=3 in the reds. Hand type 4 is out for us for not having 4♥. We will miss out on a penalty occasionally but I feel having the security of knowing about the ♥ fit is more important on this auction. Partner should make a takeout double on all hands with a spade singleton anyway. We could hold either hands 2 or 3, or 2=4=3=4 shape which you haven't mentioned (I definitely want to be able to dbl with this.) Would be interested to hear others' opinions.

3NT is completely obvious to me, no matter how many gadgets and knick-knacks I've got. I would not use a natural 4N even if I had it available.

Do you mean if E bids 2♣? What is your auction then? Do you not think 4♥ is a bit...wet? Agreed there isn't a particularly attractive alternative.

[hv=pc=n&s=s72h965d9753ct432&w=sk53hat84djt842cj&n=sqt964h73dakq6ca6&e=saj8hkqj2dckq9875&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=pp1sx]399|300[/hv] Do you agree with double? How should the EW bidding go?

Ok, that would explain it, thanks. I've never played a Swiss Pairs with rematches before but of course it will be unavoidable with a low number of pairs/boards.