Chamaco

Richard, sometimes it seems that your statement do not include any form of doubt abut being right or wrong... I suppose this is a form of rhetorical argumentation, or that it may be my poor understanding of english :rolleyes: , but sometimes, adding a smiley to these sentence may let the reader believe that you do not always think to be absolutely right... :)

I will just point out that you ruffed the first diamond (limit to three hearts in dummy), then you cash heart ACE (down to two hearts in dummy), now small heart.. .now if hearts are 3-1 with KJx in either hand, they win teh king immediately and force you ruff a diamond with the Queen and the jack of hearts will be a winner....if that affects your line of play at all.. Ben You are right Ben, as usual. Well, of all the 3-1 split, I have 2 chances out of 4 to have a a singleton honor (and 2 out of 4 of KJX in either hand). So it's a 50% of all the 3-1 splits. Therefore, to remember: Playing HQ cannot be better than cashing Ace if trumps are 2-2 and instead will gain only 50% of all the 3-1 splits. It seems to me a case of "heads you lose, tail you draw" :-) Still playing Trump Ace and small to Q.

I am not prebalancing for trapping them, am doing it to compete (LOTT etc). Well, with any fit I prefer to risk this rather than letting them play 2S. If pard has even some useful hcp, but 3 spades, he will not dare to reopen (THAT wd be much more dangerous), and from my perspective we may as well have a partscore while they have 2S.

We have 3 chances (club fit or H fit, or even diamonds, where pard may have 5 cards) : remember, when opps have a fit, WE have a fit, and we should do whatever possible to strive to avoid opps playing at the 2 level when they have a fit.... This is well known, I am not discovering anything of course.. Here we have the right distribution, and we know we MUST compete, even at the right level, with nothing wasted and spades shortness, even with only 12 hcp. Pard won't have our distribution, and will not compete. If we do not prebalance here, we will almost never prebalance...

---------------------------------------------------------------- It depends on whether we have to play the suit for 1 losers or zero losers. In the follow up I will assume we can develop clubs, so we have only to consider H losers. If it turns up we have clubs losers, then we will have to play the trumps for no losers, an there will be no alternative but a finesse. The only thing I am unsure is whether we have to anticipate CA and club ruff before playing trumps ---------------------------------------------------------------- 2 options: 1) Double finesse starting with HQ or HT (I prefer HQ ) 2) A of H and low to HQ So if trumps are 2-2 double finesse can only gain an overtrick, but will lose 2 trumps with doubleton KJ offside. In other words, double finesse cannot be a winner at IMPS (at MP, perhaps). If trumps are 3-1, playing Ace and a small to Q will limit to one losers to all 3-1 breaks with J or K stiff. Of the remaining 3-1 with KJx held by any opponent, playing A wins with KJx held by LHO, and loses with KJx held by RHO (when HQ lead would be superior). -------------------- All in all, I play Club Ace and a ruff and start trumps with H Ace and low to H queen

Even if KS has some advantages over the most common form of STD.AM., I still think the best system to teach is not the most efficient, but the most *widespread* in the area where you play, regardless of whether it is a real club or an online site. This is because then, the newcomer will have far more chances to play with pickup partners. Now, how many pickup partners willing to play/try KS do you think a beginner can pickup ? My guess is "close to zero", despite the soundness of the system. So I strongly advise to teach the most common system, in this case SAYC (sigh...). They'll be able to play more hands, and that's priority #1.

You might want to take a look also at: http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3887 This link is in the "FAQ" section of the BB Forum (accessible from the "General bridge discussion" section - http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5612. The "FAQ is still rather incomplete (80% of the posted material is still to be examined- sorry- had a flu last weekend :rolleyes: ), but in a few weeks it should provide an organized way to access recurrent topics such as "Suggested scheme after XXX opening ?" etc etc

The problem lies in the concept of "prebalancing" at Matchpoints. Saywe are playing MP, none vuln that pard has a crappy 6/7 count with 4 hearts not suitable for a negative double (in italy we play that a neg double which forces to the 2 level guarantees a decent 8; with a bad 8 or worse, pass). He is likely to have 3 cards in spades, so he will not balance, gicven his shape; and we all know that at Matchpoints we will score pooirly more often than not. In order to avoid this, it is opener who must take the pressure off his pard, by bidding something other than pass: the concept of "prebalancing" when opps bid and raise. If my system forces me to pass such a hand at pairs, NV, I do not like it.

Hehe you are right, and I modified the hand (even before your post - that was the hand I had in mind) to fit with those boring bridge rules regulations :-) Now seriously, do you think there is a solution to my doubts ? :P

That is true, so let me try to construct the "worse possible hand" ? :P I do not know whether the following is good enough: AQ-KJT-KJTx-AJxx Now pard is not marked with shortness, I have no 4 card hearts suit but I still have extras... How do I show them after their 2♠ raise ? If I do not differentiate this from a similar shaped 15-17 (e.g. AQ-KJT-JTxx-AJxx), responder will have trouble taking the right decision in the balancing seat... Can't bid 1NT: those evil opps have raised to 2♠ and that would not be legal! :)

No, pard will not double. If I am short in spades, pard will have some length and probably quite weak, he will rarely double. With such a shape it is only opener who will have the choice to suggest whether competing or not (responder is unlikely to have either hcp or distribution requirements). What's more, we all know that holding any reasonable distribution, we should bend over backwards to balance (or prebalance) before selling out at the 2 level when opps have a fit, so passing, even with hand 1, does not look like a good policy. Note that even holding hand 1, (weak), this is one classical case of "prebalancing" vs opps bidding and raising (OBAR bids). Prebalancing is usually good, but here it overloads the double with many possible meanings. This is the issue I am trying to clarify. Also note that bidding 2NT with the 18-19 balanced is looking for trouble. Usually, in "std" methods, the 18-19 hand is shown with a "power double", but still, this overloads the double even more.

What is the mistake in 2 ? I voluntarily added the red suit Kings and changed the clubs holding vs hand 1, to make it a genuine reverse hand, but not superstrong.

Hi all, I'd like to know some info on specific KS contested auctions. I am especially interested in contested 1m opener. Because of the use of the weak 1NT opener, KS 1m opener is either a natural unbalanced opener with 4+ (usually 5+) in the minor OR a balanced hand, either 15-17 or 18-19 (ok, these range may be nudged, but this is not the issue of this post). If opps are silent, this is easy to describe by opener (rebid NT at the appropriate level or the 1-2 suiter naturally). However, let us assume the following: 1♣-(1♠)-pass-(2♠) ? Now what should I bid with: Unbalanced hands, minimum opener with good distribution VS genuine reverse 1) x-Axxx-xxx-AKJxx 2) x-AKxx-Kxx-AQJxx 15-17 balanced with and without 4H 3) AKxx-Kx-KJTx-QJx 4) KJT-Axxx-KTxx-KQ 18-19 balanced with and without 4H 5) AKxx-Kx-KJTx-AJx 6) KJT-QTxx-AKTx-KQ THE WHOLE POINT IS: WHAT DOES IT MEAN IF I DOUBLE? STRENGTH, EVEN BALANCED (AND WHICH RANGE, 15-17 OR 18-19) OR SHAPE (THE OTHER MAJOR) ?

You should check the COMPLETE Bergen structure given in Better bidding with Bergen. "Bergen raises" is not only using J2NT as 4 trumps GF and 3♣♦ as mixed and limit raise (and direct 3M preemptive). It also includes the "concealed splinter" (3♠ or 3NT) , and using 4♣ and 4♦ for goodish 5 trumps support (one is a genuine gf, the other is a sort of mixed raise with 5 trumps ) but too good for direct 4M raise (preemptive). So, using Full Bergen with the type of hand you mention, you'd bid either 4 clubs or 4d. The only problem is that most people who say to play "Bergen raises" do not use and will take it as splinter.

Well, maybe one way to make it more interesting could be to have the personal cc (or more than one) posted in the profile ? However, it still has to be seen that many players will actually prepare this "digital cc" so, I dunno...

The favourable chance of playing AK is not only of finding Qx but also of finding Tx. (in both cases an honor is pinned by AK and either J or 9 will be promoted- this will make the play no worse than low to 9 at first round, if the Ten is doubleton, and definitely better when the Qx is doubleton and RHO holds the Txxx) So the analysis has to include the presence of the T in the doubleton. The single chance of finding Qx is 1/3 of all the 4-2 spits (and the single chance of finding Tx is the same). The combined chances of NOT finding ANY of these 2 keycards in the doubleton (which is equivalent to QTxx in the long hand) is 4/9 of all the possible 4-2 split, so the chance of finding at least Q OR T is 5/9 of all the possible 4-2 splits. These have of course to be combined with the extra options.

If the sequence guarantees a 4 card spade suit, I bid RKCB. If it does not, I'd much rather have used XYZ, which would have saved 1 level of bidding.

I wrote badly, what I meant is that wins the contract, but in the comparison with cashing AK it is in fact equivalent. Basically the 2 differences are that by playing low to the 9: - we win when QTxx offside = 2/9 of all the 4-2 distributions = 2/9* about 48% = about 10.66 % - we lose when there is doubleton Qx or Tx = 5/9 of all the 4-2 distributions = about 26.66 % BUT playing off AK loses the opportunity to combine chances if it goes bad: they will cash the final 2 tricks right away, so that changes the problem. Now the problem is whether by combining other chances we can fill the 16% gap. I think so, because then we can play for the additional combinations of 33 breaks and various squeezes.

I personally do not like much Ogust, I played it for a while, but I do not think it has real pluses compared to the Feature ask, the latter being much more useful to evaluate the chances in 3NT contracts. For a while I played the following: - 2NT was feature asking (more or les similar to what you play) - 3C asks the NUMBER OF LOSERS: loser count is generally a much better description of the playing strength of a hand when playing a suit contract. So the 3C ask is better suited for suit contracts. You respond the loser ask in step responses. Having the no- of losers is generally enough to decide between game or partscore in the major, without the need of info on trumps quality. The info on trump quality becomes crucial in slam auctions, but then RKCB does the job well :-) The price to pay for this is to give up natural 3C (whether you play it forcing or NF), but in either case the loss is not terrible (if you are positive you use 2NT or conventional 3C, if negative, you may as well passout pard's undoubled weak 2 and perhaps run when doubled) - 3X is forcing one round the rest more or less like yours.

I thought that ducking an early diamond -while not guarateeing the contract) wins in many more cases than cashing AK of diamonds. It wins even when diamonds break badly and 1) there is a simple squeeze or double squeeze or 2) when the black suits break Instead, playing off AK and a diamond, it wins when - assuming the bad 4-2 break-neither T nor Q drops. The chances of the doubleton hand to hold none of the T or the Q is 5/9 of all the 4-2 bad break distributions, so not bad. By playing the alternate line of low diamond to the 9, we: - win in the case when QTxx is onside; (2 chances out of 9) - keep the hand open in case of QTxx offside; (2 chances out of 9) - it makes no difference if diamonds split 3-3 - lose a chance when one hand has doubleton Qx or Tx (5 chances out of 9) However, cashing top honors, even if singularly it gives more chances, means to put all eggs in one basket, e.g. we cannot combine chances. I will not go into the calculations, but I have the feeling that the additional chances of black suit splitting and squeezes on 2/3 suits souyld make it more rewarding to start with low D to the 9 ? :unsure:

Updated version of FAQ (e.g. included all the links I had added separately in another post). BEN, if you copy this list into the master list, make sure you enter this post in "edit mode" before you copy it (so the html links are copied properly) :) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Where to start play/study bridge .....1.1 Web resources .....1.2 Study material - Beginners/learning books - General Book reviews/info .....1.3 General questions .....1.4 Self improvement/Training 2. Beginner/Intermediate section .....2.1 Bidding ...........2.1.2 Uncontested ...........2.1.2 Contested ...........2.1.3 Hand evaluation .....2.2 Card play ...........2.1.2 Declarer play ...........2.2.2 Defense 3. Advanced/Expert section .....3.1 Bidding ...........3.1.1 Uncontested (Natural systems) ...........3.1.2 Contested (Natural systems) ...........3.1.3 Uncontested (Non-Natural systems) ...........3.1.4 Contested (Non-Natural systems) ...........3.1.5 Hand evaluation 4. Rules questions (TD etc) 5. Software topics 6. BBO help --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Where to start play/study bridge (web resources, online and live bridge clubs, beginner books, software, etc) ? Web resources Looking for bridge sites http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3128 Web page of genius Lukasz Slawinski - Who invent the lamp? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2922 Useful web page-bridge theory, top players systems - Garozzo,Bocchi-Duboin,Auken,Soloway... http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2496 Best on line Bridge Documents? List specific materials found on line http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2355 Sites with articles? - http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2045 Excellent website - 2 deals a day by Mike Lawrence http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4671 ? Study material Beginners/learning books General Book reviews/info Starting from scratch http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5056 "Tactical bidding" by Harold Feldheim http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5126 Rubens' "Secrets of winning bridge" - Great book ! http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5556 Watson's "Play of the Hand at Bridge" - hold up http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4491 Lawrence's "I fought the Law" http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=5965 Bridge Books you have re-read the most http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3911 Best book to learn how to play the cards http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4725 Bridge litriture, literatur, litterature grrrrrrrr Bridge BOOKS http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3548 Probability Tables (of hcp distribution) http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...hp?showtopic=17 ? General questions Swiss Teams Basics http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1490 What is "Cross-IMPS" ? - http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1865 What are IMPS ? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1430 MP scoring and tactics http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=6465 ? Self improvement/Training Photographic memory http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5167 What to agree with regular partner? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3644 Counting the hand and remembering cards Practicing techniques + learning curve http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2314 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 Beginner/Intermediate section 2.1 Bidding 2.1.1 Uncontested ? General Simple systems (Advice needed) http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4959 The Best Bidding System http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3912 How do I ask for a stopper for an NT bid? cue-bidding http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4423 best system? what do u think? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2416 How does a beginner decide which conventions to learn? - http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1702 What is ACOL? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...hp?showtopic=16 ACOL 2/1 Sequences - Forcing Or Not? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1540 Dutch Acol http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1055 Acol, which suit first? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...p?showtopic=516 Notrump Rebids In ACOL http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...p?showtopic=484 Biddable suits in Acol (e.g. Bypassing a bad 4cM?) http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...p?showtopic=515 2/1 GF and 1NT Forcing With 4 Card Majors http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...p?showtopic=944 Playing 4 Card Majors- General approach to 4M systems http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...p?showtopic=477 Light Openings In 2/1 - How they affect responder's choices http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1077 Systems Using Systematic LOBs (Light open. Bids) http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=9 Light Opening Bids http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...hp?showtopic=11 Poll: How to open a weak black-2-suiter? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5307 Light opening bid ? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4973 Support of reponders 1M with 3 cards? after 1m opening http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4864 3 Card Raise of responders major suit. - 1mi - 1MA - 2MA (possibly with 3 cards) http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4281 ? Gadgets (NMF, FSF, etc) Checkback/NMF With Weak NT, and NT Rebid http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...p?showtopic=655 4th suit force after a 2/1 gf bid? - help needed http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4288 Walsh style and transfer Walsh http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=36 ? Structure after strong openings Bidding after strong 2C opening http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4545 Responding to Strong 2C opener - 2D shows 0-7 pts in this pship http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4435 Opener's rebid following 2NT to G/F opening http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1682 KOKISH (over 2C) - assistance required http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4390 ? Slam bidding Economic Cue bids http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3528 4nt for aces, but what is the suit ? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4815 Blackwood - Showing A Void http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4256 Cue bid the Blackwood Duplication of information?- http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2899 Roman Key Card Blackwood - 0314 1403- http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1984 RKCB 30/41 or 41/30 ? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1387 4NT in 1NT acution: Blackwood or limit invitation? http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=7 Poll: Opinion: Blackwood or not? 1D-1H-1S-4NT http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5423 Learning Kickback http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5523 Kickback confusion http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5098 redwood, voidwood and anyother wood will do - after RKCB http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4160 Blasting in slam auctions - Pros and cons - http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1698 Serious No trump and last train (meckwell patents) http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...hp?showtopic=25 ? 1NT opening Revised Keri http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?&act=ST&f=1&t=5553 Responding to 1NT http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?&act=ST&f=1&t=7719 Opening with a balanced five-card major http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4478 1nt with a 5 card major 2/1 v sayc - curiosity http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4515 1NT opening - 10-12 NT http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2911 NT weak vs strong http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2881 No Trump Ranges http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...p?showtopic=768 14-16 NT Range http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1385 various NT ranges - opinions please http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5348 stayman http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1986 stayman question http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5021 stayman question2 - opinions please http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4719 Showing 55 In The Majors After 1NT http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=3 - NT weak vs strong http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2881 - Puppet Stayman Why would anyone play this convention http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2769 Jumping Jacoby... http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5458 Invitational 2D - Something different over 1NT http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2520 Gerber http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5286 Asking for Aces after Stayman sequence- How is it done, it cant be 4NT Blackwood http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5118 Stolen bids over NT http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4746 ? 2NT opening 2NT :Best scheme using Puppet Stayman http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3887 Structure over strong 2NT opening http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5622 ? Reverses Reverse bids at the level of 2 (SURVEY): http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4463 Poll: High Reverse or not http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5322 Reverses and 3-level JS - Example why I hate regular 2/1 http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5366 ? Major suit raises (Lawrence vs Kokish) Drury - convention request http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4378 Bergen vs Drury http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4255 Snazzy versions of Jacoby 2nt? (Bergen vs. Martel) : http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4945 Discussion of Jacoby 2NT Plus http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5541 Question about Jacoby 2nt http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5395 Bergen Raises http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1402 Bergen raises-2 http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=6728 Mini-Splinters http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...p?showtopic=942 Preemptive Raises With 4 Card Majors http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1272 ? Game tries 1S- 2C-3C-? After a 2 level response in SAYC http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4788 ? Minor suit raises Best Response Structure For Inverted Minors http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2779 2.1.2 Contested ? General Partnership bidding by Robson & Segal (best source for studying competitive auctions) http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...hp?showtopic=22 Supporting responder after a weak jump advance http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5478 Why did my partner cue bid diamonds here? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5242 ? 1NT Defences DONT and Cappelletti http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3082 Was this ever Meckwell vs NT? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3727 defensive bidding against NT CAPP vs DONT or natural or? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2563 Defense vs NT http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2473 Brozel Convention - suit requirements to bid vs NT (good for ANY defense vs NT) http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5339 Suction legal in ACBL? over nt..over strong club? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5347 7-4 hand over 1NT opener: Capp One suiter , 2 suiter, or preempt ? http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=8 Possible Defense To Weak NT http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...p?showtopic=645 ASPRO convention http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1531 ? Overcalls (and advancing) Overcall or not ? - Holding spades- the boss suit (Thread on borderline pressure bids) http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4195 Raising Partner's Overcall http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...p?showtopic=781 Responding To Overcalls Which Could Be 4 Cards http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5495 Transfers over overcalls http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1027 Question to raptor users http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=7665 ? Doubles/Redoubles DBL of 1NT - penalty or not? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5424 double is takeout or penalty? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4991 Double of opponents cue bid (1s) 2c (3c) D or (1c) 1sp (2sp) D http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3465 Takeout v penalty some thoughts on stats http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3191 http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5031 Response to Takeout double When RHO bid http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4783 Takeout double over a major - revisited An attempt for a recipe http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4750 Negative doubles http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4885 Use of Sputnik double Legit or not? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4625 Negative double after a 2C overcall http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5375 No-Fit Redoubles Does anyone use this approach? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4471 1H 1NT (X) http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4286 Forcing or not? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2870 Support Double - What does it show ? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2777 Responder's followup after a support X http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4336 How do I bid over this double? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4393 ? 2 suited overcalls Unusual 2 No Trump http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5048 Sandwich 1NT/2NT and double http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3116 2-suited overcalls Views? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4556 ? Michaels When to use Michaels http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=6783 What is the meaning of 3D? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4082 Michaels cue bids follow ups - When 3rd hand doesn't pass http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5457 ? Weak 2s , 3s and higher level opening AND defense TO THSE Agreements after enemy preempts http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=6816 Escape sequences after (3X)-3NT-(Dbl) ? http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=6568 Minimum to double weak 2's? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4649 Bidding over weak 3-bids http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4824 3NT as Namyats http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=4953 Is this hand worth a Namyats ? (in a precision context) http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4148 How to bid this ? In both "std" and ur preferred methods http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4111 Responding to weak 2s - http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1985 Ogust ? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5581 Preemptive Transfer openings http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...p?showtopic=779 Namyats and requirements http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=7163 ? Balancing Guidelines to open/passout 4th seat ? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4927 Response to a take out double in balancing position: http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4768 High level balancing The "borrow a K" concept at high level http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3797 2sp p p 2NT what does balancing 2nt show? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3726 Meaning of 2H-p-p-3NT http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4910 Question after balancing the weak two. http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3543 Very Aggressive Balancing - http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2082 Balancing Against A Strong NT - http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2080 Balancing vs weak NT http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=6805 Balancing http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...p?showtopic=582 Jump bid in balancing seat http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...hp?showtopic=12 Balancing low level decision http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1993 re-opening with a double (sputnik?) http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5528 1!C pass pass pass - disaster a bottom for us http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4203 ? Natural 1NT overcall http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5050 2.1.3 Hand evaluation Losing trick count A must in suit bidding http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4264 Law of Total Tricks: http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5136 Competitive Bidding ... How Far to Compete -High Level Competition & Judgement URL=http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=4293 Beginner's guide to scrambling 2NT Beginner's guide to balancing Beginner;s guiede to sacrificing Beginners guide to IMPs/Matchpoints http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5036 Competitive Bidding for a BEGINNER ? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5342 How to count Distribution Points http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=6 LOTT And IMPs http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1491 ? High level decisions A competitive auction who is in charge here ? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5405 ? Hands: Minimum 5440 rebid after 1NT response ? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4776 should I bid? (Game prospects after opps open strong NT? ) http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4799 pass with this defensive raise? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4180 Poll: 2m vs 1NT scoring What gains most? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4014 X for penalties -opinions please http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4882 2.2 Card play 2.2.1 Declarer play Concealing your holding http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4785 Moysian Fit- Declarer's general strategies http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1314 Request: Example hands on Moysian Fits ("Beginner guide to Moysians"?) http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5573 ? Squeeze plays Introduction to squeeze play Basic Squeeze Quizes - Place to practice squeeze technique http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5567 Backwash Squeeze http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5382 ? card combinations Beginner's guide to suit combinations Beginners guide to suit combinations-2 http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4983 Card Combo Poll: What do you play? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2569 Card combination http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2568 Card combination refs http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2793 Suit Play How to play this correctly http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4734 Some interesting suit combinations - Try this one, it is fun! http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4519 Suit Management http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4588 percentage play http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5386 ? Exercise hands "Classical BIL exercise" :-) (Maybe trivial?) http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4634 Poll: Holding up http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4816 Play this hand Match point decision http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5201 Another one to try... http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5169 Jillybean2 special -This is a hand from actual play... http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4753 2.2.2 Defense ? opening leads Opening Leads - Online Material http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1081 Polish leads http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5196 Low from Doubleton http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5192 when is it right to lead a doubleton http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5491 Opening lead problem http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5562 Poll: Simple MP lead Q http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5460 ? carding methods/ std practice Beginner's guide to signals and giving count Lavinthal Discards http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5162 Count, attitude, preference - When to signal what http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2888 Discard method in the midgame http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1492 Odd/even What are they? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4450 Why o/even discards ? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...p?showtopic=609 Signals etc - opinions required please http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4721 Obvious shift -help http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4517 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Advanced/Expert section 3.1 Bidding 3.1.1 Uncontested (natural systems) ? Structured Reverses Structured Reverses http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4881 Gazzilli (artificial reverse with 2C after a 1 over 1) http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=7444 Multireverse after minor suit opener (the thread starts with 2NT "Power-reverse" proposal, some replies cover a Multireverse scheme taught in Italy) http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=6187 3.1.2 Contested(natural systems) ? General Responding to overcall Misfit hands-Robson/Segal-Rubens adv. http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4126 Negative free bids Pros and cons ? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4692 ? Forcing pass inc double or forcing pass ? which is better http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3117 Forcing pass: an example from malmo http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3561 Best material for forcing pass http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3545 Forcing Pass? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4537 Forcing pass woes (example of FP at 5 level and discussion) http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=7747 ? Psyches http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4800 Legal or not http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3717 Legal or not2 http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3696 ? Weak NT opening http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5017 with weak NT system, opener's rebids after opening a minor http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2786 they double your weak NT.... http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=2 Coping With Interference To A Weak NT http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...p?showtopic=697 Keri Responses To Notrump Openings - http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1840 Psychic Bids vs. Disclosure http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1930 3.1.3 Uncontested (Non natural) ? Weak and 2-way openings Tartan- with the majors http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3920 Multi 2D http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5165 Multi two diamonds -please explain convention http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5418 Multi 2D overcalled: http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5028 Leaping Michaels over Multi 2D ? : http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5016 2D multi again must double when they bid your suit ? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3834 EHAA +/EHAA Club http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...p?showtopic=923 ? Limited openings Limit Major Raises In A 5 Card Major Strong Cub System http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...p?showtopic=524 Idea - Yarborough 1NT Forcing In Strong Club System http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...p?showtopic=790 ? Weak and 2-way openings Mini-Roman Opening Mini-Roman Opening http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2238 Defense To Wilkosz http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...p?showtopic=785 3.1.4 Contested (Non natural) ? Defenses to conventional openings Defence over Polish-1club opening... ...and the 1diamond response http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3806 Suction legal in ACBL? over nt..over strong club? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5347 3.1.5 Hand evaluation ? Zar Points and applications Zar points for opening bids : http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5108 Majors Versus Minors In Zar Points: http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4975 Hand evaluation-Pavlicek's deal pattern analysis http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2433 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Rules questions (TD etc) Online bridge laws http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3379 Bluffing http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3580 is this legal? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4294 is this legal in sayc? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4820 2 Q's on Alerts http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4214 Is the ruling correct? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4213 Revoke http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3701 Question about alerts policy on BBO http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2733 System Variability (by seat and vuln) And GCC http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...hp?showtopic=15 Limitations On And Alerting Of Weak 2s For GCC http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...p?showtopic=748 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Software topics Hand Analysis Which software? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3257 Shareware Hand Dealers http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4847 Cheap software for calculating X-imp pairs ? (Freeware/shareware or simply cheap) http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4830 Matchpoint Scoring New Generation scoring program.. http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4930 Duplicate / Cross Imp Bridge Scorer http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4658 is there an okb-to-.lin file converter for Windows http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4069 Hand Presentation Software http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3718 WBF CCE and Windows XP http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3565 New Fantastic Deal Generator Free great dealer- http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2306 Ultimate Hand Generator - Do you or your club need a dealer? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2800 Software for conventions http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...p?showtopic=950 LinConverter http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=2771 (I strongly recommend lin converter for all posters - inquiry Bridgelys - deal generator - HELP please http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1716 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. BBO help Can anybody tell me how to find a person in BBO? http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=3173 How to log vugraph with chats: http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=5156 BBO ADVANCED SYSTEM http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=4493 adress on site for BBO hand viewer http://forums.bridgebase.com/ind...?showtopic=1463

Ben, would you comment on the additional benefits/drawbacks of Jacoby+ if applied when respondin to a limited opener (e.g. 1M = 5+ cards, max 15 hcp) as opposed to "standard" wider range 1M openers ? (I know this is mostly applied in strong club systems so you may want to deal with this topic in another subsection rather than BIL)

low club from hand, if RHO hops with K/Q, I duck, else put 9 from dummy.

Hi all, I am trying to systematize study of Moysian fits. So far I have ben able to detect a few typical declarer's techniques. Please add other typical techniques, and also it would be nice if anyone who has example hands for one or another techniques may post it here 1 I am especially interested in PARTSCORE Moysian fits, because they are more complicated: for example, game-level Moysian usually have only one problem suit either trumps or side suit), and it is easy to count winners/losers. Instead, partscores often have tenaces all over the place and it is hard to make a plan, as any of the techniques listed below could be the right one: for example, often, if you have weak trumps and a good side suit,you will have to decide whether NOT touch trumps and have opps ruff the suit, OR if to run 1 or 2 rounds of trumps to avoid side suit winners being ruffed (with the risk of opps drawing trumps and attacking another weak spot). This is even more complicaed if the side suit is good but the A needs to be knocked and opps are holding off. Such decisions may be hard at MP, in that at IMPS you may ant to sacrifice an overtrick in side suit winner (ruffed) to keep trump control for safety, but at MP the decision is more borderline. etc etc So PLEASE, put emphasis on partscore Moysian with lost of tenaces and little top wnners (because harder to count tricks to plan the play) if you come across them. Thanks !! :mellow: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) keeping trump control This technique is useful when the side strength is so strong that you have problem only in keeping trump control. This is very common in game-contracts, where your hcp extras justify playing in the unwelcome 43 fit. Often you will have AK in trumps, or in any case few losers in trumps, and you want to have al the side suit winners established - ducking one or more round of trumps, often in order to keep a trump in dummy to ruff in a danegerous suit which would otherwise shorten our long trumps - forcing the opp with long trumps to ruff you sde suit winners 2) dummy reversal Often we need to assume trumps 33, and in that case we may as well proceed to shorten our long hand, if we have side controls 3) crossruff this is another cas where you should have established side suit winners to cash before executing x-ruff 4) elimination and throw in - Using our 4th trump to throw them in OR - uthrw the dangerous opp in another suit and force ops to lead in our trump tenace - trump reduction techniques 5) play neutral and let opps play their suits hoping they break a suit for you ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Can you play Equal Level Conversion in this Lebensohl sequence ? I thought they were incompatible after double of a weak 2 ? :mellow: