SimonFa

I'm reading some back issues of the EBU magazine (kudos to them for putting them online) and in the August 2010 issue Heather Dhondy reports on a 25HCP 7NT contract that was bid and made at Ealing Bridge Club: ♠AK ♥2 ♦KT876543 ♣AK ♠T9 ♥A98543 ♦A2 ♣842 The bidding started with an Acol strong 2♦and reached 7NT via Blackwood. It made when Diamonds behaved. She discusses some theoretical hands, including the famous James Bond Moonraker 7♣ on 8HCP and a 7NT on 19HCP. She than asks if the low of 25HCP for 7NT bid and made has been beaten in the wild assuming best defence. Does anyone know?

Main bridge club. Partner is "Advanced" and card says SAYC STD and transfer, so I thought he probably hasn't read an SAYC convention card. Still, you remain hopeful and after a couple of hands this deal came up: R V R, IMPs, partner deals opps silent. ♠AK52 ♥K72 ♦832 ♣AK2 1C 1S 3S Wow. At this point I am thinking that I'd love to cue bid clubs but I suspect that's a bit risky. So I opt for Blackwood, not knowing if partner understands key card, but I'm planning on signing off in 4S if he bids a minor anyway. 3S 4NT 5H Lets assume he doesn't play RKCB and hasn't got the HQ, I thought and 6S should be a good score in MBC even if we miss 7S. 6S finishes the auction and LHO leads 5H and dummy goes down

I wasn't thinking about setting Diamonds as trumps, I was trying to explore something you or someone else had as signature, the importance of showing shape.

Don't you have to be careful that partner doesn't take you for 5-4 and sets them as trumps with something like Kxx if you bid Hearts first or am I missing something? I suppose it comes down to agreements?

I only play Acol on an ad hoc basis as I find all the jumping around and lack of structure confusing. If I was playing at the club I would read the bidding as: 1♠ = 4+ spades (denies 4 Hearts if it is only on 4 Spades - with some players that might not be true if Spades very much better than Hearts. I usually ask on style but assume I forgot to ask for this hand). Rule of 19 has crept in. 2♣ = 5+ clubs, clubs longer than red suits and 10+HCP. F1. 2♠ = 5+ spades, denies 4 hearts. Says nothing about extra values and is non forcing 3♦ = forcing (new suit, new level) and this is where I get confused. I think it should show a responder reverse and extra values, a very good 14+ HCP but more likely 15+ HCP with 5+ clubs and 4+ diamonds. 2NT would show some sort of Heart stop (Qx is acceptable to me but not to everyone's liking) and be non-forcing and a minimum 10 to a poor 13 HCP and deny 3 spades. In this context 3H would be a similar reverse) At this point I think North has a problem, or at least I would if I was North and by now I would be thinking that we maybe have something on. 3♥ is generally taken as a stopper ask (sometimes referred to as DAB (Direction Asking Bid)) so 3NT shows a Heart stopper but by-passes the 6th spade. 3 ♠ is taken by many as non-forcing but does show the 6th Spade. 3NT might be seen as a sign off and doesn't show the three good clubs. On balance I think I would would go with 3NT as partner has only shown 14+ HCP, my Spades are poor and although I'm around the top end of a minimum opening I think it is the safest bid to make sure we are at least in game because I'm worrying that 4 Clubs is seen as denying a Heart stop, a 6th spade and non forcing, which would be my worry with an ad hoc partner. South's 4♠ is risky as could be a 5-2 fit and as North I would read South a 3=1=4=5 and would probably start a Blackwood sequence (unlikely to be RCKB at my club) on discovering missing an Ace I might sign off in 5♠ but if its RCKB would probably sign off in 6♠. That's a rather long winded way of saying that I don't know how to get to 6 clubs in a basic Acol style with the average club player. I would console myself in the knowledge that few club players would find 6♣. If we'd stopped in 3NT then those that were in a making 6♠ got lucky. With a good partnership understanding I think 4♣ by North as the 3rd bid should show club support and slam interests if 3♦is also a reverse. At this point cue bids and RKCB should get to slam in Clubs.

That's a good point. Anecdotal, but when left to its own devices it does like to play Dutch Doubletone/Biedermeijer or English Acol which I suppose should be no surprise given the author's background. I'll take more notice of the systems it chooses in competition.

Thanks for your thoughts, they've been quite reassuring. I've checked Professor Jack's settings and can't find anything untoward so I'll take this as a quirk of playing with a CPU and not being able to have discussions.

MPs, R v W, 2/1 with 100% forcing 1NT. Partner is Jack. ♠AQ8 ♥KT842 ♦J643 ♣A (p) 1S (p) ? I tried 2H but when I ran Jack it suggested 1NT on the basis that the Hearts weren't good enough. I suspect that there is no right answer but as 1NT is 100% forcing there is no danger of being passed out, but it doesn't get across the strength of the hand and I would worry about trying to play catch up if a slam is on. I was wondering what the more experienced would have done in this position? As always, thanks in advance. Simon

This came up in a real game and as far as I could tell its a classic textbook approach, or at least I took for one as I couldn't see another line to guarantee 12 trick and possible make 13. Teams. 6♠, opps silent and the bidding is immaterial so I won't give it as a distraction for A/I to clutter the thread, however novices and beginners may want to think about how they would have got there as a separate exercise, using whatever system they prefer, because you really don't want to be missing these slams. ♠AT63 ♥K6 ♦AQ92 ♣542 ♠KQ98 ♥A8 ♦KJ6 ♣AQT3 Lead = ♥J, from JT FWIW When you test Spades they're 3-2. With the correct line you are guaranteed 12 tricks and possibly 13 if they are there to be made. Use spoiler so others can have a go, no point in the first post giving the correct answer and having it on view:) sqrbracketon spoiler sqrbracketoff answer sqrbracketon /spoiler sqrbracketoff PS For similar and progressively more advanced problems I strongly recommend BridgeMaster 2000. If you don't want to get the CD (one of my best purchases) then you can play the hands on line. I also recommend Eddie Kanter's Take All Your Chances. (As the BBC would say, other Bridge programs and books are available.) Edit: Clubs corrected. Thanks neilkaz

Professor Jack is always accusing me of being too passive so I really try to bid on poor hands, but I just couldn't bring myself to bid 2♥ on that hand. I'd rather take the snide comment from Professor Jack.

I've just played a 60 board Flight D MPs competition on Jack and was surprised at my final score which 10% ahead of 2nd place. I presume its beginner/intermediate and Flight A is international/expert level? Thanks, Simon

If all else fails,read the instructions. From the BBO help page under "people": Profiles Everyone lies. You can too And if you follow the link: Novice - Someone who recently learned to play bridge. Beginner - Someone who has played bridge for less than one year. Intermediate - Someone who is comparable in skill to most other members of BBO. Advanced - Someone who has been consistently successful in clubs or minor tournaments. Expert - Someone who has enjoyed success in major national tournaments. World Class - Someone who has represented their country in World Championships. And at the end its says: Of course, you may at times find that you disagree with another's assessment of his expertise. If this is the case, it is not appropriate to mention this to him via private or public chat. You may be correct, but it may also be that he's just having an off day. You're on a free service where you can play as much bridge as you like, watch real world class players (Stars) with commentary with some of the best bridge analysts in the world for free. Furthermore, for the equivalent of SQRT(b*****r all) you can plan against GIBs, which, for all their faults still provide good partnerships and competitions and for the same amount you can get ACBL and EBU Master points and play in other entertaining competitions. What more do you want others to pay for? But of course you knew all that because when you joined BBO you went to the help page and read it all before filling out you're profile honestly and you're just frustrated others haven't.

My 2/1 book says bid 6-4-6 but I like that treatment.

It's well known that girls are more likely to choose maths, science and engineering subjects in single sex schools than they are in mixed schools where they are likely to revert to stereotypes. What this study shows is that women playing against women take the same risks as men playing against men. It would be far more interesting to know help if there is a similar effect at bridge and whether it is men who are showing off when playing with or against women rather than women changing their behaviour. I'm not convinced that this study has added anything to the general body of knowledge in this debate. http://www.standard.co.uk/news/girls-75-more-likely-to-take-maths-if-they-go-to-a-singlesex-private-school-8951710.htmlscience Its a newspaper article for easy reading, do your own Google for scientific papers. PS for a good read about women's bridge and risk taking try this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-This-Game-Sabine-Auken/dp/1897106068

I'm going to be stuck in London most Wednesdays between now and the end of March (at least) and would like to pass the evenings playing competitive bridge. I'm happy to travel out to some of the suburbs, bearing in mind I can't leave central London before 6pm. If anyone fancies a regular game of just occasional one off's please PM me.

I think it was in one of my Ron Klinger books, apologies if it was someone else, the advice in this situation was that in the last retort always finesse the same way to maintain 50% success.

Well he made me laugh: Simulated MPs comp. I'm in learning mode rather than playing to see how well I do. RHO opens 3♠. I've got something like 5-6 in the reds with about 16HCP and decide 4♥ as its a much stronger suit and, as they say, 10 trick is easier than 11. I check what Jack thinks and he agrees, so 4♥ it is. Anyway, I eventually end up bidding and making 5♥ for a top. I then asked Professor Jack to evaluate my bidding and play and was told: "Jack doesn't agree with 4♥. Jack thinks this will end badly. Jack thinks 5♦ is a better bid." <_< Perhaps BBO could try to give GIB a sense of humour as well to brighten practice and tourneys :)

Thanks, I hadn't thought of Stayman and like the 4♣ as pick a major. I suspect it will be a long time before this sort of hand comes round again, by which time I will have forgotten :(

It can open 5422 hands 1NT but NOT singleton. Edited

This came up playing against a computer. I won't say which one, but it wasn't GIB. I think its a bug but I thought I would crowd source the answer to this one in case I missed something. Teams R v W, Opps silent. ♠AJT875 ♥T9852 ♦2 ♣9 What do you do over partner's 1st seat 1NT (15-17)? I used Texas to 4♠ Other table transferred to 2♥ then offered a choice of games by bidding 3NT. As always, thanks in advance for your thoughts. Simon Edited: should be 9♣ not 9♥ twice. Reminder to self again, proof reading is my friend, not my enemy.

Edit. Deleted. Looking at what I wanted to see not what was there.

4H and sit back and enjoy a bit of schadenfreude as opps squirm, because you can be sure if it was the other way round they'd be enjoying you discomfort. If it turns out you've transferred them in to a game/slam they wouldn't have found congratulate them as you put your cards away and either grab the next board, move on to the next table or wait for new opponents. If you've preempted partner, or in the case above, apologise to partner in time honoured fashion by buying him/her a drink in the pub after the game.

The way I see it is that bidding 2NT I am likely to be either left in it or raised to 3NT as this is MPs. Unless partner has a stop in Spades I won't have time to set up a second suit so I will have to take 8 or 9 tricks off the top because I can't break communications by ducking. So I need partner to have something like ♣AKx and ♥A or K just in case LHO has long Hearts. That's more than half the outstanding points if RHO has 8 HCP. If we belong in NT partner will bid it with a good stop so a lead from RHO won't be a disaster. Anyway, playing 4-3 fits at game is good practice and far batter than watching opps make 5 or 6 tricks before we've had chance to set up our winners.

What agreements do people have against Gambling 3NT opening, assuming a standard running minor suit with no outside ace? Do they vary depending on which seat bids it? Absence any agreement how would you approach this hand: R v W, teams. ♠AK87 ♥KJT93 ♦AQJ8 ♣Void (3NT) ? It struck me that whilst I know which suit the bidder has partner probably doesn't have a clue so a double could show the majors or it will just add confusion and could be a disaster at these colours. On the other hand if we pass we could be missing a nice vulnerable game or even a slam. As always, thanks in advance for your comments, Simon