newmoon

The system of allocating 12 VPs to a team that has a bye is fair and just in a swiss movement. The contentious bye occurred in round 3 - at that stage it was too early to determine eventual qualifiers; and if a team is in contention nearing the end of the movement, they will never have a bye as the bye team is accumulating 8 VPs per match and is always ranked 40%. You cannot retrospectively calculate averages for each team at the 7-round mark then allocate this average to the bye that took place in round 3. In a swiss, scores going forward should be firm and unchangeable, unless there is a late appeal of some sort - then too it is but one match in arrear. :)

[hv=d=s&v=e&b=3&a=2h(Weak%202)d2sppd4hppp]133|100[/hv] This was MPs. E-W were life masters. West asked if the 2♠ bid was forcing, before making her second double. South explained that he took it as non-forcing and passed, and that this situation had never occurred before in their short partnership. After the second double, North emerged with a 4♥ bid, holding 14 points and a 6=2=3=2 shape and A-K tight in hearts. 4♥ made on the nose. Their short CC did not cover this situation. West complained, stating that with her 3=2=4=4 shape and 15 points, she was justified in MPs to reopen. Your ruling please?

This occurred last Saturday in a club Pairs event. Declarer, in 3NT, is in dummy and states “run the diamonds from the top.” After the third diamond she realises they don’t break, and before playing the fourth diamond, she says “no more diamonds, play the spade.” "Director" the opponents called. What should happen now?

Here you can see a lovely exposition of how BBO can be played on an Ipad. Going via “Älways on PC” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OslW7C_RdvM Still have trouble? App from ITunes http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bridge-base-online/id529258853?mt=8 Have Fun! <_<

For Beginners, I rate this A+ also, but... For Intermediates, A+++ It is more useful for players who have played a bit and can understand bridge logic. Each student of mine (in the Intermediate class) has to own 1. The new edition of "Bid Better, Play Better" has been modernised and is a must also! A+++ for intermediates also. I was saddened to hear she passed on recently. :o Newmoon

I play a few GIB Money Tournaments, and I was pleasantly surprised at how GIB played a slam. I was dummy, and really thought Meckstroth, Fred, or Zia was sitting opposite me! :rolleyes: The hand? July's hand: Newmoon's page

Concur. :angry: Sid

Basically correct, but.... for 4 tricks: when you play the Ace and if righty drops the T or J, you should continue with a small to the 9 next. This caters for K-T or K-J tight on your right. Newmoon

A nice solution especially when a TD has mutiple calls! Thanks for this! I will certainly start doing it. :lol: Newmoon

Having passed originally (I would have opened 1♦) I now double. Easy bid I think. :rolleyes: Newmoon

I understand your frustrations and I fully agree, since I experienced the same symptoms of this dreaded disease. :rolleyes: I hope that at least some of your recommendations are instituted. Good post! ;) Newmoon

Hi! I allow players to log off at the end of the round, but before the move, since I serve only Survivor format for all my Pairs events. Perhaps partner was a pick-up from Partnership Desk and had "Expert" in his profile and plays like a Novice-, and perhaps his mother-in-law decided to visit now. Whatever... I have no qualms. This is the beauty of the Survivor format - even with 0% cut. REDS drop off automatically. Try it - Survivor 0% cut is far superior to a normal Swiss. :rolleyes: Newmoon

I was playing in a Tourney and the bidding went 1NT on my right, pass by me, 2♠ by leftie. Pass by CHO and Pass (!) by rightie. I enquired, and was told that 2♠ is weak and natural. I said that the bid should be alerted, as transfers are the standard online at BBO. "Huh? That is natural!" I said: "Well, transfers are standard. Ask support@bridgebase.com" The next hand it went 1NT by leftie, 2♥ by rightie - alerted ths time. I gave him a smiling face. Nice. <_< Perhaps a little popup at entry into BBO listing standard non-alert bids? I think some education is necessary. My feeling is that SAYC Basic bids are ok with no alerts. What thinks you? Newmoon

In all my Individuals' Contests, I insist on SAYC ONLY. There is no time to formulate conventions and there is no time to establish defenses to their system bids, e.g. "How do we defend against their 1C precision?" You must remember that in Individual contests, the emphasis will be on judgement in bidding and good defense, and not on intricate sequences like a 10-12 NT openings with a sophisticated run system over their doubles. B) Finally, to promote harmony and friendship, do NOT allow things like Multi, Bergen and 2-suiter openings. It ruins the enjoyment. B) Newmoon

Yes, I'd be interested in obtaining those as a download. I'd be willing to pay $10-$20. I would also like the reinstatement of the weekly "Deal of the Week" emails I used to receive - now THAT was nice. :) The SkySports DVD? $15 tops. Newmoon

Start a different awareness program perhaps: When people log on BBO, have a message telling them that if they sit at a table, 1 board notice is required before they can leave. Have this message up periodically to reinforce it. Newmoon

Of course declarer can claim on the strength of a previous proven finesse. He is assumed to re-take that finesse, if needed. Law70E: E. Unstated Line of Play (Finesse or Drop) The Director shall not accept from claimer any unstated line of play the success of which depends upon finding one opponent rather than the other with a particular card, unless an opponent failed to follow to the suit of that card before the claim was made, or would subsequently fail to follow to that suit on any normal [space]line of play; or unless failure to adopt this line of play would be irrational. Not to repeat a proven finesse is irrational. BTW, In real life, there are far more claims and earlier too, in practice. Newmoon

If I run 2 or 3 boards per round, I have no problems with 7 min per board. Even in Survivors. In a clocked event, 1-board-per-round, I allocate 8, but 7 min if unclocked. Works for me... ;) Only in the last round, do I give extra minutes to obviate adjusting boards before they finish. Newmoon

Yep - sure thing! Usually I adjust as I hate to sub in the middle of the hand, but sometimes it is not clear as to which route declarer (or the sub's partner-defender) will follow. "Keep the Q♥" is apt and helpful advice. ;) Newmoon

We'd love more subs with that attitude! ;) Newmoon

He got lucky this time. Next time, he'll be -2. Online bridge tends to favour jovial antics, and I would simply use this hand as an anecdote in a formal supper. No adjustment. Why remove his youthful exhuberance? :( Newmoon

It is obvious that opener misclicked here. 4♠ cannot be a slam try. A pass is good judgement. I would let the result stand. As is. This happens in F2F bridge too... :( Newmoon

In a survivor Pairs event, if dummy (e.g.) goes red on the 2nd board, I will not sub. I prefer eliminating the pair when the move is called. For this reason, I prefer TDs doing the subs, instead of automatically. Newmoon

The basic version is fine. But the beta version... I get problems with my screen. Frends and yellows become all yellows, horizontal stripe across screen, and the top right bidding box disappears... as a TD, it is vital for me to see the bidding.... Even looking at Movies, I get the symbol source font @ e.g. instead of the card symbol. Help! I am using Windows XP. :lol: Newmoon

The problem with online bridge is that you are not 100% sure if declarer plays slowly deliberately, or whether he has a bad connection. For that matter, there is no such thing as "hesitations" on online bridge for the same reason. :) Newmoon