squealydan

I agree, while I think double must be penalties as I can't see any other sensible use for it in light of partner's previous bid of 1NT, I would be very surprised to pick up 1100 here when the opponents have around half the honours in the deck and a 7-card fit at worst. I'd be hoping for a decent 200 at matchpoints, and I have my doubts whether partner should ever double at imp-scoring.

Of course. But I thought the point of these little +/- buttons was to generate a rating for each poster so future readers in other threads would know to trust the advice given.

I kind of understand this. But if a newbie comes along, asks a question, and really appreciates a response, I think they should be able to recommend it to let the world know this is the sort of the response they were looking for. Oh, and a more informative message to folk like me who try to hit the recommend button would be nice...

When I try to recommend posts, I always get a message saying "Action failed : you have reached your quota of positive votes for the day". My quota is presumably zero?

I think "rule of 20" is a definite improvement on the "high card points + length points". Pretty much everyone would open a respectable 4-4-3-2 shape hand with 12 points, for instance, which passes the rule of 20, but doesn't pass the 13 in HCP+length points test. As others have said, judgement is always more important than simple rules. Compare these two hands : ♠AQT98 - ♥4 - ♦AT983 - ♣63 ♠K7532 - ♥Q - ♦T5432 - ♣KQ Both have 10 HCP, both are 5=1=5=2 shape. The first hand is an easy 1S opening bid, the second not so.

Does the fact that I have the J♣ make an 8-card holding more likely?

2♥ for me every time. I'd need something like ♥Kxxxxx ♦AQxx to suppress the fact that I have a 6-long major in order to show a 4-card minor.

As has been pointed out, if there are any true beginners out there who find the existing content a bit offputting, the solution is for more beginners to ask questions. I'm not convinced that there would ever be enough of a market for a true beginner only forum (all beginners I know learn at clubs, and so have a place to ask questions - they also progress at a proscribed pace with little incentive to go any quicker...). However, if BBO did relaunch the forums with a B-only section, would it be possible to send an email to all registered users who self-describe as "Novice" or "Beginner" to let them know that kindly experts may be on hand to help them?

The 1NT rebid doesn't look much like any Acol, Kerikeri or otherwise... I hope you've also met some nice kiwi folk while you've been here. We're generally regarded as a friendly bunch, though it must be admitted bridge folk are a law unto themselves. And I trust you've seen a bit of scenery along the way? Dolphins, giant trees, that sort of thing...

You've hit a curious corner of the country, where are you exactly? I don't play much outside of my region, but down here pretty much everyone who's been playing for more than a year out of lessons will play a weak-2. Most learn it before they learn transfers. I'd guess : 75% play weak-2s in the majors, 15% play 2D as a multi including weak 6-card majors, with 2H/2S showing 5/4+ with a minor, 5% play intermediate-2s in the majors, 5% play a weak 2D as well as the majors.

Where a no-trump bid is unlikely to be natural, it is "scrambling" usually showing minor suits. Consider this sort of auction : [1♥]-p-[2♥]-X p- 2NT With the opposition having shown a heart fit, 2NT is unlikely to be the best spot for your side, so after partner doubled and forced you to bid, you can bid 2NT here which is often played as the scrambling no-trump. It denies spades and shows length in both minors, asking doubler for her better minor. Doubler will definitely have spades here but may not have both minors, so 2NT is better than just bidding a suit as it should ensure you find a good fit. The post you referred to implied that having passed earlier (twice), if your partner's 2♥ bid was doubled and came back to you, like this : p-p-[1♠]-2♥ p-p-x-p p-?? it seems unlikely that you could want to play in 2NT as a natural contract, so again 2NT could be "scrambling", showing both minors. I'll admit that I haven't seen it played much in this particular situation, as you could also "redouble for rescue" here, again showing both minors. Ahydra also said you might bid 2S to do the same thing. If you haven't discussed these things with your partner, then you can use whichever one you think partner is most likely to interpret correctly.

If 4♥ is wrong I'd want partner to buy the drinks. And yes, playing in NZ, I haven't dealt a hand at a club in over 7 years. I find it very strange to read comments from folk at large tournaments in North America not getting pre-dealt hands.

Hi, Some BBO users have a red circle with a number in it next to their id. What do these numbers represent?

I agree that the "jump in NT with 15+" line looked like a typo. This is what beginners are taught here, and most club players never get around to improving on it : 1x-1y-1NT = 15-16. 1x-1y-2NT = 17-18. 1x-1y-3NT = 19. 1x-1NT-2NT = 16-17. 1x-1NT-3NT = 18-19. 1x-2y-2NT = 15-17 or 15-16. 1x-2y-3NT = 18-19 or 17-19. Reversing the last two would make a lot of sense, but I guess it's simpler to teach "minimum bid = minimum range". Also given the very light 2/1 bids some folk make, it's not all that rare to see 1x-2y-2nt-pass. Presumably the passer wouldn't want his/her partner jumping to 3NT with 15.

Interesting. There is the old joke that on arrival at Auckland airport on an international flight, the pilot announces : "Welcome to New Zullund folks. Please set your watches back ten years." Maybe in some bridge practices, it's more like 40 years. It seems to be different in the northern hemisphere, and may even be different up in the North Island, but down where I play, responder will definitely be holding something like KJxxx - xx - QJxxx - x.

Jilly, If the club you happen to play at has graded evenings and if you end up in the top room, expect a fair proportion of players to be playing (variations of) Precision. It's very popular here among top players. Typical club players will say they play Benji Acol but as you go round the room you'll discover 30% of them play 5-card majors. Another 20% will only open 5+ card spade suits. Multi-2D with 2H and 2S openings showing some 5/4 hand is fairly common among advanced players, though most do play two strong bids with 2C/2D, with no real consistency which is the stronger. Pretty much everyone who is playing Acol will open a minor rather than a major with 4-4 in the suits, and responder also bids up the line. And you probably won't encounter it as the appropriate hand is fairly rare, but true Benji-ites use a 2NT opening to show a weak 5/5 in the minors. It seems silly, but if you haven't discussed it with your partner, it can be surprisingly intrusive when it comes up! Oh, late thought. As an Acol-er who's learned a lot of his 2/1 on this forum, one auction that seems quite different is this one 1C-1S, 2C-2D or 1D-1S, 2D-2H Am I correct that in 2/1 most people would play the last bid as forcing and artificial? In Acol world it's weak and asking opener to pass or correct back to spades.