EricK

Eh. I was so certain the opps were psyching that I took a position. Oops. Oh well. Not the first stupid bid I'm made that turned out well. The point is, when the opponents make a stupid or weird bid that turns out, you pretty much need to call the director. If you only get to see them for two boards, who's to say they aren't doing it every other board? I realise what you were thinking. But I don't think making a negative double is the way to catch them out. Also, psyches are rare. I still think it is more likely that opener has a heart suit than not. Eric

Interestingly, having a 2/1 bid GF works much better if you have limited openings. So playing precision with 2/1 bids as GF gives you the best of both worlds. Eric

I think you should adjust, but I don't like adjusting to Ave-. Why not give an adjusted score (3NT -1 or -2 depending on how cruel you feel)? Eric

By responder: GF By opener: In principle 1RF, but if responder had bid on a sub-minimum hand to try to improve the contract then he can pass here. I am from the UK My BBO rating is advanced (I would say my bidding is low expert, my defense is high advanced, and my declarer play is low advanced) Eric

Playing penalty doubles of 1 level openings is a very unusual agreement. Was it alerted? Eric I must be missing something ( NOT unusual I must admit!)--- why did u assume the 1♥X was penalty? Obviously the doubler's partner did NOT think so as he/she bid FOUR♠ :) I am not sure WHAT the original doubler would have bid had the 4♠ had not been doubled -- BUT it was doubled :P SHOULD the board have been reported as suspicious of cheating -------- IMHO NO :) I was making a semi-joke. Obviously I didn't assume that the double was for penalty, but this was my very English way of pointing out that making a take out double on this hand was an unusual action. Note also that my use of the word "unusual" in the last sentence was my very English way of pointing out that the double was incorrect. Eric

I don't like the team sports and relay races because the nationalism goes against "The Olympic Spirit". But the relay races are better than eg the football for the reasons I mentioned. Eric

AKxx x xxx AQJxx What would you do over a 2nd hand 1S opening? And this hand could be a whole lot stronger before you'd dare to X and figure out what to do over your partner's 3H bid. If it matters, opener is 5-5 in the majors, responder is 1-3. I pass for now. Eric

But do most people who say they play that eg a 1♠ overcall show anything really do that ? In other words, are there any hands where they would sometimes overcall 1♦ (with whatever precise meaning that had) but sometimes with the exact same hand and exact same vulnerability etc overcall 1♠? Eric

Personally I don't think any team sports should be in the olympics. Furthermore, I am rather dubious about the interactive sports (such as badminton, tennis, tae kwon do etc), where there isn't a definite measure of how well you have played (note that there is no olympic record for badminton like there is in the 100m!); and the aesthetic sports (eg diving) where your performance is subjectively judged. Eric

Playing penalty doubles of 1 level openings is a very unusual agreement. Was it alerted? Eric

QJx AQJxx xx QJx loses 2D, 1C, probably the spade finesse QJx QJ10xx xxx AQ loses 3D, 1H, down even if the spade finesse wins QJx AQJ10xx Qx xx loses 2D, 1C, probably the spade finesse Clearly, S-QJx is better than C-QJx, but gold? Fool's gold? :) I am not saying that QJx is enough for game, but if you don't tell partner what cards are useful he will just be guessing, and you will miss a lot of games which are there. Note also that partner has made a non-jump overcall of the cheapest possible suit opposite a passed partner. I expect him to have quite a strong hand. I really ought to look for game with an eight loser hand and a 9+ card fit. Eric

This is a difficult one, though. Often a FJ or FNJ is mainly to help partner decide whether to sacrifice (or to bid on over their sacrifice). In those cases, secondary honours are useful. But here, aren't we more interested in finding out if we actually have a game? How is partner supposed to know that QJx in spades is like gold? Eric

You do have a ♣ fit. Partner isn't going to be making an overcall in the ♣ suit (which hardly takes any room away from the opps) opposite a passed hand without at least 6 of them. At least I hope he isn't. Eric

But I still can't imagine a hand which can safely bid 2♠ now, couldn't open, and doesn't have a ♥ fit. Eric

Surely 2♠ by a passed hand must be a FNJ. What possible hand can bid 2♠ here without hearts and without an opening bid? Eric

This is simply another hand which demonstrates the difficulties which may arise if you open 1M on a balanced hand. If partner's 2m rebid can be guaranteed to have 4 cards then you have an easy raise of 2♦ or an easy 2NT over 2♣. Note that the Polish club style of sometimes rebidding 2♣ on a 2 card suit helps in this case, but doesn't help if responder has ♠xx ♥AQxxx ♦xx ♣AJxx. If you include 5332 balanced hands in with 1m opening and rebid 1NT unless partner bids your major you will reach the correct level much more easily, the correct game pretty much all the time, and the correct part score much more often. The only downside is missing the occasional part score in a 5-3 major suit. "Balanced hands should be bid as balanced hands." Eric

With the given hand it probablty doesn't matter whether you bid 2♠ or 2♦. With a similar hand but with long Hearts, I think a bid of 2♥ id preferable to 2DI]. The point being that partner's most likely non-balanced hand is strong with the other major. If I bid an immediate 2♥ I can get to make a complete hand description. With the hand as given, if the bidding starts 2♣ 2♦ 2♥ I will be able to bid my hand naturally anyway. Eric

What is not natural about it? 2NT showing 13-15 might or might not be natural. I don't think the fact that it woudl be forcing would make it not natural. Certainly according to the laws that does not make it conventional. Interesting. At the risk of hijacking the thread... Certain authorities try to restrict the use of very weak NTs by preventing one using conventions opposite them. Would 2NT balanced and forcing (acting in a staymanesque manner) be considered OK? Eric

There are a lot of downsides for comparing against par. Probably the biggest is that at IMPS the correct play is often to guarantee your contract rather than try for overtiricks (even if those overtricks are quite likely) or to try and defeat a contract even if failure means not taking all the tricks you are entitled to. In those situations, attaining par is the sign of a bad player not a good one. Eric

Under the conditions stated I bid 2♣. This assumes my hand is a GF opposite an opening bid. If partner could be very light for his opening, then there is a good case for simply bidding 3♦. Eric

Hum.. it's a 3rd seat NV vs V preempt. It's common knowledge that anything is possible in this situation, so I don't feel obliged to volunteer a comment on style because pard's style is about the same as anyone's style in this particular seat/vuln. I would have done that if it were 1st or 2nd seat, though in that case pard is usually more sound. Usually, but not always, which is why I normally volunteer a style comment if asked. But why would you not want to provide this information? If the opponent's already expect it (because it's 3rd hand or whatever), then that is fine. If they don't, then you have fulfilled your obligations for complete disclosure. Also, I believe that not everyone plays that weak 2s can be more aggressive in 3rd seat. Some people keep their weak 2s up to strength but make a (semi-)pyschic 1 level bid or hyper-aggressive 3 level bid on the other hands. Eric

Maybe you should choose your partners more wisely. (I'm being serious.) Playing with a results player is bad for your bridge. I am not saying what happens in my partnerships, but the sort of thing that seems to happen a lot in other partnerships. One bad result and they add a convention or drop a convention or change their style or whatever. Eric

But the point is not what works in principle, but what works in practice. Even ignoring the hands with a 4-4 fit where 3NT makes and 4M doesn't, there is still the issue of misdefense due to your not having revealed your or opener's hands to the opps. This could happen on the hands where you do have a fit, but also on the hands where you don't. How do you factor this into the calculations of which method is better? Eric

As far as I can see, all psyches are either frivolous bids or tactical calls. What else is there? Also, I think players shouldn't cater to their partner's psyches even if they have alerted their opponents to partner's tendencies. eg 1♥ (X) 1♠ (P) . Now unless the 1♠ bid specifically denied ♠, then I don't think telling opps that 1♠ may be a psyche gives you an excuse not to raise partner if you have ♠ as well. Eric

1) The only hand I can think of for the 4♥ bid is solid ♦ and the singleton ♥A or ♥K. That is the only minimum hand which has chances for a ♦ slam and feels safe in 4NT. 2) 2♠ is not a FNJ in my opinion. 3♥ would ask partner to bid 3NT with a stop Redouble is business. How is partner supposed to know what your doubt is in this case? SOS redoubles are only of much use earlier in the auction, before you have had a chance to exchange information. If you have doubts about 3NT, you should have bid 3♣ on the previous round. Now if partner retreats to 3♦ and you bid 3NT, he will know that your weakness is in ♦. Eric