silvr bull

I guessed that partner's double could be the DA and a slow trump trick (like the QJT). If so, then it is essential to lead a D at trick one before declarer's Ds can be pitched on the high Ss in dummy. The hand I guessed would be something like this: Note: Example hands edited. Thanks smerriman! West....East AKx.....void Kxxx....Axxxx Kxxxxx..Jx void....AKJxxx Another possibility could be partner having a D void and a trump trick. Those hands would look similar to this: AKJ.....void Qxxx....KJTx AKJxxx..xxxx void....AKJxx If partner does not have a C void, leading a C could be costly for us. So I led a D. I posted this to see what other people would lead. Unfortunately, the actual hands were as shown below. The majority who led a C got this one right. [hv=pc=n&s=sqt93h4dqt9cqt763&w=sk6hqj93dakj63c94&n=sj8754hat8d87542c&e=sa2hk7652dcakj852&d=n&v=n&b=5&a=p1cp2dp2hp4hp6hppdppp]399|300[/hv]

Sorry guys, but there was no more information available about the opp bids. None of the opp bids were self alerted, but West's 2D bid is presumed to be strong after the jump to 4H.

Playing in BBO with a good partner, but no previous discussion about the implications of this double. What suit do you lead? [hv=pc=n&s=sqt93h4dqt9cqt763&d=n&v=n&b=5&a=p1cp2dp2hp4hp6hppdppp]133|200[/hv]

Thanks! The Pavlicek site helps me to see this more clearly. Ace first, then (if W plays small) low to ten wins 4 tricks when W has QJ doubleton (1.6%), and wins three tricks when W has a stiff Q or J (2.4%), but gets only 3 tricks when W has xxx (7.2%) and gets only 2 tricks when W has Qx or Jx (13%). Playing Ace and King first is always better (or equal) when W has either honor in that suit. Low to the ten first wins 4 tricks when W has no honor in that suit (23%), but gets only 2 tricks when W has a stiff Q or J or Qx or Jx (15%). To maximize winning 3 tricks without regard for a 4th trick (scoring at Imps for example), the choices below are approximately right: Low to ten first: 65.8% Ace & King first: 65.9% Ace first then low to ten: 68.3%

Thanks! I guessed it would be close. Looks like low to the ten first is better at MPs where over tricks have value, but Ace first then low to the ten is better at Imps.

Conditions for this problem: 1) You are declarer in NT or a suit contract at MPs; 2) If a suit contract, the opp trumps were evenly divided and have been pulled; 3) You have transportation and timing so you can use winners you develop; 4) You need three tricks in this side suit to make your contract, or 4 tricks for a desirable over trick. Dummy has 9xxx in a side suit, and declarer has AKT. RHO plays a low spot card when the suit is led from dummy. Playing from the top wins 3 tricks if LHO has a stiff Q or J, or Qx or Jx, and wins 4 tricks if LHO has QJ tight. Playing the ten first wins 3 tricks if LHO has a stiff x, or xx, and wins 4 tricks if LHO has xxx. Other distributions of the suit give the same number of tricks regardless of the card declarer plays first from AKT. With no additional information, is it better to play the ace or ten first from AKT? Are the odds close, or is one play much better than the other?

The pay tournies allow a new sub to play a few times, in hopes they will get addicted to the gambling and become pay members, but . . . and treat them like useful idiots until the TDs can replace them. Frequent subs are allowed to play only until there is someone the TD likes better. Then the sub is booted and replaced, often by a player who was not even registered for the tourney when it started. The chances of a frequent sub staying to the end and winning anything are trivially small. Sub in the pay tournies if you want to play a few hands there, but do not expect anything like fair treatment by the TDs. BBO "rules" about who plays the most hands or who starts a tourney are irrelevant in the real world, and totally disregarded by the TDs. If you expect nothing in return for being a sub in a pay tourney, you can safely bet that your expectations will be fulfilled.

How about using a splinter as a dual range bid? The hand above would be a typical lower range where responder wants to A) bid game, and B) not raise slam interest, and C) reduce the opportunity for the opps to find a fit. After opener bids game, responder would pass with the low range splinter. The high range would be much stronger, and responder would bid again even if opener gives no immediate encouragement. I agree with this exchange: The OP North hand (Kxx Axxxxx Axx x) would be in the middle between the two ranges. North might be better positioned by bidding a J2NT instead of a splinter, and taking control of the auction. Then North would primarily receive information instead of giving it. Imagine how North would proceed if South shows a D or a S stiff or void in response to J2NT.

Thanks for the responses. Only 23 HCP and a quick claim for 13 tricks (HK stiff and onsides) is a testament to the power of abundant trumps and an excellent fit. [hv=pc=n&s=sa5hqjt85djca9875&n=sk94ha76432da52c4&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=1hp4cp4hppp]266|200[/hv]

For us, 4NT would be a que bid of the Kickback suit, which is S in this hand. So South (or North) can bid 4NT to que the S suit. The essential question is should South bid above 4H? MikeH strongly supported a philosophy of invite heavy and accept light, and I agree with that viewpoint. Since our opening bids have good values, the South hand is near minimum for us, and South would pass first with a weaker hand. If North can bid above 4H to invite, then South would accept. The point of this thread is to ask if South has the "heavy" invite above 4H, or only the light accept after North invites.

MP and no vul. After opening 1H, partner splinters 4C. Our opening bids have good values, but our splinters are aggressive and may have little more than needed to force to game. We bid Kickback, so either partner can bid 4S to ask for aces. What should opener do next? [hv=pc=n&s=sa5hqjt85djca9875&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=1hp4cp]133|200[/hv]

I prefer a simple system in which I mostly bid what I have. My 4th suit bids are forcing, but they also show values in that suit. A simple rule I ask my partners to play is that any jump by an unpassed hand is a one round force. With this hand, I have no need to bid any number of S. I can simply bid a forcing 3H. Then if opener has something like void KQxx Kxx KQxxxx, he can make a mild slam try with 3S and I can drive this hand to slam. Old school simple can be a great style!

Does BBO save hand records from tournaments that were not completed? A day or two ago, a BBO glitch closed the connection on many players and resulted in a tournament being cancelled half way though because there were too many reds (missing players). My BBO Hands and Results shows no record of the hands I played in that tournament, either in Recent hands or Recent tournaments. Yesterday, I played in a survivor tournament, but I did not survive to the end of the tournament. Once again I have no record of the hands I did complete there. Does BBO save the completed hands from tournaments that were not finished? Is it possible to get the hand records from the survivor tournament that I did not survive to the finish yesterday? Thanks!

When there is nothing better to do, play in an individual. Then look for players there who you think you can tolerate as partners. After the session, send them complimentary messages about how well they did, say you added them to your friends list, and ask if they would like to play again sometime. Use your friends list before you try to play with strangers. If someone you are following is online when you want to play a tournament, send them a chat message asking if they want to play. When playing in a tournament, do the same with opps you would like to play with as partners. Soon your friends list will be so full that you need to prune out the ones you do not like so much.

No. This is an easy first pass for me. I see this hand as having opening values only if partner has a fit for a red suit. If partner has lots of black cards, he will be disappointed in my hand after any normal auction. If LHO declares a S contract, I probably would not want partner to lead a H. If my hearts were KJxxx, I would still pass first, but it would not be an easy choice. If hearts were KJTxx or my hand was better, I would open 1H, and treat the hand like a minimum with 5-5 in the red suits. After I limit my hand with a first pass, there are likely to be several ways I can show strength in a two suited hand later, without telling partner that I have a much better hand. There is substantial value in limiting my hand as quickly as possible so partner does not assume that I have more values than a sub-minimum.

The top score is likely to be 1S making 1 or 2, but you cannot get to to a 1S contract by opening the South hand. My view is that limiting my hand at an early opportunity is a high priority, so partner does not get too enthusiastic. Whenever there is a question about open or not, I pass first as an easy and immediate way to limit my hand. The South hand is an easy pass for me in 1st or 2nd seat. With the North hand (in 3rd seat, not vul, and good support for both majors), however , I would risk a minor suit open and then pass any response.

I like Foster Echo against notrump. When 3rd hand cannot play higher than the card from dummy. he plays his 2nd highest card. That begins to unblock if necessary, and it gives quick information to the opening leader. As one example, if your attitude or count agreement tells you to play the 2 from JT2 after dummy plays the Q from Qx, then you have blocked opening leader's 6 card suit if declarer started with Kx. Foster Echo would play the ten under the Q, and immediately tell the opening leader that 3rd hand also has the J. Another example is when 3rd hand has x2 and dummy plays a higher card. Playing the 2 would immediately tell the opening leader that 3rd hand started with a doubleton, or a stiff 2. There is a little more about Foster Echo in the link below. http://www.acblunit390.org/Simon/foster.htm

My preferred approach to resolve double trouble questions is: (A) if partner has bid anything, my double is 100% penalty (except obvious negative/responsive/support situations) or (B) if partner has not bid anything, my double below 3NT is 100% take out (except obvious penalty doubles of NT or lead directing doubles of artificial bids). Even without that agreement, I would treat the OP double of 2H as penalty.

I have a similar problem when I play a F2F duplicate session. After the session, I could not remember most of the hands or auctions that seemed worth discussing. the best memory aid I could use was to write down my hand, and maybe my partner's hand too. A convention card has spaces to record your plus or minus score. By writing very small, I could fit my hand into one of those spaces, and the auction or another hand into the other space. With practice, I could do that quickly at the table, so I did not need to find the hand after the session to make notes about it. Looking at my notes and hand later was usually sufficient to remind me why I thought the hand was worth the effort to make notes about.

I am surprised there were no objections to the 1S bid by South. I think South has an easy pass after the double of 1C. Playing a 12-14 NT, the 1C bid could be a balanced 15 HCP with only two or three Cs. If South has something weaker, like KJxxx xxx xxxx x, he must bid 1S to avoid the risk that West and North pass the double. North knows that South could have little more than S length and C shortness for his 1S bid, and that creates a concern for North. With values in Clubs and a minimum flat hand, I see no reason for South to bid over the double. After West bids a red suit, North can bid 2C as a free bid to show long Cs and a better than minimum hand. After East bids 3H, South can raise to 4C with the values he did not show when he passed the double. Once North knows that South has values and a C fit, then North can risk the 5C bid.

I prefer a simple style that is mostly natural. My 1NT open is 12-14, and no transfers after we open 1NT. The rest of my preferred two and three level structure after we open 1NT is: 2C is Stayman (or possibly a garbage runout), and may start a game invite sequence in majors or minors. 2D is Game Force Stayman. Great for slam invite sequences, or choosing the best game. 2M is weak to play. 2NT is a balanced invite with 11-12 HCP. 3m is weak to play. Invites to 3NT with a good fit for my minor suit start with 2C. 3M invites only to 4M, but not to 3NT. Invites to either 3NT or 4M start with 2C.

The OP hand can be a strong powerhouse, but ONLY if partner has a black suit fit. If I make strong bids immediately, but then discover that partner has mostly red cards, it will be difficult to tell partner that my early strong bid was not justified. Better for me to open 1C and then rebid 1S. If partner then bids 1NT, 2D, or 2H, I will jump to 3S. If partner then bids 3NT, I will pass and hope he makes it.

My guess will be to open 2H and hope I can bid 5C next.

I did not want to sidetrack the other thread with this comment, but this new thread is a good place to offer it. I tell my partners that my 2 over 1 by an unpassed (so unlimited) hand, even in competition, is forcing to 3M. With that agreement, the 2NT and 3NT rebids take on a different meaning. My 3NT would be a minimum hand that has no slam interest but has high hopes to make game. I might have 12-14 HCP with a doubleton (or maybe a stiff) H, and just want to close out the bidding without giving more information to the opps. That leaves 2NT available for all stronger hands with suitable shape, and it is forward going so partner can at least consider slam if he is interested. With the strong 2NT rebid, the 3 level is open to explore shape and fit before crossing the 3NT hurdle.

I will add a small note to the excellent replies above. It is always best to discuss and agree with partner about what bids mean, but some bidding situations can be so complex that they are not discussed until the "Who done it?" postmortem. In an effort to simplify where possible and to reduce the potential for confusion, I tell my partners this about doubles: I like a simple rule on doubles: If you have not bid, my double below 3NT is 100% takeout, except of artificial bids like Stayman or transfers. If you have bid, my double is 100% penalty, except for simple negative (or support if agreed) double, or responsive double when they raise their own suit.