xx1943

1) Minibridge seems a good idea to learn bridge (compare Hrothgar's arguments). I never tried to teach it to newcomers, so I cannot tell from own experience. 2) Most beginners and intermediates are fascinated from the bidding "game". Guess, because it is easier to outbid (by chance) opponents than to outplay them. So I'm not afraid, that minibridge will substitute bridge some day. In contrary I made the experience, that they found it boring, when I offered my students in the BIL to learn more about playing the cards with minibridge. We tried it once and there was no interest to repeat. Al

100% agree. B) In the post-mortem, when we discussed our loss on this hand, we had 4 different meanings. What about these rules? 1) If partner overcalls a suit, lead it. 2) If partner opens a suit, lead it, if you have no other idea, what to lead 3) If we both bid different suits, without double lead partners suit. 4) If we both bid different suits, with double lead your suit. 5) If partner bids 2 suits, one must decide, whether the second suit is a suggestion to play or a lead director and so what to lead a ) without double lead the first. (if the 2. suit was to play) b ) with double lead the second. (if the 2. suit was to play) c ) with or without double lead the second. (if the 2. suit was a lead director) But I don't like such ambiguity so what about this agreement: 5) .....without X the first and with X the second? Al

There is a little problem at a teaching table. If you prepare a set of hands, which are played in BBO, from different sources, and load them to a teaching table, the software accepts the vulnarability, but NOT the dealer, which is confirmed in the first digit in the md|| tag. E.g.: qx|o1|st||md|4ST643HQ5D65CT9643,SQ875H64DAT98CKQ5,SAKHAT987DQ743CAJ,|rh||ah|Board 2|sv|n|pg|| Points out that East is dealer (digit 4 after md| ) and NS vuln. according to hand #2. If you load this hand to a teaching table, the software changes the dealer to N, accepts vuln. for NS and displays board #5. :( It would be nice, if it were possible to change the program in that way, that the given dealer is accepted. ;) Thanks Al

This is a pure guess, if you know nothing about partner and/or opponents. Just toss a coin between ♥8 and ♣7. If you know partner opens very disciplined weak 2s only, you must lead a ♥. If partner uses to open in M. Bergens style, lead ♣7. After all partner can double the final contract with: Ax, KQJ10xx, xx, xxx This is a very important argument by Foxx: Is this a partnership I'm interested in maintaining? I think the ♥8 is the pedestrian lead. I like best to make the decision about what to lead in the post-mortem after I've seen all hands. :) Al

ditto E. Kaplan said 30 years ago: "Bid at once as high, as you want to go anyway."

Face to face team-match. 3 difficult decisions to make. I posted the problems in 3 other posts So if you like don't read on here, but look the problems separately: 1) Bidding after partner overcalled at the 2 level. Comedy of errors (1) 2) Bidding after partners cuebid. Comedy of errors (2) 3) What to lead, if partner bids 2 suits. Comedy of error (3) This was what happened at our table: I bid a straightforward 3NT counting for 1♠+2♦+6♣ tricks, hoping partner to have something like: xx, Kxx, xx, KQJ10xx and West cashed 5 tricks. We stated, that 5 clubs is the correct contract, but didn't know, if it is possible and realistic to find. [hv=d=w&v=n&n=sa102h54d75ckqj1083&w=sqj963hakqj2dq2c4&e=s87h1096dj9864c965&s=sk54h873dak103ca72]399|300|Scoring: IMP WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 1♠ 2♣ pass 3NT pass pass pass [/hv] The other table bid: WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 1♠ 2♣ pass 2♠ 3♥ 3NT pass pass pass Our teamate led a ♠ (partners first suit) and easy 10 tricks were made. There was a long dispute, what to lead with or without a double of the final contract.

[hv=d=w&v=n&n=shdc&w=shdc&e=s87h1096dj9864c965&s=shdc]399|300|Scoring: IMP What do you lead without double? WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 1♠ 2♣ pass 2♠ 3♥ 3NT pass pass pass What do you lead with double? WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 1♠ 2♣ pass 2♠ 3♥ 3NT pass pass double pass pass pass [/hv] Which suit do you, lead if partner bids 2 of them? What do you lead, if doubles the final 3NT? See the complete story in comedy of errors.

[hv=d=w&v=n&n=sa102h54d75ckqj1083&w=shdc&e=shdc&s=shdc]399|300|Scoring: IMP What is your bid? WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 1♠ 2♣ pass 2♠ 3♥ ??? [/hv] What is your bid? pass = Mininimum no stopper in ♥ 3♠ = Spade are stopped, hearts not 3NT = You asked for a ♠ stopper, partner. Here I am. See the complete story in comedy of errors.

[hv=d=w&v=n&n=shdc&w=shdc&e=shdc&s=sk54h873dak103ca72]399|300|Scoring: IMP WEST NORTH EAST SOUTH 1♠ 2♣ pass ? [/hv] I bid a straightforward 3NT counting for 1♠+2♦+6♣ tricks, hoping partner to have something like: xx, Kxx, xx, KQJ10xx The complete story is posted here. Comedy of errors edited: The symbols ♦ and ♠ didn't work in the poll questions. I should not copy and paste so much :)

In "My hands" nothing is shown before FEB 13. Did the server crash? Or Are I'm doing something wrong? :( Al

Hi all do you have a good bidding-system, if opponents play the 2 NT-opening as unusual (preempt with 55 in minors)? Thanks for your replies Al

Software gives you the choice to let South at the bottom or yourself, if YOU are playing not kibbing. :( cheers Al

[hv=d=e&v=a&s=s9862h864d9ct9632]133|100|Scoring: IMP East South West North 1♥ pass 1NT X 2♦ pass pass 2♠ pass pass 3♦ pass pass ?? [/hv] Do you bid 3♠ or do you pass? This was the full hand (rotated): [hv=d=w&v=a&n=s9862h864d9ct9632&w=s3haq973dqj732caj&e=sq7h52dkt85cq8754&s=sakjt54hkjtda64ck]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv] We missed a cold game vulnerable. Your comments? Who is to blame? Al

I don't like to change the meanings of my systemic bids, only because opponents intervene. And if there is no intervention, what will you rebid with: 432, K432, AK102, K2 ? 1♦ pass 2♣ pass ??? Al

Opener seams to have a reverse 16+HCp with 5♦ and 4♥. What about responder? 1) 2♣ is forcing (as I play) 2) Can he have a ♥ 4-carder and didn't double 1♠ negative? Yes with a game going hand and 5+♣s and 4♥s 3) 3♥ is a game force for sure, since after 2♣ the only not gameforcing bid is 3♣ Why not? If you open 1♦ you must prepared to a 2♣ response. With a balanced minimum you must bid 2 NT now ( that is the reason, why I prefer 12-14 NT openers) even without a good spade stopper. With a weak hand and a diamond suit just bid 2 ♦. Al

[hv=d=s&v=n&s=sak982hak982dc852]133|100|Scoring: IMP SOUTH WEST NORTH EAST 1♠ pass 1NT 2♦ 2♥ pass 3♣ pass ?? [/hv] You and your partner play 2/1. 1NT is forcing and 3♣ shows 5-9 HCP with a 6+ club-suit. The situation is similar to the post clubs, clubs, clubs ...... 3 diamonds is here the most flexible call. Would be interested to hear your opinions. Al

Ty Ben The reason why I posted this here was, why I saw so many declarers play J or 10. :) Al

Sometimes the forum posts can be a bid heated, but there is no justification for such hostile language. One should be allowed to play a suit combination as one sees fit, without the fear of physical harm if Hanni disagrees with the line. <_< Sorry, if I did something wrong. It was not my intention to be hostile to anybody. I found the posts invented by Hanni very interesting and helpful for beginners and intermediates and had the idea to resume. If there is a misunderstanding in my post, please excuse my bad English. Al Ouch, I see my typo now: meant thread not threat :)

excellent

Q432 - J1065 How do you play this suit to make 2 tricks. Entries enough and other things being equal. The knowledge, how to play such common suit-combinations is very important imho. We had a lot of threats about how to play suit combinations here in the forum in 2005, most of the invented by Hanni. You'll find them all, if you search in the posts title "combination". example Maybe you are interested to look up some of the commonest safety plays I opsted at my site. Al

This is an easy to remember rule: (Guess it was invented yet by E. Culbertson) Responders new suit is 100% forcing except opener's rebid is 1NT. After 1NT you should play NMF or CBS. If your partner insists, you can make other agreements. But I wouldn't accept. :P Al

I edited the mimetypes.rdf and added this: <RDF:Description RDF:about="urn:mimetype:application/bbolin" NC:fileExtensions="lin" NC:description="Bridge Movie" NC:value="application/bbolin" NC:editable="true"> <NC:handlerProp RDF:resource="urn:mimetype:handler:application/bbolin"/> </RDF:Description> Now I can drag and drop a lin-file from my PC into FF, but the link I provided above doesn't work yet. example If I click on this browsing my FF I get the source-code of the lin-file. :( I hate my PC. Al

Hi all I post a lot *.lin-files on my site. example If you click on the link browsing IEP the file is opened the BBO-software, but if you click on the same link browsing with Firefox you get the source-code. I tried to add in the htmlcode type"application/bbolin", but it didn't work. Viewing lin-movies from bbo-hands works fine with firefox Anyone able to help my problem? ty Al

Assuming diamonds are not 5/0 you have two possible plans: 1) Take the first heart, cash 7♦s and 2♣s before you exit to LHO for an endplay 2) Finesse in ♠ Decision depends on how likely Lho has the K of ♠. I would adopt the endplay. But I admit I'm often wrong in such situations.

pass never never 1NT no, you are too weak 1♠ no partner may have 3♠s and 4♥s The question is 1♦ or 1♥. The answer depends on your partners style to double. 1) Does the double show majors and may have xx in diamonds? 2) Does the X promise all unbid suits ? If 1) is yes, then 1♦ would show a 4+ diamond suit and I would bid 1♥ If 2) is yes then bid 1♦