zenbiddist

Has anyone got a SEF summary in English? Or a summary of how it differs from modern standard? Thanks

It can be useful to export a hand from BBO, to deal up and use in a lesson (for example). There's probably a more sophisticated way to do this, but here's a method that works: Open the hand you want, click "Export", and click "handviewer link". Copy the URL into Notepad (a text editor), and delete the string of garbage preceding the letters "LIN". Save the file as "Whatever.LIN" Now you have a file you can reformat for a dealing machine.

Thanks Gerardo. A player registered with a robot in a free tourney today, and when I tried to substitute-out the robot I couldn't (error ~M29622). Can't seem to boot the robot either. Is this because I only had co-director privileges, or because it can't be done? I understand that we could have solved it by removing "allow robots" - but that's another setting that co-directors can't change. Thanks!

That looks playable! The players who use the structure used Opener's Jump-3NT rebid for something else, but this makes a lot of sense.

Excellent idea! Just tried to access the free tourney I'm running through there but it didn't appear in the flash version. Perhaps it appears if it's an official sanctioned game, etc.

Thanks, that's exactly the kind of solution I am after. Do you know where I would enter that "+howell+" code in a free tournament? Might not be possible, but I'll be directing virtual club games soon I think so this is great. Edit: I've learned that I would add that in the tourney description from a club account. But I hear it will work from all TD accounts with the next update - excellent.

Hi there. Is it possible to see at a glance which boards have been averaged? Or is it possible to set up a notification when that happens? It would be ideal to check quickly at the end of each round. Thanks! Edit: another way of asking the same question - how can I see all results at once?

Playing a style of 2/1 where Opener's 2NT Rebid is 12-14 bal or 18-19 bal, obviously the bigger hand bids again. With a doubleton in Responder's suit, it makes sense for Opener to rebid 4NT quant. My question is, would 4♣, 4♦ and 4♠ over 3NT in this sequence show three card support for Responder's minor and a slammish 18-19 bal hand? [hv=d=w&v=0&b=8&a=1hp2dp2n(12-14%20or%2018-19)p3np4c]133|100[/hv] It seems logical to me playing this 2NT rebid style, but I've never read/talked about it, and I usually play a different structure. Thanks

Is there a list of which movements BBO will assign for various table numbers in a clocked, barometer matchpoint movement? I'm asking because it would be nice to know in advance which movements will include a revenge round - that way more standby players can be added until a better format is achieved. Thanks!

I'm a big fan of using Web movements, especially when running larger sessions in clubs. Super simple for the players - everyone plays the same boards, and movies in a straight-forward fashion. Once you've wrapped your head around them, they work for any large number of tables. I even use them for Supervised sessions that play 15, (18) or 21 boards. It's easy to build a Web movement around an odd number of rounds, ie 5 rounds of 3 boards, 7 rounds of 3 (cut a round off if you need) or 9 rounds of 3. Whilst not mathematically perfect, Webs are incredibly practical, and the players can focus on the game without the interruptions of a weird movement...

It's in BBO's interest to add late players, especially paying players. When I direct games, it feels good to know I can adjust most movements on the fly to accommodate a late pair. You can substitute one movement for another between rounds without moving boards or removing scores if you understand the movements. It's especially simple when two pairs turn up simultaneously to a barometer game (BBO tournament). That's happening quite a lot on BBO right now as a lot of the bridge playing population is learning BBO and sometimes struggling with the technology. Rulings: looking at the traveller to decide how to adjust a score can be critical. Imagine that a round ends while there are three cards left to play, and the players are whisked on to the next table. BBO assigns 50% to each pair for the board, but declarer has already failed by a minimum of two tricks, and may have gone three off. Often both scores are well below 50%, and fetch the same matchpoint percentage. In that case it is clear to adjust the score and how. As far as I know, there is no quick way for the TD to see a traveller, which clarifies this in seconds.

If I am running a barometer event, there is no logical reason why I can't add four (or eight, etc) players during the first round. Is it possible for BBO to do this? More income for them if it's a money game. Also, can the TD see the traveller for a board while the tourney is in progress? This would make adjusting scores quicker. Thanks!

Hi there, People often ask how to get better at counting, and I've always pointed them to BBO's brilliant Counting Game. Sadly most if not all browsers no longer support Flash animation. Will BBO's Counting Game re-appear in a compatible format? Or is it floating around already and I haven't found it? Thanks

Thanks. What if dummy says "You're in hand" during that wait time. Does the defender who is last to play a card to the LOOT still get to decide whether or not to accept?

Hi all, When I started directing, I was under the impression that the defenders were never able to confer mid-hand. Examples Director asks: "Would you like to accept this insufficient bid?" Deciding whether to accept declarer's lead from the wrong hand... Etc However, I was recently told that there is a situation(s) in which the defenders can make a joint decision. Does anyone know which situation(s)? Thanks

Thanks!

Declarer leads a side suit, and LHO ruffs in (revoking). Dummy plays low, and RHO plays low. At this point, LHO realises they've revoked, and the director asks them to play a diamond. Dummy is allowed to change their card to a king. Can RHO play change their card and play an ace? If so, they would. Now declarer could exercise lead directing rights, and so on. But is RHO's previously contributed card a penalty card? Now there is a small UI problem - LHO knows which pip RHO contributed to the revoke, and now they've produced an ace. How do the laws treat that UI problem? Thanks

I work as a director in a bridge club, and usually the games are very harmonious. Unfortunately today I had this situation, and two of the players involved were upset: With four minutes on the clock, a player refused to play the last board, claiming there was not enough time. I didn't get called until there was two minutes on the clock, and they were too upset to play it quickly, so I had to decide which adjusted score if any to give (law 90A). I haven't needed to issue a procedural penalty in five years of directing. How do you think the laws apply, and what would you have done? Thanks

[hv=pc=n&s=sjha542da42ckj853&n=sak762hq8d53cat97&d=e&v=0&b=14&a=3dpp3sp3nppp]266|200[/hv] You're playing teams. West leads ♦6, which East covers with the ♦7. You have six top tricks. If you duck, East plays back ♦K, and West shows out. If you duck again, East plays ♦Q and West shells a heart (but their signalling is essentially non-existent). What's your line? A) play LHO for the ♣Q (maybe starting with ♣K and unblock ♣9 from dummy) B) play a club to the ♣A and cover on the way back (presuming RHO follows to the second round), hoping ♥K is onside if you lose to ♣Qx. C) play two top clubs, falling back on ♥K onside D) other (what do you think is best?)

Hi there, Am I able to export saved hands, preferably to BRI, PBN, DLM or LIN? I have saved about 250 hands (and the play), and I'd like an efficient process to get them into a dealing machine. I'm aware that I can save the play, etc by exporting a handviewer url (very awesome feature). I'm also wondering if the new BBO (HTML not flash) will still have all the hands I've saved? Thanks, John

That looks perfect, thank you!!!

That is beautifully neat! Stealing that.

Which movement would you run, finding a compromise between balance and simplicity? e.g. 1-board rounds are impractical, but a 27T Web would have you encounter only 1/3 of your opponents. Edit: here's what we've come up with, thanks for your help: 1st session of qualifying: 27T Web (13 rounds of 2) 2nd session of qualifying: 27T Web (13 rounds of 2 plus 14th barometer round playing 27-28). Final: Top 7 qualifiers from each axis 7-table, 2-board Howell (or 4-board Howell, with a lunch break, if time permits). Plate: 10T 10x3 Mitchell Consolation: 10T 10x3 Mitchell

Hi there, There is a bridge scoring program (Compscore) that is popular in Australia, and I'd like to try my hand at creating and moderating an unofficial forum for it, so that solutions are easy to find for users. Is there a free forum platform offered somewhere, that offers a customiseable template? I only need the most basic functionality - the ability to pose or answer questions, and to search all threads for keywords. I'd also like to be able to moderate comments - ie remove spam / edit for clarity. I'll only do it if it's fairly intuitive. I don't want to have to code, etc. Your help will be much appreciated! Thanks John

I have a few simple thoughts on Exclusion which might be relevant to your query: Exclusion responses A common treatment: 0, 1, 1+queen, 2, 2+queen, etc This gets you excessively high sometimes, and therefore you can't afford to use it, undermining the benefit of the convention. Another issue with this type of response structure is that it wastes a lot of space on the 0 and 1 steps when the answer is known to be higher (i.e. from a 2♣ opener). I prefer just to play simple Roman Keycard style responses to Exclusion for this reason. Lower void-showing bids The neatest fix, which doesn't require extensive agreements, is to prioritise void-showing in cue-bidding auctions. Krzysztof Martens' slam bidding book explains this very clearly. In short, if you control bid a suit and then bid it again, you have a void, and the priority of showing it overrides other control bids. When is it Exclusion? The other issue that comes up frequently in new partnerships is confusion over when Exclusion applies. In a fresh partnership, I like the simple rule that jumps to game are to play. Another auction that I have seen create some confusion is a non-jump to 5-bananas in a competitive auction. Example: [hv=pc=n&s=sA2haqJ87dcak9753&d=s&v=b&b=7&a=1cp1h4d5d]133|200[/hv] But what would you do with this hand? [hv=pc=n&s=s32haqJ7dAcakJ875&d=s&v=b&b=7&a=1cp1h4d5d]133|200[/hv] What are the continuations? I've seen very good pairs miss grand slams because they haven't discussed the follow-up bids. There are probably optimal methods I haven't encountered, but for simplicity I play the same as RKC: 1st non-trump step = Queen ask (unless queen known) 2nd non-trump step = specific king ask Last train = generic try Other bids inbetween (rare that they exist) = 3rd round control ask