thearb

I'm with JD, a trump or a club. A trump would be more attractive if it was xx, with Tx there's a danger it could allow declarer to scoop up the suit, they might be in a 4-4 fit.

Nope. Not what you said earlier, you've changed your line. You said "As I thought, simply playing AQ♣ at tricks 2 and 3 is good enough" Turns out that doesn't work after all. Now you are saying something entirely different. You should think about changing your handle to Harry Hindsight.

Yes you still make on this layout doing that, but only because the AK diamonds are in opposite hands. But you will go down if he has led from AKxx diamonds as you now have no play, he will ruff your high club and exit a trump or heart and wait - whereas declarer's line works on any layout where he can pick up the clubs even if trumps are 4-1.

Flix, Sometimes leading an unsupported ace is the only way to beat a slam. No need to look far to find an example deal! There are no rules as such, much will depend on the auction and the competency of your opposition. I would you commend to David Bird's books on opening leads. At MPs it is often the case that grabbing your trick at trick 1 is the only time you will get it. The leader may have taken the view that the K was likely on his left anyway. Much depends on the other suits and your holding in those suits. It is as important to lead the right suit as to lead the right card from that suit. There is no right or wrong, there are too many variables. Bridge is a game of percentages - rules are really guidelines. The situation is entirely different defending 6NT when a passive lead becomes much more attractive.

I was dummy on this hand, at the other table declarer had a much easier ride on a heart lead. In case Foobar is asleep and to save you going up a blind alley, I can confirm E did have a singleton SJ. And you also shouldn't assume that the lead of an ace against a slam guarantees the King. W made a very good lead, 14 IMPS swung on this deal and as we lost by 20 IMPs, it was a reasonably close match.

I'm available.

message from BBO "Thank you for taking the time to write to us about one of our ACBL tournaments. We always appreciate the feedback. You are totally correct on this one, and I've sent the board to the director pointing out the error of their ways. Our apologies for the director missing this one. I've posted some entries to your and your partner's BB$ account and hope you will enjoy playing together to recoup the lost points on this board. Thank you again for pointing this out. We really appreciate it, very much. Have fun playing." Nice one.

how can you play any game when the rules are unwritten?

Here we go again. ACBL Speedball today, names have been changed to protect the innocent. http://tinyurl.com/hbry5f7 Trick 11, declarer claims D1. I decline. Call director and explain to her that declarer has clearly lost track of trumps, to which the answer is 'score stands, declarer ruffs and plays CJ, down 1' I am then ignored. Excuse me? Is it me? IS IT ME? LAW 70C!! Hello. Hello.

ACBL Speedball, couple of days ago. [hv=sn=South&s=SJHAQJT64DK32CKJ2&wn=West&w=SAKT9H7DA9876CT75&nn=North&n=SQ63HK985DQJC9643&en=thearb&e=S87542H32DT54CAQ8&d=s&v=o&a=1HD2H3S4H4SPP5HPPDPPP&p=SAS3S2SJC5C3CAC2D5D2DADQD9DJD4D3H8H2H4H7"]400|300[/hv] We get to trick 5, declarer runs the ♥8 and claims d1. No line offered. Now, we've all seen these type of claims before in speedball, if the queen is onside the defence meekly accept the claim, and if it is contested, declarer modifies his line Excuse me, what about the ♣Q? I decline the claim, director called and rules and I quote 'the finesse is forced' and moves to next board, assigning d1? I appeal and am ignored, am I missing something here? Why should declarer get the benefit of playing for the finesse not drop

had the best one yet today. http://tinyurl.com/ox4efhr S9 ducked in a flash, ST equally as fast. DT at least 5 seconds delay before following. Every subsequent card played in a flash. I should of course realise it is a singleton and finesse accordingly. Hilarious!

Well so is Hitler. But I wouldn't choose to adopt that login as it's insensitive to others and crass.

Well that's a reasonable suggestion, I'll try to do something about it tomorrow, unless a mod wants to do it for me. As you have probably noticed I am not a 'regular' poster and I'm overseas with only an iPad at the moment. Just had a thought, now that GIB has developed to the point that people are paying to use it, why not just give the partner the option of putting GIB in for free and change the software so that it has the benefit of 'seeing' the cards played to that point.

Ok, we've all been there. A sub gets called in because someone's Internet has gone down or they are answering the door or they think they're dummy when they're not or even slumped over the keyboard with a coronary. Anyway, I digress, inevitably it happens at some key point, the sub blunders in, does his best but has no idea what has been played, meanwhile his partner sits there, terrified, grinding his teeth, and watches a good score disappear in a puff of smoke as the sub mis defends, mis declares, or simply isn't aware there is still a trump out. No one's happy except possibly the opps, worse still the scores get perverted and those who bother checking the traveller scratch their heads wondering how some impossible contract was let through or some stone cold contract failed, distorting the scores. Maybe these hands should be removed completely from the traveller. We must be able to do better than this. Shouldn't the sub have the benefit of some kind of review of what has happened, can the software be changed to allow him to see the cards played or perhaps the director can help him with say the opening lead if say we are at trick 2? Obviously there is a time consideration with speedball but the current arrangement is far from satisfactory. Suggestions invited.

Am I the only one to find 'wank' an offensive login? Where are the guidelines on this. What's to stop me creating f*** or even c***. Where is the line drawn on this, is BBO sending the wrong message on what is acceptable behaviour to the younger generation?

I can confirm my availability for this match now 100%. Thank you for the opportunity. Obviously I am not a regular poster and do not mind stepping aside at short notice if someone else more eligible becomes available, best