m1cha

Not that hard maybe. There was only one other player to explicitely show spade support. Did any of your bids show additional strength? The robot's hand is worth 18.15 points on the Kaplan and Rubens hand evaluator: K&R at AKJ98xx Jx --- KT9x. Just imagine you happen to hold ♥A instead of ♦K, the slam is almost cold.

I agree about the misfits; but sorry, I don't see what should be strange about it.

In my home country's official bidding system they count 2 points for the ninth card in trumps. In addition, since you have one card more in trumps, you will have one card less in another suit. This will usually translate into a distributional point for having a doubleton instead of a tripleton, or a singleton instead of a doubleton. So yes, if you don't count shortages separately, the ninth card in trumps is worth 3 points, or 1 full trick in this system. The tenth card, however, gives you only two points in total, maybe a rounding issue. I have never seen the statistical evidence behind this system but I like it and I have often felt that GIB does not attribute enough value to good fits in trumps. If you are looking for statistical evidence you may want to check this thread by tnevolin who did an extensive statistical study on hand evaluation: http://www.bridgebas...873#entry890873 particularly the link in post 68 https://drive.google...mlUR2ZUblU/view and within this document on the last page the link "hand evaluation model" https://drive.google...jZJcXlfa0k/view Here every trump card counts only 1 point (page 3) but in addition you get an increasing number of points for shortages if you hold more trump cards (page 4). Finally in the same thread, post 99 by Jogs with this graph claiming the ninth trump to 4-4 is worth half a trick in a balanced hand or a full trick in a distributional hand: http://jogsbridge.we.../554030.jpg?617

Not exactly, but actually GIB has a similar concept, bidding the doubleton suit as a transfer break.

The purpose of splinter is to help partner correctly evaluate the hand. Now imagine partner splinters in ♦ where you hold ♦ KJT2. - What is this suit worth opposite the expected small singleton? - What is this suit worth if partner holds a void? - What is this suit worth if partner holds the singleton ace? Did that splinter with a singleton ace help you?

You must be aware that your only systemic option is to double! Any other call automatically violates your system agreements since there is no way back to the penalty double if your partner has the penalty hand. And if you had an agreement about with what kind of hand you run from the penalty option, you'd certainly have told us, wouldn't you?Having said that, I guess I would also try 2♥. :) Can we assume that partner has a more or less balanced hand because otherwise he'd bid his own suit(s) earlier? If so, playing 2♥ looks like a good spot to me. Opponents obviously have a good fit in ♦, and ours is not in any of the black suits.

Not my world ;) .Anyway, so I guess I have to bid my 4-card minor if I want to hear the quality of our spades fit, 3♦. Which is probably GF because it's above 2NT. So opener would - bid 4♠ with 4 ♠ cards, otherwise - bid 3NT with a stop in the other minor, or - bid 3♠ with 3 ♠ cards without a stop, but - never raise my minor because 4♦ is above 3NT which may be our best spot. Is that more or less correct? And the rationale behind it is that, with weak hands, playing 2♠ in a 4-3 fit is not much worse than playing 2♥ in a 5-2 fit but you got some chance of playing 2♠ in a 5-3 fit and that's how you profit? [Edit: Ok, I do see a profit from showing your strength immediately.]

I see an increasing number of cases where robots bid more cards than they actually have. Here's one example from the Free Dayly (IMPs) yesterday. http://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?bbo=y&lin=ZZ%7C%7Cpn%7Cm1cha%2CRobot%2CRobot%2CRobot%7Cst%7C%7Cmd%7C2SA762HAKDKJT3CA62%2CSK943H2D942CQJT73%2CSQT8HQJT76DAQ76C8%2CSJ5H98543D85CK954%7Csv%7C0%7Cah%7CBoard+8%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7C1H%7Can%7CMajor+suit+opening+--+5%2B+%21H%3B+11-21+HCP%3B+12-22+total+points%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7C1S%7Can%7COne+over+one+--+4%2B+%21S%3B+6%2B+total+points%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7C2S%7Can%7CSimple+raise+--+5%2B+%21H%3B+4+%21S%3B+11%2B+HCP%3B+12-15+total+points%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7C4N%7Can%7CBlackwood+%28S%29+--+4%2B+%21S%3B+20%2B+total+points%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7C5D%7Can%7COne+or+four+key+cards+--+5%2B+%21H%3B+4+%21S%3B+11%2B+HCP%3B+12-15+total+points%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7C5S%7Can%7CSignoff+--+4%2B+%21S%3B+20%2B+total+points%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7CP%7Cpc%7CCQ%7Cpc%7CC8%7Cpc%7CCK%7Cpc%7CCA%7Cpc%7CS2%7Cpc%7CS4%7Cpc%7CST%7Cpc%7CSJ%7Cpc%7CC5%7Cpc%7CC2%7Cpc%7CC3%7Cpc%7CS8%7Cpc%7CH6%7Cpc%7CH3%7Cpc%7CHK%7Cpc%7CH2%7Cpc%7CC6%7Cpc%7CC7%7Cpc%7CSQ%7Cpc%7CC9%7Cpc%7CD6%7Cpc%7CD8%7Cpc%7CDK%7Cpc%7CD2%7Cpc%7CSA%7Cpc%7CS3%7Cpc%7CH7%7Cpc%7CS5%7Cpc%7CS7%7Cpc%7CSK%7Cpc%7CHT%7Cpc%7CH8%7Cpc%7CS9%7Cpc%7CD7%7Cpc%7CH9%7Cpc%7CS6%7Cpc%7CCJ%7Cpc%7CHJ%7Cpc%7CC4%7Cpc%7CD3%7Cpc%7CCT%7Cpc%7CDQ%7Cpc%7CH4%7Cpc%7CDT%7Cpc%7CD4%7Cpc%7CDA%7Cpc%7CD5%7Cpc%7CDJ%7Cpc%7CHQ%7Cpc%7CH5%7Cpc%7CHA%7Cpc%7CD9%7C (Sorry for a bad picture, I haven't found out yet how to do it better.) Robot here fakes a ♠ card by raising me to 2♠, so I end up in 5♠ in a Moysian and go down. I know I guessed and played badly, I was in a hurry. But the thing is, if I played in ♥ I'd just make an additional trick. 5♠ is always down on a ♣ lead but 5♥ can make. 6♥ makes after any other lead, 6NT as well. 6♦ always makes and is easy to play! But I cannot find the diamond fit when the robot fakes a ♠ fit instead of just bidding its second suit. A 2♦ rebid seems pretty normal to me. (3♣ after that should be 4th suit, of course.)

Oh yes! And then you sit there with a two-suiter, 14 points, and you wonder: If partner has a minimum, you must pass now since 3♦ is the last contract that makes; while if partner has a maximum, 3NT may be a no-brainer, or even 5♦ might make. I had that recently with clubs instead of diamonds, here's the link: http://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?bbo=y&lin=pn|m1cha,~~M6058p45,~~M6185y1y,~~M6849urb|st%7C%7Cmd%7C2S45TKAH29TD24C2QA%2CS3678QH58QKD7JC58%2CS2H37D356KAC469TJ%2C%7Crh%7C%7Cah%7CBoard%208%7Csv%7Co%7Cmb%7Cp%7Cmb%7Cp%7Cmb%7Cp%7Cmb%7C1S%7Can%7CMajor%20suit%20opening%20--%205%2B%20%21S%3B%2011-21%20HCP%3B%20%7Cmb%7Cp%7Cmb%7C1N%7Can%7C2-%20%21S%3B%206-11%20HCP%3B%2012-%20total%20points%20%7Cmb%7Cp%7Cmb%7C2C%7Can%7CNew%20suit%20--%203%2B%20%21C%3B%203-%20%21H%3B%205%2B%20%21S%3B%2011%2B%20HCP%7Cmb%7Cp%7Cmb%7C3C%7Can%7C5%2B%20%21C%3B%202-%20%21S%3B%2011-%20HCP%3B%208-12%20total%20points%20%7Cmb%7Cp%7Cmb%7C3D%7Can%7C3%2B%20%21C%3B%203-%20%21H%3B%205%2B%20%21S%3B%2011%2B%20HCP%3B%2012-18%20tota%7Cmb%7Cp%7Cmb%7C4C%7Can%7C5%2B%20%21C%3B%202-%20%21S%3B%2011-%20HCP%3B%208-12%20total%20points%20%7Cmb%7Cp%7Cmb%7Cp%7Cmb%7Cp%7Cpc%7CDJ%7Cpc%7CDK%7Cpc%7CDQ%7Cpc%7CD2%7Cpc%7CS2%7Cpc%7CS9%7Cpc%7CSK%7Cpc%7CS3%7Cpc%7CSA%7Cpc%7CS8%7Cpc%7CH3%7Cpc%7CSJ%7Cpc%7CS4%7Cpc%7CS6%7Cpc%7CH7%7Cpc%7CH6%7Cpc%7CS7%7Cpc%7CC9%7Cpc%7CH4%7Cpc%7CS5%7Cpc%7CCJ%7Cpc%7CC3%7Cpc%7CC2%7Cpc%7CC5%7Cpc%7CC4%7Cpc%7CC7%7Cpc%7CCQ%7Cpc%7CC8%7Cpc%7CCA%7Cpc%7CH8%7Cpc%7CC6%7Cpc%7CCK%7Cpc%7CST%7Cpc%7CSQ%7Cpc%7CCT%7Cpc%7CHJ%7Cpc%7CDA%7Cpc%7CD8%7Cpc%7CD4%7Cpc%7CD7%7Cpc%7CD3%7Cpc%7CD9%7Cpc%7CH2%7Cpc%7CH5%7Cpc%7CDT%7Cpc%7CH9%7Cpc%7CHK%7Cpc%7CD5%7Cpc%7CHA%7Cpc%7CHT%7Cpc%7CHQ%7Cpc%7CD6%7C I decided to fake a 3♦ bid hoping partner may be able to bid a heart stop, but I got a 4♣ reply and went down. 3NT makes! Bidding 3♥ with my hand instead of 3♣ carried a label like "5+ ♠s, 4+ ♥, 4+ ♣s ...", iirc. I didn't want to fake that one for fear of being raised to 4♥ with who-knows-what. Anyway, I find the range from 8 to 12 points too wide, the information is next to useless opposite a frequent set of hands. How about bidding 2NT with the 11 - 12 points hands and keep the simple raises "courtesy"? If opener is strong, you may still find the game in 5m after a 2NT bid.

Well then, let's unbind the tie. ;) I did my part.

I sent the challenge for segment 3 to dadim right after my last post. This is now some 36 hrs ago. I played it last night, now waiting for dadim. When dadim played it, I can play segment 4 within 24 hrs. We have made friends, the challenges are on auto-accept.

Copy & mispaste, sorry. Here's the next one. R8 segment 2: m1cha 25 - 3 dadim (+22 IMPs) http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:d7c685ec.aad2.11e6.8e99.0cc47a39aeb4-1479173322&u=m1cha

R8 segment 1: m1cha 15 - 19 awm (-4 IMPs) http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:261f7471.a9f8.11e6.8e99.0cc47a39aeb4-1479079393&u=m1cha

I have just sent a challenge to dadim assuming that your resignation is accepted and I am playing the next match against him now. I can play a segment per day, the first one starting either within a few hours or tomorrow.

R16 play-off: m1cha 31 - 1 awm (+30 IMPs) http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:72bdb8f9.a6f8.11e6.8e99.0cc47a39aeb4-1478749668&u=m1cha

R16 segment 4: m1cha 28 - 14 awm (+14 IMPs) http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:8c0c698d.a61e.11e6.8e99.0cc47a39aeb4-1478656081&u=m1cha So we've had an exciting fight - ending [?] with a draw (in terms of IMPs, at least: 103 - 103). :) Have we already got a rule for this?

R16 segment 3: m1cha 30 - 29 awm (+1 IMP) http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:4100f3b5.a556.11e6.8e99.0cc47a39aeb4-1478570055&u=m1cha

R16 segment 2: m1cha 29 - 35 awm (-6 IMPs) http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:888759c4.a488.11e6.8e99.0cc47a39aeb4-1478481699&u=m1cha

R16 segment 1: m1cha 16 - 25 awm (-9 IMPs) http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:6aeec6e9.a3de.11e6.8e99.0cc47a39aeb4-1478408635&u=m1cha

It seems to me that there is a disagreement on how often these passes are successful or not. Otherwise I cannot imagine why he may want to stick with them. I suggest you do what ggwhiz suggested: put a bottle of wine on it or a bar of chocolate. He gives you if it costs an IMP, you give him if it wins an IMP. This will create a multiple win-win situation: 1. You either win the contract or you win a present. 2. After a few months you will be able to remember who bought how many presents. 3. You can analyse the situations and you will both learn from it (and if he learns more than you, that's just find with you, I guess). 4. In the end perhaps you may both feel fine - you because you managed to reduce these passes by 85 % and he because he keeps the liberty of passing very occasionally (and with better judgmement than now).

I have just played my last hand. Seems like G2 will finish within 24 hrs. [Edit: G2 is correct, G3 was wrong.]

m1cha 18 - 24 wackojack (-6 IMPs) http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:d2d28c61.a051.11e6.8e99.0cc47a39aeb4-1478018397&u=m1cha

m1cha 12 - 2 nige1 (+10 IMPs) http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:3652f677.9f37.11e6.8e99.0cc47a39aeb4-1477897016&u=m1cha

m1cha 13 - 22 sfi (-9 IMPs) http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:c222987d.9f0e.11e6.8e99.0cc47a39aeb4-1477879641&u=m1cha

m1cha 35 - 26 gqc6 (9 IMPs) http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:b0f89adb.9e62.11e6.8e99.0cc47a39aeb4-1477805739&u=m1cha