smerriman

BBO alerts you with a beep for lots of things - your turn to bid, someone invites you to a match, someone sends you a private message, etc. No sound effect is played when you are hosting a protected table and someone asks to join. Meaning while waiting for players, you can't switch tabs / do something else - you have to keep staring at the screen to make sure you don't miss them. Can I have a beep please? :) NB - you get a beep when hosting a team match. Just not a normal permission-required table in the MBC.

It's a close match at the halfway point between derppp and I. The first set was a tight battle for overtricks as 8 boards resulted in a one trick difference. After one swing each, we were tied after 15 boards before derppp picked up an important 7 IMPs on the last board to take a 19-12 lead. http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:21ae5856.82f3.11e8.ab4e.0cc47a39aeb4-1531084138&u=smerriman On the second set, there were again three swings, but this time the extra one went my way and it was vulnerable. 12 identical results and one overtrick each way meant I won this one 7-19. http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:2a00a633.83e8.11e8.ab4e.0cc47a39aeb4-1531189379&u=smerriman Score at halfway: derpp 26 - 31 smerriman.

http://www.jazclass.aust.com/bridge/brbg/bgp22.gif

I guess GIB is worth a 2♠ overcall (if that's defined correctly) but I definitely wouldn't want to be in 4♠.

That, along with a couple of other recent results which I've added, wraps up the top 4 for round 2. Semifinals are diana_eva vs olegru and smerriman vs derppp. Usual format - 4x16 boards. Good luck!

For what it's worth - and I would have agreed with your suggested bid - given your hand + dummy's, you're making 53% of the time. So you actually want to be in 3NT regardless of scoring. Perhaps GIB knows something we don't.

And the next time GIB makes the same type lead, it will fail, and everyone will say it's a bug and GIB is terrible :) In saying that, I've found that GIB usually takes a no trump / stopper bid far too seriously, often failing to lead the killer suit 2 or 3 times during a contract to gift you a 3NT. That comes down to the 'human bids must always be perfect' rule. If you want some good daylong scores, try some 3NTs with no stoppers.

http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:089aa9dc.7e75.11e8.ab4e.0cc47a39aeb4-1530590175&u=smerriman smerriman 45 - 14 broze

Quick suggestion - if it looks like it has frozen, try resizing the window, and see if it unfreezes. Has been a few flash-related bugs around with both Chrome + Firefox, and that was one workaround (not BBO specific).

Same reason that if you make a takeout double, it's described as a takeout double, and your partner should interpret it as a takeout double, even though your next bid may show you actually had a strong hand instead. GIB can't combine lots of hand types into a single description.

No, it doesn't. It has its bid as per the description.

This poll and discussion on bridgewinners is interesting reading (including quite a few comments suggesting WJS are worse).

http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:0f7ba002.7c0a.11e8.ab4e.0cc47a39aeb4-1530324328&u=smerriman smerriman 18 - 40 Stephen Tu http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:17acff47.7c23.11e8.ab4e.0cc47a39aeb4-1530335079&u=smerriman smerriman 13 - 18 derppp

The worst part seems to be that 2♠ is described as forcing to 3♠, instead of 3♥. 3♠?!?!

I think he meant that's how he learned it should be played, not how GIB plays it. 4NT is ridiculously defined as Blackwood in diamonds, but it couldn't really be quantitative if opener rebid 3♠ so it wouldn't solve everything. Putting an upper limit on the balanced jump shift is the right solution.

That's an impressive average nonetheless :) Was one of those (rare) challenges where simply everything seemed to go right for me. smerriman 36 - 8 Driver733 http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:89834ab7.7a70.11e8.ab4e.0cc47a39aeb4-1530148439&u=smerriman smerriman 26 - 2 gszes http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:f0a314fd.7a55.11e8.ab4e.0cc47a39aeb4-1530137016&u=smerriman smerriman 17 - 26 gordontd http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:8a85aba0.7a65.11e8.ab4e.0cc47a39aeb4-1530143716&u=smerriman

kuhchung wasn't able to play, so I'm joining round 2.

That's true, but not relevant. The point was even if you *do* have 20 HCP, 7♥ is still ridiculous, because you can easily be missing the ♥Q. Simply tweak the diagram so South has 20 points, and the bug is still the same. This has been mentioned many times in the past, but bug reports in this forum need to be approached from the perspective of "if the human hadn't lied, does GIB's bid make sense"? In this case, the answer is no, so it is a bug regardless.

I just played in a pickup 7 board IMP team match on BBO. Reverse auctions (well, auctions in general, but hey) can be tricky even with a regular partner - virtually impossible with a pickup partner. But when it's just some quick fun, sometimes you have no choice. On board 3 I picked up a nice 1246 16-count and decided I was strong enough to reverse into diamonds. [hv=http://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?&s=SA84HKJ753DJ75CT3&w=SQT9653H964D983C6&nn=smerriman&n=S2HQ2DAKT6CAK9842&e=SKJ7HAT8DQ42CQJ75&d=s&v=e&b=3&a=PP1CP1HP2DP2NP3CP3HPPP&p=S5S2SKSAS4S3H2S7CAC5C3C6CKC7CTH4D9DAD2D5C9CJD7D8CQHJD3C2S8S9HQSJDKD4DJH6SQC4DQH3H7H9D6HTH8H5S6C8HAHKSTDT]400|300[/hv] First up, I had to guess whether 2NT was lebensohl, whether 2♠ would be the weakness bid, or whether partner didn't really have a system. Luckily, my bid seemed to be 3♣ either way - but should I pass 3♥? I decided it would be safest. 3NT is down 1, though would require excellent defense to beat, and 3♥ was just making, so it worked out OK (though partner misplayed it for down 2). The very next board, I am rather surprised to pick up an even better hand - a 2146 18 count. [hv=http://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?s=ST85HAQJ63DAT9C63&w=S42HT8752DQ654C95&nn=smerriman&n=SAKH4DKJ32CAKT874&e=SQJ9763HK9D87CQJ2&d=w&v=b&b=4&a=P1CP1HP2DP3HP4CP5DP6DPPP&p=SQS5S4SKCAC2C3C9CKCQC6C5C4CJD9DQD4D2D7DTDAD5D3D8S8S2SAS3DKS6H3D6DJS7H6H2&c=12]400|300[/hv] OK, this time 3♥ must be some strength, but it's still a bit of a misfit. Do I stop at 3NT? I don't like it, so I bid 4♣. Is a jump to 5♦ weak or strong? Who knows, but let's give slam a try. Oh dear, a 4-3 fit - but it's somehow cold and I manage to bring it home. Would you believe it, the very next board I'm staggered to pick up a 1345 20-count. I am very close to misclicking on my second bid, since I'm laughing out loud too hard, but I manage to reverse into diamonds for a third consecutive time. [hv=http://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?s=SAT842HK8743DTC98&wn=selo56&w=SQJ76HT2DQ9CT7532&nn=smerriman&n=S3HAQ9DA732CAKQJ6&e=SK95HJ65DKJ8654C4&d=n&v=n&b=5&a=1CP1SP2DP2HP2NP3HP4NP5DP6HPPP&p=C2CAC4C8HQH5H3H2HAH6H4HTH9HJHKS6C9C3CKD4CQD5S2C5CJD6S4C7S3S5STSJCTC6D8H7DTD9DADJD2DKH8DQSAS7D3S9S8SQD7SK]400|300[/hv] Still not having a clue what system we were playing, I played for time with 2NT, but after 3♥ took the plunge into an ice-cold slam. Sadly, partner drew trumps without realising one spade ruff was all that was required :( (Edit - actually, the club break was pretty unlucky; drawing trumps may well be the right line anyway - hadn't really looked too closely.) An interesting match for sure.

For reference, I heard back from Chris yesterday - wasn't 100% sure based on his response whether he'd have time to continue or not, but have challenged him and played my end so that it would expire by the original deadline. If its incomplete by then, I'll progress to round 2 - luckily the last spot was just between us so there's no need for adjusted scores.

Quote from another thread: Maybe in the next couple of years they'll get around to implementing this.

Your post is broken, but my challenge was regarding the hand you posted. If you think the club lead is so bad compared with the queen of spades, demonstrate a layout that requires the queen of spades lead and doesn't require a 100% psych. Should be easy if the lead is that bad.

I found the actual hand: [hv=http://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?bbo=y&lin=st%7C%7Cmd%7C3S9862HAJDJCAKT974%2CSQHQ832DK962CJ653%2CSJ54HT765DAQ873CQ%2CSAKT73HK94DT54C82%7Csv%7CN%7Cah%7CBoard%205%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7C1D%7Can%7CMinor%20suit%20opening%20--%203%2B%20%21D%3B%2011-21%20HCP%3B%2012-22%20total%20points%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7C1H%7Can%7COne%20over%20one%20--%204%2B%20%21H%3B%2011-%20HCP%3B%206-12%20total%20points%7Cmb%7C1S%7Can%7C5%2B%20%21S%3B%207-11%20HCP%3B%208-12%20total%20points%7Cmb%7C3N%7Can%7C11-21%20HCP%3B%20solid%207-card%20%21D%3B%2012-22%20total%20points%3B%20stop%20in%20%21S%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7CP%7Cmb%7CP%7Cpc%7CC3%7Cpc%7CCQ%7Cpc%7CC8%7Cpc%7CCA%7Cpc%7CCK%7Cpc%7CC5%7Cpc%7CD3%7Cpc%7CC2%7Cpc%7CCT%7Cpc%7CCJ%7Cpc%7CH5%7Cpc%7CH4%7Cpc%7CH8%7Cpc%7CH6%7Cpc%7CHK%7Cpc%7CHA%7Cpc%7CC9%7Cpc%7CC6%7Cpc%7CD7%7Cpc%7CS3%7Cpc%7CC7%7Cpc%7CH2%7Cpc%7CD8%7Cpc%7CS7%7Cpc%7CC4%7Cpc%7CD9%7Cpc%7CDQ%7Cpc%7CD4%7Cpc%7CHJ%7Cpc%7CHQ%7Cpc%7CH7%7Cpc%7CH9%7Cpc%7CD6%7Cpc%7CDA%7Cpc%7CDT%7Cpc%7CDJ%7Cpc%7CHT%7Cpc%7CD5%7Cpc%7CS2%7Cpc%7CH3%7Cpc%7CS4%7Cpc%7CSK%7Cpc%7CS6%7Cpc%7CSQ%7Cpc%7CST%7Cpc%7CS8%7Cpc%7CDK%7Cpc%7CSJ%7Cpc%7CS5%7Cpc%7CSA%7Cpc%7CS9%7Cpc%7CD2%7C]400|300[/hv] Obviously 3NT is insane. Challenge: come up with a single example where South's bid is not insane (at least a spade stopper and a reasonable chance of 3NT), and it's important to lead a spade and not a club to beat the contract.

It doesn't assume a random 5 card suit. It assumes a suit that GIB itself would overcall on. So I would say the opposite; I see humans overcalling with much worse suits than GIB does. Steve, if you want to say the club lead is a bug, you're going to have to actually provide some backup to your assertion, rather than just 'it should lead a spade because that's what everyone does'. Try some simulations of what you think East should have for a spade overcall and post your results. I'm struggling to think of any hands where a spade would work much better than a club given South's near-solid diamonds. So Stephen Tu is probably right; I expect South psyched / didn't understand what 3nt means and you're asking for GIB to assume he is playing with beginners and act accordingly.

The purpose of SJS is to help with the types of hands where a normal 2/1 auction simply won't get you to the right spot. If you have a type of hand where a normal 2/1 auction would work, then you shouldn't be bidding a SJS. Eg, if you have an SJS with strong spades, how do you "force to game with the first response"? If you bid an unnatural forcing 2/1 instead of 1♠, then it's going to take you a while to agree upon spades, after which you may have used up too much bidding room. (And the same applies if you start with 1♠).