smerriman

There is no conceivable reason for GDPR affecting Google's cache, unless European visitors are 100% blocked from the forums.

http://www.bridgebase.com/robots.txt has /forums/ now blocked from robots. I use Google all of the time to search the forum (site:bridgebase.com/forums/), since the inbuilt forum search is terrible. Now all of the results are gone. Why?

http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:19b2e334.69db.11e8.ab4e.0cc47a39aeb4-1528325038&u=smerriman smerriman 40 - 50 ant590 http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:75096460.6b9d.11e8.ab4e.0cc47a39aeb4-1528518465&u=smerriman smerriman 25 - 24 olegru http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:5cd595fd.6bfb.11e8.ab4e.0cc47a39aeb4-1528558797&u=smerriman smerriman 31 - 25 twisterrz

Why? I generated 500 hands of the form: - 5+ diamonds - 4+ clubs (but not more than diamonds - jump shift into a 3 card minor is I guess possible but don't know if GIB does it) - <= 3 spades - 18-21 hcp, 19-22 total points and compared the results of a 4NT ask over the book 5♣ bid. On 244 occasions (48.8%), you get a 5♣ response anyway which you will pass; there is no difference. Only on 12 occasions (2.4%) would you get a 5♥ response. 5♣ only actually made on 5 of those; the rest you go down an extra trick. Average loss was 3.58 IMPs. On the other 244 occasions (48.8%), you're in 6♣. On 12 occasions, both go down. On 125 occasions, the slam makes. On 107 occasions, 11 tricks is the limit. Average *gain* was 1.15 IMPs. Overall, bidding Blackwood instead of 5♣ is 0.48 IMPs better. So, a win to GIB as far as I can tell. (NB - I didn't take into account void-showing responses, if applicable, or cases when opener would want to raise 5♣ to 6♣ which would have a big influence - but I would have thought 5♣ is pretty much a sign off.)

It seems you did play broze a couple of days ago: http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:6706a4e6.6aba.11e8.ab4e.0cc47a39aeb4-1528420945 No need to keep creating more once they complete. ye17 is the only opponent you don't appear to have completed a challenge with.

(Other than just playing for trumps 2-2, which probably isn't right:) Can't think of anything great to do, so I'll try ♦K, ruff a heart, ♠K, ruff a heart, ♦AQ, ♠A, and another spade. If all of that holds up and East has to win, things look promising. Edit - changed my mind. Maybe duck a spade immediately, then cross to dummy and lead the queen of trumps. Then try to ruff the 4th spade.

Basic GIB bids 5♣ (4+♣, 10+ total points) instead of keycard. 4♣ just shows 4+♣, 6+ total points. I guess GIB thought there was a chance of slam and calculated that the probability of a 5♥ response was low enough to make it worth the risk.

I'm doing the score entry via a semi-automated script, so results without links won't get entered - have looked up the links for you: http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:9dd0697b.65c8.11e8.ab4e.0cc47a39aeb4-1527877295&u=hrothgar http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:e33264a9.65a7.11e8.ab4e.0cc47a39aeb4-1527863238&u=derppp http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:989a3559.693c.11e8.ab4e.0cc47a39aeb4-1528256961&u=Heart76 http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:c14745ac.692d.11e8.ab4e.0cc47a39aeb4-1528250587&u=ranmit

Perhaps in that case you should distinguish clear-cut bugs that might actually be fixable from other informative posts or close calls, eg more helpful titles. Otherwise you risk jdonn ignoring all of your posts altogether, or as he says, missing more important ones.

http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:6b4816ce.68c4.11e8.ab4e.0cc47a39aeb4-1528205345&u=smerriman smerriman 37-37 xbabarx

While it's unlikely to be true, it doesn't change the overall odds (other than increasing them in your favour if you are aware of the opp's flaw and want to exploit it).

Obviously it would have helped with a human. But it makes no difference at all to GIB.

Nice result. Most GIB cuebidding auctions don't go well due to GIB always cueing Aces before Kings - GIB's bids managed to squeeze in nicely here. Though odds-wise it's not actually a grand you want to be in at either IMPs or MPs.

One thing I forgot to mention in the initial post for people new to this - challenges expire 3 days after they are issued, regardless of when they are accepted. So you may want to cancel/reissue challenges if, say, a day has passed rather than risk them being accepted too late for you to complete.

http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:e2d2852c.6566.11e8.ab4e.0cc47a39aeb4-1527835320&u=smerriman smerriman 21-2 over shuba

http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:df452e7d.65b4.11e8.ab4e.0cc47a39aeb4-1527868814&u=smerriman smerriman 30-18 over barmar

I have that happen sporadically. I think it's a flash/firefox thing. Simplest solution seems to be clicking in the URL bar and typing, then going back to the chat - that usually helps it regain focus somehow.

http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:da5e235d.6540.11e8.ab4e.0cc47a39aeb4-1527818985&u=smerriman smerriman 39-17 over mlbridge

I probably would have taken 3♠ as a splinter for clubs, so yes, definitely something to discuss :)

Final - diana_eva vs derppp. --- Groups are assigned here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/yp6vgy4tveppzyb/Event%2013.xlsx?dl=0 Complete one 16 board, IMP, best hand friend challenge against everyone in your group. Do not check the Advanced Robots checkbox - but all challenges will automatically be upgraded to advanced robots. (At least) one player should report the scores of each challenge here by pasting a results URL - you can get the URL via My BBO - Recent Tournaments - Results - Open in new window. Scores will be converted to 20 point VP scale as per previous IMP tournaments. The top four in each group will combine into a second round robin - carrying forward scores from their own group, and completing matches against the top 4s of other groups. The top four of the second round robin will compete head to head in a semifinal and final (1 vs 4, 2 vs 3). I will set a tentative deadline of June 28, 11:59pm EST - 4 weeks for 10 matches ~ 2.5 matches a week, which should hopefully be relaxed enough for everyone involved. To avoid someone being sent all of their challenges immediately, start by challenging those just above/below you in the group, and steadily go up and down from there. I have 'followed' all members of my group, so feel free to 'follow' then challenge me - the challenge will then auto-accept so you can play immediately. Advanced robots have been assigned, so you can start now.

Are you sure you have the vulnerability right? Otherwise this doesn't make any sense..

You're aware that if GIB had passed, you'd be forced to choose between double and 5♥, right (pass not an option)? Seems like you'd have an easy double yourself in any case, so no reason to take out GIB's.

4♠ is down on any lead (except a small diamond). GIB's double seems pretty clear with an opening hand vs a limit raise.

I'm going to close registrations a day early, because currently we have 33 entries (excluding dabest, who voted for every option but has never made a forum post nor sent me a challenge, and including 4 regulars who posted but didn't vote). 33 divides nicely into 3 decent sized pools of 11, while 34 or 35 won't. If anyone else wants to register, bring two friends and let me know within the next day or so.

Hm, I'm probably missing something but I don't get it. This way, you're put to a guess with a 2-2 trump split, and need the spade J onside with a 3-1 trump split. Keeping the Q like in my line works with all 2-2 trump splits, and puts you to a guess with a 3-1 split. Surely that's more likely than handling a rare 4-0 trump split?