nullve

Agree. Standard, I hope: 1♦-1♠; 3♦-?: (...) 3♠ = 6+ S, GF 3N = to play (...) which leaves 3♥: what Responder has to bid with precisely 5 S and GF values whether he has a heart stopper or not. I strongly disagree with 3N. Again, and as mentioned in the other thread, I expect standard to be 1♦-1♠; 3♣-?: 3♦ = D support (not ideal, but standard) 3♥: what Responder has to bid with 5 S whether he has a heart stopper or not 3♠ = 6+ S 3N = to play (unless...) (...) So a better start would either be 1♦-1♠ 3♣-3♥ 3♠-4♦. if 3♠ can be as few as 2 without a heart stopper, or 1♦-1♠ 3♣-3♥ 4♦, if Opener thinks he can rule out 3N after 3♥. Of course, by now we should all realise that "standard" doesn't really exist and switch to conventional rebids over 1♦-1♠.

nullve-zebutin: 70-96 (10-24, 24-16, 25-20, 11-36) Set 1: http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:b76d0fb5.7aef.11e6.8e99.0cc47a39aeb4-1473908067 Set 2: http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:57590a29.7b44.11e6.8e99.0cc47a39aeb4-1473944413 Set 3: http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:457f65e2.7b5c.11e6.8e99.0cc47a39aeb4-1473954691 Set 4: http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:1842b204.7b70.11e6.8e99.0cc47a39aeb4-1473963205 A well-deserved win for zebutin!

How could I forget to ask about that!

I don't blame you. I meant to ask what you open with "10-13", 3-S3-H5+D4+C (i.e. 0-3 S, 0-3 H, 5+ D and 4+ C). Apparently you can't open 1♦, because But not 2♦, either, because

nullve-diana_eva: 122-49 (24-14, 51-6, 47-29) Set 1: http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:59f0ebcd.78ca.11e6.8e99.0cc47a39aeb4-1473672116 Set 2: http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:81c04189.78ee.11e6.8e99.0cc47a39aeb4-1473687645 Set 3: http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:bc1c039f.792d.11e6.8e99.0cc47a39aeb4-1473714801 I think I had all the luck all the luck in this match. A couple of lucky boards: * board 16, set 1 (idiotic GiB defence) * board 2, set 3 (I knew 4♠ was a gigantic underbid and something I'd never consider with a human expert partner)

From my BBF Challenge match against jeffford76: [hv=http://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?bbo=y&lin=pn|nullve,Robot,Robot,Robot|st||md|3SJ8752H42DT43C742,SQT63HQ63DA75CKJ3,SK94H87D862CQT865,SAHAKJT95DKQJ9CA9|sv|E|ah|Board%209|mb|P|mb|2C|an|Strong%20two%20club%20--%2019+%20HCP;%2023+%20total%20points;%20forcing%20to%202N|mb|P|mb|2N|an|Positive%20notrump%20--%202-5%20!C;%202-5%20!D;%202-4%20!H;%202-4%20!S;%208+%20HCP|mb|P|mb|3H|an|5+%20!H;%2019+%20HCP;%2023+%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|4N|an|Blackwood%20(H)%20--%202-5%20!C;%202-5%20!D;%203-4%20!H;%202-4%20!S;%208+%20HCP;%209+%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|5D|an|One%20or%20four%20key%20cards%20--%205+%20!H;%2019+%20HCP;%2023+%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|5N|an|Query%20kings.%20Have%20all%20keycards.%20Does%20not%20promise%20extras%20--%202-5%20!C;%202-5%20!D;%203-4%20!H;%202-4%20!S;%208+%20HCP;%20!HQ;%209+%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|6D|an|King%20of%20D%20--%205+%20!H;%2019+%20HCP;%20!DK;%2023+%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|6H|an|Signoff%20--%202-5%20!C;%202-5%20!D;%203-4%20!H;%202-4%20!S;%208+%20HCP;%20!HQ;%209+%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|P|mb|P|pc|S5|pc|S3|pc|S4|pc|SA|pc|H5|pc|H2|pc|H3|pc|H8|pc|CT|pc|C9|pc|C2|pc|CJ|pc|H6|pc|H7|pc|HJ|pc|H4|pc|D9|pc|D3|pc|D7|pc|D2|pc|H9|pc|S2|pc|HQ|pc|C6|pc|ST|pc|S9|pc|DJ|pc|SJ|pc|D4|pc|D5|pc|D8|pc|DK|pc|DQ|pc|DT|pc|DA|pc|D6|pc|S6|pc|SK|pc|CA|pc|S7|pc|C5|pc|HK|pc|C4|pc|C3|pc|HA|pc|C7|pc|SQ|pc|CQ|pc|HT|pc|S8|pc|CK|pc|C8|]400|300[/hv] At the other table: [hv=http://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?bbo=y&lin=pn|jeffford76,Robot,Robot,Robot|st||md|3SJ8752H42DT43C742,SQT63HQ63DA75CKJ3,SK94H87D862CQT865,SAHAKJT95DKQJ9CA9|sv|E|ah|Board%209|mb|P|mb|2C|an|Strong%20two%20club%20--%2019+%20HCP;%2023+%20total%20points;%20forcing%20to%202N|mb|P|mb|2N|an|Positive%20notrump%20--%202-5%20!C;%202-5%20!D;%202-4%20!H;%202-4%20!S;%208+%20HCP|mb|P|mb|3H|an|5+%20!H;%2019+%20HCP;%2023+%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|4N|an|Blackwood%20(H)%20--%202-5%20!C;%202-5%20!D;%203-4%20!H;%202-4%20!S;%208+%20HCP;%209+%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|5D|an|One%20or%20four%20key%20cards%20--%205+%20!H;%2019+%20HCP;%2023+%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|5N|an|Query%20kings.%20Have%20all%20keycards.%20Does%20not%20promise%20extras%20--%202-5%20!C;%202-5%20!D;%203-4%20!H;%202-4%20!S;%208+%20HCP;%20!HQ;%209+%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|6D|an|King%20of%20D%20--%205+%20!H;%2019+%20HCP;%20!DK;%2023+%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|6H|an|Signoff%20--%202-5%20!C;%202-5%20!D;%203-4%20!H;%202-4%20!S;%208+%20HCP;%20!HQ;%209+%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|P|mb|P|pc|C2|pc|C3|pc|C8|pc|C9|pc|H5|pc|H2|pc|H3|pc|H8|pc|CT|pc|CA|pc|C4|pc|CJ|pc|HJ|pc|H4|pc|H6|pc|H7|pc|D9|pc|D3|pc|D7|pc|D2|pc|HT|pc|S2|pc|HQ|pc|S4|pc|S3|pc|S9|pc|SA|pc|S5|pc|DK|pc|D4|pc|D5|pc|D8|pc|DQ|pc|DT|pc|DA|pc|D6|pc|ST|pc|SK|pc|DJ|pc|S7|pc|C5|pc|HK|pc|C7|pc|CK|pc|HA|pc|S8|pc|S6|pc|CQ|pc|H9|pc|SJ|pc|SQ|pc|C6|]400|300[/hv]

nullve-jeffford76: 94-22 (42-1, 31-3, 21-18) Set 1: http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:0a2dbcee.747b.11e6.8e99.0cc47a39aeb4-1473198248 Set 2: http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:5b6d63c7.7594.11e6.8e99.0cc47a39aeb4-1473319073 Set 3: http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:fd8a3cc8.7606.11e6.8e99.0cc47a39aeb4-1473368307

It's easy to play transfer rebids by Opener over 1♦-1M and 1♥-1♠ if 1♣ = nat. or 12-14 bal. (possibly including 5H(332)) 1♦ = nat., but not 12-14 bal. 1♥ = 5+ H (possibly excluding 5H(332)). Then e.g. 1♦-1♥; ?: 1♠ = 4+ S, NF 1N = 4+ C 2♣ = 6+ D 2♦ = 3c H raise (including 18-19 bal. w/ 3 H) 2♥ = 4c H raise, min 2♠ = 4+ S, GF 2N = 18-19 bal., 2 H 3♣+ = raise structure. Most of this is well known. But you can also play transfer a similar scheme of transfer rebids over 1♣-1R if in response to 1♣ either 1♦ = 4+ H 1♥ = 4+ S as in T-Walsh, which isn't GCC legal, or 1♦ = 4+ S, may have longer H unless GF 1♥ = 4+ H, less than 4 S unless GF, using something very similar to Helene's Spades-Walsh, which is GCC legal. Then e.g. 1♣-1♥(=4+ H); ?: 1♠ = 5+ C, unbal. 1N = 12-14 bal., 2-3 H 2♣ = D reverse 2♦ = 3c H raise (including 18-19 bal. w/ 3 H) 2♥ = 4c H raise, min 2♠ = S reverse 2N = 18-19 bal., 2 H 3♣+ = raise structure I could have explained all this in much more detail, but this seems to be the wrong thread and forum.

Is that because your 1♦ opening is unbalanced?

Yes, that would be stupid.

Playing with an unknown expert partner I'd assume that 1♦-1♠; 3♣(NAT GF)-?: 3♦ = D support [even if playing this as just D tolerance, or even as an ART relay, would be much better] 3♥ = 4SF, typically with 5S2-D or with 4S2-D and no H stopper ...3♠ = either with 3 S or with 2 S and no H stopper [can't always afford to bypass 3N with the latter hand type] ...3N = 2- S, H stopper ...(...) 3♠ = 6+ S 3N = to play (unless Opener has lots of extra shape) (...). Then over 1♦-1♠; 3♣-3♥; 3♠ I think it would make sense to play that 3N = to play opposite 2 S with 5 S and H sufficiently stopped, although I wouldn't expect to be understood if I bid this way.

The meaning of Responder's pass might also be relevant. E.g. if Advancer has Kxx Txxx Jxxx xx and the bidding goes (1N1)-X2-(P3), 1 15-17 2 1-suiter, less than opening strength / 16+ 3 6-7 hcp at most (since Responder would have redoubled for business with 7-8 hcp) then simple artithmetic will tell thim that partner must have the strong option, at least if opps' bidding can be trusted.

I agree. But East might argue that it's highly improbable that South will pass unless MI was given when North's pass was described as forcing. I can think of exceptions. For example, in order to apply LoTT successfully one will often have to assume that opps have approximately the number of trumps they say they have. If a forcing call "any call that obliges the partner to bid over an intermediate opposing pass", then I completely agree with you: East's pass can't be forcing unless West is allowed to violate a basic law of bidding. And even if a forcing call is lazily defined just a call that requires the bidder's partner to make another bid, it can only make sense to describe East's pass as forcing if South can somehow be trusted to bid over North's "forcing" pass. Well, can he? Not absolutely, of course, since South doesn't violate any law by passing unless he does that often, in which case MI was given by describing North's pass as "forcing". So it might not make much difference to East in practice whether South always bids or if he chooses to pass once in a blue moon. But then it might not seem very inaccurate to describe East's pass as forcing in the latter sense either. (Whether it can in any way be useful to describe East's pass as forcing is another matter...) But bottom line: I agree with you. Murphy's Law will also tell you to never make an opening preempt, because LHO will always have the remaining cards in your long suit, and they will always double you.

Yes. Especially system design, which I think of as a game somewhat similar to chess, only vastly more complex, at least in principle. (The first "move" in this game, if we restrict ourselves to pure strategy bidding systems, consists in assigning one of 2635 013 559 600 possible meanings, corresponding to the number of subsets of the set of all possible bridge hands, to Pass and each bid between 1♣ and 7N. That number is already vastly bigger than the number of possible chess games. (If I'm talking nonsense, please let me know. :))) But although (bridge bidding) system design is definitely a bridge related activity, it's not really part of the game we call "bridge" that starts with someone dealing a deck of cards. And I'm afraid it's a good idea to try to make the prospect of becoming a system designer a major selling point unless we want bridge to be played by only 14 people by 2070. I don't even know the rules of Dota 2, btw, so I don't have an opinion on which game is better. But I play chess, and right now I probably enjoy playing (mediocre to abysmal) chess on chess.com more than (hopefully quite good) bridge on BBO, something I'm afraid has everything to do with the different policies on rating systems. At least I know that if chess.com for some reason decided to adopt BBO's rating system policy tomorrow, I'd immediately run to their biggest competitor, chess24.com, or even (reluctantly) start to play more bridge on BBO again. So I guess that, for me, unrated chess on chess.com < unrated bridge on BBO < rated chess on chess.com < rated bridge on BBO and maybe also unrated chess < unrated bridge < rated chess < rated bridge.

Dota 2 didn't exist when I was sort of end-played into playing bridge, at the age of 14.

Perhaps even more disturbing: [hv=http://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?sn=nullve&s=S432HAKQTD9CAK975&wn=Robot&w=SJ8H985DAK32CQJ32&nn=Robot&n=STHJ7643DQ76CT864&en=Robot&e=SAKQ9765H2DJT854C&d=w&v=n&b=12&a=PP1S(Major%20suit%20opening%20--%205+%20%21S%3B%2011-21%20HCP%3B%2012-22%20total%20points)1N(One%20notrump%20overcall%20--%202-5%20%21C%3B%202-5%20%21D%3B%202-5%20%21H%3B%202-5%20%21S%3B%2015+%20HCP%3B%2018-%20total%20points%3B%20stop%20in%20%21S)D(Penalty%20double%20--%209-11%20HCP%3B%2012-%20total%20points)2D!(Jacoby%20transfer%20--%205+%20%21H%3B%2011-%20HCP%3B%2012-%20total%20points)P3D!(Superaccept%3B%20doubleton%3B%20support%20--%202-5%20%21C%3B%202-5%20%21D%3B%202-5%20%21H%3B%202-5%20%21S%3B%2015+%20HCP%3B%2018-%20total%20points%3B%20stop%20in%20%21S)PP4S(3+%20%21D%3B%2015+%20HCP%3B%20strong%20rebiddable%20%21S%3B%2016-20%20total%20points)PPP&p=HKH5H6H2CKC2C6S5S6S2SJSTS8H7SAS3SKS4D2H3D8D9DAD6C3C8SQC5S9C7H8CTDJHTDKD7D3DQDTC9H4S7HQH9D5HACJC4D4CACQHJ]400|300[/hv] But I'm actually grateful that GiB apparently defaults to Pass (and not e.g. 7N) whenever it's in simulation mode but unable to generate a single deal consistent with the bidding so far.

Maybe GiB read my thread and got confused. Sorry!

What do you open with a) "10-13", 3-S3-H5+D4+C b) 20-23 bal. c) 25+ bal. ? I'm not going to pass 3N, so what are the other options I have?

Marketed that way (with money) or not, it seems to be the way both bridge players and bridge organisations talk when they try to persuade people to take up the game. For example, Probably little of interest to non-bridgeplayers here that isn't equally true of Dota 2. Because the resources could be spent more efficiently? They're both unique, but that's hardly a reason for picking bridge over Dota 2.

I've often wondered what price you pay for this (very interesting) structure. Am I right that 1♣-1♦ 1♥-2♦ 2♥-P with, say, 15-16, 3H(433) opposite 6-8, 3433 can happen?

Maybe for starters one should stop marketing bridge as a "unique mix of brain-challenge, competition, "psychology", gambling, team-work, social aspects, and much more" when there are games like Dota 2 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dota_2) out there. And maybe not insult the intelligence of young people by telling them that bridge is a game of mental skill while implying that the skill is best measured by accumulated masterpoints.

1st half: http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:9dc7532c.6f4a.11e6.8e99.0cc47a39aeb4-1472627694 2nd half: http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:2fd1b9be.70e7.11e6.8e99.0cc47a39aeb4-1472804892 Yes, thanks for the game. I missed some opportunities in the second half1, and expected to lose that set by up to 30 IMPs if you did everyhing right. 1 For example on board 13. Passing 2♠ looks extremely timid, of course, but I was actually going to bid 3♥ --- until I discovered that 3♥ would have promised 6+ H and a zillion points.

1N

Work in progress: 1♦ = min non-QBal Precision 1♦, 2♣ or 2♦ opening (~ rules of 19-21) / max Precision 1♦, 2♣ or 2♦ opening (~ rules of 22-24) / 14-16 bal. 1N = min QBal Precision 1♦, 2♣ or 2♦ opening (~ rules of 19-21 or 11-13 bal.) 1♦-?: P: rare 1♥ = 0-9, 4S4-H / 0-12, 5(+) S 1♠ = 0-9, either 3-S3-H or 4(+)S5+H ("Flannery") / 10-12, rarely 5 M / any GF 1N = 0-9, 3-S4H 2♣ = Gazzilli: 0-9, either 5(+)H4+C or 5H(332) / 10-12, 5(+) H ...2♦ = max, relay ...2♥+ = min, nat. 2♦ = 0-9, 5(+)H4+D 2♥ = 0-9, 3-S6+H 2♠ = 0-9, 6+m4+Om 2N = 0-9, 5+D5+C 3♣ = 0-9, 3-S3-H3-D7+C 3♦ = 0-9, 3-s3-H7+D3-C (...) 1♦-1♥; ?: 1♠ = max, either Qbal with either 3- H or 4 S or non-QBal with 3 S / 3 S, QBal ...1N = 0-9, 4S4-H ......P = min, 3 S / max, QBal, 3- S ......2♣ = min, 3 S, not 6+m4+Om .........2♦ = relay ............2♥ = 34(60) ............2♠ = ? ............2N = 3055 ............3m = 3S7+m, 1-suited ......2♦ = 30(64) ......2♥ = max, 34(60) ......2♠ = max, 4 S ......(...) ...2♣ = Gazzilli: 0-9, either 5(+)S4+C or 5S(332) / 10-12, 5(+) S ......2♦ = max, relay ......2♥+ = min, nat. ...2♦ = 0-9, 5(+)S4+D ...2♥ = 0-9, 5+S4+H ...2♠ = 0-9, 6+S3-H 1N = max, QBal, 3-S4H ...P = 0-9, 4S3-H ...2♣ = Gazzilli: 0-9, either 5(+)S4+C or 5S(332) / 10-12, 5(+) S ...2♦ = 0-9, 5(+)H4+D ...2♥ = 0-9, 4+ H ...2♠ = 0-9, 6+S3-H 2♣ = min, not 3 S, not 6+m4+Om ...2♦ = relay ......2♥ = 2-S4+H5+m ......2♠ = 4S5+m ......2N = 2-S5+D5+C ......3m = 2-S7+m, 1-suited 2♦ = 2-S6+m4+Om ...2♥ = inv+ relay ......2♠ = min, 4+D6+C (=> 3m = to play) ......2N = min, 6+D4+C (=> 3m = to play) ......3♣ = max, 2-S4+D6+C ......3♦ = max, 2-S6+D4+C ...2♠ = 0-9, 6+ S ...2N = 0-9, relay ...3m = 0-9, pref. ...(...) 2♥ = max, 4+H5+m, not QBal 2♠ = max, 4+S5+m, not QBal 2N = max, 2-S5D5C 3m = max, 2-S7+m, 1-suited (...) 1♦-1♠; ?: 1N = max, QBal ...P = 0-9, 3-S3-H ...2♣ = GF relay ......2♦+ = something wonderful ...2♦ = Flannery: 0-9, 4(+)S5+H ...(...) 2♣ = min, not 6+m4+Om ...2♦ = relay ......2♥ = 04(54), 44(50) or 4+H6+m ......2♠ = 40(54) or 4+S6+m ......2N = 5+D5+C ......3♣ = 7+ m, 1-suited 2♦ = 6+m4Om ...2♥ = inv+ relay ......For example: ......2♠ = min, 4+D6+C (=> 3m = to play) ......2N = min, 6+D4+C (=> 3m = to play) ......3♣ = max, 4+D6+C ......3♦ = max, 6+D4+C ...2♠ = Major Flash(!) (Law protected) ...2N = 0-9, relay ...3m = 0-9, pref. ...(...) 2♥ = max, 4+H5+C, not QBal 2♠ = max, 4+S5+D, not QBal 2N = max, 5+D5+C 3m = max, 7+ m, 1-suited 1♦-1N; ?: More of the same: P = QBal 2♣ = min, not 6+m4+Om ...2♦ = relay ......2♥ = 4 H ......2♠ = 4+S5+m ......2N = 5+D5+C ......3m = 7+ m, not 1-suited ......(...) 2♦ = 6+m4+Om ...2♥ = relay ......2♠ = min, 4+D6+C ......2N = min, 6+D4+C ......3♣ = max, 4+D6+C ......3♦ = max, 6+D4+C 2♥ = max, 4 H 2♠ = max, 4+S3-H5+m, not QBal 2N = max, 5+D5+C 3m = max, 7+ m, 1-suited (...)

[quote name=MrAce' timestamp='1472814212' post='896394 a-If diamonds are providing 6 tricks, you have 6d+2cl+1sp+3h tricks. At this point you cash all your diamonds and club A coming down to last 5 cards. Dummy holding 1 spade and AKQx ♥. If hearts are 3-2 you make 13 tricks. If hearts are 4-1 and RHO has 4 of them, you take 12 tricks if spade K does not drop when you play spade from dummy. If LHO has 4 hearts, you will have to decide whether he was squeezed and left stiffed his spade K or spade finesse working for 13th trick. Even better: Play the ♠J from dummy early, intending to rise with the A and play for the automatic squeeze if East doesn't cover.