Cheryl88

Suggestion #2: When a new player friend logs on, a yellow message appears. Trouble is, it covers important areas of the screen. Can’t BBO fix that? Maybe put those yellow messages into Chat or somewhere else? Or create an empty space on the screen used for such things? Or at least give users the ability to click off the message or move it and not have to wait for it to go away in order to do whatever is underneath the message.

Does anyone know how I can get a list of all tournaments on BBO that award Gold points? And their schedule?

Here is a request for BBO. Please create and program an Alert Menu POP Up to aid in the bidding process. For example, whatever conventions are marked in the convention card, when that sequence of bids occurs, the program creates a pop up menu. The user can click Alert for the bid or X to get rid of the box. Or just ignore the box. When doing so, their Alert box will be highlighted, with no explanation given. If an opponent queries, the user can then click the appropriate response. Easy. No extra typing all the time. Before the game, when filling out the convention card, unusual conventions can be programmed by the user with their own chosen response. For example, Rosenkranz convention. As user, I get to choose the bidding sequence this will occur and I type in my response, “Ace or King or both of p suit.” This response gets saved by the program as my standard response. ACBL can standardize the responses and chosen conventions. For example, the 2/1 convention card will automatically contain the 1NT Forcing convention (over partner’s 1 of a major.). The response would say, “Forcing” or whatever ACBL wants. Other organizations from around the world can standardize their own cards and conventions, too.

Okay, I give up. Wherever those posts/threads are, they're buried.

Yes, 3NT is an awful bid, but I doubt that partnership should be in 6C. 6C easily makes not because of the strength of dummy, but because clubs split 2-2 and spades no worse than 4-2. Plus no wasted values anywhere. (Ace-King of diamonds opposite a doubleton, ace of hearts opposite a singleton.) If not for the favorable splits, declarer would have much work to do without pulling trumps. After north's proper opening bid of 2C strong, and south's negative reply, partnership would probably end up in 3NT anyway. Remember, north has only 23 HCP, not 33.

Is there recourse for players wronged? Being a real life TD, I know rulings are not perfect because TDs are human, but there is always someone a player can go to afterwards ... a committee, whoever. Once, a TD/club owner made an error and through many emails, even that stubborn and onerous club owner gave in. Or is BBO different? Are the TDs the be all, end all, say all? I do not complain about the ruling in question or the people involved, but instead about the way the system is set up. The system should take into account the occasional TD error, if in fact there was any error in this situation. (Yes, double dummy 3NT does not make, but ...). There should be an appeal process set up or something. And if there already is, it should be made known.

From xxx, I've tried all three - BOSTON, MUD, and count - and ended up most comfortable with BOSTON because it is the easiest. Think 3rds and 5ths (count) is the best for the top players because they can take advantage of the information. BOSTON (Bottom Of Something, Top Of Nothing) is easy because I get clear useful information immediately. Experts don't need this so much because they have a feel for the bidding. For me, I don't even count out the hand. MUD is for the more intermediate player. After second time around played, partner will now know if you have a high-low doubleton for a ruff or leading from xxx. Useful for the player astute enough to watch both your leads but not so useful for the expert who can figure this out anyway. But my defense is not world class and so count or even MUD is like giving pearls to swine for moi, lol.

My system is that pass is strong which gives opponents chance to do things and get into trouble. Meanwhile redouble, 2C, 2D, 2H are weak. Since we play a weak notrump, we already took away some bidding space when we are weak and hand belongs to opponents. And no, we do not always escape. The following sequences are to play: 1NT - (X) - pass - pass = 1NTx 1NT - (X) - pass - redouble - pass = 1NTxx

Zelandakh, you're the one that got me started searching for your Puppet system, lol!

Thanks, Tram, Zelandakh, and Perko. Helvic and Spelvic are interesting but complicated sounding treatments. Also, they may tell a little too much unnecessarily for the opening lead. I like the idea of running just to escape to any fit than finding absolutely best contract. Like Perko said, there can be a mad scramble. And because of the scramble, I don't like the pass to be used as either weak or strong hands. Just strong. And I like to give the opponents a chance to run and get into worse trouble, lol. Still, Helvic/Spelvic gives interesting ideas I could use somewhere. Thanks.

Helvic? Thanks, Helene! In our system, our 1NT covers extra distributions and a 4 point range, so responder doesn't know that much about opener's hand. We do this to get more weak notrump openings. Still, I may change our system to a more or less mandatory redouble for imp scoring. For matchpoints, 1NTx seems nearly as good as 1NTxx.

Hi. I been using a DONT system instead of Brozel and simply avoiding the 2S bid as too high. Not sure which is better. Rest is about the same, I.e., pass is strong, rdbl weak and shows a one-suiter, etc.

Hi! I have another convention I'd like to share, or rather, application of an old convention in a new situation. I call it Double DONT. DONT (Disturb Opponent's No Trump) as those familiar with, is used when opponents open 1NT strong. I think it can also be applied to when your 1NT is doubled. The weaker your 1NT range, the more often this situation arises. After 1NT - X: pass = strong, if opener has a maximum, then 1NTx is to play rdbl = weak, has a long suit 5 cards or longer, opener must relay 2C, responder then passes or corrects to long suit 2C = weak, clubs and a higher suit, at least 4-4 2D = weak, diamonds and a major suit, at least 4-4 2H = weak, hearts and spades, at least 4-4 With weak 4441 hands, responder runs to lowest suit first. With weak 5-4 or better hands, responder has a choice between redouble or lowest suit. After 1NT - X - pass - pass, opener can: pass = maximum, to play in 1NTx 2C/2D = minimum, 5 card or longer suit (we open 1NT with 2-2-2-7 hands) 2H/2S = minimum, 5 card major (we use 1NT-2C as Puppet Stayman) rdbl = minimum, asks responder to bid 4 card or longer suits up the line until a fit is found After 1NT - X - pass - pass; XX - pass: Responder can leave the rdbl in or run with a minimum.

Hi, Zelandakh. Thank you for your reply. I spent a couple hours trying to search your posts but could only find bits and pieces. I guess the main difference is that the rebids showing both or no 4 card majors are reversed. Is there an advantage to either? Otherwise mine seem simpler because it follows the common 2NT puppet system of Cohen. I did come across the very interesting 1NT-2C-2D (forced) system. Seems like a worthwhile system to me, except complicated. Thanks. Couldn't find your specific system, though.

Hi, Kaltstart. What do you do with 5-3 in the majors? Another system I heard of is 5 card Transfers. We still came across a problem with that one.

Hi! I thought up a new convention I'd like to share. (At least I hope it's new.) Advantages: To be able to Puppet at the 2C level without problems and to be able to make a Jacoby transfer after Puppet (I.e. 5-3 in the majors and invitational hand.) Drawback: Cannot do Trash Puppet Stayman. After 1NT (any 3 or 4 point range is possible): 2C = Extended Puppet, invitational or better, 3 or 4 card major but does not need to have one After 1NT-2C: 2D = 1 or 2 four card majors 2H/2S = five card major 2NT = no four or five card major, minimum, opener can pass 3C = no four or five card major, maximum, game forcing After 1NT-2C-2D: 2H = four card spade suit (Smolen), opener must bid 2S, 2NT, 4S, or 3NT 2S = four card heart suit (Smolen) 2NT = invitational, no four card major 3C = both four card majors, opener bids 3 or 4 of their major 3D/3H = belated Jacoby Transfers, 5-3 in majors, invitational or GF, else immediate Jacoby Transfer, with a maximum opener can super accept or bid 3NT 3NT = sign-off, no four card major 4C = Gerber After 1NT-2C-2NT: pass = minimum opposite an invitational hand 3D/3H = belated Jacoby Transfers, 5-3 in majors, invitational or GF, else immediate Jacoby Transfer 3NT = maximum, sign-off 3C = for 3-0-5-5 type hands, having asked for a 5-3 major suit fit, now settling on a minor, can also be used on 3154 hands that play better in a minor than notrump 3S = ?, could be used for slam investigation, baby Blackwood, etc. or just not used 4C = Gerber After 1NT-2C-3C: same as above except no 3-0-5-5. Must bid 3NT, 4C, or 5C after 3C.