Joe_Old

Check GIB 2/1. 3♦ is a game try suit, 10+ points, forcing only to 3♥. Other expert systems make 3♦ invitational only. I know robots can't be trusted, but the GIB bidding system itself was set up by a respected world class player. I "forget" the name.

How do you invite? If you use 2NT, 3♥ and 3♦ as invites showing different hand patterns, that leaves ♠ and ♣ bids as game forces, as well as 4♦.

Since this is 2/1, don't ever, ever, ever rebid 3♦ as that is an invitational, non-forcing bid. My bid is 3♠, a splinter and slam invitational. It confirms a heart fit and implies ♦ values. Partner is invited to show first round ♦ control at the 4 level (100% forcing). I have sympathy for 3♣, a cue bid, as partner can now show a ♦ stopper with 3♦ (forcing, because once responder starts a cue bidding sequence, all bids are forcing below game). 3♣ cannot be a second suit or game try in this sequence, except by prior agreement, because once an 8+ fit is found modern practice requires responder to bid game with an unappealing minimum (a flat 12-13 HCP) or investigate slam. Here, 1♦ - 1♥ - 2♥ - 3♣ - 3♦ - 3♠ would guarantee the A♣, A♦ or K♦, and second round control in spades.

Play small. Any agreement that requires partner to throw away a trick to signal is a bad agreement. Plus, signaling is always suggestive, never commanding, and always constrained by the cards you were dealt. Sometimes you just can't tell partner what you want to tell him.

Which is the worst bid? So many bids, so little space..... 3♥ is a standout to me and Mr. Ace is on target about the other bids, but this example illustrates two problems with online bridge: 1) lack of basic agreements as to what common bids mean and 2) difficulty is getting coherent replies (or any reply at all) when asking for an explanation from an opponent. Aside from the obvious problems with inexperienced players claiming to be experts, even good players can inadvertently blindside their partner when a treatment common in one part of the world is not played elsewhere (western cue anyone?). It can be frightening to watch ACOL and Standard American players clash. Truscott (1M X 2NT = limit raise or better) might be the least recognized bid on BBO. I can't think of a simple answer other than laugh off the occasional misunderstanding and move on to the next board. Getting an explanation of a bid is usually difficult, often because of language barriers. I'd like to see a lot more self-alerts (to opponents only) and announcements at the beginning of a round as to general system and carding. Playing online with pickup partners does have the very beneficial effect of making me appreciate my regular partners a LOT more.

But since robots are, by definition, identical, how many play, how many hands they play, or what hands they play should be irrelevant (although their scores should be weighted or combined to give only one average percentage for each board). I don't see how their score would matter to results in a free tournament, particularly where 90% of the players have no idea how to properly play 2/1, but I suppose it might be of interest to the curious.

Marshall Miles was a 5 time NABC+ champion, and is a member of the ACBL Hall of Fame. He died in 2013, and was still a force in major tournaments well into this century. True, he was considered idiosyncratic and very difficult to partner, but nobody who understands bridge dismisses his opinion lightly.

I'm not sure about modern treatments, but the old school meaning of double was: 1) 4 - 4 in the majors, 10+ points (don't count distribution unless you have tolerance for ♦); 2) a 4 card major, tolerance for diamonds and 10+ points (count distribution); or 3) a 5 card major, 6 to 9 points (not good enough to bid 2 of a major directly). Looking at the example hand, I want to be in ♦ or ♠, since I know we don't have an 8 card ♥ fit, unless partner has something unexpected in ♣ for NT. Therefore, I bid 3♠ (forcing for 1 round). If I had a balanced 16+, I'd bid 3♣ (tell me more partner). The problem hands for responder are a) xx AKxxx xxx xxx or b) xxx AKxx Qxx Jxx. By bidding 3♠ partner knows that opener has a distributional spade/diamond hand, and can safely bid game in ♦ with a or b, or bail out in diamonds below game with a hand less suitable than the examples. If you play different meanings for X, ignore all this.

I believe GIB plays Soloway jump shifts (good suit, usually 6+, 17+ points). If it's in your system, that's my bid. Otherwise 2♥.

Your example has nothing to do with the Rule of 20. Three quick tricks and great intermediates in the majors makes your example an automatic opener. Rule of 20 is meant to apply more to hands like Q432 Q432 K2 A43, which should be passed.

Pass originally (Rule of 20) because of the vulnerability. If they were red I'd bid either 1♣ or 3♣, depending upon partnership style. I'd double now, then get a new partner. Forcing to the four level on that hand is !

All that matters are controls. Bid them up the line (opener bids 5♦ on your example). At some point (usually) opener chooses between 5, 6and 7 of his suit. NT is almost never an option because of the ambiguity between voids and aces.

Remember that you are in fourth seat. The rules for opening in fourth are different than in the first three, because you never pre-empt (why go minus when you can just pass the hand out?). Therefore, the 2, 3 and 4 level are reserved for picture bids. I am certain that even GIB recognizes a 2M opening as a six card suit and minimum opening values (I've checked). This is absolutely standard in all popular American systems. In fourth seat the common understanding among east coast tournament players is that 4 spades would show a distributional hand with long spades, 10 near certain tricks, but insufficient defensive tricks (outside the spade suit) to open 2 clubs. That's a perfect picture of Shaky44's hand. Responder should cue bid with spade support and any first round control, or any 2 first round controls. Responder can confidently proceed even with no HCP if he has trump support or appropriate controls. As stated before, slam is near lay down opposite xxxx xxx xxxx Ax, or Axx xxxxxx xxx x, or xxxx xxxxx xxxx void, or a stronger hand like x Axxxx xxxxx Ax.