kgr

Interesting site for intermediates. It is indicated as new, but not sure how new it is. Title is advanced play lessons, but probably more interesting for intermediates (I have only read the first 4 ): http://www.rpbridge.net/rppl.htm

For the good: It's possbile that your partner has 3 aces and nothing else and you won't make 7NT. I think it's better to start with 1S to get some more info first. I partner bids 3D now then you have a better way to go to 7NT. For the bad: If you play negative DBL over 3S then East should DBL iso bidding 4C. If you don't play negative DBL then 4D or 4H by West are better bids then 5D. - 4D needs to be real in this auction (and not fi a cue bid). - 4H is also real and given that 4C is GF it should not show extra's....not sure about this.

[hv=d=e&v=n&n=sj753hk643d965cq3&w=s986ha52dqt732c94&e=sthjt98dkj84cakt2&s=sakq42hq7dacj8765]399|300|Scoring: IMP (1c)-1S-All Pass[/hv] 1♠+3 Partner said I should have doubled iso bidding 1♠. Clearly he should raise ♠, but I wondered if my hand was maybe nice enough to start with a double. I would normally raise to 3♠ with a 4-card support, but partner's hand is too defensive which makes 2♠ the better bid? Bidding should go?: (1C)-1S-(P)-2S (p)-4S

[hv=d=w&v=b&n=s97hjt62dqtcak985&s=skqt854h8daj9752c]133|200|Scoring: IMP (P)-p-(1H)-2H (DBL)-P-(P)-3D All pass[/hv] Making 3♦+2... For the answers it seems like a should bid more if having distribution. (I didn't really expect that 3♦ would be passed out. I wanted to show my minor in case bidding would get competitive and planned to rebid 3/4♠).

Agree with this, but I said open 1 rebid 4 because this is showing a hand with around an opening and long spades while rebidding 3 rather shows a hand with 6 card S and more points. Or is this not important (probability that opps still intervene is low anyway)?

Think about that again. It is not all true. Look at all the club cards that are played. There is not a lot of difference anymore between Q and x.

How should the bidding go with East as dealer (North not a passed hand)? 3♦ by South and 3♠ iso 4♠ by North and this is passed by South?

[hv=d=w&v=b&s=skqt854h8daj9752c]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] (p)-p-(1♥)-2♥ (DBL)-P-(p)-? You play with a pickup partner on BBO. Do you agree with 2♥ michaels? What do you bid now?

[hv=d=e&v=n&s=sakq42hq7dacj8765]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] East (RHO) deals and opens 1♣. 1. playing SAYC with a pickup partner on BBO, what do you bid? 2. Suppose that you agreed that DBL followed with bidding 1/2♠ shows 16/17+. Would you rather DBL or bid 1♠ with this hand? I mean: Is it more attractive to start with DBL then with 1♠ compared to a hand with eg ♦ and ♣ switched? What do/don't you like about this hand (I have no specific things in mind with this question, only wondering how to start evaluating a normal hand like this)? Thanks, Koen

I just read the books "Kelsey on squeeze play - the 4 volumes" and "Killing defence" by H.Kelsey. ("Killing defence" being a difficult book in my opinion. Chapter on defence against squeeze is easiest because you know you have to defend against a squeeze). From reading both books it is clear that improving my card reading is more important than playing squeezes, but I'm just more interested in squeezes now. About squeezes and "Kelsey on squeeze play": - Excersises at the end of the chapter are related to one subject. You know in advance what to look for. It would be better to have less excersises at the end of a chapter and have a seperate chapter at the end of the book with excerises. (even some excersises where a finesse is better then a squeeze). That would be a better test to your squeeze knowledge. - I like some rules also and I think Ben's book is better in that then Kelsey's. Ben could have a look at Pavlicecks' site for more rules to make it more complete. - If Ben completes his book then it could give (it already does with the part that is complete) some addition to what already exists. It is very well structured. (Still a lot of typos in his book, but I'm more then willing to read the book again and send him the typos I found B) ) - Back to my first point: I would be very interested to see posts on the forum with titel "squeeze #..?" with squeeze hands people encountered. These may also include hands where eg finesse is better then squeeze play. I simply wonder on how many hands I can find the best play. Regards, Koen

I play most of the time in the main bridge club with pick-up partners (I hope Fred or his partners also do this anonimiously, to see how this works). The self-rating of a lot of players is really painfull. Even adding comments on players doesn't help. Some days ago I was not the table host and an expert was allowed to play with me. I had marked him with bad and that prooved to be true again. No surprise you have a lot of table hopping (..is this English?) in the main bridge club. (Some time ago a post of a new BBO player showed that this is a real issue). I vote for having a peer rating system like on Ebay. This could have two ratings: Play and friendlyness. You could only receive on rate per player. Play rating could be wheighted (giving more weight to players that are rated high themselve; some weight to the numbers of boards that are played). I think that a rating system like that would improve the friendliness and quality of the site: For a good rating you need to be friendly and play long enough to convince your partner of your good play. Regards, Koen

small ♦. Partner ruffs and sees my small ♦ as asking ♥

xx-KJxx-xxx-Qxx - AKxxxxx-Q-AKxxx-v Pass-(2H/Muiderberg)-4H-Pass 4S-(Pass)-6S I don't know the North hand as I was called away from the table for TD decision. I decided to start with 4H (didn't want to bid too low as I was afraid for a 6C save). Partner did bid 4S and that encouraged me to bid 6. Result : -1 for 16%. I like 4D followed by 4S/5S now.

MP's; N/- (p)-2H-?? Your partners passes and RHO opens 2H Muiderberg (5card H, 4+ card m). You hold: AKxxxxx-Q-AKxxx-v What do you bid?

Tx Cherdano and Stephen (and all others) for these interesting answers. This is the first time I try to analyse a suit combination like this. (Trying to lose :) less in the future.). Maybe this will be the start to analyse and understand others in the future. Let me add some questions/remarks (with the help of suitplay): 1. After you played small to 9 and T, you play another small and LHO plays small. Following possible initial combinations are left: a- xx vs KJT: 3.4 (not important, always loses 2) b- Jxx vs KT: 3.4 c- Kxx vs JT: 3.4 d- KJxx vs T: 2.8 => - Play 8: 2.8 (picks d) - Play Q: 3.4 (picks c); but this is actually only 1.7 as RHO would play the J half of the time. - Play A: 3.4 (picks b ) ==> Play the Ace is best (1b- ) 2. Opps will always play J from Jxx in the 2nd trick. Now option 1b- is no longer possible and it is better to play the 8 (==> 1d- ) 3. Opps will play 50% of the time J from Jxx in the 2nd trick. option 1d- is still better as probability of 1b- is only 50% of 3.4. (==> 1d- ). Sorry to ask this B) : Do you consider this a restricted choice? Questions: A. The play against opps that don't falsecard feels very strange. First you take the deep finesse and then you play the Ace. I would then think it's better to play Ace the first trick and play small to the Q in the 2nd trick. B. How is suitplay taking (or not) taking these falsecards and restricted choices into account? Seems like suitplay also prefers line 1d- (finesse twice deep). It also considers that with Jxx you can play as well twice small, as 1st small and then J? C. I wonder how WC players do this at the table. They will only get this right if they studied the combo in advance? Thanks again! Koen

You loose first finesse to the T: - Playing the Ace is better when playing against opps that never falsecard with Jxx or Txx? - Finessing with Q is better against opps that falsecard and play J or T second round (as he could have started from KJx or Jxx). I would think that KJx is as likely as Jxx? - If a falsecarding opp plays x in the 2nd round, then you know he does not have Jxx. He can still have started from xx, Kxx, or KJxx. I would think that Kxx is more likely then KJxx and that finesse with the Q should be better then with the 9?

That's not even close to a 4♠ bid. You don't preempt over a preempt. He should have bid 3♠. Well the bidder probably had more than that, else how was 5♠ making. He never said 5♠ made - 5♦x did make. right; 5♠ didn't make, but was best contract

Suitplay says the best play is to finesse twice small. => What is the use for LHO to falsecard with Jxx on the second round? If he play the J then you best play is still to play the Q loosing to the K, but you would have lost to the K anyway if you finesse twice small?

Thanks for the answers. 5♠ seems to be the popular choice. I DBL'ed and 5♦ made. partner had 8card ♠: ♠AKQxxxxx and ♥Q..

Thanks all for the answers. The best bid here was DBL after 2♥. partner has ♥AKQJT and 2♥ DBLed goes -2. You want to know the worst line?: (1♥)-P-(2♥)-P (P)-3♣-(DBL)-3♦ (P)-3♠-(DBL)-3NT (DBL)-4♣-(DBL)-p (P)-4♦-(DBL)-All pass Not sure which of these DBL's were from E or W. Anyway 4♦ DBL'ed -2 or -3 for a zero.

Yes, Justin's line works. ♣Q sec.

[hv=d=s&v=b&n=skqt843haqdtca864&s=saj976h976daqcj53]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] 1S-(2NT/minors)-DBL-5D DBL-(P)-6S-All pass West Leads ♦5 for small J and Q. How do you make 6♠?

AQ982 vs 762 -- You play MP's, other suits are not important. You let the 7 run for Easts T. You come in your hand in another suit. Is there a % difference for number of tricks in playing the 9 or Q now? Is this a restricted choice situation? Thanks, Koen

I open 1♥ and rebid 2♥. 1♠ of partner didn't improve my hand. With 2♥ it is clearer for partner that I'm weak then with 2♣.

I would have bid 3♣ iso 2♠. I bid 6♦ now.