thepossum

Can I ask a couple of questions please (as most know I am out of my depth here) 1. What are pros and cons of West's cue bid rather than bidding 2 or 3 spades directly? 2. I think I agree that E doesn't have much but given the cue bid I may have bid and left the final up to W. I always get confused over pros and cons of a cue bid versus showing suit support immediately. Is it it just to make life difficult for opps Who is pushing up the bidding (to me) is something of a moot point But I do think E doesn't have enough to bid 3 :)

Thx everyone. Sadly with best hand bridge I don't think I've ever had the chance to use it myself. Played Cappelletti (aka Hamilton) a few times but I don't even know I would remember lebensohl unless I wanted to bid natural 2NT and couldn't

Hi I'm not exactly a novice or beginner having been around many years but still regard my understanding of many Bridge conventions as close to non-existent unless I have helpful tooltips This one says 3D Drop etc.... I don't know what that means other than 5+ diamonds and not much else. I have read articles on lebensohl and am none the wiser. I have compared my choice of bids with others. Some took the wise (which I considered) option of ignoring the directive to bid 3C and bid 3NT Many others ignored the command to "drop" and ended up in trouble. Just a small sample of hands I considered 4 or 5 diamonds but decided to drop - which I decided must mean pass [hv=https://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?lin=st||pn|thepossum,~Mwest,~Mnorth,~Meast|md|1SA72HAT862DAT7CKQ,SJ964HKQ543DCAJ74,SKQ85H7DK95432C52,ST3HJ9DQJ86CT9863|sv|e|rh||ah|Board%203|mb|1N|an|notrump%20opener.%20Could%20have%205M.%20--%202-5%20!C;%202-5%20!D;%202-5%20!H;%202-5%20!S;%2015-17%20HCP;%2018-%20total%20points|mb|2D!|an|Cappelletti%20-%20majors%20--%205+%20!H;%205+%20!S;%2011+%20total%20points|mb|2N!|an|Lebensohl%20-%20Forces%203C%20by%20partner%20--%20%20|mb|P|mb|3C|an|Forced%20--%202-5%20!C;%202-5%20!D;%202-5%20!H;%202-5%20!S;%2015-17%20HCP;%2018-%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|3D|an|Drop%20--%205+%20!D;%208-%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|P|mb|P|pc|ST|pc|SA|pc|S4|pc|S5|pc|D7|pc|H3|pc|DK|pc|D8|pc|D2|pc|DJ|pc|DA|pc|C7|pc|DT|pc|H4|pc|D3|pc|DQ|pc|S3|pc|S2|pc|SJ|pc|SK|pc|D9|pc|D6|pc|H2|pc|S9|pc|H7|pc|H9|pc|HA|pc|H5|pc|H6|pc|HK|pc|D4|pc|HJ|mc|11|]400|300[/hv]

Happy New Year to you and yours Ken :) As you correctly (IMO) opine the world is in a mess. Lets hope for better. Can't do much worse can we

Hi all Playing one of the BBO Fest 12 hand MP tourneys and due to some glitch I am sure I played the first two hands twice :) Sadly I'm not sure if I get awarded the best score from the two attempts. I'm not consistent enough to play the same twice :) The saddest thing is that I couldn't actually remember which way the cards lay either so missed an opportunity for doing better

As far as I can understand from WHO definitions endemicity means the end of pandemicity :) Slightly confused - I didn't realise it was just a mathematical graph thing But seemingly pandemonium still rules EDIT Oops. To me horror I realise yet again I have been dragged into the Parade of Morons thread

Hi I've been enjoying some Star challenges recently although I'm sure a few hands don't mean much Should I consider challenging GiB Anyone ever done it?

I considered 3 spades but have no idea so I passed. Is 2NT still on after interference? - and if so what options are there for a response EDIT I was reading about what 2S means over 2D and I think that bid is misleading :) Pass followed by calling the director later

[hv=pc=n&s=skqj4ha973d4caq95&w=s93h8654daqt8ck74&n=st87ht2dk75cjt862&e=sa652hkqjdj9632c3&d=n&v=e&b=9&a=p1d(3%2BD)d(takeout)1h(4%2BH)p1s(4%2BS)d(takeout)2d(supporting%20your%20diamonds)p2s(I%20have%20great%20spades)p(lets%20give%20them%20rope)4s(I%20think%20we%20have%20game%20or%20even%20slam)ppd(I%20think%20thats%20enough)ppp]399|300[/hv] I was not one of the Souths lucky enough to receive this New Year's gift in an ACBL tourney, being in a pathetic 4C-1, which did actually score ok at MPs I would have been one of the Souths that didn't risk that double. Who knows what the North bot could have done

Hi all GiB 2/1 is describes as a simple natural system However can anyone explain how a system with so many complex systems from Drury to Lebensohl to Smolen etc, and so many quirky bid meanings is any way simple and natural [hv=https://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?lin=st||pn|thepossum,~Mwest,~Mnorth,~Meast|md|3SKJHKQJT3DAJTCK92,SQ53H8D762CJT8763,SA9872H652DKQ54C4,ST64HA974D983CAQ5|sv|o|rh||ah|Board%201|mb|P|mb|P|mb|1H|an|Major%20suit%20opening%20--%205+%20!H;%2011-21%20HCP;%2012-22%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|2C!|an|Drury%20--%203+%20!H;%2011-%20HCP;%2010-12%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|4H|an|5+%20!H;%2014-18%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|P|mb|P|pc|D2|pc|D4|pc|D9|pc|DA|pc|HK|pc|H8|pc|H2|pc|H4|pc|HQ|pc|C8|pc|H5|pc|H9|pc|SK|pc|S3|pc|S2|pc|S4|pc|SJ|pc|SQ|pc|SA|pc|S6|pc|S7|pc|ST|pc|H3|pc|S5|pc|DT|pc|D7|pc|DK|pc|D8|pc|C4|pc|CA|pc|C2|pc|C3|pc|HA|pc|HT|pc|C6|pc|H6|pc|CQ|pc|CK|pc|C7|pc|S8|pc|DJ|pc|D6|pc|DQ|pc|D3|pc|D5|pc|H7|pc|HJ|pc|CJ|pc|C9|pc|CT|pc|S9|pc|C5|]400|300[/hv] Below is a shorthand list of possible second bids in Drury 2D Invite to game (13+) 2H Not full opener 12-13 pts 2S 4+ s (18-22 pts) 2NT 5 hearts with stops in all and 12-22 pts 3C stop clubs, forcing 13-14pts 3D 1 diamond 18-22 pts 3H 19-22 pta forcing 3S 1 spade 18-22 pts 3NT 6 hearts with plus stops 12-22 4C 1 club 18-22 pts 4D 0 diamonds 4H sign off 14-18 pts 4S 0 spades 18-22 pts 4NT Blackwood What isn't clear to me is my bid if I have specifically 0 clubs and 18-22 pts I do actually quite like Drury or reverse Drury - whatever - the principle - but you could just bid a limit in hearts and proceed from there BTW I also love lebensohl and the way the guy it was attributed to was able to totally disown it :) What happened to simple natural bridge

Thx. Have installed it. Is there one that gives me bidding and playing hints please :)

Thx Ken Merry Christmas to you and all Happy <insert relevant celebration> Happy 2022 Hopefully!!!

Hi all An interesting review. I'm not qualified to comment Horowitz and Wilcock I just realised I did comment. Hopefully saying its interesting is ok :) I do of course realise I am not qualified to pass any judgement on it at all. Look at that fool, so proud of his ignorance he even thinks he understands a paper well enough to make comment I should give credit to Mad in America for bringing it to my attention. :) Wading through so many journal articles (that I wasn't qualified to read at all) for Covid last year wiped out my enthusiasm for journals for a while

Seemingly the much touted vaccines have done almost nothing the situation globally All they are is an excuse to sell more vaccines and other related covid merchandise I was thinking as I walked past an Apple store and Nespresso store in the city on Christmas Eve, bustling with people buying unnecessary, expensive fancy products why nobody has a set up a Covid Emporioum yet Fancy expensive proprietary multi-coloured testing kits and other equipment for home or office The mask market has been going great guns already. I haven't seen a fancy expensive store yet But its only a matter of time. One for each covid variant - based on who patented the discovery of the tiny variation Sorry our mask is not compatible with Omicron :) Possibly selling box sets for each variant - mask, testing kit, cap, T-shirt, or something more classy - maybe jewellery, perfume, other similar products. Missed out this Christmas. Always next year Another one. Like a Kindle for Vaccine Certificates If anyone is up for an intelligent conversation this Christmas you know where to find me :) Have you seen that new set of multicoloured covid pills. Evidently there is one for each variant etc etc I'm out of here for a while but Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy <insert preferred celebration here> to everyone

You showed your ignorance mate by attacking someone who would know more than most of you But I'm used to your constant obnoxious unprovoked personal attacks Hargreaves. From Day 1 Obnoxious *****.Stick to Bridge I will grudgingly respect your knowledge of Bridge but nothing else and will never respect you as a person I'd been taking a break from this place and it had been quite pleasant. But seemingly you have stalked me and tracked me down to attack me again. Its been going on 4-5 years now mate. I suggest you back off. The little gang of bullies and trolls will probably show up now yu have trolled me into responding. I know I am not your only target. Needed a Christmas target did you Mike. You could have actually read and understood my legitimate point about the last two years obsession (and media ignorance) over the minutuae of a virus. The world has never been subjected to the indulgence of the genetechs before. Maybe learn to address arguments without ad hominem The worst thing you said was that I take pride in ignorance. Firstly I try to avoid ignorance altogether and if I find I have it I am shamed into researching it further :) I suggest you do the same. I hate ignorance more than almost anyone

5 spades, 2 hearts, 2 clubs and whatever is left in diamonds I have no idea It looks impossible to me in 4 or 5 card majors I'm basing it (for no reason at all) on them leading from AK Alternatively 4 hearts, 4 spades,3 clubs, 2 diamonds and a strange lead - but then the 1NT could possibly have been 1 major

Maybe the cognitive level and behaviour of a 4 year old playing cards, and possibly even setting up the pack when mum and dad weren't in the room 1. Does GiB cheat 2. Does Gib have some very basic AI circuit getting "pleasure" (payoff matrix) playing tediously boring hands and wasting our time You cannot tell me that in some tourney types they are set up in disappointing way Oh, you know that hand that (as always) directs you to 3NT. Well you have to sit and watch me (GiB) play all my 8 defensive winners and not accidentally discard the wrong one of your winners and get a bottom :) I'm starting to build up a picture of what GiB looks like, with hundreds of them sitting round tables at BBO headquarters Maybe an annoying robotic grin as it bangs its winners down repeatedly

Thx Cyberyeti Yes, I was curious how East played differently between my play and the 100% :) Also if there was a trick or it related to genuine best play :) I played my King on trick 3 and East ducked. the 100% played low to the QJ and East took with the Ace All I think the hand really shows is to play the percentage game. But it can be fun to have more variance from time to time. One that got away :( Curious statistical observation. My average doesn't seem to change much whatever I do :) On a serious statistical note though. Maybe someone like Richard can advise. Does anyone even have an estimate how many hands and different types of tourneys and opponents I need to make any useful statistical inference at all EDIT Apologies, in the mess around I posted the wrong hand (the 100%). I posted mine which was the original. EDIT 2. Given that sadly this thread is already untidy I may start another one to ask about strategy for improving. I try to concentrate on hands that wen wrong - bidding or play - in order to increase my average. But they often, are hands like this, that could easily have worked. And if I try to exclude hands like this my average may drop

Hi sorry Will repost. Curious not behaviour and I want to reframe 🙂 It's got a few issues. Tomorrow 🙂

Apologies to cyberyeti and anyone else who had already replied I was going to reframe Trying to remember what I wrote. I had been doing better in MPs recently and occasionally try a slightly unusual bid, rather than the obvious to give an edge Here is the hand which miraculously made 5H 100% for one other person. Sadly I made closer to the double dummy score (minus 2) The obvious bid was 5C but I decided on 5H [hv=https://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?lin=st||pn|thepossum,~Mwest,~Mnorth,~Meast|md|4SHK87DK96CAKJ6432,SAKJT8HT93DA74C75,S762HQJ42DJT5CQT9,SQ9543HA65DQ832C8|sv|n|rh||ah|Board%202|mb|P|mb|1C|an|Minor%20suit%20opening%20--%203+%20!C;%2011-21%20HCP;%2012-22%20total%20points|mb|1S|an|One-level%20overcall%20--%205+%20!S;%208-17%20HCP;%209-19%20total%20points|mb|D|an|Negative%20double%20--%204+%20!H;%205+%20HCP;%206+%20total%20points|mb|4S|an|Unbalanced%20--%205+%20!S;%2011-%20HCP;%206-12%20total%20points|mb|5H|an|3+%20!C;%204+%20!H;%2018-21%20HCP;%2019-22%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|P|mb|P|pc|DA|pc|D5|pc|D2|pc|D6|pc|D7|pc|DT|pc|DQ|pc|DK|pc|HK|pc|H3|pc|H2|pc|H6|pc|CJ|pc|C7|pc|CQ|pc|C8|pc|S7|pc|S3|pc|H7|pc|S8|pc|D9|pc|D4|pc|DJ|pc|D8|pc|S6|pc|S9|pc|H8|pc|SJ|pc|CA|pc|C5|pc|CT|pc|H5|pc|HA|pc|C2|pc|HT|pc|H4|pc|S4|pc|C3|pc|ST|pc|S2|pc|H9|pc|HJ|pc|D3|pc|C4|mc|9|]400|300[/hv] I am curious whether it was a reasonable MP play, and how it should be played. What I find interesting is that the player that made it played a very similar line, differing only on trick 3. And how hearts were played But the only way to make depends on East's defence and how it plays trumps etc Sorry I lost my original post and what I wrote Goodnight

Does anyone care about hands like this :) In the broad though regarding DD, I am seriously curious about flawed statistical assumptions on small sims. I can't even be bothered to think about it, let alone challenge anyone

Note. I just put the hand through QPlus Demo mode and EW rescue you into 2D

It was a freebie bot tourney with no points on offer :) - but I always play for pride :) I cared enough to find that all my finesses were wrong side :)

Here is the sad story from my table. Please don't critique the actual play too much. I wasn't motivated to care at all [hv=https://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?lin=st||pn|thepossum,~Mwest,~Mnorth,~Meast|md|1SAK87HAJ93DJ5CAQ9,SQJ62HKQT5DT97CKT,ST943H842DK864C53,S5H76DAQ32CJ87642|sv|b|rh||ah|Board%207|mb|1C|an|Minor%20suit%20opening%20--%203+%20!C;%2011-21%20HCP;%2012-22%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|P|mb|P|pc|DT|pc|D4|pc|DQ|pc|D5|pc|S5|pc|SK|pc|S6|pc|S3|pc|SA|pc|S2|pc|S4|pc|C2|pc|H6|pc|HA|pc|HT|pc|H2|pc|DJ|pc|D7|pc|DK|pc|DA|pc|H7|pc|H3|pc|HQ|pc|H4|pc|SQ|pc|S9|pc|D3|pc|S7|pc|SJ|pc|ST|pc|D2|pc|S8|pc|HK|pc|H8|pc|C8|pc|H9|pc|C6|pc|CQ|pc|CK|pc|C3|pc|H5|pc|C5|pc|C7|pc|HJ|pc|C4|pc|C9|pc|CT|pc|D6|pc|D9|pc|D8|pc|CJ|pc|CA|]400|300[/hv] Double dummy major part scores are available, only found by one table A few people managed to scrounge 1NT or 1NT+1 Pass was an excellent score And the rest of us were rather sad Its around a minus 1 or 2 hand Since it was primarily a bidding question, what is the best approach. 1NT for me in the absence of 4 card majors Would not some responders see problems and try for a major fit? Put it down as just an unlucky one I guess

Thx for all the comments It was fairly brutal and pass scored very well :) I will post the full hand a bit later