thepossum

Hi all Hoping someone has a few ideas on this. I wasnt alone in going straight to Blackwood and using Clubs as a proxy to investigate Aces for No Trumps but I wasnt totally happy about bidding this way. Others bid more circumspectly (via a double on first bid and waiting for North to bid 2 or 3 NT before going to 6) and arrived in 6NT or some ended up in 6C. Top scores were 6NT+1 (mostly with North as declarer) but reasonably happy with the result, just not the bidding. (Note is there an advantage that top players would know about in getting N to be declarer in this hand) My main concern with such auctions, aiming for NT slams is that I try to avoid bidding 3NT myself (in case I am left in it by cautious partner), and in auctions like this quantitatives wouldnt work either. Is that correct. Do you think this approach is valid for investigating NT slams. The only thing I missed out on knowing was the long C suit so maybe my approach is risky. But NT is better slam than C usually? [hv=https://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?sn=thepossum&s=SAKJ2HAKJ8D83CK63&wn=Robot&w=S7543H7653DT64CJ7&nn=Robot&n=S96H42DKQCAQ98542&en=Robot&e=SQT8HQT9DAJ9752CT&d=n&v=o&b=1&a=1C(Minor%20suit%20opening%20--%203+%20%21C%3B%2011-21%20HCP%3B%2012-22%20total%20points)2D(Aggressive%20weak%20jump%20overcall%20--%206+%20%21D%3B%204-9%20HCP)4N(Blackwood%20%5BC%5D%20--%205+%20%21C%3B%2020+%20total%20points)P5D(One%20or%20four%20key%20cards%20--%203+%20%21C%3B%2011-21%20HCP%3B%2012-22%20total%20points)P5H(%3F%20queen%20--%205+%20%21C%3B%2020+%20total%20points)P5N(queen.%20No%20lower%20kings%20--%203+%20%21C%3B%2011-21%20HCP%3B%20%21CQ%3B%2012-22%20total%20points)P6N(Signoff%20--%205+%20%21C%3B%2020+%20total%20points)PPP&p=D4DQDAD3STSKS5S6SAS7S9S8D8D6DKD9C2CTCKC7HAH7H2H9HKH3H4HTC3CJCAD7CQD5C6H6&c=12]600|400[/hv] regards P Edit. PS I knew we had a weakness in Diamonds. How could we explore that better. I was just hoping for something, thinking partner had a more balanced hand so it was lucky having the KQ diamonds

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thx all I wanted to find a bid, having the four trumps but didn't analyse the correct one. I spent so much time thinking about spade limit bids that I missed the 1nt response, mentioned by several people. I think that was clearly my correct bid. As a follow up question, how should we evaluate 4 trumps with only 2 HCPs we are effectively saying that the 4-trump fit is worth 3-4 points or so, yes? given that the short hearts give me 1 short point, 2 HCPs. So the 4 trumps are worth 3 points? I need to remember the 1NT next time Note, I dont think anyone bid the 1NT. Everyone of the one third (who didnt pass) bid variants of Spade bids. 2,3 and 4 In fact, when I was browsing bridge sites to find the appropriate bid I did find it mentioned on one site, Richard Pavlicek, so thx to those above on this thread who also mentioned it. Maybe it needs to be more widely known as an option. INT followed by correct back to spade support because usually it denies major support, yes?

Thanks everyone for responses :)

Firstly take all claims of level on BBO with a grain of salt. Also number of logons on BBO mean absolutely nothing about people's experience, expertise, or ability. There are very good experienced players calling themselves novices. Very ordinary players calling themselves advanced or expert. People calling themselves world class simply because they played in some irreleveant little competition for their country. And finally, number of logons on BBO bears no relationship to people's experience of bridge out in the real world :) Rant over :) Yours a very experienced but ordinary intermediate

Courtesy of Richard Pavilcek S A-K-6-4-2 H K-6 D A-K-7-6-2 C A Evaluation Hand S H D C High-Card Points 21 7 3 7 4 Revalued Points 24 7 4 7 6 Playing Tricks 9.5 4 0.5 4 1 Losing Tricks 3 1 1 1 0 Quick Tricks 5.5 2 0.5 2 1 Controls 9 3 1 3 2 Guards 8 2 2 2 2 Freakness 6 1 1 1 2 Kaplan-Rubens 25 8.5 3.6 8.5 5.4 True Points* 22.26 7.7 2.71 7.85 4

OK then, so why does it not fit into the 2C opening on Bridge Base Lets discuss the issues I raised please

Ok everyone Have a look at this beauty. 1S +6 😟 I have a few questions and please let's not discuss GIB. Let's assume we are all human and get that hand. It fits into the forcing opening category I have discussed before. There is no way you want partner to let this go round unpassed. I would probably open 2C and suffer the ire of partner and oops Fair enough I nearly bid 2 based on Trump strength, again overstating point count. A few people used premptive response overstating Trump support. Two out three of us made 1+6 and one third made 4+3. Nobody even explored slam That opening hand has more than enough to justify game force in my book because you are looking at possible slam Is it a problem with the guidelines on two over one or is this unlucky again I'm sure 4 S premptive response is the closest to being correct or maybe stretching 3S but opener could have rubbish with a 1S bid. But again I make my point that needed a forcing opening bid of some kind [HV=https://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?lin=st||pn|thepossum,~~M9981112,~~M10632sp,~~M12041nz|md|3ST985H94DQ98C7652,SJ7HQT732DT3CQ983,SAK642HK6DAK762CA,SQ3HAJ85DJ54CKJT4|sv|o|rh||ah|Board%2017|mb|1S|an|Major%20suit%20opening%20--%205+%20!S;%2011-21%20HCP;%2012-22%20total%20points%20|mb|P|mb|P|mb|P|pc|D4|pc|D9|pc|DT|pc|DK|pc|SK|pc|S3|pc|S8|pc|S7|pc|SA|pc|SQ|pc|S5|pc|SJ|pc|D2|pc|D5|pc|DQ|pc|D3|pc|C2|pc|CQ|pc|CA|pc|C4|pc|DA|pc|DJ|pc|D8|pc|H2|pc|D6|pc|H8|pc|H4|pc|C3|pc|D7|pc|H5|pc|H9|pc|H3|pc|H6|pc|HJ|pc|ST|pc|HQ|pc|C7|pc|C8|pc|S6|pc|CK|pc|HK|pc|HA|pc|S9|pc|HT|pc|C6|pc|C9|pc|S4|pc|CT|pc|S2|pc|CJ|pc|C5|pc|H7|]600|400[/HV] Regards, One Disappointed Possum

Dear everyone Thankyou for all your comments Regards P

Dear all Was I just unlucky here or was there a way with cue bids to reduce the risk and stop in 5. I wanted to check kings better but a small redistribution of trumps gives you 6 :( Maybe I should have bid 4S or 4NT over 3S. It would have been better if I had been the asker in Blackwood, maybe after 3S?? [hv=https://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?sn=thepossum&s=SK8HAQ5DAQ962CA84&wn=Robot&w=SHT9872DKT85CK732&nn=Robot&n=SAQ9742HJ3DJCQJ96&en=Robot&e=SJT653HK64D743CT5&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=P1D(Minor%20suit%20opening%20--%203+%20%21D%3B%2011-21%20HCP%3B)P1S(One%20over%20one%20--%204+%20%21S%3B%206+%20total%20points)P2N(Jump%20in%20notrump%20--%202-4%20%21C%3B%203-5%20%21D%3B%202-4%20%21)P3S(Rebid%20suit%20--%206+%20%21S%3B%206+%20HCP%3B%207+%20total%20points)P3N(2-4%20%21C%3B%203-5%20%21D%3B%202-4%20%21H%3B%202-3%20%21S%3B%2019%20HCP%3B)P4N(Blackwood%20%5BS%5D%20--%206+%20%21S%3B%2013+%20total%20points)P5D(One%20or%20four%20key%20cards%20--%202-4%20%21C%3B%203-5%20%21D%3B)P5N(Query%20kings.%20Have%20all%20keycards.%20Does%20not%20promise%20extras%20--%206+%20%21S%3B%20%21SQ%3B%2013+%20total%20points)P6S(No%20king%20%5Bbelow%20S%5D%20--%202-4%20%21C%3B%203-5%20%21D%3B%202-4)PPP&p=CTC4CKC6C2C9C5C8DJD3DAD8D2DTS2D4S4STSKH2DQDKS7D7CJS5CAC7H6HAH7H3D9D5HJS6S3S8H9S9SASJD6HTSQH4H5H8CQHKHQC3]600|400[/hv] regards P

Always a chance is accurate. You don't rule it out until you explore further I think people should be encouraged to go through the thought process of looking at the meaning of the bids, possible point counts, assess their hand for shape and controls Then decide how to proceed.

Thanks everyone Yes, I thought maybe I should have bid 6S after 5H but was still hoping to give partner the choice of staying at 5 level of choosing a small slam. I was in unchartered territory and wasnt sure how the 5NT would be interpreted at all. Fortunately it was either interpreted correctly or had the right outcome. I wish I could say the 5NT was planned in the sense of the Pick a Slam bids but it was abid selected when not sure what to bid. 5S (showing K) would have been a sign off in Spades which I didn't want. All a bit mysterious and a little fortuitous. Thanks again. I still feel lost bidding slams without Blackwood :) PS I thought with transfers that a 3NT still gave me a choice of leaving in 3NT or going to 4S myself. Isnt that how transfers work. Also the range on the 3NT bid goes up to 15 or so points plus my 15-17+ (depending on shape) - surely enough that slam is always a chance

Dear all This situation happens quite often. Firstly you are interested in exploring a suit (or NT) slam but your partner has arrived in 3NT. What are the best ways of moving on. Below is a recent hand where I managed to navigate through but wasn't happy about my 5NT bid and how it would work. Other more advanced players than me did a superaccept in Spades which allowed earlier use of Blackwood. That was probably my error I also considered quantitative NT. I wasn't totally sure all my cues were correct Regards P [HV=https://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?lin=st||pn|thepossum,~~M38013,~~M38011,~~M38012|md|4SKQ5HAT86DA842CA4,S43HQJDQJ76CQ8762,SAJT97HK74DKTCKJ3,S862H9532D953CT95|sv|b|rh||ah|Board%2010|mb|P|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-|mb|P|mb|2H!|an|Jacoby%20transfer%20--%205+%20!S%20|mb|P|mb|2S|an|Transfer%20completed%20to%20S%20--%202-5%20!C;%202-5%20!D;%202-5%20!H;%202-5%20!S;%2015-17%20HCP;|mb|P|mb|3N|an|5%20!S;%2010-15%20HCP%20|mb|P|mb|4C|an|Max%20--%202-5%20!C;%202-5%20!D;%202-5%20!H;%203-4%20!S;%2017%20HCP;%20!CA;%2018-%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|5C|an|Cue%20bid%20--%201+%20!D;%201+%20!H;%205%20!S;%2015-%20HCP;%20!CK;%20no%20!DA;%20no%20!HA;%2016+%20total%20points;%20forcing%20|mb|P|mb|5D|an|Cue%20bid%20--%202-5%20!C;%202-5%20!D;%202-5%20!H;%203-4%20!S;%2017%20HCP;%20!CA;%20!DA;%2018-%20tota|mb|P|mb|5H|an|Cue%20bid%20--%201+%20!D;%201+%20!H;%205%20!S;%2015-%20HCP;%20!CK;%20no%20!DA;%20!HK,no%20!HA;%2016+%20total%20points;%20forcing%20|mb|P|mb|5N|an|2-5%20!C;%202-5%20!D;%202-5%20!H;%203-4%20!S;%2017%20HCP;%20!CA;%20!DA;%2018-%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|6S|an|1+%20!D;%201+%20!H;%205%20!S;%2015-%20HCP;%20!CK;%20no%20!DA;%20!HK,no%20!HA;%2016+%20total%20points%20|mb|P|mb|P|mb|P|pc|HQ|pc|H4|pc|H5|pc|HA|pc|SK|pc|S3|pc|S7|pc|S2|pc|SQ|pc|S4|pc|S9|pc|S8|pc|S5|pc|C2|pc|SA|pc|S6|pc|DK|pc|D3|pc|D2|pc|D7|pc|DT|pc|D9|pc|DA|pc|D6|pc|H6|pc|HJ|pc|HK|pc|H2|pc|C3|pc|C9|pc|CA|pc|C7|pc|C4|pc|C8|pc|CJ|pc|CT|pc|CK|pc|C5|pc|D4|pc|CQ|pc|SJ|pc|H3|pc|D8|pc|C6|pc|ST|pc|H9|pc|H8|pc|DJ|pc|H7|pc|D5|pc|HT|pc|DQ|]600|400[/HV]

Diane Read the description on the bid please. Stop ganging up and attacking me. I'm sick of the lot of you and your constant attacks Read the bid description and read about RKCB Seems nobody understands the system. I'm reporting an error. It would be good if somebody actually acknowledged it instead of this constant ad hominem attack and argument by authority regards P

I'm not sure I agree. There are two possible correct bids. Two key cards without queen or even number of key cards with void. I know you are an expert Stephen but don't try to push authority on this. 5S was erroneous Also this is the GIB bugs forum and I play according to system and description from GIB. , We are talking primary school level programming errors not complex bridge here RegardsP

Dear all Having played for 40 years despite regarding myself as beginner or ordinary intermediate I must put in a plug for GIB. 1. Bridge is about agreement of a system with partner so I try to play 100% GIB when GIB is my partner 2. Out of thousands of hands I would estimate GIB let me down on less than a few percent of hands 3. From what I see, most criticism of GIB is when people expect a bot to understand their system 4. Learning against a bot is arguably better than a human partner since the adherence to system is very good on average I generally feel that part of the core of bridge has been lost since I started many years ago. The idea of bridge is that of agreement with a partner and clarity of explanation to opponents. There is no correct way of bidding. It is based on agreement and a convention card. I have been told I couldn't play in a club if I didn't play SAYC. That's ridiculous. If me and my partner play a different system we give you our CC and explain all our bids when required to alert, acknowledge or when asked for explanation. Much of the worst advice I see is from people who think there is only one way to bid. I agree with Helene that learning against bots is not bad Regards P

Dear all I try to avoid getting upset with GIB since I understand its stochastic nature, the simulations it uses, and it doesnt usually let me down if I bid accurately. But when you come to RKCB it is not a matter of simulation of candidate bids, its a matter of strict rules. Exhibit A below scored me a measly 47% for 5+2 instead of 86% for 6+1 or even a chance of exploring grand. Surely the correct bid in RKCB here is 5NT not 5S to show the keycards and the void which may have been enough to explore Grand Of course I should have known the erroneous response meant to proceed to 6 and on another day I would. :( [hv=https://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?sn=thepossum&s=SAQ875HKT65D84CAJ&wn=Robot&w=SJH432DJ52CQ98542&nn=Robot&n=SKT432HDAKQT73C76&en=Robot&e=S96HAQJ987D96CKT3&d=n&v=n&b=5&a=1D(Minor%20suit%20opening%20--%203+%20%21D%3B%2011-21%20HCP%3B%2012-22%20total%20points)1H(One-level%20overcall%20--%205+%20%21H%3B%208-17%20HCP%3B%209-19%20total%20points)1S(Free%20bid%20--%205+%20%21S%3B%206+%20total%20points%3B%20forc)P3S(Jump%20raise%20--%203+%20%21D%3B%204+%20%21S%3B%2016-18%20total%20points)P4C(Cue%20bid%20--%205+%20%21S%3B%20%21CA%3B%2014+%20total%20points)P4D(Cue%20bid%20--%203+%20%21D%3B%204+%20%21S%3B%20%21DA%3B%2016-18%20total%20points)P4N(Blackwood%20%5BS%5D%20--%205+%20%21S%3B%20%21CA%3B%2016+%20total%20p)P5S(Two%20or%20five%20key%20cards%3B%20queen%20--%203+%20%21D%3B%204+%20%21S%3B%20%21DA%3B%20%21SQ%3B%2016-18%20total%20points)PPP&p=H2S2H9H5SKS9S5SJS3S6SAC9D4D2DAD6DKD9D8D5DQC3CJDJDTH7H6C8D7H8HTC4D3CTHKC5&c=13]600|400[/hv] Hoping I am correctly reporting an error but I believe it is an error in two ways, firstly saying it had Q trumps and secondly not showing the void Regards P PS What I find curious is that GIB has previously correctly used the 5NT response with me :(

Thanks everyone for all the comments and discussion. Regards P

Hi all Curious about something I observe often, especially in suit slams but also with quantitative NT slams. I prefer to bid to slam slowly and usually use cues and Blackwood. Here is an example where due to tiredness or some other excuse I didn't explore further and only made 4+3 Most people who bid slam jumped straight from 3 to 6. I question how this is safe. I understand it preemptively but surely at that level you want to be sure. When I look at that hand 6H or 6S is not certain without further exploration. Would be grateful for comments from people who do like to jump straight to slams. It's an interesting case of two possible major slams I think. [HV=https://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?lin=st||pn|thepossum,~~M1258ajx,~~M3398c5x,~~M3546h6v|md|3SAT5HKQT85DCA9873,SJ62HJDAJT98732C4,SKQ873HA9732DKCKJ,S94H64DQ654CQT652|sv|o|rh||ah|Board%201|mb|1S|an|Major%20suit%20opening%20--%205+%20!S;%2011-21%20HCP;%2012-22%20total%20points%20|mb|P|mb|2H|an|Forcing%20two%20over%20one%20--%205+%20!H;%2012+%20HCP;%2013+%20total%20points;%20forcing%20to%20|mb|3D|an|twice%20rebiddable%20!D;%205-11%20total%20points%20|mb|3H|an|3+%20!H;%205+%20!S;%2021-%20HCP;%2015-22%20total%20points;%20forcing%20to%203N%20|mb|P|mb|4H|an|5+%20!H;%2012+%20HCP;%2013-16%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|P|mb|P|pc|DA|pc|DK|pc|D6|pc|H5|pc|HK|pc|HJ|pc|H2|pc|H6|pc|H8|pc|D2|pc|HA|pc|H4|pc|H3|pc|C2|pc|HQ|pc|S2|pc|CA|pc|C4|pc|CJ|pc|C6|pc|C3|pc|D3|pc|CK|pc|C5|pc|S3|pc|S9|pc|SA|pc|S6|pc|S5|pc|SJ|pc|SK|pc|S4|pc|SQ|pc|D5|pc|ST|pc|DJ|pc|S8|pc|D4|pc|C7|pc|D7|pc|S7|pc|CQ|pc|C8|pc|D9|mc|13|]600|400[/HV] Regards P PS As an aside I've noticed over the last six months there is someone who calls themselves a novice on many of the hands I play. They are clearly a very experienced and somewhat dishonest unnamed novice. There is too much of that

No Nige "GordonTD offers good advice to thePossum. Also, honesty and openness are admirable, but to avoid critical comment on posts like this, thePossum should edit out any bidding and play, that he deems irrelevant." Maybe people who offer gratuitous unrequested advice should stop being so obnoxious and taking every opportunity to attack and humiliate people and only answer the questions asked. Far too many smartasses who actually think they are good to enough to offer anyone advice I think this forum and the BBO clubs are due to be cleaned up. Never saw so much disgusting behaviour and abuse at people

No Gordon I just respond to the abusive ones. You clearly have never been on the receiving end of some of the behaviour on this place Maybe you are all so used to it you don't notice. Having hung around this forum and the clubs for six months I know where the obnoxious attitude is. So don't lecture me In fact. I may start a thread with all the obnoxious comments and behaviour I have experienced in the last six months from people who should no better. I could start with all the obnoxious people on this thread but anyone reading can see who they are without being named. Everyone sees their behaviour here and in the clubs but does nothing about it We've all come up against total bullies and obnoxious people in bridge clubs. Sadly the internet age has attracted all those problem personalities to places like Bridge Base thinking they can get away with abusing and bullying people in the clubs and forum Everytime I have started a thread it has been ruined by one more people wilfully destroying it through their need to bully or humiliate. This is a beginner and novice forum. The sort of place to attract bullies. And sure enough they are here in large numbers

No Gordon I just respond to the abusive ones. You clearly have never been on the receiving end of some of the behaviour on this place Maybe you are all so used to it you don't notice. Having hung around this forum and the clubs for six months I know where the obnoxious attitude is. So don't lecture me

I just bid according to partners system. I usually would check all options including splinter in this situation. From recollection it wasn't available but I could be wrong and I may have rejected it on points Anyway, issue of splinter is irrelevant to the query about evaluation of the hand for game or at least prejudges my decision about that valuation 😊

Just a few thoughts on this discussion. I would expect better players to be accepting of less experienced players wanting to play without taking it as insults The reason many people want to play on is not hoping for a mistake. They just want to see the cards play out. You are entitled in bridge to see all cards played out. Nobody should get upset with less experienced players. As I have observed elsewhere there seem to be serious problems with some people taking offense at things all the time. Penultimate point. We were all beginners once and if we were lucky played kind and patient, not obnoxious ops. Oh, and this is the novice and beginner forum.. people seem to forget that P

Thanks all for comments I do often bid splinters but not sure it was available in this auction I was just basing point counts on 6-9 or 7-10 for the double. I wasn't sure that bottom end of that range was strong enough for 4 level However I should have gone to 4 in retrospect Just FYI in the field I was in 3+1 was 50%