fifee

If I have less than 10 points and only 1 bid and 3 of partner's opening major suit, then I am going to raise him instead of bidding my own suit. So for me the best auction is 1♥ pass 2♥ If you know that you have a fit with partner after he has opened, then tell him immediately. First priority for me.

Deanrover, depends on my hand and the vulnerability. As far as I am concerned, if my pd makes a double at 4S or above, he is willing to sit for it if I think that's right.

Low ♠ You have 7 hcp. Opener has max 17. Dummy probably 7 or less, so that leaves partner with minimum 6 pts and could have up to 18 although highly unlikely since he did not take an action. Partner probably has 6-14. If he was nearer the top of his range with a suit, he would have overcalled, so I am betting he is in the 10-13 HCP range and has help in several of the suits so why not try to hit him :D No problem with any other lead or reasoning. Certainly none clear cut. BTW, why are we asking this question?

4♣. Offers info to partner and prompts a ♦ cue, 4♥ or RKC.

Pass is never an option after a 2♣ opener for my partnerships. In 2/1, 2C is forcing to game or 4 of a minor with no fit, in other systems may only be forcing 1 round with nothing, but stilll absolutely forcing. Partnership trust will fly out the window if I pass 2♣.

I think Serious 3NT has its place but should be discussed before using. My preference is only after game force established and only after major suit fit is agreed. Bid 3♣ with this hand (hopefully my partner will think its a help suit game try or whatever we have agreed). If pd declines my invitation to game and I continue with a new suit, then partner knows I am interested in slam, not game. If partner signs off at 3 of our major and I continue on and bid 3NT, then it is Serious 3NT.

Ben, I think your converter would be much better if we could line up who is bidding what. 4♠ is my choice if pd is making a weak jump overcall since we have 6♠ for that bid and very little outside. Opponents could definitely be headed for slam. Patricia Anderson

The problem lies with the bidding box. We have all misread the bidding because it is not formatted as a table. Could we offer a bidding table as an option which the poster could fill in? This is not the first time we have needed it B) Patricia Anderson

I live alone (with Ginger who is pictured) and its very hard to keep tempo when the phone rings, people come to the door, Ginger wants in or out, or someone asks you a question in private at the table. We all have these things happen and hesitations are unavoidable and mostly should not be a factor. If I have an opponent who is chatting and lags between plays and bids, then best for me to find a new table. :P P Anderson

"How to Read Your Opponent's Cards," one of Mike Lawrence's first books, is one of my alltime favorites. Mike does a great job of explaining how to "think" at the table, which is an easy thing to teach but sometimes hard to learn. He offers a hand and then asks the reader questions like who has the ♣Ace or the ♦King. After having time to think on these questions, the reader then turns the page and Mike offers the logic needed to find these cards. I can pick this book up and open it randomly and appreciate the content. If you have not read this book, I am sure you will find it enlightening. You can probably order the book through BBO, too. :) P Anderson

Even NV vs vul, bidding as advancer with this hand will cause you grief later. Your partner expects values from you - counting on it actually. So whatever actions he takes will cause you concern. Disciplined pass here will solve your problem about whether to pull partner's double later. Passing and then bidding ♠ later is a possibility. That tells partner that you have length but no strength. Pre-emptive jump could be appropriate, too, but should be discussed in advance. I prefer a pre-emptive jump after partner has bid to be fit-showing just in case partner has none of my suit. The long hesitation was probably because partner was trying to figure out who was lying in the bidding ;) P Anderson

jlall wrote: Final of the district 16 GNT (arguably the toughest district). A team with Bob Hamman is playing against a team with Bobby Wolff. You have these 2 hands: 8 Kxx A98xx KTxx 76 AQJxx KQT Jxx Auction goes 1H by you, 1S overcall, 2D, 4S, p p 5H p p p. white/white. The lead is the spade king (ace from AK), your rho plays the 5 (standard suit pref). SQ is played, rho playing the 2 as you ruff. You pull 3 rounds of trumps as lho pitches the 9 of spades (RHO had 3 hearts). Now you play KQT of diamonds, rho starting with a small stiff. You lead a club up and lho ducks. Whats your guess? My feeling is to play ♣ King. Once on the board, can of course lead last 2 good ♦s for pitches. (If you can trust their signals) I think that LHO started with ♠ KQJT9 ♥ xx ♦ Jxxx ♣ Ax and RHO started with ♠ A5432 ♥ xxx ♦ x ♣ Qxxx S5 discard by RHO was his highest S other than the Ace and was a request for no ♣ switch. S9 discard by LHO showed ♣ Ace. P Anderson

Bobby Goldman and Paul Soloway who played together for 20 years used standard carding with very little count. Their first priority was to show smith echo by either defender if it was not obvious whether they "liked" the lead or not. They would play an unecessarily high card at the first opportunity when following suit asap to say, "Yes, I liked your lead or my lead." They used smith versus all contracts, too, not just NT. Suit preference was a big part of their defense, as well, whenever they could. Bobby always said there is no carding technique that beats thinking at the table though. Patty Anderson

Bearmum wrote: As a person who only occasionally watches VuGraph( due to time restraints rather than indifference ) may I ask is it OK to pose questions to "chat to kibitzers?" as sometimes I would like to know (for example) what system the players are using (in the vain hope that I might begin to learn some of the other systems out there) Sometimes we even see the players agreements posted on the web, bearmum. Its always good to ask. The other thing is -- I guess that all the players are using screens and therefore I would find it enlightening to get the "alrets" they have to use at the table (if I understand the way screens operate) Yes, it is helpful to have the alerts and the vugraph operators do a fantastic job of showing them, sometimes with an explanation and even comments heard from the table. The vugraph operators have an overwhelming task that requires great focus and all their efforts are much appreciated. Many times you will find a commentator or fellow countryman in the audience who is familiar with the system being played and who will answer your questions. Patty Anderson

QUOTE (fifee @ May 30 2005, 09:06 AM) I much prefer this format: S AKxxx H Qxxxxx D xx C to seeing this SAKXXX HQXXXXX DXX One suggestion to solve this problem is to allow dragging of cards as option to clicking. Solves wild mouse problems, too. Wots that avatar of yours fifee? A custard pie with plenty of whipped cream? Goes well with the chinese dishes we all have. The only problem is that you put on 2.3 kilos if you eat it Roland It must be that venerable Chinese Bandit again ! :unsure: I have heard rumors of his popping up in the least likely places !

♠QJT8x, ♥AQx, ♦KTx, ♣AK 2NT 5 card suit headed by QJT + no wasted quacks & good tenace + good middlin cards + I add 1/2 point or so for most of these positive features when evaluating a hand for NT opening :) and of course deduct points for negative features B) only negative in this hand is tight ♣AK. Always prefer to have AK in long suits :D

I much prefer this format: S AKxxx H Qxxxxx D xx C to seeing this SAKXXX HQXXXXX DXX One suggestion to solve this problem is to allow dragging of cards as option to clicking. Solves wild mouse problems, too. :)

If I have "permission to play" turned on, then I cannot speak with the person who is requesting to sit. If you are not "accepted," you have only a request turned down message. When players are requesting to sit, table host does not have the ability to speak with anyone. It would be polite to be able to discuss with requesters privately before declining or accepting their request to sit. Patricia Anderson, aka fifee

Has the talented staff of programmers considered an unlimited note page attached to the bbo convention card for involved explanations of bids and responses? Or perhaps more room in the small space alloted for other conventions and for typing in alternate choices for carding, bids and responses? Flexibility on the cc or a space to type preferences would be helpful. Thanks, Patricia Anderson, aka fifee :rolleyes: