luis

Hi, This is my vision of this 2/1 auctions: 1) 1S-2C-2NT Stoppers in hearts and diamonds, 5332 hand with 2/3 cards in clubs. 2) 1S-2C-2D-2NT A relay bid without spade support. First priority should be to suppoert clubs with 3 cards. Otherwise bid 3nt, 2s or 3d. 3h is an unassuming bid deniying hearts stoppers, a sixth spade, a fifth diamond or club support. I do not like 3h as showing a fragment in this sequence. 3) 1S-2C-3C 4 card support. 4) 1S-2C-4C This doesn't exist in my 2/1 methods. If I ever face this bid I'lll take it as running spades with a club singleton. Inviting a slam when responder doesn't have too much waste in clubs. 5) 1S-2C-2D-3D 4 card support, for diamonds. Stablishing a fit. Now show stoppers below 3NT and controls above 3NT. 6) 1S-2C-2D-4D Same as 4, this doesn't exist in my 2/1 methods. If I ever face this bid I'll take it as running clubs with short diamonds (self-splinter) inviting to 6 if opener has no waste in diamonds.

Ben, Rumble is interesting. It has two problems that I think you already spotted: 1) I don't like to waste memory remembering our obstructive treatment against their strong club. Better to remember your own constructive conventions. No I wasn't hypnotized by Fred it's what I think :-) 2) I did play a method that forced to bid against pass, in 2 sightings of their strong club we were -800 in 1 spade and -800 in 2 diamonds. As interesting as it is to obstruct their strong club opening you can't be confortable if you don't have pass as an option. Judgement is more important than conventions and when your judgement tells you to pass you should pass. Even state of the match can be important, if you are winning by 20 why would you want to see if they can set you 1100? For example these factors are clear indications to pass a strong club if you are vulnerable: - when you have two aces - when you have a lot of values just behing the strong 1c opening - when you have soft values in the 4 suits (Qxx, Kxx, JTx, etc) - when you have a defensive hand (example 4 queens) - when you strongly suspect you will be hung for a number etc...

About the difference between the transfer raise and the direct raise. To me a direct raise is a hand that would refuse any invitation to game when pd held an invitational hand. The transfer raise shows a hand with 6-9 HCP that can accept at least one invitation to game. (Assuming you play 2-way invitations after 1M-2M or something along that lines) About raising with a doubleton: sometimes, specially with honor doubleton and a distributional hand. Example: Kx, x, Jxxx, Jxxxxx I might bid 2h after 1s-dbl showing a sound raise.

I can envision the postmortem. "I always bid what we can make pd...." I really don't care much about freakish hands where a decision between doubling 6d or bidding 7c has to be taken at our second turn. Either you do it right or wrong but there's a high level of randomness introduced by the noise in the auction. Many players have a fascination for this kind of hands.

Do you actually mean ruffing 2 diamonds ? D3 ---> DK D8 ---> DA D5 ---> ruffed with H2 But now I don't understand how you would win ruffing your Queen of diamonds with H3. I surely missed something. Erkson I meant ruffing one diamond instead of one spade. Thanks for the correction. I also edited my first post since it was rude and it wasn't my intention to be rude.

Fred, I inmediately retreat what I posted here I understand the word "unethical" is absolutely wrong, english is not my native language and it was difficult to find a word to describe what I felt. My feeling was that the information was not as complete as it should have been. If you lead the sp ten and get asked about leads you shouldn't just say "udca, low with doubleton" when you lead high with Tx and you have just lead the T. They weren't nice at the table to us but if you say they are ethical players I inmedialtely believe you. So I would say they weren't nice and they incorrectly informed their leads in a relevant deal. Just that. I'd ask for a ruling and accept the TD ruling or appeal if advised to appeal by most players. Just part of the game. I think that what happened was that they just didn't think that a clarification of the lead with Tx was needed since that maybe obvious in their country or they just forgot to clarify or whatever. Had the issue been irrelevant there wouldn't be any problem but since it lead to damage I thought I needed a ruling. I have always thought that what happens at the table stays at the table, I think they weren't nice to us at that match but once it's over I can go a have a beer with them without a problem. And of course I'd love to play with them or against them at any time. My post was just a report of what happened and what I personally felt I want to make clear that I'm as happy and friendly as ever.

Dan, You can use: http://bridgebase.lunarpages.com/cgi-bin/h...55&p=2003-10-02 For the 1st segment. The second segment wasn't played by our team. And there wasn't a third segment. The board were I wanted a ruling was board 6. Luis

It wasn't fun to me but no problem it's over and next time will be better. This is my vision of the facts, dissenting opinions are allowed. As you know Argentina Haspel won the right to play against Unia after a KO team tournament at bridgebase organized by bridgebase.pl we were then informed of the time to play the big match against Unia, unfortunately it was during worktime for 7/8 of our players but we cancelled some obligations and so and we played. It was a great honor to me to play against Unia and I'm thankful to bridgebase for organizing the event. As you already know Argentina Haspel won the match. Then a rematch was organized. Apparently Wojela talked to our "captain" Carlosp and somehow the time for the rematch was the same as in the original match. I think 7 of us would have rejected playing again at the same time. After being forced to play at a certain time in the 1st match and winning I think we had the right to choose the time for the rematch. I really don't know why but Carlosp decided we would be able to play and say yes without asking most of our players. He didn't even told us about the match in my case I read about it in the bridgebase.pl site and told my mother AnaA. I was able to fit some time to play the first segment. For the first segment we fielded AnaA-Luis and CarlosP-Aaronh. The only 4 players present at the time. I played against Kwiecen and Pcszola. Unfortunately there were some problems and there wasn't a director for a ruling I found bad, next time some TD would be a good idea just in case a ruling is needed. Just because players many times don't know what to do and ask for a ruling in some situation. Advise: Put a TD. Facts: In a 4h contract I got a spade ten lead, I asked a bout leads and they said "udca, low with doubleton". Then I played the opening leader for 3 spades and went down 1. After the board was played he said "High with Tx" maybe I'm wrong but I found that egrgiusly unfriendly and of course unintentional missleading. I asked for a ruling but there wasn't a director. If I play the opening leader for a doubleton I make 4h ruffing 1 diamond instead of 1 spade. North: KJx JT9xx AQxx x South: Ax 5432 Kx Axxxx Lead spade ten, asked about leads "UDCA" "Low with doubleton" This was 6 imps for them instead of 5 to us if I make 4h. Then they asked a lot of questions such as why we lead the spade 2 against 3nt with 42 after we said we lead 2nd and 4th against NT, why I held AK of spades in a hand that I alerted I held AK of spades or nothing etc. Then in a hand were he ruffed both hearts and spades in his hand in a 3d contract Pcszola played alllllll the trumps, we decided to keep our clubs, making 3. That was just unnecesary and I didn't like it. I didn't enjoy the match at all. We lost the segment by 10 imps. Horrible bridge in general we played 6 in hand cold for seven only to know that they played game at the other table. Kwiecen and Pcszola played 4s making 5 in a hand were our teammates won 7 diamonds. In the 6h hand they lead the cT with JTxx after the hand Ana asked and they said. "I forgot to tell you we lead rusinow against small slams" :-) That wasn't important at all since I had 13 tricks but again unnecesary lazyness in explanations that might have been relevant. Sometimes the best players in the world are not the nicest.Sometimes the nicest players have a bad day. We players have a lot to learn from Fred, he's not only a top-10 world class player but a really nice opponent and friendly. For the second team we were only 3 since I wasn't able to play. Tenuki was present but not his pd and he refused to play an improvised pair it wasn't logical. So they put some players and the second sement was played. Apparently we did have a team for the third segment but the polish players had to leave. They are announcing that Unia defeated Argentina Haspel in bridgebase.pl, this is not true. The only thing that is true is that our Captain compromised a date without asking his players, we lost the first segment and couldn't field a team for the 2nd, then the polish players couldn't play the third segment. Well lot of accidents.... Luis. NOTE: I edited my post, my first writing was rude and that wasn't my intention. I just wanted to report what happened and what I felt. Now I feel fine and I'm happy to have played one segment against such excellent players.

Why will 2s in a 6-1 fit be better than 2c or 3c in a 5-3 or 6-3 fit? If you play that 2d shows 4+cards and 2c can be a doubleton when your pd passes 2c he has 5/6 clubs and a weak hand and you are playing a contract far better than 2s.

Richard, Cuebids showing only 1st round controls are old, maybe that's whats written in some old books or texts copying from that books I think most modern American pairs do bid 1st/2nd round controls without distinction but maybe I'm wrong. As a good theorist in system design I think you will agree that 1st round only cuebids are a complete nonsense, but maybe a perfect nonsense adition to the dreaded sayc :-) This is even more ridiculuous if followed by RKCB, used to find the trump King or confirm the number of aces you already know you have :-) Bah... As side note one of my partners couldn't resist faking cuebids specially at matchpoints, so we just switched to a 4c bid to ask for aces leaving room to ask for kings, queens and jacks, even specific queens if needed. The risk is that we might be missing AK in some suit but if we would have faked the control anyway it doesn't matter....

2c, I don't want to bid 2s with a good hand that can play in 5 different denominations. 2s is too unilateral.

I partially agree with Eric and I think cuebidding is not a complex part of bidding actually it is very easy once you know the fundamentals. In this auction 4c shows: - A hand with slam interest, otherwise just bid 4h - A club control (A, K, void or singleton) - NOT a spade control (otherwise bid 3s first) Then the 4d bid MUST show a spade control (A,K, void or singleton) without a spade control opener simply bids 4h because partner already denied a spade control and then they can cash AK of spades. Since 4d shows a spade control and 4h denies a spade control the 4d cuebid doesn't show nor denies a control in diamonds, in fact it doesn't have anything to do with diamonds. After 4d responder can ask for keycards and drive to 6h after discovering that your side is missing one keycard. Luis

As much as I love fit non-jumps and fancy stuff this deal is too much for me. 6h reaches a level of fancyness that I'm not willing to explore and I certainly won't recommend. And it's a fantasy bid nobody will bid 6h at the table expecting your pd to take that as "maybe you can bid 7h if they bid 7d 'cos I have 4 card support for clubs and 2 aces" So I bid 7c and if they bid 7d then whatever, I bid 7nt

1) :-)) hehe, your first point it's funny, seems like you are not aware of the zillion posts we've posted and read about this subject. I guess the Walshians vrs notWalshians debate will just start over again after this post :-). I'm not good at driving directions but I'm sure Ben will post a list of links to other threads where this has been discussed with a lot, sometimes too much, detail. 2) The 1d-2c auction is unfriendly in SAYC that's why I strongly advocate to play 1d-2c as game forcing with Kokish responses. Even if you don't play 2/1 it won't hurt to play 1d-2c as forcing to game. Kokish responses after 1d-2c (gf) are: 2d = 5+ diamonds, mandatory rebid with 5+ diamonds can have 4M 2M = 4 cards and then 4 diamonds, balanced hand 3c = 4 card support 2N = none of the above, so 3343 exactly This sequences simplify a lot the auction so I really recommend the treatment to intermediate players that can agree to play this with their pds.

1) 3NT First of all I can make this game and it may be easier than 4h, and second if can prevent them from playing a makeable 4s contract. 2) Over 2d I'd just bid 2NT, I guess it's the most healthy way to start the auction. Now pd can use transfers, stayman and other nice tools we may have over a 2nt opening and we'll better positioned in the auction.

I think I'd take the h lead, cross to dummy and play the dQ. If this is covered I have 11 tricks. If the dQ is not covered then I'll take the second heart, play both spades and all the clubs and eventually decide about the diamonds. Playing MPs I think I'd finesse again in diammonds 75% of chances of getting 11 tricks.

I guess you meant opening the SOUTH hand. Looks like a crystal clear 1s opening to me.

Nice report Ben, tell us who was the guy that played the SQZ.

I don't know if it helps but I will answer questions whenever you want guys, in the middle of a hand, in the middle of the bidding, before the lead, after the lead etc. I don't lose concentration when playing online and even if I do it's not the Bermuda bowl. So if you can stand my pathetic play and nonsense bidding and want to ask questions you are welcome. If it is my table feel free to throw your comments or questions directly to the table chat being careful of spoilers :-) Luis

The Moscito pair bid as follows: West North East South 2d(1) Dbl 2N(2) Pass 3c(3) Pass 3d(4) Pass 3s(5) Pass 4h(6) Pass 4n(7) Pass 6c Pass Pass Dbl Rdbl Pass Pass Pass (1): 10-14 Three suited hand with 4/5 clubs (2): Positive INV+ asking bid (3): Some 4441 (no void) (4): Relay (5): 4=1=4=4 (6): Asking for controls hearts excluded (7): 3 Knowing that your pd is 10-14 HCP 4-1-4-4 with 3 controls I think that both the 6c bid and the redouble by north are very reasonable.

The full hand is: Nobody vul. South dealer. A2 T652 J AKJ652 QJ64 T93 AKQ3 9874 KQ3 T8754 74 T K875 J A962 Q983 At my table west opened a strong 1NT and played there for down 4. Undoubled.

Just a side note: Invitational bids that are forcing can be used as either inviting to game or slam. If you plan to play game when pd supports and you have slam interest you can make a game-try and then go on if pd accepts or sign off in game if pd declines. I find this very useful. Luis

For our team Paul and you, Ana Alonso and Luis Argerich.

West has every single missing spot and an natural 15-17 NT opening. That's why he will double 6c without hesitation (sQJ, h AKQ, dKQ just too many spots) The heart lead is almost automatic with AKQ and you can always make 6 on a heart lead and any continuation. She redoubled because if 6c was down 1 200 would be the same as 100 and if 6cxx makes they will be devastated. Right she was.

1st hand) North: Ax T652 J AKJ652 South: Kxxx J Axxx Qxxx Nobody vul, South dealer, if south passes West opens 1NT (!) How do you bid these hands? Curious note: My mother Ana playing with her pd opened the south hand playing Moscito and got to 6 clubs redoubled (!!) +1830 take this!!!