olegru

This case came from f2f game, not from BBO. In place where it was played Polish club and Precision are two most popular systems. Answer Precision at that moment meant strong club for everybody who hear it, nobody will ask for additional clarification until he has reason to expect explanation to be wrong. If South started ask for detail of 1 club opening he would unavoidable give his partner unauthorized information and probably give some additional information to opponents if West actually choose opening 1 club with week hand but good distribution.

He didn't change for NS, left 1NT made 9 tricks. Changed only for EW.

It is not ACBL land. To make it clear. South asked before he bid on the first round not immediately after alert and he specificaly asked opponents what system are they playing. No questions about 1 ♣ oppening was asked at that time, no requests to explain the alert were made. Director was called after game finished. South didn't want to change his final pass to any other bid - he was OK this 1NT even after correct explanation. Point is - he might not pass on the first round after 1♥ bid in the case of correct explanation. He could double or bid 1NT by himself and final contract would be changed.

[hv=d=w&v=e&n=s10643h65d109654c84&w=sk92hq102dk32ck932&e=sj85hj9873da7cj76&s=saq7hak4dqj8caq105]399|300|Scoring: MP west...north....east...south 1♣!.....pass......1♥.....pass 1NT ... all pass[/hv] Real matchpoints tournament. EW – beginners NS – good players EW vul Dealer West West opened 1 ♣ which was alerted. North – pass. (No questions asked) East bid 1 ♥. South asked opponents about their system and was told they are using precision club. As all of us know 1 ♣ opening in Precision promises 16+ points and 1 ♥ answer promises 7+ points. South – pass. With his heavy 22 points hand and 3334 distribution he can see something strange is going on(16 points from West + 7 points from East + his 22 points is bigger than 40) but what to bid? West – 1NT. North pass. East pass. South pass. In the favorite vulnerability 1NT from opponents looks like a good contract for him. Prior to make lead North asked East to tell how many points declarer promised and was told 11-14! As it happened EW played some kind of Polish club system, but they thought their system called Precision. No calls for director were made in that moment. North made unlucky lead and after non unreasonable (but not perfect) defence declarer made 9 tricks – not a good score for NS. Now South invited director. South’s complain – he would double on the first round of bidding after the correct explanation. Director decided to hold 1NW+2 for NS and assign 2♦= for EW. Any comments?

3♣. What is question? :)

1. 4♣ - strong two suiter with an expert partner. Just curiouse. What does "pretty much natural" 4♣ bid mean here? Majors? And 4♠ after Partners 4♥ is a cue-bid on agreed ♥'s? If it is a case - 4♠

Knockout teams. One of the last boards. There is no barometer but you can estimate position in match as a very close. [hv=d=w&v=n&s=sj10932hajdq97c986]133|100|Scoring: IMP West........East 2♦!........2NT! 3♣!........3♦! 3♥........4♥[/hv] You and your Partner keep silance. Opponents using Wilkosh, and give you full explanation of their bidding. West 2♦ - 2 suiters, at least 5 cards each, at least one of 5-cards suit is major, 5-11 points East 2NT - strong request West 3♣ - club and major East 3♦ - which major? rest is natural. What is your choice? I know problem like that doesn't have correct answer just want to see didderent people reasoning. Thanks

[hv=d=w&v=n&s=sak64haj104dqck843]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] West........North..........East............South 3d...........pass...........pass............? Simple question You South, red v white. 3rd board of 16 boards knockout teams. Opponent on the first sit oppened natural preemptive 3♦, two passes and yours bid

[hv=d=n&v=n&w=sq87652h5d98cq1074&e=sk1094ha976dcakj53]266|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] Team match. Same bidding from both tables North.............East............South..............West 3♦............dbl..............pass................3♠ pass............4♠............5♦..............pass pass.............dbl..............pass................pass pass Ruff wasn't found - 550 for NS 6♠ easy 12 tricks. Any comments?

[hv=d=e&v=n&s=s9853hk82dc1097632]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] East.........South...........West...........North pass.........pass............1♦..........dbl 4♦.......pass.............pass...........dbl pass.........? What would you bid with good but unknown partner? What is your agreements with regular partner according second double? Do you have different agreements against opponents playing Precision?

[hv=d=n&v=n&n=skq10532hk93d3cak4&s=sa8h6da1065cqj10965]133|200|Scoring: IMP East overcall 2 ♥ and West bid 3♥ if they can[/hv] First board of teams match. North opened 1♠, East bid 2♥ and West bid 3♥ after dbl from South. Both teams missed the slam. How would you advice NS to bid these hands?

[hv=d=s&v=e&s=sj7haqj7432d53cq7]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

Teams. In we middle of 12 boards match you are 20 imps down. All vul. You are West. South open 2 ♠ and Partner double it on the 4th sit. [hv=d=s&v=b&s=sa1094hq2da107cq874]133|100|Scoring: IMP (2♠) - pass - (pass) - dbl (pass)- ?[/hv] What will you bid and why?

First I would ask EW are they regular, simetimes or the first-time partnership. If they are the first time or sometimes partnership, I would ask EW have they ever discuss this situation. If not, we have the clear case of missinformation. West told opponents "Unusual NT," but their actual agreement is "no agreements." What to adjust is a much harder, but if NS can convinience me they would lead hearts after correct "no agreement" explanation I would buy it and down 4 looks like a reasonable adjustment. My deepest sympathy to EW, I know, West just wanted to be helpful, but he must explain only actual agreements, not his cards. If they are regular or once-in-a-while partnership but with actual agreement about this possition we have a different story. Jump to 2NT could be both: minors or 2 lowest (Even ACBL convention card has two checkboxes). NS got alerted, NS could defend themself by asking for clarification. If they didn't it is their problem. Of couse I would adjust if they asked but didn't get more information from the West.

Of couse it will be fun for you, for me, actualy for any of us, who already got addicted. But I wouldn't so sure about people who just choising pasttime for themself. Whan 17 years ago I started to play bridge I like this game because I can create my own bidding system and modify it as much as I want. Sure my system was terrible. But by the time when I realise it I already found much more to enjoy in the game. Whould I ever started to play bridge if someone told me I have to bid only way everyone does? I don't think so. You don't have to prove me our game is greate I am sure it is. But there is a fact: average age of the bridge players in ACBL land is much higher than it was when William J.Huske wrote article. (I can't say about other countries, just don't have information.) I am afraid he was right.

William J. Huske, article was printed in 1955 if I am not mistaken. Or even early. I can't say better. Are you don't agree this him? What is the average age of ACBL members?

Last week I was playing in swiss teams with accident partner. Our opponents bid some ridiculous slam for down 2 and one of them asked another could this result be dublicated on the second table. "Don't worry," answered my partner. "It will be. Our teammaters are idiots too." Actualy he was right - there was no swing on that board.

Just advice. On the start of each round type something like this: "Hi, We are playing SAYC". 99% opponents will let you know what they are playing, as a reply. It works ;) PS I am playing short club with my favorite partner. We always have a filled CC and alert our bids. I am trying to pre-alert opponents but sometimes failed to do it (just forget). If they anons their system, they automaticly remind me to anons mine.

In favorite system? 1♣ - 11+, forsing round (Polish club)

Nothing special. Support in ♦ Not complete minimum for 1♣ oppening, but not too strong. Not necessary balanced, but could be. 3♦ is kind of invitational bid. What to do with a good maximum hand? - Just one more bid to describe it. 3NT to show spades stopper looks right for me with Kxx-Tx-KJxxxx-xx. With balanced hand 1♣ bidder will pass it, with unbalanced we will play in ♦. I am ready to pass 4♦ from my partner or play 5♦ if he will bid somethig else.

In this case standard discard is a dual message too. If I discard 10 of diamonds (for example) using standard signals I encourage to play diamonds and discourage to play remaning suits ;) What is difference? If I discard 2 of spades using odd-even signals it doesn't mean I have nothing in spades - it just mean I would like my partner to play clubs.

Thanks for you reply. Odd-even is not dual-message discard - it carry just one meaning "I like particular suit." But you right, I do find on your link: Happy to know finesses still approved even for general chart. I believe it will be the next step for acbl. What could I say - Harold S. Vanderbilt was a genius man if acbl so far can't kill the game in America.

Yesterday my teammates were told by director on ACBL section tournaments what in the general chart ACBL games they permited to use odd-even discards on the first discard only (starting the second discard they can use standard or upside-down methods only). It sounds extremely strange for me. Could you somehow comment it. Is it true? If yes which law of bridge is based on? Where can I find it? Are we still permitted to make finesses in ACBL general chart game or starting mid-chart only?

I didn't say it B) I just said he put expert in his profile - I'd never played with him before and have no clue is he a real expert or not. Sorry, it is happened everyday in INDI. You assumption is way too strong. I wish you are correct here but unfortunetly can't buy it. If my partner is novice I have much better chanses to know how he will understand 2NT bid, then i partner-expert case. Experts know too many conventions :blink: You right, I can explain something like: "My bid could be natural invitation, minor stayman with diamonds better when clubs or transfer to diamond week or strong." It is how I expect my partner to understand it. I shouldn't say how I hope he will understand me. I shouldn't say anything about my hand. I should say only our ageements. But we do not have any other agreements. I just hope to be on the same wavelenght. I hope to escape if we will not. Should I alert if one of possable meaning of my bid is alertable? Problem is - almost any my bid will be alertable. I should alert 1NT respons after my partner 1 major opening because I have no clue is it forsing or not. I have to alert 2NT after 1 major from Partner, because expert Partner could decide it is Jacoby. I should alert 2 clubs overcall because in some systems it denied 4 cards major. No matter what I mean I should alert everithing. It just doesn't make sence. And (what is more important) it is not required by the bridge laws. Code asks us to alert opponents about our special agreements. No agreements - no alerts. It is complitely different case. Regular partnership must have agreements. They must alert about they agreements. Sometimes they forget agreements. It their problems - not opponents. Unerstanding or misunderstanding have nothing to do with obligation to alert. Agreement is the base. Agreements must be alerted. It is correct. We have to read the Laws. Even more. If we are playing online we supposed to know special Laws of online bridge http://www.ecatsbridge.com/documents/files...f%20Changes.pdf But if there is no law - we shouldn't create it by ourself. Untill someone shows me Law which requres me to alert bids without special partnership agreement I don't think I must do it. Unfortunatly sometimes you have no choce. For example, all vulnerable, you hold ♠ xx ♥ xx ♦ Jxxxxxx ♣ xx What would you bid? I do have absolutely zero clue what my partner will think my 2NT bid mean, but I still think I will be able to reach a reasonable contract after this bid. No alway, but I believe odds for me. If we will be on the same wavelenght I would pass 3♦ responce or convert 3♣ to 3♦. If partner accept my "invitational" bid - I would bid 4♦ and expert-partner have a good chanses to figure out what is going on. Even if he will pass ny 2NT I still have chances to get a good score if opponents will continue or if they will have game by their own. At least I can think of a bid which give me a better chanses. Sure I will alert my 2NT bid if I will make it again with same partner, because now he has much better chanses to guess correctly. I see your point. There are two different scenario. First scenario - somehow you believe you have an implicit partnership agreement even in Indi. Example - you said something like your profile, pard. In this case You have to alert, I agree. Second scenario - you have no reasons to expect you have an agreement, but you still hope your partner will be on the same wavelenght with you. You do not have an agreement and obligations to alert.

Lets see. Indi, my partner (expert in profile opened 1NT). Should I alert my 2NT bid? It could be natural invitation, transfer to diamonds or minor stayman. I have no ideas how my partner will understand it. I hope he will take it as natural. Should I alert? I hope he will take it as a transfer to diamond. Should I alert? If your answer NO in the first time and YES in second it can't be correct. We have excactly the same ageements (none). It is imposable to have a different procedure depanding upon actual hand.