karlson

I agree with cardsharp, Jdonn, pdmunro, and the others (I've brought up this issue before too). The card graphics are the main reason I avoid the web client. If I had to guess, I think it's the large proportion of whitespace on the new cards.

On the windows client, when you finished a team match (or tournament, I think), you were placed in some kind of "tournament room" where you could chat to the whole tournament, look at the results, etc. This was a nice functionality, and it would be nice to have some equivalent in the web client.

Especially against decent players, I like #1. Who knows, maybe they marked the convention card wrong by accident, or maybe it was left over from a previous pair. If I bid 2c without asking and partner isn't up to looking at the card, I'm basically certain to have to deal with a very messy director ruling. In contrast, I can just ask and play normal bridge.

1. ♠Ax ♥Q7xx ♦QT97x ♣AQ r/w imps. p-1♠ to you 2. ♠Qx ♥T8x ♦K98xxx ♣Ax r/r imps, you're 2nd. p-p-1♣-1♦ 1♥*-? 1♣ was 2+ and 1♥ showed 4+♠.

[hv=d=s&v=b&n=saxhkqdaxxxcatxxx&s=sjt98xxxhjxdkxcqj]133|200|Scoring: IMP 2♦*-4♦* 4♠-p[/hv] You open 2d multi, partner bids 4d (bid your major). Lead is a small club (one lower spot outstanding), 3rd/5th.

On the given auction north has an easy 3n bid. Not sure why south didn't bid 1s -- if opener has 4 spades (along with diamonds), this hand will play much better in a suit. Over 1d-1s north will rebid 2d, and now that south knows about the trick source, he has an easy 3n bid with aces and so much help in diamonds.

If lefty has that hand, he can just ruff the diamond and exit a club himself.

I'm a simple soul. I would plan to play the HA and later use the DJ to play a spade to the 9. Of course what happens could convince me to change tack.

both w/w at matchpoints 1. ♠T9xx ♥AJTx ♦xxx ♣AT starting with partner: 1♣-x-1♥-p 1N-2♠-ppp 2. ♠Q8xxx ♥KTxx ♦98xx ♣-- opponents bid 2n-3n.

I think we're supposed to cater to partner having a good 5-11 balanced with 3 spades (i.e. 9-11 or so). If he had a GF with diamonds and spades originally, I suspect he's going to be bidding more no matter what we do. I don't play this exact style, but I was imagining that most non-GF 4x5x or even 4-6 will start with 1h. I suppose the comment about 3n being friv suggests I'm wrong, but perhaps OP could give a little more info on what hands with 4 spades bid 1s instead of 1h.

I will just bid 4s. Even if partner has the ideal hand (♠K and 2 of ♥AK and ♣A (or both red aces)), slam will probably be on a 3-2 spade break. And if I make a slam try, partner might well go with less than that. I could maybe be convinced of 3n friv, but are you so sure that that's what it will be? Could opener not have 4xx5 still?

I would bid, but I think it's very close.

I'm sure someone will come along and mention that there's another books thread, but for the time being: The book that first got me to go beyond counting my points was Mike Lawrence's Hand Evaluation. I will recommend it to anyone at the good beginner/intermediate level. For declarer play and defense, I can't recommend anything by Hugh Kelsey enough.

I think that's the wrong way around. Double describes your shape very well, and partner will likely know what suit to play in, whereas if partner reopens with double, we're going to be guessing. The biggest danger of double is that our hand is not really good enough, and we could catch partner with the worst hand ever and just be too high, so in a sense, if we pass, we're really hoping partner can't reopen. Besides, why should partner balance if he's looking at a mediocre hand with some diamond length?

Wow, surprised by all the controversy. Thought 18-19 was pretty standard, at least in the US.

My slight revision (thanks geller and the wisdom of some of the masses) BB: 1.USA2 2. Italy 3-4: China, USA1 5-8: Argentina, Norway, Egypt, Netherlands VC: 1. France 2. USA1 3-4: Sweden, Germany 5-8: China, Japan, USA2, Argentina Seniors: 1. Poland 2. USA1 3-4: Sweden, England 5-8: Japan, USA2, Italy, Indonesia

I'd pass and hope I make it.

Wow, am I going to be the only vote for double at my second turn? I thought it was even pretty clear. We're white on red, and we have little sensible way of figuring out if we should be in 5, 6, or 7, so I'll be quite happy if partner chooses to sit it out. If he pulls, I think it's a much better bet that slam is on, and we might even know what strain it's in. If you're not going to double, seems like you might as well bid 4n, not to get to spades, which I doubt partner has anyway (I would expect him to bid 4s over 4h with most hands with 4 spades), but to get to clubs (why can't partner be 4-4 in the minors?)

Some people play that x here says "I want to bid one more unless you think we're beating this" but even playing that I wouldn't use it. I could easily see us beating this oposite a pretty normal hand from partner. Obviously lightner double would be great if you play that.

To Ken: What does opener do in your perfect world with xx AKJx AKJxx xx? or for that matter with x AQJx AKJxx xxx? or x KQxxx AJxxxx x? No sarcasm intended, maybe this all can work, but to me those all look like 3♥ bids, and i wouldn't really jump at calling them "slam interest".

♠K9x ♥Kxx ♦Qxx ♣KJxx Partner opens 1♦, unbalanced (5♦ unless (4441)). You bid 2N natural invitational, and partner bids 3♥ (natural and game forcing). 3N or 4♦? (or something else?)

Would not have opened, would pass now.

This must be an MI case, I don't understand how it's a real problem. Penalty double? Even if partner has some values, I don't see why we're beating this. Why can't they just have 5 trumps, a ruff, the ace of clubs and a red suit trick? I also don't see why lefty should have hearts instead of, say, diamonds.

Is there a reason you don't play it with other people, or do you just not play natural 2n in any serious partnership nowadays?

Heh, I admit I didn't know who were the key pairs. Good thing there's still time to reconsider my entry!