Douglas43

Thanks for posting this, interesting hand. It seems that everyone agrees that small to the Ace is better when RHO holds singleton J or 10 and running the 9 is better against singleton 2 or 3. And when RHO has the 7 they both work MikeH points out extra chances in playing high if East keeps KQ9x, x but I think that East can counter this by coming down to D-KQ9 C- Ax. East wins the Diamond finesse and even though we duck the first club East just continues with another, which we must ruff with our last trump. So for me, it's a draw between the two plays in spades

Vampyr's point is helpful. I upgrade genuinely good 11 counts and downgrade really bad 15 counts, my card describes 1NT as "11+ to 14 / bad 15"

I agree with miamijd's decision. The only thing I would add to miamijd's analysis is an extra option in his (B) B. North has a small stiff spade: Line 1 makes 5 if North has the Qd and 4 otherwise. Line 2 makes 4. [same applies where North has two small Spades, I think]. That suggests on 3-1 breaks with North holding the singleton, line 1 (ruff high and finesse) scores the same or better three times (bare 7, 6 or 3) and worse than line 2 (discard) once (bare Q). On 2-2 breaks, line 1 scores the same or better three times (North has 76, 73, 63) and worse than line 2 three times (North has Q7, Q6, Q3) When North has 6 hearts and 2 spades, there are only 5 spaces for QD in North's hands versus 10 spaces in South's hand, so Line 1 should gain on only a third of the "same or better" hands. For 6 hearts and 1 spade, the vacant spaces are 6 versus 9. If that is right that on North's singletons ruffing high is better on 1/4, worse on 1/4, same on 1/2 On North's doubletons, ruffing high is better on 3/6 x 6/15= 20%, same on 3/6 x 9/15= 30%, and worse on 3/6=50%. Hence, discarding seems to gain slightly more often That is in addition miamijd's important point about the value of making your game [bTW, thanks for the topic, when I saw it I thought of the ruff high and finesse line, underestimating the value of discarding to force South to shorten their trumps]

I don't think that Vampyr is right to suggest that a non-forcing change of suit after a weak two is not alertable under EBU regulations? The EBU Blue Book requires an alert of: A non-forcing new suit response, to a non-forcing suit opening at any level, below game, unless responder has previously passed, bids over a natural NT overcall, or makes a double jump [para 4 H 2 (d) on page 17 of the 2019 Blue Book https://www.ebu.co.uk/documents/laws-and-ethics/blue-book/blue-book.pdf ] The Blue Book now also contains a provision to the effect of "if in doubt, alert": 2 A 2 These regulations are secondary to the duty of full disclosure (Law 40A). If a player is uncertain whether the regulations require an alert, but believes it would help the opponents, he should alert. At the end of the auction the declaring side may offer additional information, even if not requested. In particular, they are encouraged to draw attention to any calls whose meaning the defending side have not asked about but may not expect. My only disappointment is that EBU went for alerts rather than announcements on non-forcing natural bids (I'd prefer announcements because less risk of UI for defending side who have to decide whether to ask about an alert). I raised the topic with the EBU magazine in the context of playing weak jump shifts (similar problem of disclosure, and strong jump shifts are still more "standard" in Britain). A senior TD confirmed that they are alertable. Here is a link to the EBU magazine of October 2018 (see page 34 "ask Robin") https://view.pagetiger.com/3gs6sh8cndheg4/k9sd6agebq4w5s

Thanks DavidKok, comment appreciated. The choice of 4cM / 5cM method probably affects this area of bidding more than I expected. Partner is less likely to have a 4 card spade suit playing 4cM.

Apologies if this is missing the point as I'm used to a system with 4 card Majors and thus also 4 card minors, but even playing 5cM / better minor, surely you can raise a minor immediately with 7 card support?

The EBU has introduced an ELO-style "national grading system". 50 is median across its membership and the leading players are on about 70. It is limited to pairs games though. The "help" pull-down menu at this address explains more. https://www.ebu.co.uk/ngs It has limitations but it is a better indication of form than a totting-up system

How useful is it to have two different types of splinter compared to having a fit jump available? On an auction starting 1H [1S] a 3C mini-splinter sounds like a 4-4-4-1 or 3-4-5-1, which is OK if opener has short spades but bad news if opener has 3 of them. Is the aim to warn opener that you have spade losers? n.b. I usually play a 4 card major system, maybe the fit jump is more important in 4cM

The English Bridge Union encourages reports of suspicion and has set up a panel to investigate allegations. Information is on the EBU website at https://www.ebu.co.uk/node/3898 and https://www.ebu.co.uk/node/3903 In August it announced: "As reported in this month’s English Bridge an EBU Disciplinary Committee recently considered charges against [name given in original] under paragraph 3.2(iv) of the EBU Disciplinary Rules, for unfair or dishonest play and imposed a sanction on him of a two-year ban from participation in EBU competitions. This arose from a number of online sessions on the Bridgebase Online (BBO) platform between March and June 2020 where he was aware of the layout of the hands when playing. This was achieved by ‘self-kibitzing’: when playing under one BBO username, he was watching the sessions logged in under a different username, and could thereby see all four hands."

EBU regulations define a strong hand as 16+hcp or 12+ with at least five controls. So in England (and the Isle of Man) you would be at liberty to open 2C with hand, but I wouldn't recommend it. The problem is that partner should be able to expect at least 8 playing tricks (the old minimum Acol standard for a strong two bid) and more likely 9 tricks, but this hand has only 7. The hand would be worth 2C if it contained KQxx in Hearts instead of Qxxx, and then 7C or 7NT is on. I would open 1C and reverse over the response.

The bidding is all very well, but did the bot find the safety play of ducking a round of trumps to guard against a bad break?

For background Acol Twos were natural strong twos, just short of the values for 2C which was a game force. They showed 8 playing tricks and usually an agreed minimum number of hcp or honour tricks (so not just AKQxxxxx and bust). Forcing for one round, they guaranteed opener a chance to show a second suit if held. Acol twos were still "standard" when I started playing in the 1970s and they are useful when they come up, especially at IMPs scoring. But as Vampyr says, they have been out of fashion for decades. Most pairs in the UK play some variation of weak twos / multi 2D / weak 5-5s etc P.S. Just made myself feel ancient. I was a teenager when I learned to play! https://www.bridgebase.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif

Just a thought, but what about West? [1D] -3S -[Pass] and he's sitting there with 4 card support. Should he raise to 4S or should he pass and hope that each opponent thinks that their partner has losing spades? I'm not a fan of walking the dog myself, and would raise, but this does give NS another chance...

Sorry "looks" not "loos"!

If South doubled then West's hand loos like a redouble. In absence of a double it depends on partnership agreement

No perfect bid on this hand but doubling is the least worst option. Partner has an obvious top spade lead, and your discard should ask for a club. +500 and happy days. I do bid weak twos on mediocre 7 card suits, particularly when vulnerable. Not keen on this one though, as too likely to draw a lousy opening lead from partner.

As an experienced 12-14 NT / 4cM player, who is trying to adjust to 15-17/5cM for online play, this discussion is particularly educational. When I saw it I thought "Ladybird book negative double, what's the problem?". The discussion shows why it's not so simple in a strong/5cM context. My thanks to the various posters. [Cultural reference: Ladybird Books were illustrated educational books for children in the 1960s. The modern spoofs, which use the original illustrations on humorous themes aimed at adults, are well worth a look]

The auction could be rational enough given Cyberyeti's example hand of a club king, two red Aces, and four or five small spades. I'm more used to 4 card 1C openings, but it would seem likely that 3C is a 7 card suit rather than 6 (a semi balanced hand with 6 clubs might pass 2NT and hope). Cyberyeti's example offers reasonable play for 3NT opposite xx, xx, xx, Axxxxxx (and any high cards to justify 1C rather than 3C can't hurt).

I voted double, very narrowly, ahead of 3S. If partner has a weak two equivalent in hearts or diamonds, but no spade stop, we might be better off in that suit. I'd prefer a 7 card suit and a bit less overall strength for 3S. If not playing jump cue bids as a try for £NT, then nothing else is close to double.

Thanks, that seems a good summary. From the extent of subsequent bidding North is likely to be in a position to pick up that South (who is vulnerable) does not have many hcp and must have additional shape. I'd want 6-6 to bid.

Playing a 4 card major system gives you more options, but still doesn't make it much easier. On the plus side you can tactically open a suit you want led, but opening anything other than a minor can give rebid problems. I do occasionally resort to a 1NT rebid with 1=4=4=4.

I had the same problem in a lockdown league match and played the entire hand only able to see half of dummy. Thanks for the tip about log off and return. By the way, what does GI mean please? https://www.bridgebase.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif

Further to Gordon Rainsford's reply, responder who bids 2C either hasn't got 4 Spades, or has a good enough hand to continue with a natural and forcing 2S over your 2H rebid.

Good point by Frances Hinden about the impact of the weak jump shift in that situation. Playing strong jump shifts I'm used to 2S n.f. (but Frances is a much better player than me)

I liked the inclusion of the BeBridge magazine subscription