CarlRitner

I suppose I will adjust to this over time, but I can't help thinking I am reading Timothy Toucan whenever I see this: * Timothy Toucan * Add as Friend * PM this member * Group: Members * Posts: 727 * Joined: 2010-February-01 * Gender:Male * Location:Atlanta, GA, USA It's rather predominate over the actual username. If we were at least allowed to change this, I pick my own name and then people would associate my posts with me, and not Molly the Mule or whatever critter I happen to be lumped into today. Not an urgent issue but a puzzling design, when the user identity is separated off and parked up in the banner, blue on blue.

Maybe if you did a search on balancing 1NT? I am pretty sure this is another name for it. Transfers seem to be the default scheme in SAYC, if that means anything to you. It certainly doesn't make it right, but it was thought uncrazy enough to include in the basic system.

Bridge Baron version 21 is now available. I have no business relationship other than being a consumer and beta tester. The program offers Standard American, 2/1, Precision and quite a few others which I simply don't have the time to explore. The 2/1 is a 100% (Hardy style) major-suit game force but uses the SA approach to 1D - 2C. There are three pre-programmed 2/1 cards which you can use as is or modify to your own tastes. Some of the exotics (spiral scan) are missing but the basics are there with most usual options. For example, Blackwood can be plain Blackwood (dear me), Key-card, 1430, Specific King ask, etc. This program plays a multitude of conventions, 140 or so. Often it does not play the convention exactly the way I want to, but then neither do most of my club partners. There are still a few (in my opinion) errors, like keeping inverted minors ON in competition. At least having an ON/OFF option would be nice, and is probably forthcoming (hint, hint). Most of the conventions I have used are faithful to common sense and general practice of today. By that I mean the experts are still arguing. A good source of fun are the 40+ tournaments you can play and compare your score against the field. If you find yourself consistently beating Bridge Baron (even after adjusting the skill level), try these tournaments on for size. I'm just guessing there are over 5000 boards in all, enough that when I am all done I can start over and see how many I remember (sad to say, not many). These are included for free and you can purchase even more tournies. The utilities included are great for generating practice hands for one or more conventions at a time, or any combination of hand strength, shape, whatever. The program is updated every year and now has a much faster double-dummy solver then last year, although still running behind the Bo. I'll be happy to answer any specific questions if I can. I suspect most readers here feel they are beyond using Bridge Baron as a learning tool, but it was a handy thing to have while crossing the Atlantic. Probably one of the most enjoyable aspects of this product is the ability to interact with the programmers via the help/ticket desk. They listen to their customers and are ACTIVE in keeping the product up to date and glitch free. The bidding database gets better every year. This is my first post on the newly-configured forum so I hope this looks like it used to! Cheers, Carl

Blackwood - although I prefer Gerber. :P This does shorten the list and leans in the direction of simplicity. It's also the right answer in those "any bid could be correct" situations.

I think Bergen-Cohen played a semi-forcing 1NT in their 2/1 system years ago and did fairly well. There was a specific "window" of hands for passing so for the most part, it played out as a forcing 1NT. ♠ J7643 ♥ KJ2 ♦ 432 ♣ AK 1♠ - 1NT - ?? On page 38 of "Understanding 1NT Forcing", Bergen recommends Pass.

That's what I learned (uncontested auction #1). F-1. Example #2 is NF. That seems pretty foundational. This in an inaccurate generalization. The auction 1m-1S-1N-2H is non-forcing, with responder showing 5S and 4H and asking opener to sign off at the 2 level. With an invitational hand (or better), responder uses New Minor Forcing, allowing opener to reveal a possible 4-4 H fit as part of investigating game. I'm sorry, I missed the notrump bid in the example shown. I looked up what I thought was the original example in The Bidding Dictionary afterward, and that still says forcing. I think I am going to stick with reading my books.

That's what I learned (uncontested auction #1). F-1. Example #2 is NF. That seems pretty foundational.

If Richard's suspicions are true, and this is legal in most parts of the world in most events, would that be considered a fair argument for it being not primarily for destructive purposes? Or is that non-applicable logic in this case?

Yes of course. That makes sense. In a weird, nonsensical perspective.

I forget the difference(s) between obstructive and destructive.

Nobody mentioned Bridge World Standard (2001) which I had assumed was "Standard" but is actually a Lawrence-oriented 2/1 GF system. I wonder if this is worth investigating in detail. Also, does anyone know when the next BWS is scheduled to be released? y66 (Whoever you are) - thanks for the link to the Tallahassee System notes. I had this a few years ago and was probably not disciplined enough to read it. I had forgotten about it. It looks worth an ink cartridge so I can take it with me on vacation. I'm not a laptop reader sort of person. I've been playing Constructive Raises since I started with 2/1. Today's task is to discover why :)

Thanks. I am aware of the efforts behind the The Bidding Dictionary. In fact, the diskette exists. I know because I worked on revisions to the dictionary and gave them to Alan back in 2004 or so. And I still have a copy of the book on disk here, as all of our correspondence was electronic. I want everyone to know my work was on typographic errors and not bridge theory. I do not have the bridge expertise to put together a 2/1 Bidding Dictionary, but I would offer up my organizational and proofreading skills to anyone who undertakes such a project. The only caveat is that I would insist on a paper version of the product, even if a subset of a web-based database. I love my books. In the meantime, I have the Lawrence books, the Hardy books, and of course the Bergen books here to re-digest. Lord, we sure don't all seem to agree on a whole lot about 2/1, do we? Cheers, Carl

No, I am trying to use the "Print this Topic" button in the upper right corner of all topics to load the entire topic into the print format on the screen. This enables a simple browser-based search. This works for most topics, but the one I want to search is quite long and does not completely load. This is likely an InVision code limitation but it might be configurable under server pHp options.

This is what I was thinking of when I mentioned the "destructive double" earlier. But changing the scoring table is so much easier than inventing a new call. Not nearly as revolutionary, or enticing, but simpler.

Wow, that's enormously helpful, thanks Eugene. If anyone has the same sort of outline for a Max Hardy style 2/1, I would be equally grateful, if not I intend to put one together. Eventually. I was planning to be more verbose, for my own benefit more than anything. I find when I write something I retain it much better then if I just read it. I had suggested a new "Bidding Dictionary" in the general style of Alan Truscott's version, but strictly for 2/1 and "illustrated" with example hands, and a bit more shape-oriented, to a few of the better bridge authors I happen to know. So far, the responses have not been encouraging. I have all the Lawrence books here too. Thanks for all the suggestions.

You mean like I'm doing now with Max Hardy? I had to go to Staples for a new set of highlighters. If someone like Larry Cohen would have written this, I'd be an expert already :(

That's one of the best explanations I've read on this subject. I favour minimal system regulations, zero being a very nice small number, but the wording here makes me think twice. Unless we can get a new call - the destructive double. The penalty structure would escalate severely, something like the tax schedules here in the USA.

Did it - no change on what loads into the "Print this Topic" screen. Next step is to read the InVision help forums. If it's in the pHp code then we'll need a coder to change that. I actually do this sort of stuff, but not from this end!

The general discussion area has a topic called Book reviews - very helpful, very useful. I find if I click on "Print this topic" I get the topic on my screen in a text-based form that is very easy to search with my browser. This is great if I am looking for a title or author. The topic is currently 32 pages (screen pages) but only the first 20 pages load into the "Print this Topic" function. This doesn't seem to change even if I change the page I am on when I click on the control. Is this a system limitation, or is there something the programmer can do to overcome this? Thanks! Carl

Power Precision - Sontag's book - is one in which the concept of forcing club, strong NT, and 2/1 are incorporated for the first time (as far as I know) That's the short answer, thanks. Although the complete history of bridge bidding would be a fascinating read, it's probably overkill. The whole purpose of bringing up the subject, and Max Hardy's book, was to identify a suitable "cornerstone" I might use to rebuild or at least refurbish my own 2/1 system.

I'd like to learn more about this. Are there any good resources available?

I did not say someone else wrote them. I said someone else possibly rewrote them. This was the first time they were published by someone other than Max Hardy, and it's not an unfair assumption that the material was edited in format and content for the new editions. I read these books several years ago and I recognized a change in the overall style. Maybe Mary took on a larger role. One of the leading causes of discontent with the earlier books was the formatting and lack of smooth flow. Max Hardy acknowledged this as early as 1989.

Peachy, That would be the "Standard Bidding for the 21st Century" and the "Advanced Bidding for the 21st Century" which were very possibly rewritten by someone other than Max Hardy. I have these somewhere in cartons stashed away. I will have to give them another read. If I can find them. Stephen, I have both of Lawrence's books but not the CD. I suppose I will have to try that. I have resisted the CD route so far (for travel) since the batteries never die in my books. However, the CDs are much lighter. Thanks, Carl

I'd like to review my fundamentals to make sure they are solid, since I know there are areas that aren't, then I'd like to build on that and work in a simplified but comprehensive system. That might sound contradictory but it really isn't. What I am trying to say is I don't need every bell and whistle but I want to make sure what I do have is followed through to its logical end. Hardy's red book was a disaster. The one I am thinking of using is the yellow book. As near as I can tell there's still issues with his competitive bidding, but the fundamental ideas in the front half seem sensible.

So, it's been 20 years since Max completed his third (and by some accounts, final) treatise on the Two Over One system, inaugurated by Richard Walsh. For those of you who play the 'hard rules" version (100% Game Force to 3NT/4x) I am curious as to how much benefit you got out of the book, how faithful you adhere to his methods, and if you've found anything published since that helps you out at an advanced level. With my own 2/1 system currently pieced together from various books, articles here and there and a few tips from different directions, it's time to sit down and put together a detailed system notebook. I figured I start with this book. I also have the Mike Lawrence "soft rules" workbook, and after a cursory review, I think I might want to stick with the stricter version. But I am open to suggestions and/or persuasion. Any really good books or other resources out there I am unaware of? Carl