pbleighton

"The event was actually IMPs not matchpoints." Ah, I saw Pairs and assumed... my bad. Still 4C for me, and I'll be happy to make it. Peter

"The problem might be AP, +170" Could be, but you have 5 losers, are void in p's suit, and righty has a good hand. 5C seems like a stretch, and it is matchpoints after all. Peter

4C. I am tempted to say wtp, but it seems that there is always a p :P Peter

On #1, if you play minor suit transfers with accept/reject, use that here. 1NT-2NT(diamonds), then 3C = I don't like diamonds, 3D = I like diamonds (I have 4 or Qxx). If pd bids 3D, you can move towards slam. If you don't play this, then if 1NT-3D is strong and forcing, you can use that, or if 1NT-3C is a transfer to diamonds you can bid 1NT-3C-3D-3NT. With all that, there is something to be said for just bidding 3NT. You have a max of 30 hcp, which includes a stiff ace, you are wide open in clubs, and pd is flat. I don't think there is a clear best bid. On #2, I would splinter. Peter

"Do we have another bid? Without an Ace or void Im not sure if cue bidding over game is wise." I would pass here. Peter

"No, I dont think a club splinter is necessarily "wrong", although the hand is a little light for it." Agree. I think the second sequence is pretty mainstream. 3S is plenty for the South rebid, and given a flat 15 opposite 3S North should have no interest in the grand. Peter

"I choose "other". I doubt very strongly McCain will win the Republican nomination." Why "very strongly"? I don't think he's a lock by any means, but he's definitely the frontrunner, especially after George Allen's "macaca" blunder. Peter

"McCain as president sounds like the horror scenario for me as European outsider... Better vote him out early! " Horror scenario for everyone. He is a very cunning politician, using a couple of carefully chosen issues plus "straight talk" to give the impression of "moderation". He is actually very hard right, and he is also the phoniest politician in Washington (and there's a LOT of competition for that honor - Hilary is pretty phony herself). Peter

"Hell, if it were up to me, I'd probably prefer to do away with statewide elections. I'd find it much more useful to mix and match counties from different states so that the first primary might include 10% of Texas, 15% of New York, 100% of Delware, 40% of Oregon, and 30% of South Carolina... " We should do away with the Electoral College, and have a national primary in late September, and the elections in mid November. The whole thing is way too stretched out. My choice for Dem candidate is John Edwards. He's right (left), and he would be a great candidate. Peter

"No one is wanting to claim the boss suit? What's wrong with 1♠ knowing that if pard has opened light you're not going to hang them.... " Contrast 1H-1S-2C/2D/2H (you have no idea if pd opened light) with 1H-2C(did you open light pd)-x. After the first sequence, you can't stop in 2H, unless you are willing to not invite. After Drury, you can. Peter

"First for simplicity: Jordan. Drury should be off after intervention, why treat Pass (Pass) - 1H -(x) ??? different than 1H -(x)- ??? (Pass)- 1H -(x)- ???'" Because the third hand opener may be light. "Second: With the given hand simply bid 3H, preemptive raise with 4 trumps, since the given hand is certainly not invitational, even oppossite a full opener." Well, different evaluations for different folks ;) I count this as 11 in support: 7 hcp plus 3 for the stiff plus 1 for a combination of the fourth trump and the 10-9 of trumps. 3H is a significant underbid, IMO. I invite with 10 including distribution, myself. Peter

Possible, but much better to play Drury, as you can play at the two level if partner has opened light. Peter

"Reminded me of The Tiger in the Smoke by Margery Allingham as well." A great book, and many critics consider it her best, but I prefer Death Of A Ghost, for the characters. Peter

In no particular order: The Autobiography Of Bertrand Russell Lord Of The Rings Dune All The King's Men - Robert Penn Warren Hemingway's short stories Play It As It Lays - Joan Didion Yeats' poetry Eliot's poetry Startide Rising - David Brin Death Of A Ghost - Margery Allingham Dark Star - Alan Furst (the best historical spy novelist ever - check him out) Peter

Yuk! 4C. Double, 3S, and pass could all be right. Peter

3D, which is what I would have bid on my second turn - why wait? I wouldn't fault a partner for passing - as Richard says - 3D now invites a matchpoints double. Double is nuts - you have good diamond support. I would pass if vulnerable. Peter

I prefer the style that raises to 2H immediately. I detest constructive raises, although I play them in 2 partnerships. Peter

I would pull to 2D, which may not be better, but you may play undoubled, or the opps may play in clubs or hearts. Yes, I would have opened, but in standard bidding it is close, and I would expect many to pass. Peter

"Your comment about querying the opps further about the openings, I can’t see how this is workable in an online, timed event. You dont have the time needed to get this type information, digest it and discuss defense." You can't discuss defense, but you can get inferences which may not have been alerted, i.e., 5 card majors yes/no, balanced/unbalanced (these *should* be alerted, but the space provided in the alert box isn't much). Don't waste time worrying too much about what sounds like a lousy system. Let me give you some generic advice about defending against unusual systems. I'm far from an expert, but I do play them. I am currently playing 10-13 NT, 5 card majors with very sound, unlimited opening bids, and 5 card weak twos (8-12 hcp) in all four suits. Regardless of the unusual system, I have found that the biggest mistake opps make is NOT failing to have a clever way to combat our unusual bids, but rather departing from their normal overcalling/doubling practices unilaterally, without discussing it with their partners. Just bid normally, and don't worry about optimum defenses. Peter

"This was a “No Psyche, No Polish Club, No Multi” tournament so I assumed the TD was trying to protect the field against non sayc type bidding." Not really. Under the ACBL's General Convention Chart, Precision, Blue Team Club, EHAA and ACOL are legal, and so is Polish Club, if you remove the Wilcosz opening. That said, the tournament organizers (as opposed to the TD), probably would frown on this system, given their stated restrictions. Peter

"Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I believe these methods would require pre-alerts and an accepted printed defense to be legal - at least in ACBL-land. " They are actually illegal in the ACBBL, bu this wasn't an ACBL tournament. What is REALLY weird is that they seem to be using 1H and 1S for the same bid, unless there is a by-seat variance. Peter

IMO, the people who believe in conspiracy theories need to believe in them. You will never convince them - there's always some hole in the obvious explanation. It doesn't matter if the theory is the Kennedy assasination, WTC, chlorination as a commie plot, UFOs, the plotting of the United Nations to take over the U.S., etc. Logic and evidence isn't the point, I guess. Peter

Pass. If the opps weren't vulnerable I might bid. I think 9 tricks is a lot more likely as a defender than as a declarer. Peter

"I do not understand your system that you are playing. You cannot open 1s and rebid 3d if partner's first response is 2H?" If you are playing 2/1 forcing for one round, and 1S-2H-3D is a GF opposite a possible 10 count (do Brits still make 2/1 responses with 9 counts?), some wouldn't want to GF on a 13 count with a void in pd's 5+ card suit. That said, I would open 1S, playing Standard American, and worry about a bad 3NT contract later. Peter

Depends on vulnerability: Unfavorable: 3D Both Vul: 4D Not Vul: 5D I don't like Michaels for the same reason given by others. Peter