dcvetkov

4♥ Partner has a bad singleton and chances of a slam are significantly reduced. I like to limit my hand quickly and pass the bad news. He will need a big hand to move on. 3S may sound too encouriging to partner thinking that the hands match well and he will press too high. Even 5 level may not be safe on some bad days.

Are u sure you will blast to 6 with that hand with a singleton at the table? It smells on a misfit , heart honours do not pull the full values and partner trumps may be Kjxxxx, and he can have a lot less then the actual hand Playing partner for perfect cards is not very winning, IMO It is true that smal will probably be reached if partner jumps to 3D, but that it is a overbid, slight, bit still overbid

Does anyone know if there will, be bridge show In Turin, italy in February 2006, like the IOC in Salt Lake City in 2002? Is Canada defending title?

It seems expert are divided on Jack denies lead. A lot of BBO Commentators dislike this conventional lead, as gives declarer too much information on missing honours. On the other hand it also eliminates a lot of guesswork for partner. Some of the top pairs in the world have it on their convetion card, so it must be good.) On the long run, still rates to be more beneficial that not.

This is not exactly true, yes the double squeeze will work if west has 5 diamonds and east has the K of heart, but what if west got the K of heart ? then you would want a♦♥ simple squeeze on west, but you wont make it cause you went for the double squeeze not the simple squeeze and played the A♥ earlier. Anyway my point is you are still playing for not better then 50% (here u play on K♥ on the right) so, the heart finnese isnt a bad line. Yes, I agree, but the decision is very close. I dont know if anybody can work out the actual percentages which layout is more likely. With QJ10xx♦ and K♥ and K♣, West will have a legitimate 1♦ overcall over 1club, so that is maybe one inference. He already showed 6 points, so probably placing the other king in East is a slightly better percentage play, also if you can figure out that East has 4 hearts, he is a 4:3 favorite to hold K♥. Another option is if you have high enough heart in hand for threat, like 10 or 9, to place Queen of hearts on the table early and test West. If he does not cover, and plays in tempo, win the ace, ruff diamond, and play for the double S. Just a thought;). Mitko

Squeeze will still win if diamonds are 5-3 ( likely from the lead) and you will of course ruff one D to isolate a D guard with west. If 9 or 10 does not drop from East, then you have to decide which option to go for, but I think its very close decision, and I certainly dont favor Heart finesse to be a lot superior then double S. By the way, against average BBO field defenders misdiscarding on trumps is likely. Not likely to work against strong opponents, byt maybe something to have in mind. I guess my point is that all declarers went down, but not because they took H hook or East kept D nine, ( almost all East threw diamonds early), they simply played the hand wrong.

[hv=n=sa10xhd7c&w=sjxxhd10c&e=sqxxhkdc&s=skxhqdcx]399|300|[/hv] I guess this is the position I had in mind. Yes, if RHO abandons Diamond guard there is a classic double squeeze on the last trump. From the lead and continuation, there is a fare assumption that LHO has QJ109 of diamonds and you can play along double squeeze line. On the barage of clubs, it may not be so clear to RHO the importance of keeping 9 of diamonds and abandon spade guard. To achieve this position however, if you have not noticed its crucial to cash the A ace early ( Vienna Cup) and retain Q♥ as a threat in hand. No one from declarers saw this, althogh they tried to achieve some squeeze position, then its hopeless, even if RHO abandonds Diamond guard early.

[hv=n=sa103haj5dak72c653&w=sj985h964dqj108ck4&e=sq762hk1073d9643c7&s=sk4hq82d5caqj10982]399|300|[/hv] 6♣ by South. I would expect most of the posters here would have very little problem with this hand, yet, in a recent tournament, lot of declarers went down, only one made, and by ominous error by defence. Lead was Q ♦, you win and finesse in trums, west returns J♦. Maybe its not so obvious single dummy, but there are only few layouts for u to succeed. I think the question is to take H finesse or play for double squeeze?

I agree with this, this is a fabulous book and wll leave you amazed for quite some time. Look behind the shoulder of Garrozzo and others and see how they made some very desparate contracts. OF course, how to translate that to expert play at the table, thats another story;)

[hv=w=sak10xhdakqjxxcjxx&e=sqjxxhaxdxxxcaxxx]266|100|[/hv] Questions is, here how to bid to very cold grand slam in spades, ( barring a 5-0 trumps split). West opened the bidding with 1♦, there was some preemptive interefence in hearts, some people discovered spades, some did not, so there were a lot of different contracts, 5D, defending 5H doubled, 5S, very rare 6 spades. Would you be happy reaching just 6♠? Would you find 7 with no interference?Would Splinter in hearts from opener helped or responder will deevalute his Ax opposite void? Any improvement from Strong Club lovers?

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and all the best for all players, readers and posters and administrators Of course, Happy Holidays and lot of successes for BBO and Fred Gitelman

Agree with this 100% Once you showed powerful 6-5, and with clubs not coming home, dbl is a must He can do it with a jack or two less Question is.. if they run to 4C and partner doubles again. Do you pass or remove?

For the postings, it apprear to me, that partnership need good methods or judgment, after Jacoby 2NT ( South hand is better then limit raise, IMO), like opportunity to introduce real second 4 card cuit, and not treat 3♥ bid as que bid for spades. Also, I dont agree with some posting that North should bid 3C after Jacoby, ( implying shortness, nor 3NT ( it shows some 15-17, but more balanced hand, like 5-3-3-2, not 6-4-2-1. 3♠ is probably least of evils showing longer spades and extra values. Also, 7♥ is not a terrible or INSANE slam. It needs 3-2 trumps and 2-1 spades, or barring some LIghtner dbl for spades,so its definitely above 50%, you all've been in worse. But i wont be surprised is very few pairs reach it in a very strong field or bidding poll.

I agree with this. This double should strongly suggest penalty, and while it may help declarer, we can not afford not do double. While 4h and 5D may make, we will need some ideal cards from partner. Dont forget we have two opponents who are bidding vulnerable, so I would not play partner for too much, He may have 5-3-4-1 hand, but 5 D may prove a bit too much, and one hand will be forced with club leads, unless there is a play for crossruff. I would still take some money in the bank by doubling.

[hv=n=skxxxxxhqxxxdaxca&s=saj10xhakxxdxxxc10x]133|200|[/hv] North South 1♠ 2♥ 3♥ 4♠ All Pass How do you assign blame percentages? Obviously top contract is 7 hearts, but even getting to 6 of major should get above average score. Looks simple, but its easy to mess up the easy one too. Any ideas how to bid to 7H? 1) Using plain SAYC 2) Using 2/1

I guess I am in the doublers tribe too. It is very doubtful that we have a game, 4h is possible, but more often than not, partner will have about 7-8 points and 4 spades. Double should yield 500 maybe more on a good day

This is the full hand. Plan of play mentioned here is sound and should succeed most of the time, but not on this hand, as you run into 0-7 heart break and there is no play after heart ace is ruffed., you may consider your self unlucky, but .. Running J of clubs, drawing trumps and repeating clubs finesse will lead to 13 tricks here. Thats the game of bridge. Making a slam here will get you 15 IMp or more in a tournament IMP basis. [hv=n=shakqxxd10xxcaq1098&w=sakxxxxhd9xxckxxx&e=sqjxhjxxxxxxdjxcx&s=sxxxxhxdakqxxcjxx]399|300|[/hv]

I like that viciuosly doubled :D) How do you tell Justin? by too fast in tempo?

yes, I dont agree with 4 spade bid too. Just out of curiocity, what is partner double in this auction? Card showing, desire to compete on 5 level, or penalty? Is it possible he is loaded with hearts and wants a penalty? He also has 4NT bid available for minor suit takeout, does he not? If partner has a lot of wastage in hearts, even 5 level will be too high, let alone slam and we may well turn some small plus into a minus.

This line certainly has merit and lets suppose that is the play in the first 3 tricks. But as Stephen pointed, expert RHO will almost certainly duck with Kxx or Kx, and cash cpl of spades later. On the other hand, if you run second second club finesse before drawing trumps and it losses to RHO K, he will give partner a ruff when holding Kxx. Is any line mathematically or otherwise superior over the other?

[hv=d=e&v=b&n=shakq9xd10xxcaq1098&s=s8765hxdakqxxcjxx]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] You arrive in pretty good looking contract of 6♦, not likely to be reached at other tables, after opening light 1♦ in second seat. West lead a spade. Plan your play. Assume expert opposition

Is 4 ♠ game really that great with 5-2? Partner will get tapped very quickly in ♦ with his presumed singleton and there may be some transportation problems to draw trumps or they may be able to arrange a club ruff. Anyway I expect 4s will not be a walk in the park with trumps 4-2

Dbl would show a strong hand with some spade tolerance, probably 3-1-5-4, but partner can choose to pass with strong trumps and no safe contract to go or maybe bid 3NT. I would agree that 2nT is for takout and asks partner to choose from 6-4, but I think it needs prior agreement

Congtratulation to France team yes, it was really impressive how France dominated Venice Cup and stormed opposition. Germany came close once, but not enough. I would have bet on Germany in Final, but wrong obviously

I agree with Justin view completely. While having a good system is important, you ll see that on the long run you need to improve your judgment, playing skills and defence. "Table presence" would also help although I can not translate it;). Also, if you clog yourself with complicated system and milion conventions, its a high mental pressure on both players and the brain may be overworked when you need to find that killing defence or play. 2/1 is a good start and comes in a lot of variety. I would recommend Mike Lawrence books, ( its easier to read then heavyweight Max Hardy), although they differ a little 2/1 is most common, but of course none of the top players on the world play plain 2/1. They developed and upgraded their system for years and spent countless hours on it, and for some, it paid off in World Championship titles. Precision is something you may want to try later and decide what you like. BTW, is anyone familiar with what Russ Ekeblad-Ron Rubin are playing?. They use a lot of relays and asking bids, it seems pretty effective, slams especially.