suokko

Who had 3 spades? ;) That affects chances a bit too. Funny deal in that you can't in fact afford to lose 2 ♥ because you can't lead ♣ towards king. You can't either play ♣ to king and then lose 2♥ because ♣A can take the trick and play ♦. Ok. You can if the 2nd ♥ is won by hand which only has 3♦. What do you play if ♥J comes from RHO to first trick. Do you play for A9xx in LHO? Is your opponent good enough to false card with J from J9? That would be hard question to answer in table. In actual deal I would lead ♥ to king in trick second. You are unlikely to win 4-1 anyway so taking the best chance for 3-2 split by leading twice towards KQ♥. (A onside 2nd or 3rd is 50% of 3-2 split and 20% for A offside and J in doubleton while J doubleton is only 2/5 of 3-2 split)

Looks like explanation can be understood 2 different ways. I did understand that RHO should be kept out of leads even when only losing one trick which changes a lot here. So here again it would be more important to know whole hand. And odds would also change if declarer knows about vacant places in defenders hands. Fluffy: 9xx vs AJ. Running T might lose if opponent only covers with J in first trick. 9x vs AJx. if covering T at trick 1? AJ vs 9xx. Alwaus winning? except if losing 2 tricks sometimes set even when doing it to safe hand. With these combinations where defense gets chance to put declarer on guess looks like reason to play KQ first if losing only one trick to either opponent doesn't matter.

yes. Ambra based :rolleyes: I think you can't get much better structure after 2♣ relay if you want strength too. Another options is just not to show the strength because opening is already limited and just use symetric relays like: 2♦ 4+♣ or 3-suited or single suited middle short or 5332 2♥ 4+♦ 2♠ 4OM 2NT 5+OM 3♣ high short single suited 3♦ 6322 3♥ 6-3-3-1 or 7-3-2-1 3♠ 7-2-3-1 3NT 7-3-3-0 4♣ 7-3-3-0 extras 4♦+ 8+ after: 2♦-2♥: 2♠ 4♣ 2NT 5+♣ 3♣ 5440 3♦ 5332 3♥ 6-3-3-1 or 7-3-2-1 ... This isn't perfect system (and doesn't match your 1♣ relays) but refining this idea should result to relative good relays with a few exceptions. For me Ambra style relays work very well in natural system. Only problems are 5+5+ majors (like free says) and less than optimal single suited structure. We have continues so that when responder is asking for shortness first step agrees lower of openers suits and next steps is asking for shortness too but higher suit as trumps. If opener "voluntarily" tells the shortness like with 5-5 then first step agrees lower suit and others are cue bids with higher as trumps. Then we have 3NT as non-serius slam try to limit our combined strength more than just 10-16 or 17-22 for opener. Why do we play non-serius 3nt? I have a few times passed it in pairs for good results. Also sometimes in IMPs it has been safer spot to play in 3NT.

What is odds for making if I lose 2 tricks to LHO? 100%? 50%? What about 4-1? Do I survive that if losing 2 to LHO? A lot of questions :rolleyes: But J doubleton ~26% (divided by 2 for ace in LHO) and J or 9 singleton RHO is ~5%. Plus when losing 2 to RHO for AJx ~10%. When holdings like J(xx), 9(xx) and xx(x) in RHO can be one by running the T. Which totals for ~40% (7% for Jxx and J9 onside and 32% for losing 2 tricks for LHO). So you should finesse with T if 0.13+0.15*x < 0.07+0.32*x That solves to 0.06/0.17 < x meaning ~35% chance to make when losing 2 tricks to LHO then you should run the T. Disclaimer: There maybe huge rounding errors. Because I didn't use exact values for subtotals or per cents for chances to make.

I blame both :ph34r: Neither showed enough respect for the minor fit.

If you pass this hand you better have good defender in opposite side of table. This hand gives may problems for partner: What he can lead/play when defending? He might have some easy suit to lead and play but what if he is "end-played" often? I hate defending doubled contracts where I know that I have to do something creative or it is going to make. This might very well be one of them. Opponents got 5♠ tricks and they rate to make 2 side tricks. And might make more when partner has to lead from strong hand to opponents hands. This time opponents didn't have values for their bids so 2♠x is correct. how often is it correct in practice? You better know your opponents style. As for biding goes I like to bid conservatively when partner rates to have very few values. It is not easy to play everything wrong one hand. (That means actual biding isn't out of question in my option)

Not a problem in European youth events. We have Hedy commenting for youth players! :( But playing in a vugraph table is clearly problem for many (including my self). When I have been operating I would think that over half of players visiting vugraph make more simple mistakes in vugraph table (maybe trying too much and failing to see simple solutions). So for many players excepted score in vugraph table is worse than if same game would be played without operator next to the table. I think that above problem doesn't affect me (at least less than my opponents). But another problem clearly affected me in the last May in Tallinn bridge festival. After playing all rounds except first two in vugraph in swiss pairs I was completely drained in Sunday (preliminary pairs Thu, Fri-Sat teams, Sat-Sun pairs). I was more tired than ever before from playing bridge. I felt pretty much same as after ultra long distance orienteering competition (Winner time more than 2 and half hours; and my time about 4 hours) I made a lot of simple mistakes in Sunday. Luckily it wasn't enough to destroy our good score from Saturday. So for person who is not naturally ready to play in front of public needs a lot training before can play well in vugraph. My option is that in "top flight" events vugraph should be mandatory for who ever is set to play there. But in lower events teams or pairs could request before competition that they don't have to play in vugraph.

http://www.worldbridge.org/departments/laws/onlinelaws.pd There is special wbf laws for online bridge. I didn't read if there is something special for this case.

Yes. It is unlikely to be in website code. I did do some more debugging and I found possible source of problem. I had dnsmasq also caching addresses that failed to resolve. So if I get one time filure to resolve one of bbo subdomains for some reason my cache server would remember the failed query for a few hours. I guess I hve to change that caching timeout a bit shorter. So my guess is that some dns server is failing to resolve bbo domain names for short moments (which would explain why I see the problem only randomly). And I'm unlucky enough sometimes poison my local cache with a failed query.

I just noticed login problem with flash version. Problem is that flash client is sending DNS request for v2proxy01.bridgebase.com.pp.htv.fi (when trying to login) Extra part in domain name is the domain name of my ISP network. This may not be bbo bug but I haven't seen any other program or website having similar problems. From same report I noticed that also bbo adds are sometimes sending DNS request appended with .pp.htv.fi. I suspect this bug might have existed for long time because I remember that I randomly don't see bbo advertisements when playing with flash version. So this problem seems to happen randomly while same time I can login with windows version without problems. My system is: Ubuntu 9.10 (32bit) Firefox 3.5.5 Flash 10.0.32.18 local DNS query caching is done by dnsmasq 2.50

Just to put some interest to declarer play. I did score 75 % in 3♠X. Card play has to fix the biding mistakes ;)

I hope biding is now easier to read.

[hv=d=e&v=n&n=sa6h972dak3cak652&s=sjt85hatdj842cj97]133|200|Scoring: MP 3♥ P P X; P 3♠ X P; P P[/hv] Who is guilty? How would you play the hand?

east failed to open the opening hand :o Ok. Just joking. But west doesn't have great opening values either but should still bid 2♠. Which hand of them is more near opening values? Let's ask Mr Petkov. East: 9 HCP + 2 controls + 5♠ + 5♦ + 5♠ - 1♣ = 25 points which is just under opening values. One could argue to upgrade the good spots in long suits to make it opening hand but zar points are already over evaluating your 5-5 distribution mildly. West: 12 HCP + 3 controls + 4♠ + 4♣ + 4♠ - 2 ♦ = 27 points which is clear opener. So west should raise to 2♠. and east to game when his hand grows from 9 card spade fit to real opening values. How good is this game? Not very great. Below 40% mark which is barely good enough for vuln games in IMPs. So I wouldn't blame anyone much for missing this game. ♥ guess 50% and on trump lead you need to setup a ♦ trick. 5♠+2ruffs (might only get one if trumps are 3-1 and defense manages to play them 3 times)+♥+♦ is not enough.

Another proble sequance for GIB is 1x-1y;2NT ... Now GIb doesn't seem to know what to do with weak hands and strong hands. Also it doesn't seem to know how many cards 3y promises etc. Of course there is space limited but maybe this auction could be checked too so gib doesn't cause stupid 3NT contracts with 6-2 major fit and 22 hcp. or 5-2 major fits with 28 hcp (Once went down with 5-1 trumps whne 3NT has 9 top tricks). That why it is better to open 1NT or 2Nt with strong balanced with GIBs.

It is way too easy to get fame when playing in a good team or with a good partner in a small country.

Same line that I tough about after defending and that I now counted to be the best line with priori odds (84.9%). But there is one line that may sometimes be superior if you know something about black suit distributions (priori 82.3%, but a lot worse chance for overtrick ~30%). So for example someone might discard one first club or spade. Too bad I didn't analyze entries for counting so counting the hand is not possible with these cards because of missing entries. So counting is not possible but lets assume that east or west opened weak 2♠ and lead is still same. This will make choosing line very interesting. :( Then because there is combined 33 HCP it is very likely that your opponents are in 6NT too which means over should influence line a bit too in teams. If you gain over trick 30% time more and go 1% time down. you will get (-17*1+1*30)/100=+0.13 IMPs gains for going after overtrick. (ok. You have to subtract the psychological negative effect for going down in slam) So overtricks do matter but not enough in practice to influence line in slam. Over tricks are really useless if there is chance that opponents don't bid the slam

random I was the opener leader. I'm known to underlead honors vs slams pretty often. Also I do randomize the card which I lead but rarely the highest spot to protect partner from possible squeeze position. xX xXX xXXX xXXXX are most likely leads. If it really matters to your line of play.

[hv=d=s&v=n&n=saj7hj9dk85432cq8&s=skt2haq43dajcakjt]133|200|Scoring: IMP 2NT-6NT ♠3 lead[/hv] How would you play it? If you play ♠J to frist trick it might hold or might not ... That means you need to plan the play without this info. :rolleyes: Edit: Changed the declarer to be south.

System notes that were a modified version that was not played. 1♦ FG relay 1♠+ semi-positive showing shape with symmetric relays.

I noticed a bug where soon to start tournament is delayed (like many TDs do to get more players) flash version doesn't list the tournament. I did checked the running tournaments list if it was incorrectly moved there but no.

One solution that was created to 1♣ 16+ 1♥ 0-5 negative continues was. Which is based on Cappelletti. 1♠ ART one round forcing (20+ unbal or 25+ bal). 1NT 17-19(20) 2♣ 5+ card major 2♦ 4+4+ majors or 23-24 bal 2M 4M5+m 2NT (20)21-22 3m 6+m continues 1♣-1♥;1♠ 1NT I have real junk. then 2♣ real FG hand asking responder to show the distribution. 2♣ bal or ♣ FG 2x 5(4)+ FG 1♣-1♥;2♣ 2♦ relay, then 2M 5+ may have 4m, 2NT 5+♥5+m, 3m 5+♠5+m 2M/3m nat NF no interest in the major 1♣-1♥;2♦ 2M preference 2NT/3♣ transfers 3♦/ ♥ transfers to 4 card major (inv vs majors) 1♣-1♥;2M 2NT asking for minor others nat nf This did give very good tool choose correct partial and bid thin games with good fit. edit: 2NT opening was minors either weak or strong (forcing to 3NT/4m) and 1♦ might be opened heavy with 5+5+ minors so 1♣ denied 5+5+ minors.

I don't penalize my partner for balancing so I bid 3♥ invitational. They have easy 6-7 trump tricks and possible one outside which still leaves us with good chance for 10-11 tricks in ♥. Too bad if ♥ is not breaking but then they will make the 2♠.

We obviously don't have the same definitions of 3rd/5th. Obviously it depends from the lattitude in Europe. Here in my village, 3rd/5th would mean the 8 can come only from 98xx or A98x (4 cards suit is 100%). With A987x or 876xx lead the smallest (the FIFTH !!) Huh ? Maybe I'm confused with 3rd filth. We lead 1st/3td/5th always except from 4 card holding where we want to protect important spot card for later use. A98x ha important spot cards for later use but A987x would lead 8 just in case that there is something to finesse from dummy. leading 2nd highest is never done. (unless psychic) [hv=n=sqx&w=st6&e=skjxx&s=sa987x]399|300|[/hv] This is not what we usually call 3rd/5th imo. See definition HERE. I've never seen somebody who leads A9(8)7x and claim it's 3rd/5th. Actually if I'm declarer, AND if 3rd/5th is mentioned on the CC, AND if I fail because of that, I would call the TD. By definition 3rd includes interior sequence from 5 card suit which you lead the 3rd highest. And I think this is standard lead definition for special combinations of cards. Also it is very possible to lead highest from 5 card suit in case of you think it is the most important info for partner. I don't think you will ever get adjusted score wrong these kind of leads because there is no rule opening leader has to lead strictly using count only.

We obviously don't have the same definitions of 3rd/5th. Obviously it depends from the lattitude in Europe. Here in my village, 3rd/5th would mean the 8 can come only from 98xx or A98x (4 cards suit is 100%). With A987x or 876xx lead the smallest (the FIFTH !!) Huh ? Maybe I'm confused with 3rd filth. We lead 1st/3td/5th always except from 4 card holding where we want to protect important spot card for later use. A98x ha important spot cards for later use but A987x would lead 8 just in case that there is something to finesse from dummy. leading 2nd highest is never done. (unless psychic) [hv=n=sqx&w=st6&e=skjxx&s=sa987x]399|300|[/hv]