Helmer

[hv=d=w&v=n&n=sj8hqj9daj865ca102&s=sq1097hk752dk972c5]133|200|Scoring: MP West opened 1 ♠ North takeout double South 3 ♥ (9-11) West 5 ♣ North 5 ♥ and doubled -800 [/hv] -800 a bad result, though 5♣ might have a little chance to win. Who is to "blame" for this bad score?

You should be able to see that problem already in the 1st trick, why not plan your discards while declarer is planning - I should think its quite surprising if declarer doesnt play a diamond in trick no. 2. Or simply wait until you have the problem - whenever you run out of diamonds.

He could be around the 20 best in the country (Thailand).

I am not talking about missleading at all. I am asking if it is ok to think in this situation. And I am aware of that it is legal to think all you need if its need etc.... For my self - I would take that break - already in 1st trick, and not now.

[hv=d=s&v=b&n=s65hqj4da9854c1075&e=sqj83hk1053d102ckj8]266|200|Scoring: MP South opened 1 NT - all pass, partner lead ♠ 4, declairer planned - and played a small - to you Jack and won by the Ace. South plays ♦ K, your partner a small, dummy a small - and now its your turn...... Is it ok to think 20-30 seconds before playing either 10 or 2 of ♦ ?[/hv] Well I know - that its possible to make a signal with a high ♦ to tell partner that the lead was excellent. If you are such a good player that you play with cardings like this, shouldn't you spend the time while declairer is planning his/her play, to figure that out? - It looks quite obvious that decairer would play a ♦ soon. After the game I asked why it took so long to play that ♦, I had to tell my partner that it was a good lead, the east man replied. Well I am sure his partner understood that he was trying to make a signal of a kind, as she 2-3 tricks later saw that he only had 2 ♦ - 10 and 2. What was there to think about - ohhhh he is trying to tell me something. I play with this signals as well - but I plan them in due time. Helmer

[hv=d=n&v=b&n=s3hkqj10982dq54c76&s=s8642h74dk972ck82]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] This board I asked another way before - but my partner still thinks she/he is right. So I will try another way. I opened 4♥ on norths hand. 4♥ - Dbl - Pass - 4♠ Pass - Pass - double - ap After the board I was blamed a lot for my 4♥ bid. Yes its not correct - 1 too many. But partner still says it has 7 losers. That I can't see - I can only count 6. Now 4♠ doubled made 11 tricks - that was my mistake because of my opening bid - I simply said - that I couldn't agree with that double at all. In an earlier pull I asked if people would double or not in this bidding sequence - 27 - 0 so far - NO they would pass. My partner - well, still goes back to my opening bid is wrong. Yes but that doesn't matter for the pull of double or not. Furthermore - my partner says - who are those 27 people who voted - what are their skills/level. I could make one more poll - about the opening bid - but I don't - as I agreed already that its one too many - though I think I would get many % on 4♥. Partner still says wrong bid 800 out - thats still not the question. So - who is to blame for the bad result on 4♠ double - me/partner or both? Thanks - enjoy your game. B)

[hv=d=n&v=b&s=s8642h74dk972ck82]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] Your pard open 4♥ - next hand doubles - you pass - 4th hand 4♠ pass from pard - pass - and now you ? 4♥ - Dbl - Pass - 4♠ Pass - Pass - ??? PLEASE don't only look - please chose your bid and vote. I don't know your choise. I was the opener I had: ♠ 3 ♥ KQJ10982 ♦ Q54 ♣ 76 6 losers - yes admitted one to many for a 4♥ - (though with my regular pard I play 2-3-4 rule in teams) The contract ended in 4♠ dobled - making 11 tricks. During the board - my pard asked me if I had anything - and are you stupid? After the board I simply wrote that - I would suggest to take a look at the double - which was my pard's choise for above mentioned problem - if that was a problem! My dear pard Mr./Mrs. X seems very very sure of that it was 100% my mistake. I asked if the contract would be set if I had ace of ♥. That would only be one more trick - so 4♠ - would only make 10 tricks. Here are the last 4 comments: I think my dbl was perfect if you had 4♥ without 7 losers. (I only counted 6) You can't bid 4♥ with 7 losers in vuln (both) they double you and you lose 800 Then you understand, that 4♥ in vuln. position with 7 losers is completely wrong My double was perfect (4♠ + 2 kings and only 2♥) but you should have another hand. Just write what you feel. Thanks And please don't do it in Italian - as I was sub - and they surely loved to chat about my bid in Italian - so polite as well.

Hi Thanks for all you comments. The hesitation was admitted - and it wasnot the 12 seconds we couldtalk about but around 2½-3 minutes! Yes my hand was awfull bad K108x xx Axxx KQx I said to LHO - that if I had had ♥King - instead of you, I would make the contract. (She had maximum 9 pts -now the minimum 6 if I take the king) But you don't I have it, and I have 9 pts but I don't know what to bid, and I wanted to let my partner chose. Its more or less my point, the partner could now know that its not 6 but 9 points.

HI Well thanks for THAT comment. I planed before playing from my hand - to throw a ♥. But because of the card that was ready to be played from 4th hand I changed my mind. My point is - said in another way than before, is it ok to have a card ready or not? Law 74B3: As a matter of courtesy a player should refrain from: Detaching a card before it is his turn to play. That answer my question quite clear. And about driving people away - maybe at your place. There are nice ways to call a tournament director and there are certainly also bad ways. Should people who care about ethics be driven away too ?

My point is why dislodge a card before its your turn? Is it needed?

Hi Again the law and ethics. The result doesn't matter. But it went 2 off - swich two cards from LHO and it has minimum - the contract will make. [hv=d=s&v=b&s=saj84haj103d75ca32]133|100|Scoring: MP[/hv] YOU ME YOUR P MY P 1♣ P 1♦ P 1♥ P 1 NT P P 2♠ *P P ??? *P admitted hesitation. Before you bid, remember if pard has minimum the pass might had come faster (right) - if pard has minimum and wants to escape - where to? What is your bid and comments. Thanks

Hi This is part of a small question serie. The result doesn't matter - no matter what I did as declarer would end up in the same result. Its more the law (ethics). You are declarer - you play from your hand towards dummy. You play a ♦ - next hand covers - now 4th hand finds a card to play, eventhough its not his turn yet. You take a small break, you planned to discard a ♥ in dummy, now you changed your plan and you ruffed, as it should be obvious to believe that 4th hand should follow the ♦ suit. Now - 4th hand - takes the card back into his hand - and he finds another card - a trumph that could over-trumph dummy. Is this ok? Yes or No? (The card wasn't visible to any players) Comments too please.

Never You have spades you have opening hand etc. In Acol natural bid. In Denmark it is NOT allowed to alert after the bid 3 NT.

♣[hv=s=skj10764h84dk65c64]133|100|[/hv] I open 1♥ - next hand 1♠ - my partner pass should this be alerted? Well I guess we need to know what is in THAT pass before we can answer. As many people play it ... here.... they do like this: Partner you must double if youre short in ♠ or you must double if your natural strong. So what is the pass I asked many times, not a single honest quick answer ever. Either strong penalty of opponents bid, or natural weak 0-5. Enough for now - will you / or should you alert this bid? ********************************************** Another day a player had in the same bidding sequence, and bidding pass holding (opp's vuln): ♠ AKxxxx ♥ x ♦ AQx ♣ QJx I was not so surprised that there was a lot of spades, because it took ages to bid pass.... hidden information....? But I am surprised that they didn't alert. Is it ok that I am surprised? I think an alert should be made everytime a bid can have to options: either a penalty pass OR a natural pass 0 to 5 It is said that we play under the same rules as in America. See you Helmer

♠[hv=d=w&v=n&w=s85hj104da105cakq54&s=sa1042hq5dq642cj63]266|200|[/hv] East West 1♦ 2♣ 2NT 3NT I (YOU) led 2 of ♠, your partner wins the trick with the king, now he returns Jack of ♠ - queen and your ace. What now? Please vote. ************************************************** What is your next move, and why? I played with the expert from another poll I just made. I was now blamed for cashing the ♠ 10. If I should do something else it would be the small spade, as I think I know that partner only has 3 card ♠, and hope that it is the 9 that is there. Why don't you play a ♣, you establish a ♠ trick by cashing your 10, that I couldn't agree on - declarer had Q976, it was already done. I thought I could see 5♣ tricks and some red tricks as well. But declarer had 4-3-5-1. After a little mistake (maybe misclick, cashed ♥ ace before solving ♦-problem) by declarer we got 3♠, 1♥ and 1♦ trick. Why I cashed 10, I was afraid for being squizzed, 5 rounds of clubs, followed by 3 rounds of hearts..... what then.... :) Helmer

Hi My partner opens 1♣ - next hand 1NT - me..... ♠ Q x x ♥ x x ♦ K J 10 x x x ♣ J x I bid 2♦ - and all pass. ALERT 2♦ - or NOT ALERT? ************************** After the board one of the many experts on BBO blamed me for not alerting, and my partner for not bidding. My reply was that an expert would know that in many (if not all natural) systems this is not forcing, as if I had enough points, I'd have a lot better bid than 2♦, I'd double as the declarer would find his partner with around 0 points. ** If it had been a beginner back home in the club, I think we would alert the bid as it could be a surprise. But I think the law would say NO alert, as it is basic system rule. What do you say? See you Helmer

Hi Aisha759 I can only agree with you, as one TD says should be alerted, another says that it must be alerted and a third says that it could be alerted and so on.... As there are people from all over the world, playing on different levels and with different rules from country to country, its easy to blame someone for not knowing or realising what is the right way. I saw another reply mentioning alert what is not natural. I alert the transfer and also the transfer-bid itself. 1nt - 2 ♥ as 2♥ doesnt promise any ♥-suit - I alert it reply 2 ♠ as 2♠ doesnt show any ♠-suit - I alert it Everything that is a "conventional bid" - I alert. Everything that I think might be a surprise for my opps - I alert. I sure like your topic - my next topic is actually about same. See you online :unsure: Helmer

Hi I played it like this: a) few points - 6 to 11 always 4+ card ♥ and either the un-bit minor or support for the opening minor-suit. If you don't have this - either pass, NT or support should be possible bids. :P (9) 10-11 points - same, but if 5-card ♥, bid 2 ♥. c) opening hand, not need 4-card ♥, but maybe better to bid 2♠. Good luck Helmer

Always take out. Pard passed - thats why. If it shows 4 card spade - not always.

[hv=d=s&v=n&n=sk972hq53dq3c10732&s=saq10ha104d984cak96]133|200|Scoring: MP[/hv] Bidding: South West North East 1 NT pass 2♣ pass 2♦ dbl 2NT pass 3♦ pass pass pass Well. When you play online anything can happen - and it did! North asked for major - south - didnt have any. Opps warned us by the double of 2♦. I thought - now that north freely bids 2NT - could show a stopper. Well Qx - is a kind of stopper - right. But with maximum - I wasn't sure where to play as I have small ♦. That's why I bid 3♦ - asking - do you have good stopper? If not - bid your major 3 or 4 level up to you. I know - its upon agreements etc. But pass - I think is not acceptable. Only 2 down - but still a bad bad board. How about you? ---- PS: Freebid --- does that mean that 1♦ - (2♠) - 3♥ is alowed to pass. I was told - 1 and 3 level is forcing - but maybe NFB - is not same?? ---- Don't I have anything else to do? No - holidays until June 1st. - Morning in Bangkok, couldn't sleep.

♠♠♥[hv=d=e&v=b&w=s4hkj3daq964c8763&e=sahaq10652dj3caqj2]266|100|Scoring: MP[/hv] Over RKC we ended in 6 ♥. No bid from opps. How to play it, after spade lead? Am I just "stupid" when I say - I think a good way could be either to draw one or two rounds of thrump and then play a small ♦ to the Jack? This was winning way in this hand as ♦ split 4 -2 with K1082 after dummy. ♥ split 2 - 2. South had ♠QJ109653 ♥87 ♦75 ♣ K4. After 1♥ no bid ! - and maybe I bid wrong - but no agreements. I bid 4♥. How would you play it?

[hv=d=e&v=e&n=saj962hkq7dk96ckq&s=s8haj1083dq7ca9832]133|200|Scoring: MP[/hv] Bidding: East South West North 2♠ pass pass Dbl pass 4♥ There were no agreements on anything special over 2♠. Double from North. Well now you get to know who is who. North was my partner. He meant Dbl - as penalty - well how could I know? You bid stupid partner he wrote. Well - I think 2 NT in Norths hand is a quite good bid instead of dbl - but if he believe that dbl is penalty in that position - ok. I took the chance and opponents made one small mistake in defense - and 12 tricks came home - 100% - B) Should I bid 1st time?

[hv=d=n&v=n&n=sj986ht3dkq95ca84&w=sak73hk542d4c9762&e=sq1054h8da83ckqj53&s=s2haqj976dj10762c10]399|300|Scoring: MP[/hv] Bidding: North East South West pass 1♣ pass 1♥ dbl 1♠ 2♦ 2♠ pass pass 3♦ 3♠ dbl pass pass pass Actually here some more to vote for (but I donno how to make part polls). Should South bid in first round - and if yes what? Should South bid different second or third time? And so on. Should Norhth Double? Yes a lot to discuss in this board. Our defence was awfull - making 11 tricks after ♦J lead. I guess best we can do is maybe 4 tricks. As the bidding was until 3♠, I guess many will say that North could be the bad guy for the penalty double. But what about the bidding before? Here I guess South is to blame. Or what do you say? Please vote - and please make a comment.

[hv=d=w&v=b&n=sk7432hq1098d43c65&w=s10986hak64dq9ck103&e=saqj5hj3da108cq987&s=sh752dkj7652caj42]399|300|Scoring: MP[/hv] Bidding: West North East South 1♣ pass 1♠ 2♦ 2♠ pass 3♣ pass 3NT dbl rdbl pass pass pass Well this board gave us 0% - as 11 tricks were made after ♥10 lead, the Jack in dummy took the trick and declarer played ♣7 taking the trick. Again - please vote, and make a comment.

[hv=d=s&v=e&n=skq62hq3d8ckqj1086&w=s4h987dj107432ca52&e=saj873haj102daq6c7&s=s1095hk654dk95c943]399|300|Scoring: MP[/hv] Bidding: South West North East pass pass 1♣ 1♠ dbl 2♦ pass 2♥ pass pass 3♣ 3♦ pass pass 4♣ dbl pass pass pass´ Result: 3♣ dbl -2 -300 Please vote and feel free to make a comment as well. I have a few more boards, they are all from same tourney. After some bad boards my pard called my bidding stupid - I promissed him that I would ask the forum here - so please make your call.