joshs

1. I think 2S is a slight overbid. I would have bid only 1S 2. 4N was natural 3. 5N was pick a slam. I can't pass it. 4. I would pick 6C

Ahh I never saw your actual hand. Well both hands are interesting bidding problems...

Partner has 10-14 unbalanced (opening a 10 count is not manditory) or 13-15 balanced or possibly a 15 count with a stiff honor.

Marc and I open natural minors with 11-13. So the 1C opening is: a. A normal Std American 1C opening (although maybe 1 point light) or b. 17-19 balanced without a 5 card major The idea is that we are better placed in competative auctions this way, even if it gives a little less definition to the 1D opening. This also frees up 1C-1red-2N and 1D-1M-2N to be a ART forcing call handlingling problematic hands with a 6 card minor (so we don't have to make fake JS's for instance).

[hv=d=n&v=n&s=skxxhak9xxdkxcjxx]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] Playing a strong club, with 10-12 NT's NV, and a 2C and 2D opening bid showing 6 cards and about 10-14. Partner opens 1D (about 10-15ish, could be as short as 0, no 5 card major nornmally no 6 card minor unless 6-5 in the minors), you bid 1H, LHO bids 2C Partner and RHO passes, you x, LHO passes Partner bids 2D, RHO Passes, to you? 1D-P-1H-2C P-P-x-P 2D-P-?

"...yes, but objectivity is subjective..." - from Love and Death, Woody Allen

As we can see from the graph, the period from 1940-1980 was the heyday of the COLD WAR, hence global warming stopped. So I figure Reagan gets credit for ending this cooling period along with the cold war. :)

1. Pass 2. Yes :)

Interesting article, but its title when ripped out of context sounds pretty retarded: Scientists blame sun for global warming. We need to move this post to my best headlines thread. :)

Well, I love you all. Now, I must be deranged! I figure that I will not bring up the exciting discovery of the gospel of judas, and instead bring open for debate the proposition that: "God is not a Red Sox fan". This I am sure will provide a subject where we can find agreement between a. athiests, who happen to be red sox fans, and b. religious folks who dislike the red sox and c. Followers of Spinoza who think god went into hybernation after creating the universe and d. Anyone who thinks Barry Bonds taking steroids is a good thing

Maybe I should try out for the open team for the people's republic of santa monica?

I play x-fer checkback here in a big club context: 1D-1H-1S: 2C-Puppet to 2D, to play 2D or an INV hand 2D-Hearts, weak or GFing 2H-Spades, weak or GFing 2S- GFing no extra major length 2N-Nat 3C- to play 3D-4H, 5+D, slammish 3H-6+H, strong suit, slammish 3S-4 spades, GFing, Balanced

I will never forget the following: In the waining days of the soviet union the mayor of St. Petersberg was running for re-election. He was un-oppossed since the opposition could not get on the ballot. The laws of the soviet union required everyone to come and vote, and required 50% of the vote for the mayor to be elected. The mayor lost. For me this was the defining moment of the collapse of the soviet union. The citizens came out to vote as required, and in an exercise of democracy, left there ballots blank.

I agree. I basically do not psych when my methods can serve as a psychic control. Also if I frequently psych in the same situation, it should be alerted. I am not sure how often constitutes frequently. For instance, in my canape system over 1M opening, 2/1's are INV but not forcing. Game forcing hands start with bidding 1N and then bidding a new suit next. This could serve a a psychic control if I decided to psych a 1M opening bid in 1/2 seat. Consequently, I never psych a 1/2 seat 1M opening here. Having said that, over a natural and limited 1H opening I have been known to use from time to time all the standard psychs when, as responder, I hold 4 hearts and a bad hand.... I am unlikely to get buried because partner is limited, but there is still some risk of getting in trouble if the auction becomes competative. E.G. 1H-P-1S(ha ha)-3C(Intermediate)-3S...

How about: Announce ranges as :"Approximently A to B HCP but we actually use a modified point count that gives more weight to aces and tens, and less weight to queens and jacks "

I am obviously in favour of torture. After all, I play bridge with some of you! :rolleyes:

I guess sartaj is now taking after tony... The 2S pre-empt is a lot sicker than the 4C bid. Maybe its the time change?

LOL. If Tony had bid the 4C I would have xed with your hand in a heartbeat (he didn't used to have anything for his pre-empts). Sartaj is a bit sounder - I think since he started playing bridge in india and not in australia... :P Yeah passing 4S was not a bid I thought of, but I am glad you are able to take in in stride and laugh at yourself! Anyway, nice showing in the NAOPs!

My favorite all time headline was from the New York Times after the Mad Cow crisis hit Great Britan: "Radical Hindu Group Offers Sanctuary to British Cows."

Ohh thanks for awarding adam and I stars, phil! :)

I like those guys. Sartaj and I were teammates in one event when I visited australia and have played from time to time on okb. It was exciting to see them make Australia's open team last year.... Anyway, I a: wouldn't have downgraded since despite the 4-4 in the majors, I do like my spot cards and opening a 3 card suit is never that exciting b. I would bid 5D, unless 4N is something other than rkc, but its really close. I now have a 13 count and a 3 card suit, and having made a forcing pass I really don't want to do any more... I really have no idea if partner has clubs controled. Do you have an immediate spinter available? It appears that partner has 6D's and 3361 is a moderately likely shape.

The worst call was 3D, by far. If responder felt he was too good to splinter, but not strong enough to take over, he should have clarified his hand type with a 4H splinter at his second bid. The direct 4H spinter has to be a tight range, since there is no room between 4H and 4S, so I actually think 2N was a good start. But he was given the chance to show what he had and didn't... The 4N bid on the auction was a slight over bid (5D seems right), and 6N was an attempt to protect Kx of hearts from attack, not realizing that partner might have a singleton.

2D shows 6D and a reasonably good suit.

If you play this way (reasonable) I think x should be your hand type OR 2 suits and a hand too good for a simple bid: E.G. Over 1H-x-2H with Kxxx Axx Kxxx xx I think you should x and then bid 3S

There are more than two styles of continuations. In fact you missed the most common style (not claiming I prefer it or not), natural continuations. That doesn't take care of the Flannery problem, but it means all your minor suit rebids become natural which is nice, and it lets you play in 1NT when opener is balanced and responder has four spades, solving your awkward 4153 or so hand. There are even more styles than that. Gavin and Vince play or used to play (I believe) transfers but with the first two bids reversed, so 1NT is diamonds and 2C is natural. I'm not sure what the reasoning is to be honest, but I know it's extremely well thought out and that they have good reasons. OK fair enough, but the orginal convention was designed to handle the flannary hand, so the 1H-1S-natural method I thus dub the Miles interchange.... I do think the inversion between 1N and 2C is very interesting.