TylerE

I'm very skeptical of the GA number. When I was at the Augusta regional last year, I saw a grand total of 3 players (besides myself) under the age of 30 or so.

I lead an Ace. Honestly, esp. at the B/I level you have much more productive uses of memory/discussion than a defense to a bid that comes up about once every 5000 hands, if that.

I believe that this is exactly what Inquiry said he wished to avoid, and why he wanted to have different hands for upper and lower brackets. (I know that didn't happen this time, but I do know that was the desire.) I think that it's very big of him not to delete your post. I totally don't get it? I just posted simple addition. No comment on the dividing of the field was intended.

I wouldn't 1♦ this playing precision.

Remember han, double elim so you're not out...just down with the mortals.

For kicks I decided to put together a list of the 1st + 2nd round scores, for those completing both rounds. 1. 215 tylere / bid_em_up 2. 208 bluecalm/redds 3. 206 elianna/awm 4. 204 jlall/hanp 5. 202 mbodell - javabean 6. 201 karlson/threenobob 7.198 East4Evil/sohcahtoa 8. 195 olegru - driver733 9. 193 Flycycle/Wackojack 10. 192 peachy/lg62 11. 191 gnasher/catch22 12. 189 lobowolf/bkjswan 13. 188 rogerClee/cherdano 14. 180 tlgoodwin/timg 15. 179 jdonn/gib 16. 170 ant590 - crayzeejim 17. 165 Siegmund/MSchmahl 18. 163 kfay/jchiu 19. 157 sallyally/joylson 20. 150 kristen33/jillybean

North is is nuts. As South I would have bid the round before if I didn't open (which I probably would). 2♥ is just hopeless and IMO deserves 100% of the blame.

I'd respect a 3N bid here. In the context of a 2♣ opener it's nothing special, ♦ may not even be running.

Why can't W have a club stop?

Umm, double? Just because a bid shows a certain combination doesn't mean you ALWAYS have to bid it, regardless of range...

Man, I just realised how out of it I must have been when I wrote that... (Currently at 41 hours into what's probably gonna be about a 75 hour work week, which I'm *not* used to.)

I do wonder if it might be 1M...just because people will stretch more to open. So I'm going to go out on a limb and say 1♠.

But those will be at least partially (and maybe more) balanced by those playing Polish-type systems where about 90% of the Std 1♣ openers are still 1♣ + the extra stuff.

Hands like this make me unhappy with the standard 2 suiter calls. With bid_em_up I play: 2M: 2 highest unbid (e.g. ♥ and ♦ here) 2N: 2 lowest unbid (minors over 1M, ♥+unbid minor over 1m) 3♣: Lowest unbid minor + the higher unbid major. So over 1♠, 2♠ is ♥+♦, 2N is ♣+♦, and 3♣ is ♣+♥. Sure, you give the weak 3♣ bid (Which I rarely miss) and it's often very helpful to know both suits immediately, since when appropriate you can immediatly boost the preempt. Also very help for hand evaluation, not usual to have an invite (or even direct signoff in 2/3M) vs one minor, and a GF oppoiste the other.

Disagree. "Takeout" is descriptive. Btw, I don't get this problem. If LHO is 2344, then trumps are split no worse than 4-5. If opps ahve all the trumps honors, they have 2HCP in the side suits. How exactly are they taking 7 tricks?

Because they know it won't be sat for, and they might not be able to double us somewhere else? At the club the other night I had the auction (3♦)-p-(3N)-AP My partner (wisely IMO) sitting on top of the 3N bidder didn't double holding AKQJTxx of ♠... We calmly collected our 50 a trick for +150, instead of being -150 or -400 if we actually talk them back into playing ♦.

I bid 2NT. Pass [3cl], correct 3♦ to 3♥. Playing a 7 card fit, I'd rather trumps be split.

It shouldn't be.

Cue or something. Basically what I'm saying is, if after knowing partners aces and kings you STILL don't know where you belong, you should use something besides blackwood. That said on the given auction, I think you have to bid 7 once you're known to hold everything. If it turns out to hinge on finding the trump queen.... too bad. If you only bid 100% grands you're not bidding enough grands. Also, learn RKC....seriously.

That said... if you don't know what to do holding all aces and all kings BLACKWOOD IS NOT YOUR BID.

Is this for real? Pass...wtp. Anyone balancing here at unfavorable should be shot. Even at favorable I think it's terrible.

So, if 3♣ is natural, 4♣ is G----r, 5♣ must be a splinter, right?

It would seem so obvious to have both stopper asks to deny the other, with 2N showing both, that I must be missing something.

Forcing, and your partner is an idiot.

Bids would be forcing. If p has AK of ♦ too bad.