TylerE

West and South are fine. North and East are insane.

They win the A and run 4 more spade tricks,

RHO covers the J with Q.

♠J83 ♥T73 ♦AKQT4 ♣Q9 ♠K65 ♥KQJ6 ♦52 ♣A652 Plan the play in 3NT on a 4♠ lead. Contract is 3NT. LHO doubuled your 1!C opening for takeout, and you ended up in 3NT with no more bidding from opps.

I was invited to commentate one of the US Junior matches tonight, and had to use my mac. Unfortunaly this seems impossible...got the ungag message, but the option to talk to table wasn't present. EDIT: I actually found a workaround. I went to an open table selected the ->Table button, and then copy/pasted the ->Table and was able to chat. Not ideal, but it did allow me to commentate.

I'm cueing 5♣.

Note: I wasn't present for the related incident, but it happened to a family member, and I play at said club regularly, although not in games run by the mentioned director. One of our local directors sees to have some belief that director calls always involve fault and are a bad thing. Obviously not a healthy attitude, nor one in harmony with the Laws. When some of the novice players show up at the open game, she will announce, more or less word for word, "We have a new player here, <x>. Please do not call the director on them.". This announcement was made, even more firmly than usual, at the morning session. My mother, who was playing in the game, took exception to this, and took it up with the director in-between sessions. The conversation went more or less like this, wasn't there so I can only relate what I was told second-hand: Mother: What I am I supposed to do if they revoke? Director: Just ignore it. They're new. Mother: That's not fair. Director: Don't call. Some of the new players are being scared away. Mother: But it says on the scoresheet to call the director in the event of irregularity. Director: Just ignore it. <Goes on and on, in a rather rude manner.> Surely this can't be right? My mother sent an e-mail out to the local directors (We have 4, who run 5 different sessions under 3 different "clubs", but they share a site, equipment, etc.) detailing her thoughts on this issue, but not sure what's going to come of that. The one director who works most with the "bad" TD isn't the type to get involved.

[hv=d=e&v=n&n=sxhkjxdjxxxcktxxx&w=sjxxhqtxxxxdtxc8x&e=stxxxhaxxdxxcaqxx&s=sakqxxhxdakqxxcjx]399|300|Scoring: MP Opponents pass throughout 1♣(1) - 1NT(2) 2♠(3) - 2NT 3♦ - 3NT 4♦ - 5♦ 6♦ (1) 1♣ - Any 16+ (2) 1NT - GF with 5+♣[/hv] Interesting hand evaluation problem. Slam rates to be really good oppisite as little AKxxx of clubs and out in a balanced hand. Of course, on the layout it is, erm, bad. The actual play has to get my nod for ugliest defense of the year. West found the optimal club lead, I played from dummy, RHO winning the Q. RHO exits a trump (!?), and I pull trumps in two rounds. I now play AKQ of spades, pitching Jx of ♥ from dummy, see the suit going 3-4, ruff a spade. Hoping to maybe hold it to down one, I lead a small club off dummy towards the J ....which holds. Cash the 5th spade. pitching dummies final heart....and....+1370.

3♠, which is forcing. If p follows up with a bid in a black suit, I'll keycard. If P bids 3N I'll trust him and pass.

That looks suspiciously like 5/9.

On the auction it sounds to me like W is short in D, not N.

North hand sure looks like a 2♣ opening to me. 9 playing tricks, basically solid 7 bagger, and legit defensive values.

I would have started with a 2NT bid over 1♣. Gonna have a hard time convincing p I have 6 ♥ after overcalling 1♦. If I start with UNT and then bid lots more, p has a real shot a getting it right. On the given auction, I pass 6♠. The suits are all split badly, and I'll let the opponents worry about that.

I know I've mentioned this before, but are there any plans for events at a time more friendly for US juniors? All of the BBO Junior events seem to be scheduled during the middle of the school/work day. For me personally, 11 or 12PM GMT (e.g. 7 or 8 PM EST) would be ideal.

4♦ looks about right. Also, this might induce a 4M "transfer" from opps that partner can crack for a nice round number.

Thanks for all the responses folks. Had no idea this simple hand would generate so much interest ;) I did open 1N at the table, 2♣-2♦-3NT, and partner flopped a decentish 12 count so bringing home 10 or 11 tricks was no real challenge. Wasn't 100% on my judgement at the time, since I don't play much 15-17 in serious partnerships any more. (Usually some sort of mini or weak with a big ♣ system).

While I'm not crazy about the initial bid, it seems to me I have exactly what I promised, and nothing more. Pass. If partner can whack it, great, if not, I'll take what I get in 4♠. Don't want to be in 5♥X and find out it's LHO with the ♠ shortness.

Sorry, but I think this method is very poor. Give up useful natural cuebids/splinters to basically play 'double gerber'? Bids that both ask and tell are wasteful. Also, I see that you are not showing the trump queen, either. In addition, in this scheme, as far as I can tell, there is no way to tell the difference between being off 2 A's and 2 K's! If you really want this kind of thing, the responses can be structured much better. Here's a scheme I just brewed up. 4♣ - General keycard ask -4♦ - Bad hand for slam. 2 or fewer keycards -4♥ - 3 -4♠ - 3 + TQ -4NT - 4 -5♣ - 4 + Q After a 4♥+ response, cheapest non-signoff asks for # of side kings, in steps After 4♦, cheapest non-signoff bid reasks, then: 1st Step - 0 2nd Step - 1 3rd Step - 2 4th Step - 2 + TQ Then asker can relay again for side kings. (Note: I'm not seriously suggesting playing this, but I think it is less bad.)

♠Q542 ♥T64 ♦Q ♣AT942 (2♥) - X - (p) - ? IMPs, None

3♥ looks about right to me. Need to know more about system to give you a better answer. Are we in a GF? What values should partner have, at a minimum, for 2♣?

Fred, I don't think at in point in this thread I have criticized BBO. ACBL on BBO, yes, BBO no. I think that's an important distinction.

1♣ - (1♦) - 1♠ - (5♦) X - ap Truly sick.

Move the K♦ to ♠. I'm not crazy about this hand..looks like I want to defend.

I do have a problem with it. Here 4♥ should have at most one outside K, so you know you have diamonds issues, and while the north hand IS very control rich, it's actually quite short in trick sources. With the given hand, I wouldn't be shocked to be down in 4♥ (Losing 3 diamonds, with K♥ not coming in, say). EDIT: Ken, how on earth do you see 5♦ as shortness??

No, I alerted my bid as spades originally. At some point among the director calls some one clicked it again and I guess I hit cancel. Partner's furthur bidding was after the excessive prodding from the TD to 'play on'.