bid_em_up

I would suggest if at all possible that you find out whether the keeper is right handed or left handed, and then throw low to the opposite side.

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Do you know if they play udca or standard carding?

It sounds as if your screen (monitor) resolution changed. Try right click on your main windows screen, select properties, then under settings, you should be able to adjust the display resolution.

I suspect he just overlooked it. I sent the email during the middle of the vugraph yesterday. I've sent him another email inquiring whether this was deliberate and if so, why.

So tell us how you plan to beat this contract, assuming AK32 in dummy. Rainer Herrmann On the 3rd spade declarer can't ruff in dummy, otherwise the Q of diamonds will always score. And the timing for a cross-ruff doesn't work out. If declarer ruffs in hand, then W can safely pitch 2 hearts and South can't set up the clubs AND draw trumps without promoting the diamond 7 in the W hand. If declarer ever tries to ruff a heart in dummy he promotes a trump trick for W as well. Huh? Look closer.

[hv=n=skhqxdaqj10xxxxckx&s=saq9xxxxhaxdcaqxx]133|200|South deals. Opponents will remain silent throughout.[/hv]

It's ok, we prefer to avoid random partners anyway, and our regular partners will know what we play.

Here is his response: Hi xxxx, Feel free to use my comments. The problem with this hand is that you actually are close to having three suits. My choice, and I am not prepared to go to war over this, is to bid 2NT. At least I get two suits in. In the back of my mind is the thought that I might double something later to show this hand but in fact, bidding 2NT and later doubling merely shows a strong hand but still only 5-5 or better. No promise of three spades in implied. Really, all choices are flawed so you can waste a lot of time debating. Here are my specific objections to each possible call. Pass Not possible. 1♥ Possible with this suit but not with this hand. There is a fair chance that your LHO will find a way to bid notrump and you do not like a heart lead. Also, if you bid a heart and Lho raises to 3♦, for example, you won't be sure about bidding 4♣ now. You might double 3♦ but it has flaws of its own. 2♣ Out of the question for me. You give up on hearts. This hand is good enough that you can hope for something your way. Bidding 2♣ is a tactical bid that you might make with an assortment of other hands, none of them looking like this one. The form of scoring is not important. You have hopes so should try to find the best way to get to the best spot. One thing about 2NT. You need methods for responder to show good hands, invitational hands, etc. I have nothing to offer on this but obviously, knowing what partner will do is important. Let me know if my answers help. Mike Lawrence

fwiw, I used to play againt Mike Lawrence on another (now defunct) bridge site. A partner of mine on that site local club had hired him to come and teach classes a couple of times and he would frequently join us for some casual games. I took the liberty of sending him the hand in question. My email to him and his response follows: Hi Mike, I am bid_em_up from Bridge Base Online and I was (user id) on (now defunct bridge site) and a regular partner of (user ID) there. There is currently a discussion on BridgeBase forums regarding the following hand: Both Vul Imp Scoring East deals and opens 1D, and you hold AKx 9xxxx void KQJxx I'd like your input on what you would bid here, at both IMP's and MP. The reason I'd like your input is that several people are referring to your book on overcalls (with regards to bad suit overcalls) and are advocating that its ok to bid 1H here. My opinion on what I have read in your book is that its ok to do it, but from what I can tell, it is only intended if no better choice is available. I wanted to see if you would be willing to share your thoughts on double, one heart, two clubs, 2N (unusual) or any other choice of calls, which call you would choose, and whether or not the form of scoring (IMP vs. MP) would make a difference in your choice of calls. Also, if you choose to answer this, do I have your permission to share your response with others on the forums? Thanks in advance, bid_em_up from BBO

To me, X is best, it keeps all options in play. If partner can bid hearts, we can practically drive to game, it keeps both spades and clubs in the picture, and yes, even a penalty pass by partner. It's not like we don't have decent defensive prospects. This is the best of all worlds, imo. 2♣ offers our best suit, and the suit we want led, but likely loses both the heart and spade suits. 2N at least puts both our suits in play, but will lose the spade suit. Partner is also liable to choose 3H on three weak hearts (over three bad clubs), and it will probably fare poorly. 1♥ is awful (imo). We do not want a heart led. Hearts are unlikely to play well unless partner has four hearts (which double will find out anyway), or three good ones. Imagine partner raising on Qxx. We're likely to be tapped immediately @ trick one, and will be hard pressed to draw trumps without losing control of the hand. I've looked at the info by Lawrence on bad suit overcalls. I didn't see a single example where X or another good 5 card suit is available as an alternative. Most all examples entailed something like (1♣)-1♥ on xx 98742 AKx AQx where you can't make a takeout double. jmoo.

Who said I'm not? :(

Look closer. The hand can always be made on a heart or club return. Declarer will never ruff a heart. He will pitch one on the club Q and another on the 5th club.

Assigning scores to a problem does not lend any legitimacy to an answer. wtf? Even if you think the scoring/ranking is incorrect (and I'll agree that it is, imo), it's simply one person's way of showing how they would evaluate each bid. Not sure why you would make this comment, unless you want the reasoning for each score assignment provided as well.

Arrrrgggggghhhhhh.

be more specific it's a variation of two over one. how much more specific do you need? :(

:D

"You win 1D, 3S, 1H and 6C coming to the following ending (north is proven to have started with precisely 3♠-2♥-6♦-2♣, while south had 4♠-5♥-1♦-3♣" How did we reach this conclusion?

I'd hate to go thru life with that name.

I'd be amazed if deceased people could become new members.

Doubtful, since I don't think that this had even been announced in 2008 (the year the numbers are given for). Edit: having gone and read the article now, I suppose its possible. The article actually states: "The American Contract Bridge League - contract bridge is just another name for the game - saw a 400 percent increase in membership last year compared with 2008." So the increase in membership in 2009 (over 2008) could be partially due to this. I originally interpreted this as being up in 2008 (over 2007). My bad.

To me, this solves the problem of whether or not you leave the reopening X in or not. Once you decide to pass (over 2♥), you are forced to stick with that choice and leave the X in as partner will never know you have this much strength. You can't expect to bid now, and reach any reasonable contract. Most would play 3C as showing some values (2N being a weak relay), but it would be nowhere near this strong.

Against clams, I lead the ♦10. Against scallops or oysters, I lead the ♣3. (just kidding, I lead the ♦10 against them too).

People can't even figure out how to only talk to kibs (and not to table), you really think they can handle this?

Seems to me that it's right to win the 2nd heart and play a trump to hand, intending to put in the 9 if RHO plays small.