bid_em_up

Well, you can't. Pissing off opponents is illegal under Law 74A2. If you do it deliberately you should expect a disciplinary penalty. Oh please. There is a difference between "pissing off opponents" and what Richard did (even though he did say "piss off my opponent"). All he did was let the opp know that he was now more likely to psyche, and knowing that he never needed to do so because the seed of doubt would be fully planted in the opponents mind. That opp will spend the entire match overanalyzing each of Richards bids. If this happens to upset the opponent, thats the opponents problem, not Richard's.

You dont think you can score at least 1 spade ruff with this holding? And probably 2?

Pass. If partner bids 3S, then I will bid 3N. If partner manages to make a reopening double, I really think I have to give at least some consideration to playing 6C/6H (possibly even 7) before leaving the double in. There must be some play for slam in one of those suits, assuming partner has his expected values. If forced to bid initially, I would much prefer a direct 3N to either 3H or double. jmoo.

I dont think anybody has a problem with a list of "who's who" when their BBO ID's are known, i.e. Fred = Fred Gitelman, Jlall = Justin Lall, etc. Its the ID's where the person does not have a star and their real name is not on their profile, such as Dano's or Zia's. Those ID's should not be included in the list.

Jean-Luc Picard?

I can add to the list: 1) Spades will likely only play better if partner has 4 spades and a working doubleton. 2) If partner has 3 weak spades, Jxx, Qxx, Kxx, then all his points are in the other suits, meaning your side cards are working as fillers. 3) If partner has 3 decent spades, ie, AQx, KQx, AKx, etc., then the spade suit is also a source of tricks in NT. 4) You have more than 1/2 of the hcp in the deck, 21-23 (assuming a 15-17 NT). You may well make 1N on sheer power whenever partner has only 2-3 weak spades. 5) You have to make 1 less trick in 1N, than you do in 2S. 6) You may still make 1N even if the spades do not break. There's more, but overall, I have found that passing this hand wins in the long run. jmoo.

pass. any form of scoring.

Unless you have enough people in your family playing this system, you're better off teaching her a more common system, so she can find other partners. Its just me & her (and BBO). No offense to anyone, but I would never teach her a 4 card major system or a system such as ACOL anyway. Strictly 2/1. Why? Because it is what I know best, and it is practically the US standard. The idea of teaching her spades first appeals greatly to me.

Who died and made Weed the one who decides what topics are ok, and what topics are not? (Not that I like all of the banter, I just wasnt aware he had any authority over such matters).

Thanks all for your suggestions.

I do not accept. 3♥

I think the decision to open 1N has already won the board for you, and to do anything other than cash out is simply foolish.

has been pestering me to teach her to play. Sad as it may be, I am certain that I do not have the patience to do so. I have called Patty Tucker (organizer of the World Youth Championships in Atlanta 7/08) and asked her recommendation of beginning bridge books geared towards young children. She recommended "Teach Me To Play: My First Bridge Book" as a good start, and I have purchased it (but it hasnt arrived yet). Does anyone else have any other good book suggestions for young(er) children?

I pass 1♣ initially. 3♣ is going to be a disaster. Why did RHO pass 1♣, if he supposedly has any sort of a 1♥ overcall? Hint: He quite likely has 5+ clubs (not that it should stop him from bidding 1♥, but its the only thing that makes any sense). Ugh. Pass and pray partner knows what he is doing.

Ummm, thats not what all the other news reports are saying.

100% penalty. Apologize to your partner immediately. :)

4S is about the worst bid you can make here. Sorry. This hand as huge potential for slam, and yet you are signing off. By bidding 3D, you are not describing a 5-4 hand, partner asked you to further describe your hand (via 2♥) and all 3D does is show a non-minimum with some diamond cards. It does not promise a 4 card suit. And btw, it cannot be a misfit auction. Its impossible for partner not to have a spade fit and still be able to bid 2♥. No. Partner doesnt need much more than Kxxx xxx KQxxx x, or Kxxx xx xx KJxxx for 6S to be cold, now does he? And both of these hands would be almost subminimum for the 2H call. You apparently fail to appreciate that all 2H does is ask you to further describe your hand. 4S does nothing of the sort, it gives partner no clue as to your control rich hand. And...if you think partner is acting over 4S on either of the above hands, I will share a secret with you. He wont. I will bid 3D as well, followed by 4C (over 3S) or 5C over 4S.

The person who buys houses and rents them out is usually not bothered by fluctations in the value of the house. He will not be the one walking away from the property. If anything, he will be out buying more properties at the (now) distressed/fire sale prices. People who buy properties for rental purposes, usually will: 1) know the market 2) look for houses for sale from people who were already in a distressed situation (divorce, loss of job, bankruptcy, etc.) where the property can already be purchased at 30-50% discount. 3) Is normally more concerned with cash flow (a steady income stream) that pays the mortgage 4) understands that with the passage of time the house will probably reappreciate eventually. He doesn't care if other $200k houses in the area are now selling for $150k, as he most likely purchased his property for $150k initially. He doesn't intend to sell the property (at least not in the near future), but instead to rent it for a long period of time having someone else pay essentially pay the mortgage on that property for him. In the end, he has a house that has been paid for by someone else, all the equity in the home is now his, and he has steady income stream at this point of whatever the rent is.

I will assume you did not mean this the way it reads. A car is not an investment (unless it is some sort of classic/antique vehicle). A car is liability (until that loan is fully paid off). And even after its paid off, it has depreciated in value and will usually continue to do so with the passage of time. An investment is an asset that (hopefully) will appreciate in time.

What happened to #3? Balanced with less then NT opening strength.

None of the above.

Yes, and yes. Although I would prefer a 6th spade, it cant always be perfect and if you are playing this style, its probably the most descriptive bid available.

Trump.

Double. Find our fit now. I will assume that we are playing some sort of leb structure here. If partner bids 2H/2S, I can pass without worry. If partner can bid 2N then 3M, I'll accept. If partner manages a 3M bid, I will cue 4C.

Oh please, nothing beats the full lyrics to "Blinded By The Light". B) Madman drummers bummers and Indians in the summer with a teenage diplomat In the dumps with the mumps as the adolescent pumps his way into his hat With a boulder on my shoulder feelin' kinda older I tripped the merry-go-round With this very unpleasing sneezing and wheezing the calliope crashed to the ground Some all-hot half-shot was headin' for the hot spot snappin' his fingers clappin' his hands And some fleshpot mascot was tied into a lover's knot with a whatnot in her hand And now young Scott with a slingshot finally found a tender spot and throws his lover in the sand And some bloodshot forget-me-not whispers daddy's within earshot save the buckshot turn up the band And she was blinded by the light Cut loose like a deuce another runner in the night Blinded by the light She got down but she never got tight, but she'll make it alright Some brimstone baritone anti-cyclone rolling stone preacher from the east He says: "Dethrone the dictaphone, hit it in its funny bone, that's where they expect it least" And some new-mown chaperone was standin' in the corner all alone watchin' the young girls dance And some fresh-sown moonstone was messin' with his frozen zone to remind him of the feeling of romance Yeah he was blinded by the light Cut loose like a deuce another runner in the night Blinded by the light He got down but she never got tight, but he's gonna make it tonight Some silicone sister with her manager's mister told me I got what it takes She said I'll turn you on sonny, to something strong if you play that song with the funky break, And go-cart Mozart was checkin' out the weather chart to see if it was safe to go outside And little Early-Pearly came in by her curly-wurly and asked me if I needed a ride, Oh, some hazard from Harvard was skunked on beer playin' backyard bombardier Yes and Scotland Yard was trying hard, they sent a dude with a calling card, he said, do what you like, but don't do it here Well I jumped up, turnedaround, spit in the air, fell on the ground Asked him which was the way back home He said take a right at the light, keep goin' straight until night, and then boy, you're on your own And now in Zanzibar a shootin' star was ridin' in a side car hummin' a lunar tune Yes, and the avatar said blow the bar but first remove the cookie jar we're gonna teach those boys to laugh too soon And some kidnapped handicap was complainin' that he caught the clap from some mousetrap he bought last night, Well I unsnapped his skull cap and between his ears I saw a gap but figured he'd be all right He was just blinded by the light Cut loose like a deuce another runner in the night Blinded by the light Mama always told me not to look into the sights of the sun Oh but mama that's where the fun is