PhantomSac

I would just invite. I think often on these hands when you have some people signing off and some people blasting game, the middle road is correct.

I would not be willing to play in 3N for better or for worse. 3H then 4D "feels" like a better way to bid the hand but I'm not sure why, just in general I think 4D sounds more like extreme shape/concentration and 3H then 4D sounds more like a strong hand. But I cannot say I have an agreement about the difference in 3H>4D compared to 4D.

It's hard to answer the problem without knowing what to expect from partner. Obviously he doesn't have the normal hand type (as described by philking), do you think he has a weak 5-5 or something? If so probably pass 5C (they aren't in 6 and 6H might be expensive), but save now (since there is no chance to beat this if he really was so weak with 5-5 he couldnt bid over 1C w/r).

Nah, I haven't seen contract details but I would guess $0 guaranteed so if he doesnt make the roster it is basically irrelevant. And if he does w/e it will be vet min. I mean, let's put it this way, Belichick did the same thing (signed tebow with no guarantee), Tebow could be useful to a smart offensive coach potentially, he was a goal line package beast. I am not sure how one should use him but Kelly or BB trying to figure it out makes sense, he clearly had value, just not at throwing the ball lol.

Fred also calls it a double trump sqz. Here is a thread I posted once with the same theme: http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/37833-ego-squeeze/ BTW how do you always have these awesome squeezes?! Haha

I prefer to cater to stiff 4, stiff 5, stiff 6, and stiff 8 than to cater to stiff Q.

Leading a club is absolutely terrible

5 pair games is very hard and impressive, never heard of that. I have heard of 4 pair games before (Kent Mignocchi, sry for the butchered spelling). The traditional way to sweep with 5 events is to win the 3 knockouts, the swiss, and a morning event which I'm sure has happened numerous times by Meck/passell etc. Was there a sunday swiss at this tournament? Maybe he can win 6 events in a row :)

Yeah I think indy is way better. It's like a forum get together, it's random but I don't think the point is a serious bridge competition as much as playing with people you talk with on the forum.

roger and i combined are minus a lot of imps right now lol...in fact my only good board was vs roger!

Rogerclee also in!

Nice hand, the title is very fitting. Could easily see getting this wrong at the table heh. Although it will be sad if I'm vul and end up going down like 3 or 4, definitely worth it. Slight improvement to Timo's line is win in hand, club to ace, diamond to ace, club hook (to cater to stiff Q of clubs offside).

Board 5 I would have failed in epic fashion: Nice videos guys

Don't pitch a heart at trick 1 and you have a good chance of making even when RHO has the AQx of clubs (though you won't make with best defense).

I agree partner might bid with an 8 count with a good 6 card suit though. That is how I would bid over 1S w/r. They also might have more. We have quite a good hand and might have a game. Risking the 3 level seems pretty standard. Would you bid over 1S 2H p ? with this hand w/r at MP? I don't see why that should be any different, except that LHO has a stronger range in that auction. Bidding over 1N (12-14) with KJxxxx and out but passing over 1S seems pretty silly to me. Why should it be so different?

So you think your partner should overcall on a 4 count and out? Do you just pass as his partner with every hand cuz omg LHO has 12-14! I don't understand overcalling with a 4 count, if you make 2H your partner will bid something or the opps will. Like with this hand, it is very unlikely RHO will have passed if partner has a 4 count. Maybe it is superior to not bid with a 4 count since partner will probably overbid, or our opp will bid and they will know how to play the hand better.

I don't understand pass on hand 3. Our hand is good and our partner overcalled at the 2 level. I would bid 2N (whatever it means, natural NF would be cool but I don't play that lol). I think mikeh is closer than the passers but I think letting partner out w/r seems right (and I agree with his general thesis that overcalling is like a normal 2 level overcall, just for me a w/r normal 2 level overcall could be pretty light with a good 6 card suit so I wouldn't force to game). Hands 1 and 4 are obv passes imo. Hand 5 is pretty lol, I mean I doubt you can go wrong either Xing or passing, given that they are red I would pass and just accept my good board but double seems fine also (what are they running to?). Seems like a spot where we are just getting a top so w/e. Hand 2 I think is a good problem, my first reaction was to insta X, then I decided I should pass since partner couldn't X 2N or anything and we are r/r, now I'm back to X. My main reasoning is ace empty sixth is a really good holding if partner is short in spades (whether he bids a suit or passes). I really am not sure what's right so I go with mecks rule (When you're not sure what's right, go with the more aggressive action). I do have a good defensive hand if he passes which I think is not unlikely.

Hey Richard, If this is not too much to ask can you give a basic rundown of this issue (as in I literally know nothing about it; no ulterior motive). They spent new money on new technology, sounds good. So what's the cover up? (again an honest question, I don't know what is happening). Just something short and to the point would be fine or if you want to be more detailed also fine. I respect your view and am curious about this.

Not wtp at all. I would definitely strongly consider overcalling 3D, red at MP is so bleh though. But our hand is so good and its easy to imagine being stolen from via a pass.

They do not need to become more powrful, processing speed and power are not the issue in 2015 for why computers are not beating the best humans at bridge

Now that jdonn is back can we get roger to return? This was one of the greatest/funniest CLEE moments ever.

Incredible post!

Maybe it can't be proven but it seems like just using common sense it is impossible to imagine that computers could not pass humans in bridge. It seems inevitable. I agree with the poster (you?) who said the main reason this has not happened yet is because there are not economic incentives/resources being used to try and do this. Look at what happened in some forms of poker and in chess when resources were dedicated, same could definitely happen in bridge.

Also worth pointing out that scoring three diamond tricks is very likely and even if clubs are 3-2 we will often make by just winning. The lead (assuming it's from 4) makes 5-1 diamonds either way a lot less likely (if opening leader had 5 he would lead it, if opening leader has 1 diamond and 4 clubs he would probably have led a 5 card major so that gives him 4414 exactly and he chose to lead the minor, even though JT9x is very nice it's possible he'd choose a major). If we had the 8 of diamonds it would be even better of course but we have the 7 so we can pick up J8/T8 onside. But all of this assumes stuff like people leading their long suits vs 3N and preferring majors to minors in general, maybe that is an outdated concept in light of the david bird book but doesn't he argue strongly for leading majors? Even that school is probably not leading a 3 card minor vs 3N when no major suit fit was found (and in fact dummy denied a 4 card major). Just out of curiosity what % chance do the trick one duckers assign to 3-2 clubs?

Man I think y'all are nuts ducking the club. And I am not saying that because I read the spoiler, I don't believe in people leading a 3 card club suit on this auction, even JT9. It seems far more likely that we just give them both a trick and a crucial tempo (and hurt our entry situation to dummy drastically) by ducking the club. They need to set up hearts and we need to set up diamonds, losing a tempo here is really a big deal. I think it is much more likely that it's something like KJx or KTx of diamonds offside with clubs 4-1 and they get hearts going than that clubs are 3-2. Don't forget to unblock the 8 at trick 1 if you win the club also heh.