Hanoi5

That was mean, reminds me of a joke: Son (enthusiastically): Daddy! Daddy! I want a bike for Christmas! Father (angry): Shut up! You have a cancer.

I have no idea about Qassim, but Chavez is not returning the revenue to the Venezuelans very... fairly. More people die in Venezuela from the insecurity than soldiers and civilians in Iraq's war. For example, a couple of days ago a woman went into a butchery with his son and a guy with a knife wanted to rob her Blackberry; apparently she said no and he just cut her neck, and she died then and there (not much use trying to take her to a hospital, they're in worse shape than the security). So, I wouldn't compare Chavez to any other people's benefactor, he's just a poser.

I'll be diredcting a tourney at 1630, but I can manage in-between.

Say I'm playing 12-14 NT openings so I open 1♦ with: ♠AK7x ♥KJ9x ♦Axx ♣xx 1♦-Pa-Pa-X What should I do here?

Today I held: ♠KJ ♥A98x ♦Qx ♣KQ9xx Pa-Pa-1♦-??? I overcalled 2♣, but somehow toyed with the idea of doubling (terrible if partner bids spades) or bidding 1♥ (Horrible suit for a 4-card overcall). Partner came down with: ♠Txxx ♥KQTx ♦Txx ♣Jx I made 9 tricks but the same amount was available in hearts and it was MP's. How do experts handle this?

I prefer to play 2♠ as re-stayman there, and I'd prefer to call it minor-suit stayman. Over 1N-2♣-2♠, 3♣ would be minor suit-stayman.

I for one thought of 3♦ as my first option. The person who gave me the hand asked me 'what about the spades?', and it rocked me a little bit for I play Walsh and I felt as if I hadn't seen the spades. So, is it the double that drives us away from the spades? How likely are we to miss a 4-4 spade fit in this position?

All red, MP's, partner deals and opens 1♣ and you hold: ♠T9xx ♥x ♦KQxxxxx ♣K RHO doubles and you? 1♣-X-???

I suppose that since you shouldn't be 4333 partner should guess what your trouble was and bid 4♠ instead of passing 3NT. Of course this means that s/he is on the same wavelength, i.e. s/he knows that you have bad spades, honors in all the suits and probably not many HCP's (?), especially since you're playing IMP's. I first thought this was a MP's hand where 3NT would beat those making the same tricks in spades but being IMP's I believe your partner should have corrected.

I suggested it. I even suggested getting them as I have a big collection at my job. Not good for Inquiry for memory and copyrights issues.

With soda and ice.

Bridge education and promotion has to be permanent. I guess the recent crisis worldwide has something to do with this but there's nothing to do but continue with whatever resources are available.

I pass but this is the sort of problem where 2♠ gets the highest marks.

I suppose at adverse double is easier.

So, is the myhands feature a joke? When did this happen? Is there ANY way to retrieve the information from hands played, say, couple of years ago?

I think as long as some features in the windows client are not present in the browser version I will not completely switch. I'd like, for example, to be able to have a look at a file in my computer with BBO, say a hand I played or watched being played or even one I created or better still that someone else created and have it for a class or a bidding practice; this can be done at this moment BUT only if you input the hand into the browser version and save it to your favorites or something. What if I have a file of 32 boards? It's a drag having to input it into the browser version. Maybe this could be done easily, maybe you could translate lins into handviewer (I think this should be easy, I saw it somewhere, don't remember where) and then from handviewer to Browser version. Handviewer is also a great tool, by the way.

4♥ and then double, I guess partner should/might have an idea of what I have.

A good one? Is it a small diamond? I'd also double and bid clubs afterward. I don't know how to get to diamonds though.

I'm gonna start with a small heart from dummy.

Isn't that the idea of having a catch-all? Here's a hand where you can't be sure of the right denomination so you just temporarily bid 2♠, waiting for partner to clear out what he has, what's partner to do with: Q xx(x) AKQxx(x) KJxx(x) over 3♠? Isn't the ♦ slam better? Isn't 2♠ a better path to it?

I'd say the bidding should go: 1♠-2♦ 2♠-3♣ 3♦-3♠ 4♣-4♦ 4♥-6♠ Where 3♠ shows 2 cards and 4♣ is a cue-bid agreeing spades as trumps. I'm not so sure about the continuation, but that's ok. Also, I agree with the waterman about the ♦T situation.

I think it would be UI but I don't think it can be proved.

If there is one (or two) player (s) using the browser version a table will have to be opened and closed for every board.

2♠

I'm available. Both contestants would need to use the program and none can use the browser. Hanoi Rondón