Old York

Kibitzers are allowed to see "Director has been called" messages, but only for the table where they are viewing We all love controversy, so why not allow all kibs to see these massages, even if they are watching other tables I like to see how different TDs handle these calls, but we miss all the fun if we are sat in the wrong gallery Tony

I dunno. The more I read, the more I believe that Multi should be banned in all low-level events It just seems totally impossible to find a cohesive defense against this plethora of private treatments If Multi is "standardised" to allow normal defense methods, then it will quickly lose it's appeal, but if these private treatments are allowed then oppo have no opportunity to agree a system of defensive bids I give up :( Tony

In the original version, way back in the swinging sixties, 2♠ was invitational to 4♥. Like most things it has been greatly diluted and other treatments have been introduced to show a genuine invite. The idea that you are using 2♠ to "preempt oppo" seems odd to me. In what sense is this a pre-empt? The 2♠ bid seems to deny Spade support if partner is allowed to pass. The bid is not forcing (unlike 2NT). Your oppo should be able to take any action without difficulty, and you are allowing them an additional bid...double. I have seen many players mis-use this bid with xx in both majors (and fail to alert their partnership understandings) Your partner should be full entitled to jump to 4♥ after this bid Tony

I never psych (well, hardly ever) but a very similar hand came up in a goulash tourney, and opp also had slam, so I bid their suit and it worked. It will probably be another 10 years before I consider doing it again Tony b.t.w Happy Birthday for yesterday, Wayne ;)

The ACBL website has a database of standard, approved defenses to various conventions. Oddly, they include 2 defense schemes to multi, which seems to add to the confusion http://web2.acbl.org/defensedatabase/3b.htm Hope this helps a bit Tony

You would be amazed how often the TD is called after a 2♦ opener, it is getting really silly :)

I wish that I knew the answer to this one, it has always been a problem for me - mainly because of lack of alerts. After 2♦-(p)-2♠ (unalerted) many players call TD and try to claim a Psych My understanding was that a 2♠ response shows a strong preference for Heats, but not a strong hand? We really do need to learn more about this topic. Is anyone prepared to set up a teaching table? Tony :)

[hv=d=s&v=b&n=s8643haj93dj76c92&w=sakqt52h5d543cj65&e=sj9ht874dakt82ct4&s=s7hkq62dq9cakq873]399|300|Hand 119 by Ron Klinger 1♣-(2♠)-X-(3♠)- 4♥-ppp 1♣ opening is natural and denies weak balanced hand[/hv] I have only found 1 textbook example on this auction, which clearly shows that the negative double shows 4+Hearts and 6+points and does not show Diamonds or Club support, so I have egg on my face again The hand is based on 4cM and weak no-trump, so the double in this situation is slightly safer than if the 1♣ opening was Sayc 15-17 Tony

Psych 1♠ then support Clubs? It is quite possible that oppo have 6M while we have 6m Tony

In my experience as a bbo td, the biggest reason for resistance to Multi (and wj, prec etc) is the total failure to alert correctly Quite frankly, I got sick of repeated director calls from tables where Multi was un-alerted or alerted as "multi" Many regular players were much happier after I banned Multi, and I received very few complaints However..... I would much prefer to be able to allow any licensed systems (and psyches) Tony (Duke of York) p.s. are juniors allowed to psyche? p.p.s Multi is allowed in bbo BIL tournies which seems to blast a big hole in the arguments against it's use by bbo-juniors

Sorry, I was just stating the facts and not suggesting that double was correct. The interesting part of this hand is what happens after: 1♣-(1♦)-pass-(1♠/1NT) pass-(??) after 1♠ some rebid 2♦ or 1NT which cannot be right? after 1NT many passed It is imperative to find the Heart fit on this hand Tony

Weak 2's in 3 suits are very popular Weak 2♠ openings are much more pre-emptive than 2♦ Multi The real benefit of Multi 2♦ is that you can asign other uses to 2♠/2♥ openings (weak or strong, single suiters or 2 suiters etc) Tony

Maybe we were shown the wrong hand and asked the wrong questions? Many Wests Doubled, and the remainder who overcalled 1♦ had a rebid problem over a 1♠ or 1NT reply. Many pairs failed to find the 4-4 Heart fit which is a disaster at MP Most pairs were happy to play in partscore (reasonable at MP) Some pairs went down in game (disaster at MP) Tony [hv=d=s&v=n&w=sathqj75dak643c32&e=s65432hak42dcqjt9]266|100|Scoring: MP South opens 1♣ how should these hands be bid? N/S remain silent[/hv]

True, but as I pointed out earlier, that was a mistake The actual hand was played at matchpoint scoring, and even I would never pass at matchpoints ;) Tony

The TD also adjusted the board to Ave-+ so you got 40% and oppo got 60% I find this more than a bit unusual, especially when the hand was played out scoring -300 (the contract should be -2 but no doubt your partner was upset) -300 meant that you should get 4.17% and your oppo should get 95.83% .... so it appears that your oppo were penalized for some reason? Perhaps this posting was premature, I am sure that you will receive a reply to your e-mail Tony

And 8 pairs registered the only minus scores by failing to make the games that they bid On this hand, partner happened to have the perfect hand with excellent Hearts and a maximum overcall. But most pairs were happy to play in partscores. Even OP played in 2♥ making 2 overtricks and got a good score Game on a partial misfit is not good odds. There is no urgency to bid borderline games at Pairs Tony

On the traveller, many of the players who reached 4♥ did so by not overcalling with 1♦, most doubled with the West hand ♠AT ♥QJ75 ♦AK643 ♣32 Not the best double in the world, but it worked this time, or at least it worked for 11 pairs who made 4♥ but not for the 8 pairs who went down in game Tony EDIT: Had we been informed that the scoring was actually MP%, I would not have suggested passing. Any plus score at imps is likely to give you a decent score, but not at matchpoints

I have a void in partner's best suit, partner has 8-15hcp and a hand unsuitable for a take-out double I am not optimistic about making game opposite this bid, or bidding my anaemic Spade suit when partner has denied interest in the majors by failing to double Bidding on a mis-fit and weak suits is very dangerous Tony

My main reason for passing is that I expect East's pass to show Diamonds, expecting to pass the re-opening double. Maybe then I can SOS re-double or bid Spades. I do expect disaster if I bid 1♠ immediaely, perhaps 1NT could work? Tony

Pass. I expect opener to re-open, and if not 1♦ has a fair chance of taking 7 tricks. I don't think I am missing game by passing Tony

I am not certain that 2♠ was the best bid with an aceless, flat hand with 3 kings, but that is probably down to partnership agreement. At least it has the merit of showing some defensive strength The traveller for this hand produces some unexpected results like 5♣ making twice, and Heart/Spade contracts being mis-defended and also allowed to make 4♥ should fail, and 5♣ is a phantom sacrifice. Look like nobody can make anything on this hand The top scoring contracts of 3♠x and 4♥ should both have been defeated Tony

There does not seem to be any reason to play either minor suit The Heart suit figures to break 4-4 or 5-3, so drawing even one round of trumps could be fatal and unnecessary If you really feel that Hearts are 6-2 or worse, then you must draw all trumps. Cashing ♣A causes communication problems, and a possible trump promotion if clubs are 4-0 I think that I will still risk the Hearts first, and let the trump suit look after itself Tony

The voices told me not to touch the trumps, except as entries back to hand, it would then cost nothing to ruff the third Spade high But with the luck of Karapet, I can be certain that the Heart will be ruffed Tony

I used to have one of those old-fashioned "Culbertson" Browsers too. Maybe it thinks that bidding a Club slam with only 6HT is totally unjustifiable? Tony :P

Hoping trumps are 2-2 or favourable breaks in majors, I would try to discard a Spade on third Heart and plan to ruff 2 spades. If trumps break badly, it seems unlikely that Diamonds can be set up and cashed, or dummy reversal Tony