vuroth

For splinter, I generally worry more about combined range. 22 is too low for splinter. 25-28 seems about right.

[hv=d=s&v=b&n=sjt5hq962dkq864c4&s=sa6hkt54dat2cak65]133|200|Scoring: MP 1♣ 1♠ X P 4♥ P P P A♥ led. 9♦ at trick 2[/hv] How are you playing the hearts?

[hv=d=s&v=n&n=sqt963h9daktcaq63&s=sakj75hkdqj975c87]133|200|Scoring: MP 1♠ (P) 4♥ (X) 4♠ (P) P (P)[/hv] 6♠ looks very close to 50%. Assign the blame.

Best thing? How much visualization and counting experts really do. I've also learned to read everything Fred says twice. He always seems to stress the partnership game, which trumps a lot of the "expert" advice that is sometimes doled out. I've also learned that I should have started playing duplicate 10 or even 15 years ago. B)

Excellent article. Thanks for sharing. V

...and here I thought I sometimes didn't count enough. :P

You've shown, what, 0-8 HCPs and 4+ spades? Given that, you're (practically) a monster. 3♠ told him you were at the low end of that range. 4♠ for me, too. 3♦ was a 1 round force. You could be so, so much worse than what you have.

I think you have it backward. If the President does not trust his General's opinion, then he needs a new General. By the way, exactly what experience did our last President have in this area? One was an officer in the military, one wasn't? Then again, one was a lawyer, and one wasn't, so you can't have everything. In general, neither of these are a big deal, nor is the issue of experience, really.

I'll probably get this wrong, but

K♠, A♠, K♦, J♦ overtaking, exit a diamond.

Well if I'm following in Kathryn's footsteps then I'm doing something right - she asked good questions. Partner and I disagreed on where we went wrong trying to get to 6, but it made me realize that I didn't UNDERSTAND the other options along the way. I realize this was a handful, but I appreciate people taking the time to read. My usual sounding board is unavailable. Cheers!

Which time? (You do know the WTC was attacked twice, right?)

[hv=d=s&v=e&n=s97hat2dj76ckt943&s=sak4h3dak432ca652]133|200|Scoring: MP[/hv] I asked in another thread how to bid the reasonable 6♣ contract. Justin suggested: At our table, we started with 1♦ - 1NT 3♣ After this, things kind of went south. So I'll start my questions there: 1. If you had to choose, right now, between 3NT and 5♣, which would you chose? (As a B/I, I sometimes get excited and jump to a game I think I can make, ignoring slam possibilities.) I ask this mostly to understand the mindset going forwards - i.e. where I should be driving to. 2. It occurred to me in the post-mortem that bidding 3♥ here can "never cost". 3♥ seems right if you're trying to get to 3NT, but if you're trying to decide between 5♣ and 6♣ is it still always the right first step? 3. Are these right? Responses to 3♥: - 3♠ - Denies a spade stopper. 2254 or (13)54. - 3NT - Spade stopper. Likely 3154, or AK or AQ doubleton in ♠ (or can I get away with less in spades? maybe Ax, but not Kx or Qx since I'd be dummy....) - 4♣ - my hand is not suitable for NT. Guessing at least 5/5 in the minors. (is this my bid with Ax x AKxxx AKxxx?) - 4♦ - unsuitable for NT, at least 6/4 in the minors? - 5♣, 5♦ - stronger than the 4 level? 4. 1♦ - 1NT 3♣ - 3♥ 3♠ - 3NT Assuming I'm not already totally lost, is 3NT offer to play with a partial stopper - i.e. Qx, Jxx? 5. After 3NT, 4♣ is a slam try, correct? Forcing to 5♣, shows a better than than an immediate 4♣ or 5♣ (over 3♣) would have? 6. Is this even possible? 1♦ - 1NT 3♣ - 3♥ 3NT - 5♣ A slam offer with weak but long clubs? Or not really possible? 7. Last, but not least, in Justin's auction 4♦ - first or second round control 4♥ - first (or second?) round control (already showed a stopper, so maybe this is ace?) 6♣ - I admit, I have trouble picturing this bid. Are you basically counting on A♥, king or queen of ♣, 5+ clubs, and a short pointed suit in dummy? ... Thanks in advance. This whole minor game vs nt game vs slam auction is something I'm not as strong on as I'd like to be, and I haven't been able to find the answers I'm looking for elsewhere.

It's a bit of a flooded market, I'm afraid. :)

Am I to understand that the point of this is that the President has a mandated responsibility for defense, but not for healthcare? That the President addressing the defense of American lives from foreign threats is in his job description, but that addressing affordable healthcare is not? If so, is this a valid constitutional argument? Even if it is, does the President have no mandate to amend priorities, even the constitution, if he feels that it is warranted? I'm a foreigner, and don't know, so I'm asking.

Not sure I could think of a painting. As for photographs, though, I do have a clear favourite. http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/0610/newrings_cassini.jpg

totally misread the auction. 5 bids on one line threw me off. Change a B/I double to B/I 5♠

I am far from a great player, but two years ago I would have at least considered the possibility that you were void. Today, on a good day, I'd start assessing what the possibility of you being void means for our chances on defense (and visualizing from there). Given that there are thousands of players better than me around, you'll do better by moving on. I agree with the general points about barometer, but nothing can save you from an obnoxious partner.

One line would be to try to ruff 2 diamonds, while hoping for normalish off-suit splits. The upside of doing this is I take advantage of my outstanding spade spots. Win, A♥, concede a ♥. Trump return probably the worst. Win with ace. Cash the AK♣ now. I could wait until after my cross-ruff, but I don't want anyone throwing ♣s away under my ♥s. Ruff a ♥. A♦, ruff a ♦. Ruff another ♥. Now lose my ♣ trick. Maybe on a good day, trumps split so badly that the winner can't return a trump. Or maybe the queen fell already. Is this the best line? Dunno.

Wow. Not very much here that's concrete. I will say that entries to dummy are going to be hard to come by. In fact, if RHO has the A♦, it's just possible that the A♥ will be my only entry. Win the A♥ - can't see anything to be gained by ducking. I like low to the J♣ at trick 2, then low club at 3 if it holds. If the A♣ is on my right, I'm protected from a diamond switch. If it's on my left, I'll promote an extra club winner. If LHO wins and returns a ♦, it's decision time. Would LHO pass over 2♠ with KQ♥, A♦, A♣? Otoh, would he lead low from Q♦, knowing that he might be giving away a ♦ trick that I'm not entitled to? I think if LHO pushes a ♦ my way, I'll rise with the King. All of which is to say that I don't think that I grok this hand at all.

Naturally. Still, FIFA seem to want the world cup berths to spread the game to a wider audience. Having countries like New Zealand in can only help. As an aside, New Zealand might have been my favourite side at the juniors (U20?) held a few years ago in Canada. I'll definitely be pulling for them in South Africa.

Congrats to NZ. That said, the qualifying system needs to change. I think both Costa Rica and Uruguay are better than NZ/Bahrain, not to mention that some of the second place African teams are probably much better as well. Oceania vs first loser in Asia just seems like it won't guarantee a world-cup calibre team.

Probably 3♦. Red, given my awful shape, I might sometimes only bid 2♦ I guess.

Hey I recognize this hand!

Really? Man, if this article was written by an anti-vax, please warn me up front so that I can avoid reading it. I'll take published scientific findings over intenet hoopla any day.