Left2Right

The reason you were uncomfortable on hand one was that no one has given you the advantage of knowing The Captain's Rule; it's a mandatory ingredient for understanding all bidding sequences no matter which major system you play. Try my visual tutorial on it at Captain's Hat.

Two points. Point 1. There's an important and little discussed mathematical reason that one must not extrapolate the 4-4 vs 5-3 preference: For each and every additional card you posses in an auxiliary suit, the chances of an adverse ruff on either the opening lead or second round increase exponentially. See SuitSplits and scroll down through the fits greater than 7. Keep an eye on the line that shows a void on the right. From .05 to .11 to .24 (rounded), the chances balloon. It really is better to have the fatter suit be trump. Point 2. If you are a 2/1 player, convention requires you to support on 4 pieces as a priority. When you do not, that wonderful concept called Negative Inference informs partner that you have fewer. This dovetails with the concept of SupportPoints where partner may mis-evaluate his hand when you don't support and could have.

Owen: Like me, you may find that the highest hurdle of a new structure is getting partners on board and comfortable. Try a BBO bidding table and this constraint file: 1NT_All_Cases This recently updated constraint allows designers like us to turn specific cases on and off easily, including the NT range and whether to force the 1NT bidder to have a 5-card major. Yes, one of the jillion interesting combination of hands is a 1NTer with a good 5-card major and a responder who has a minor suit transfer or relay in mind. P.S. In fleshing out the whole thing, you might want to compare LeewaySequences based on Leeway -- not as my sales pitch, but as a mode for thinking the structure through all the way. Those follow-on rounds of bidding can be a real showstopper.

One of the main purposes of all shortness showing bids is to induce partner to evaluate his hand for duplication. Without this insight, partner can't know what his hand is truly worth; so how can he be expected to know how best to continue? If you have any doubt about just how important this is, try my constraint file that produces such hands. See DOVconstraint Don't forget to use the switch: aStiffHonor = 1 induces a singleton A or K, aStiffHonor = 0 allows any old singleton. When you look at these practice hands, devalue all honors in the partnering hand to zero other than an ace. See how accurately this affects partner's valuations. You'll also learn the Sad Song of Duplication: "Oh woe is me; if only the X of Y were the A of B." This is where you can envision how much better the hand would play if those face cards that are opposite the shortness were in some other suit.

Consider two hands from the Advancer's perspective (shown below as south). Notice the difference between Hand A: http://tinyurl.com/j9g6ohg and Hand B: http://tinyurl.com/zkf45gt Both hands plausibly start with the same three calls. Hand A easily makes six diamonds; Hand B needs to find 3NT. The key is South's shortness showing bid. One of the principal points of shortness showing bids is to allow the other partner to diagnose Duplication of Value. For auctions on a minor suit pathway, these shortness showing bids are designed not to exceed 3NT. These two hands really underscore why.

One of the principal reasons you will never see me in a BBO tournament is this outdated policy. I have played in a BBO individual where one player will get into a problematic auction, wend his way deliberately into an obviously bizarre 7NT (doubled by my inexperienced partner). The cheater will play a few tricks of the hand and halt play, knowing that when he runs out the clock, the BBO software will give him an average. And yes, this has happened more than once. When you complain to abuse, you will get no satisfaction because the results are completely hidden. When Norway's Boye Brogeland discovered secret signals, he took the matter public and forced the powers that be to take action; action that was publicly announced because of the pressure. Many of us know of this problem and the resulting expulsions (and yes the action is ongoing). BBO needs to take the hint and modernize. In the meantime, we can vote with our feet on this policy. There are plenty of other ways to enjoy bridge.

The late Barry Crane is quoted as saying "Two diamonds is always the wrong contract... for one side or the other." You or the opponents have a NT or major suit contract available or they are letting you wallow in a part score when you have some game available. This is probably part of the impetus to abandon the final two diamond contract in favor of something more lucrative.

A special congrats to Fred, Uday and company for recreating this wonderful blast from the past. Here's a partial screen capture of the new v48 BBO screen motif. http://www.charlesandgerry.com/bridge/graphics/origBBO48.jpg Now compare this to a scan I just took from my stash of phone company IBM punch cards (circa 1969). Yes, we from that era loved to write and draw on the back of these cards, so why shouldn't Fred. 8-) http://www.charlesandgerry.com/bridge/graphics/blueMMU.jpg P.S. The phone company computer spat out this MMU card when the switching office machinery got the call record wrong. An accounting lady with an eye shade would review the card and submit a corrected one so you could be properly billed. P.P.S. For those born after 1980, refer to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punched_card

Bill: You are not alone. A couple of years ago I wrote via e-mail to a lady player of international repute (one of those with a BBO star by her name) asking how she and her best partner, another star-boaster, would approach exactly this challenge. To my great surprise, she replied that the two of them had not even discussed it, let alone reached an agreement. (They have now.) In honor of this common problem, I have added yet one more BBO constraint file to my public stash so you can test whichever method you have in mind. You'll find it at http://www.charlesandgerry.com/bridge/constraints.html (SCROLL DOWN on the page.)

To test out the advice you're choosing on this topic, try my BBO constraint file. Scroll down to find "Escape 1NT doubled" at http://www.charlesandgerry.com/bridge/constraints.html The constraint is oriented toward you South or North being doubled, but you can just as easily sit East or West and see the pattern of success unfold or perhaps the reverse. 8-) Charles A. Lee Left2Right on BBO

1,000 is a lot. 8-) Let's hope it wasn't our disparate views that lead you from pillar to post.

Funny you should ask: This is the hand that my new BBO constraint file allows you and you partners to test. See http://www.charlesandgerry.com/bridge/constraints.html Instructions on how to use constraint files at the BBO bidding or Teaching tables are on this page. One must scroll down the page to get to the library of constraints. Do keep in mind that your bidding solution, whatever it is, will need to work opposite wonderful hands as well as the mangy ones. Charles A. Lee

ALERT: The new address for my library of constraints is http://www.charlesandgerry.com/bridge/constraints.html Charles A. Lee

Read the alert text from a screen shot I saved on 12/28, just couple of days before New Years Eve. I presume the robot South is fessing up that he's been drinking? :D http://www.candgusa.com/bridge/graphics/BotsBarBid.jpg Charles A. Lee Left2Right on BBO

Some have complained that the alert text pop-ups in the Web BBO obscure other bids. True. See for example http://www.candgusa.com/bridge/graphics/ObliteratesBids.jpg Howz about redesigning something similar to the original BBO that doesn't do this? For example: http://www.candgusa.com/bridge/graphics/DoesntObliterateBids.jpg Each temporary alert graphic could appear clockwise "to the right of" the alerter. As in the example shown, South's bid is shown in the southeast quadrant; West's alerts would appear in the the currently unused southwest quadrant. The yellow connector line with black border helps tie the text to a particular call; and like the current BBO behavior, only one alert at a time need be shown. My testing has revealed a 39 character limit to the self-alert text that one can type. For illustration, both of the examples in the linked graphics above are right at this limit. Cheers. Charles A. Lee Left2Right on BBO

FD File Format: Defensive Carding Record This record, near the end of the file, stores your defensive lead and signal choices. Rather than list all of the positions and their possible values, let’s boil it down to a few rules. The first character is a percent sign (%); it identifies this record type. The next 58 positions are letters of the alphabet that represent ordinal answers to the 58 questions the FD editor quizzes you about on your leads and signals, such as: Qxx which of those do you lead? If you check the third character, the FD editor circles the third character and stashes a “C” in that position of the Defensive Carding Record. Although for some positions, A means uncircled and B means first card circled. Positions 60 and onward are free text that will appear in the “Defensive Carding Summary” box. Use this box to alert the opposition to agreements not revealed by the individual card choices, such as “We use Lavinthal and Reverse Smith Echo.” A pair a backslashes will cause a line break. If you stick more than one DC record in the file, the last one wins, the others are ignored and you won’t get an error opening the file. Except for position 1 (the record identifier), you won’t get “error opening the file” when you use a value that is inappropriate for the position. You just get a blank or other invalid display. In the free text, if you fail to use spaces in between words, you get no line wrap and FD treats the whole thing as single word that vanishes off the right side of the screen after about the first 55 characters.

FD File Format: Field 6: "Free Text" (bidding records only) The remainder of a bidding record can contain most any text one wishes to use. Nevertheless, there are some rules, cautions and guidelines. To display a suit symbol, key an exclamation point followed by the letter s h d or c. 6+!d yields 6+♦ To display an exclamation point, key two of them. Example: 001HP2CP2SP3DP4CP4DP5H=YYNNNNYE08 Should be no such call!! Be as clear and revealing as needed, but use text sparingly. Reason: in the Web version of BBO, the entire alert text appears in the auction block, anchored to the alerted bid, overlaying everything. This can block out some of the other bids until the next call is made. Avoid duplication (Bridge players know that’s not good). Example: 001D=NNNNNNN34813+ / 4+!D / Usually open 1!D with 4-4 in minors except 1444 The clarification that starts with “Usually” is not available via the automated fields. But the “/ 4+!D” comment duplicates FD’s automatic display of that same info generated via the Suit Length field (positions 14 and 15 in this record). I didn’t bother to find the absolute maximum size allowed for a bidding record. Reason: After trying a record with 300 characters, I decided that the capacity is way more than enough to reasonably explain just about anything your opponents would need to know or care about.

FD File Format: Field 6: "Suit Length" (bidding records only) This two-position field is present for suit bids only, not for NT bids. When present, both positions must be numbers, otherwise you get “error opening the file.” Think of this field as “x to y” where x is the shortest suit the bid can indicate and y is the longest. An “8” in the y position causes FD to display a plus sign rather than a number. So no, you are not allowed to promise an 11-card suit. :) Examples. Code Yields --------------- 45 4 – 5 48 4+ 37 3 – 7 To build its display, FD uses this field plus the suit portion of the actual bid field to form the alert of suit length promised. For example, in the following record, the “55” following the NN4 causes FD to display “5-5H” meaning that the bid promises a five card heart suit exactly (not more, not fewer). If you change the “55” to “58” it would display as “5+” meaning “five or more” hearts. 001NP2CP2DP2H=NNNNNNN4557-9 / 5!H / 4!S / Invites game in 3NT or 4!H IMPORTANT: One of the easiest error inducing mistakes to make is to copy a NT bid record and make a suit bid out of it. Reason. There is no “length” in a NT bid record, so the commentary field that follows it is moved one field to the left when the suit length field is omitted. Since the commentary field can be anything, it can become junk code when you change a NT bid to a suit bid a forget to add the suit length field back in.

FD File Format: Field 5: "Force Strength" (bidding records only) This one position code induces FD to display a particular word near the upper left of the alert box in the BBO executable and displays as the first word of the text of an alert in the web version. This field follows Field 4 (The YYNN sequence) and will be interpreted as shown below. Entering any code other than the ones shown below yields “error opening the file.” Code: meaning 1: Signoff 2: non-forcing 3: Constructive 4: Invitational 5: Forcing 6: Forcing To Game 7: Slam Try 8: Control Bid 9: preemptive A: Transfer B: Puppet C: Relay D: Asking Bid E: Asking Bid Response

FD File Format: Field 4: "The YYNN Sequence" (bidding records only) I call this Field 4 rather than position 4 because the field that precedes it (The Bid Sequence) varies in size. Rules. The YYNN construct must always be coded just after the Bid Sequence. It must be exactly 7 letters, each of which must be either a Y or an N. Y is an on switch, N is an off switch. Position and meaning. (for 2 thru 7, think of a Yes or No answer.) 1: N for natural bid. Y for artificial bid 2: Is a final contract in ♣ possible? (by convention) 3: Is a final contract in ♦ possible? 4: Is a final contract in ♥ possible? 5: Is a final contract in ♠ possible? 6: Is a final contract in NT possible? 7: Is the bid defense oriented (a penalty double, for example) Think of 7 this way: a bid such as a preemptive weak 3 opening is the antithesis of wanting to defend, thus an N in position 7 is appropriate. However, a forcing bid in response to partner’s ordinary 1 of a suit opener does not preclude becoming a defender later, thus a Y in 7.

FD File Format: position 3+ "The Bid Sequence" (bidding records only) This code sequence must end with the bid on which the alert is intended to pop up and must be preceded by all of the bids in the sequence that lead up to it. And yes, the opponents' place-holder passes must be included. Indicate the end of the sequence with an equal sign. Example: 001CP1D=NNNNNNN5486+ $ 4+!D May have a 4 card major 001CP1DP1N=NNNNNNN2MIN (12-14) No 4 card major The first record causes a pop-up reading "May have a 4 card major" when the responder bids one diamond in the sequence 1♣, pass, 1♦. The second record causes a pop-up reading "No 4 card major" when the opener rebids one notrump in the sequence, 1♣, pass, 1♦, pass, 1NT. Note that the second record does not piggyback on the first. Each is its own complete sequence. So yes, a long set of variable choices that start off the same can lead to a large block of similar looking records such as this. 001NDR=NNNNNNN8+ HCP / Usually balanced / Penalty oriented 001ND2C=YNNNNNND08STAYMAN / 8+ / Asks for 4+ card major / 001ND2CP2D=YNNNNNNE28No 4+ card major / Any strength 001ND2CP2DP2H=NNNNNNN4558-9 / 5!H / 4!S / Invites game in 3NT or 4!H / Non-forcing 001ND2CP2DP2S=NNNNNNN4558-9 / 5!S / 4!H / Invites game in 3NT or 4!S / Non-forcing 001ND2CP2DP2N=NNNNNNN48-9 / Invites 3NT / Non-forcing The codes in this field are as follows P pass D double R redouble 1C one club 1D one diamond 1H one heart 1S one spade 1N one notrump (not "NT" !) 2C two clubs ...etc

FD File Format: position 2 (bidding records only) For bid sequence records, the second position indicates the vulnerability that must exist for the alert to pop up. If you use a code not listed here, you get an error opening the file. Example: 462S=NYYYYYY06813+ 4th seat vul full opener of two !s The sample record above applies to a 4th seat opening of 2♠ only (a 4 in pos 1); and even then will pop up only when we are vul regardless of whether or not they are vul (the 6 in position 2). Position 2 Codes 0: vulnerability doesn't matter 1: only when none are vul 2: only when we are vul and they are not 3: only when they are vul and we are not 4: only when both are vul 5: we are non-vul, they don't matter 6: we are vul, they don't matter 7: they are non-vul, our vul doesn't matter 8: they are vul, our vul doesn't matter

FD File Format: position 1 (bidding records only) For bid sequence records, the first position indicates the seat position. Use the codes below to devise pop-ups that apply only in certain seat positions. If you use a code not listed here, you get an error opening the file. Example: 001C=NNNNNNN33813+ | 3+!C | Usually open 1!C with 3-3 in minors; 1!D with 4-4 except 1444 In the sample record above, position 1 containing a zero means that it matters not which seat you are in when you (or partner) is the first at the table to make a non-pass. If you say 1♣ "1C", this is the alert record that will cause the pop up. Pos. 1 Codes 0: any seat 1: 1st seat only 2: 2nd seat only 3: 3rd seat only 4: 4th seat only 5: seats 1 and 2 6: seats 3 and 4 *: an asterisk in this position refers to an auction opened by your opponents.

For the most daring and picky disclosers, it is possible to edit an FD file (xxx.bss) in any text editor. ALERT! *Always* make a backup copy of your most current valid bss file *before* making the slightest change. Reason: FD yields only one vanilla error message no matter what mistake you make or however many, and won't indicate which record(s) it croaked on. In subsequent posts, I will be documenting the file format of the FD (.bss) file. In other words, which positions mean what and the valid codes for each. (So far as I have discovered them.) Cheers. -- Charles A. Lee

FYI: If you are the daring type, you can bring up the FD file in a text editor, scroll to the bottom, and manually key the following record into it. +convention_jacoby2nt.bss This tells FD to include the file named "convention_jacoby2nt.bss" from the /conventions/ folder. In this way it is at least conceivable to modularize your entire system. ALERT: *Always* make a backup copy of the card you are about to work on. Reason: FD yields only one vanilla error message no matter what mistake you make and no matter how many or where. -- Charles A. Lee