peachy

The good thing about J2NT GF for your mentees is that it is commonly played by other same level players and it is part of SAYC, a common online and club system [if you call it a system, I guess]. Showing shortness on 3-level is mandatory in J2NT even with minimums, unless showing 5-5 on the 4-level - which of course also has shortness - when both suits are good. Even with its faults, J2NT is still better than old Goren GF raise 1S-3S.

The opponents are allowed to see the declarer's remaining cards if they, or one of them, has a reason to see them. The "reason" does not have to be "I want to verify that you haven't revoked". Some softhearted person might not even want to express that reason because it could well be perceived as accusatory. Just call the TD, explain what happened and say you have a reason to see declarer's hand. Alternatively, to get around it, ask partner to show his hand so you see yours, partner's and the dummy's hand and the remainder is then declarer's. Or is it allowed to ask partner to show his hand after declarer concedes? I'm not clear on the law about that. Another place where it would be easy to add a few simple words to the law, that at concession or claim, everyone (or at least the person who conceded or claimed) places his remaining cards face up on the table at the time the claim or concession statement is made.

The NOS triumph because declarer made a mistake. The Law is crystal clear, not sure what litigators you are talking about. If you prefer the law said something different, there is a forum for that. But unless and until there is a different law, the TD is obligated to rule in accordance with the EXISTING laws and specifically not allowed to modify or waive legal penalty or rectification when one is clearly defined, even if it seems to be overly advantageous or disadvantageous to either side.

The lead of diamond from dummy (the wrong hand) was accepted. The diamond lead will be ruled to stand. It does not matter what declarer's last card was. Unfortunate for declarer, but the Laws do not protect us from our mental lapses or senior moments and I should hope they never will. Some might not "approve" [from the standpoint of their moral values] of the acceptance of the diamond lead, but it is legal to accept a lead from the wrong hand so there is nothing wrong in doing so. Bit off topic: I also think the laws/rulings should generally never consider the intention (or purpose for an infraction or for any other action) because that requires a TD to be a mind reader. It is enough to deal with the actual facts. In the posted case the facts are not in dispute so the ruling is easy.

Good trumps, no wasted diamonds, it is IMPs, we are vul. In this auction, I don't expect diamond wastage with partner either, so he has his max LR values in the other three suits.

1S call planted the seeds for a problem auction. And the seeds grew well :lol:

(1C) 1S (Dbl) 4H My lefty GIB was dealer. I bid 4H, explanation for the bid is 1- H, 3+ S, 22+ points Robot passed 4H.

Let us first figure why opener chose 2H, instead of Dbl, 1NT, or 2S. The answer appears that his hand is too distributional, 6-5 probable and 2-4-6-1 or more extreme not out of the picture. I don't like Lebensohl on by passed hand (twice passed here) and in competition. This is logically one of the rare exceptions to the rule that 2NT in competition cannot be natural. It should be natural here, unless you have already agreed 2NT is always Lebensohl after reverse, passed/unpassed and with/without competition.

Wow, What is so awful about it?

Depends on whether that is GIBs "system" or, the explanation is in error. I wasn't even sure GIB wasn't passing 3H...if it thought that cuebid is the only force after takeout double. So many weird things with it happening lately, or maybe I just have been playing more with GIBs and the odds are on that I see bugs or weird things more....

I am sure all will open 1H. Rebid a GF 3C. The hearts are inadequate for a 4H rebid. No other rebid choices even come to mind.

GIB explanation* makes no sense. In the following auction, my 4H bid was explained as 4+ clubs, 4- hearts, 2- spades, probable two stops in h. The 3C** bid was explained as twice rebiddable clubs. Not sure how, or if, I confused the robot. GIB1 Me GIB2 GIB3 1S Dbl P 3C** P 4H* P 5C P 5S P 6C grazillion down My hand AJ-AQ10xxxxx-Ax-x (pretty sure this was it) My GIB's hand x-Kxx-10xxx-KJxxx Anyway, GIB needs to learn that 4H in the given auction shows long strong hearts and a hand too good to make simple overcall. Fixable bug?

Slow players can learn to be fast if there is incentive for them to do so, external or internal. If not, they do their thinking and playing in the tempo they are comfortable with. I play fast because I trust my instinct a lot. I also like fast playing opponents. Also, I tend to be susceptible to the Sominex coup, get irritated waiting for "nothing" - and state of irritated mind is not good for bridge... But that is my own problem, I should be able to not get irritated by slowness (or by the other stuff that I allow to interfere with my peace of mind...).

Can't pass a forcing bid although sorely tempted... I would bid 3H, might not even be a suit just stopper. Have partner bid 3NT if he has spades stopped properly. 3S by me sounds too strong.

Maybe someone could go through the trouble and set up another forum indy?

[hv=d=w&n=shq86542dq8caq654&s=sq10982haj9dack1092]133|200|Other two GIBs passed throughout. 1H-1S 2C-4D P[/hv] I scrolled over the explanation of the 4D bid before I made it and the explanation was that it was splinter [ie. 1- D, 4+S etc etc].

It will never work, trying to control the crowd, because there are idjets among us who couldn't care less or don't even understand they are annoying. I would much rather have an idjet leave immediately rather than force him to stay for any length of time. The oft-repeated solution is to play with friends or people with whom you have had a nice time in the past. Mark a person enemy when he/she misbehaves and don't join such a table or allow them to join yours. PS. About third of the names I see in my Lobby list are black.... maybe more should be.

I didn't mean to bother you at all. I expressed my opinion about this style. Exchanging opinions on internet forum = good thing. Perhaps I did not express myself clearly enough...

There are two potential grounds for adjustment, if there was damage: MI by EW and potential use of UI in defending. First, I would like to find evidence what EW actual agreement is, not just he said/she type. If I believe the agreement was "strong NT" or "no agreement" then MI, then routine what was the damage caused by the MI, and if damage, adjust. If I believe the agreement was the other suits, no adjustment, it was a misbid. The Sandwich NT may well be on its way to becoming Guess-them II... Second, EW should be told to wait until hand is over to tell about their mixup. If it appears the UI was used, adjust. Well, unless some MI adjustment was already made. From the point of law, this isn't all that simple, or is it? Third, somebody should have called TD when E explained the mixup. Or maybe this should have been ruled first. Grrrr....the joys of TD'ing at the club.

Ruling is correct. The laws do not protect us from our mental lapses. Dummy is not allowed to assist declarer, ask, verify, question, react, or delay, when the designation of a card was clearly heard.

4C was to play so opener is not looking to improve the contract with a singleton, he is looking for game (but why...???). Perhaps he has the perfect cards for 5C unless responder is willing to settle in 4S opposite five card suit with opener.

I guess it depends where you live. Bidding 2♦ with 4 diamonds where I live is considered basically a semi psych. Also just because something is "amateur standard" doesn't mean it makes much sense (I am yet to see world class pair bidding 2/1 with 4carder and I saw quite a few hands). It does depend where you live. It does not bother me at all when someone like you calls the common Western US style "amateur standard".

Dbl over 1D; 1H over 1C. I would not criticize much if 1H over either, but I like Dbl better on the 1D.

2H, "lower for lower", limit raise or better in clubs. Admittedly pretty minimum so 3C is a close second choice. Dbl would be interested in defending something but this hand IMO is not suited for that, not yet.

I bid 2S, which is the default minimum in my methods when one unbid suit is not stopped. New suit on the three level shows a better hand than this. Even if default minimum was agreed as 2NT, I would still bid 2S for lack of better bid - 2NT would be misleading on shape and 3C misleading on general strength.