bearmum

LOL --- mine too (especially when the answers are according to BBO Adv ) :( :unsure: BUT it doesn't stop me attempting to get them right :)

Pass :( :unsure:

This is ridiculous I must say. I want to vote, but I dont want my score to be posted. ITA :) I will participate even though I get most of them wrong, and really enjoy reading the threads later -- Appreciation to Ben and Elianna for their work :) BTw maybe I missed it but do the panel [through Elianna] award points (for the bids made by the PANEL only) eg 2♥ =100 2NT =80 something else =x as they do in several bridge magazines?

I personally think that in THIS case your hearts are a little weak for the 2NT overcall ( points ok but I prefer to have more or less equal strength -- just MY opinion ) So I would overcall 2♦ :o (I mean 1♦) Having said that I think your partner either 1. was away with the fairies bidding 3♠ 2. More likely misclicked and really meant to bid 3♦ :blink:

I was surprised to be told by a director who I respect that rushing through the hand to try to gain from the opps tempo is against the laws of the game. AN ASIDE to the discussion re Tenerife but germaine to the above quote I think) A few years ago I was playing in a Regional level teams event here in Australia and playing against a couple who (unknown to us) were well known for trying everything to put their opps off their game. After a bidding disaster (using bidding slips) on hand 1 (where due to bid out of turn they missed a COLD vul slam-- which our teammates bid) they were naturally upset, and in hand 4 asked my partner to "ask your partner to play in tempo or I will call the director!" My partner called "DIRECTOR PLEASE" and after discussion with him I was asked to endeavour to "play in tempo" , so I replied "OK I will count to 3 before making ANY bid or play" -- and did so (silently of course) for the rest of the hands -- which ended putting the opps off, and we won the match 25/0 VP. Now it looks as though what I did is against the laws :P and I only did it because I as SO annoyed at the "cheating" accusation :blink: :o

PENALTY If the HAS to force me to bid (seems unlikely with opener having so many points then he needs to Q bid ♣ (IN+MHO)

Would have been interested to see VUL as well as the cards as this can make a difference to the bids I voted for 2♣ as it's possible partner is stretching HIS requirements for the X ;) Would also only bid 2♣ if NOT a passed hand

I will lead a ♥ (in case opener has a VOID spade ) and hope partner will forgive me for not leading a ♠ ;)

1. 1st one STUPID!! -- N figures ONLY to have a premptive 4♠ raise ONLY AND if he doesnt X the 5♥ MAYBE the opps don't find the COLD slam :ph34r: THE others SUICIDAL !! 2. 1st XX good - 2nd greedy :lol: as INVITES 6♠ sac from opp who already took 5♥XX out {see comment 6 below} 3. GREAT as he figures 5♥XX will make (better score than 6♥ bid and made {1600 v 1440} :ph34r: 4. Good because there is an almost cast iron chance that 6♥ is on {considering N pull of 5♥XX } 5. ABSOLUTELY none -- and I would have pulled to 6♠ had I been N :blink: BTW Had I been N I would have immediately BLACKLISTED S as a partner for the next 100 years ( and I am 62 :blink:)

Bareket can not know for certain what Lanzarotti saw or didn't see. Only Lanzarotti can know that. So there is the possibility that Bareket thought that Lanzarotti was looking at his cards when he was not. This is certainly possible assuming that Lanzarotti has limited vision in his left eye as he told the committee. I am not saying that I believe one player and not the other only that it is possible that Lanzarotti was telling the truth and Bareket was legitimately mistaken. In these day of litigation ( We/They said ad infinitum ) the only winners seem to be the lawers :ph34r: :lol: :blink: and in the rarified atmosphere of TOP level bridge it (IMHO) is really difficult to PROVE cheating from just ONE tournament --- because of the 'we say/they say thing' SO Do International Bridge tournaments have to get to the stage that the players have not only be behind screens for bidding BUT also have blinkers on so ALL they can see is the area where the cards are put on the table -- and MAYBE have soundproof earphones too ?? I for one think THAT would be the DEATH of the wonderful game that I have played JOYFULLY ( but not particularily[sp?] successfully) for MORE than 40 years ) It is really a pity :ph34r:

UNLESS I am going crosseyed - and winebefuddled also - WHY in your example would you not pass XX from P (unless XX was rescue me please p-- in which case you bid again ;) ) But also in my winebefuddled state I really believe the original question where the OPENING bid was a 2 suited bid IS different to a 11-22 one opener and when P redoubles I feel (if for no other reason than to keep partnership trust) I am obliged to pass - TRUST your P ( even if occasionally it doesn't work out - is better than occasionally[/color]not trusting gets a good result This is MY personal observation after playing with my husband for ALMOST 40 years :blink: :D AND let's not forget (for most of us ) it is only a game in the "Grand scheme of things" (even if lots of folk disagree lol) which they probably will :lol: :blink: :ph34r: :ph34r:

TRUST your P and pass

I think my hand is just worth NMF bid to see if we have a double major fit :lol:

I voted 3♥ (boring I KNOW :lol: ) but we are vul against non vul -- so I am NOT going to sac against possible 4♠ by opps anyway -- and P has at MOST 7 points

ITA Helene why not lighten up all BBO players?? this site has FREE play (not like others) and if you dont like the conditions of any tourney you dont have to join :ph34r: I just feel grateful that there are so many directors willing to run free tourneys

ITA Mike :angry: Had I been 2nd bidder I would have started with 2♣ though :ph34r:

Absolutely. This player had a 1S overcall. Playing SAYC 2/1 or any system with 5C majors I do not think this hand qualifies for an immediate 1♠ overcall (hindsight is always 20/20 though :lol: ) In this case the "normal" :ph34r: :blink: double went for 800(unfortunate but only 1 board) - shrug your shoulders and go on to next board :angry:

VUL I will pass on bo :D th

I think that what people want is to PLAY against a WC, but only have their scores be judged against other people of their own peer group. Well said :P

sounds good to me - but not being a member of ACBL (since we no longer live in US) and therefore not prepared to pay to play in the ACBL games I would like to ask IF ACBL numbers are a pre-requisite to play in the ACBL events? [and if not why not?] If they are then it surely should be easy to stratify the event ??

I voted (as a joke) for "fake a heart attack or something" :D BUT in real life 1. when I read pard's profile I probably would have preferred NOT to play with him :P (but maybe it's an INDY and I had no choice?) 2. assuming that I am stuck for bid I will choose 4♦ and hope he has a BIG (like 18+) hand with both majors and we somehow get to the right contract :) :)

IMO the reason NOT to open 2NT is you don't have the points to do so :P NT openers ( no matter what point count you apply to them) normally have a 2 [or sometimes3] point spread , and that should make it easier for your partner to attemp to place the comtract at the right strain AND level The point about the names is not relevant to the discussion :P

Open 1♠ over 4♥ bid 4♠

in my partnership is NF :blink:

6♠ NOT ever 5♥ :rolleyes: