bearmum

in a word -- NO :) I do not prempt over a prempt IF I had a good opening bid WITHOUT the ♠ I (at favorable VUL) might venture a X :)

Great post. IMHO the goal of these polls and this forum should be to improve our bridge judgement and entertainment value. The goal is not to get a high score or understand all of the comments by Masters and others. Do you feel you are getting any entertainment value out of this? Do you feel your are improving your bridge judgement at all? If not, then these polls are failing in giving you value. If yes, then hope you stick with us. As an older player trying to come back to bridge I learn much more from my very poor scores (often) then my 100 scores. Any forum where I can discuss Mike Nesmith, Peter Tork, Davey Jones and Mickey Dolenz has entertainment value for me. Again great post. I totally agree --- BUT if the bidding is TOO advanced the 'entertainment' value is impaired and MY 'bridge judgement' is not improved if the answer is dependant on conventions not readily understood by anybody but experts OR long time partnerships. Honestly my score is totally UNIMPORTANT and I do enjoy comments by ALL the experts who give of their time to this terrific site - ALSO appreciate Ben's time to post the quizzes and Elainna's time to collate the answers BUT still don't know if BBO Advanced is the right system if those who put in the time wish LOTS of BBO folk will resopnd to the quizzes :D

MY answer is "none of the above" because the parameters of the question are TOO wide (if playing SAYC or 2/1 especially) The way my P and I play Precision 2 MAJOR is 8-10 6 card suit and NO other 4 C major 2♣ AND 2♦ HAVE A totally DIFFERNT meaning - both SHOW 11-15 (and will be alerted)

ITA Hog for ALL bidding I think your partner should EXPECT you to be reasonably disiplicined in your bidding ( according to the system you play) ---- MAYBE white V red you can relax the requirements a LITTLE ---- BUT if you don't play the system more often than not I think you make the partnership less reliable (and make you PARTNER trust you less when it REALLY matters)

Have JUST found out what 3NT serious " is (thanks to Jilly asking in another thread) but LTTC?? --- that sounds FAR too esoteric for me to even attempt to learn :( I am having enough trouble trying to understand BBO Advanced -- so much so that I probably will stop entering the polls (as I don't think I have a HOPE of getting any answers right and even when I look at the answers a lot of them don't make sense) --- seems to me that are not encouraging anybody except experts to enter. IMHO perhaps it would be an improvement to ask the panel what answers would be if only playing BBO standard as well ??

Well maybe in INDY tourneys BBO "tournament" settings ( for directors I mean) should have maybe a 1 min at start of each round (Before cards are seen ) where a BASIC system can be agreed ( like for example 'SAYC RKCB [or standard BW] HI or LOW enc ) could be agreed BEFORE any cards are dealt?? Same to apply in other tourneys for first round only? But I do agree if there is NO language in common it is a HUGE problem -- to which I have no solution :)

I would probably have bid 1NT (forcing ) over 1♠ -- but that's not what the poll is :) After the bidding above I will bid 5♥ (RKC resopnse for ♣ as I can't see it being anything else ;)

In most of the high level tournaments we broadcast on BBO screens are in use. As far as the alerting procedure goes, it works in exactly the same way as here. Self-alerting is used. You show your screenmate the alert card or put it on the bid to tell him/her that this is not necessarily a natural bid. Then he can ask for a wrtitten explanation if he wishes. Note written, since talk might be too loud. The 2 players on the other side of the screen are not supposed to hear/see the explanation. When the bidding tray comes back to the other side of the screen, the convential bid will be alerted once again by partner. Then his screenmate can ask for a written explanation if he wants to. Our operators during BBO broadcasts are requested to highlight a bid if it is alerted at the table, but they don't always remember. Then our commentators, in most cases, will tell that this and that call are conventional and explain them to the audience (if a system card is available that is). Even if that is not the case, most commentators can spot when a bid doesn't have its natural meaning. The only difference between alerting in real life with screens and on BBO is that when you self-alert here, both oppenents can see that alert. Therefore, partner will not alert too and only explain if asked. Hops this is clear and makes sense. Roland Thank you for explaining the screen system to me -- now it makes sense ;)

As a person who only occasionally watches VuGraph( due to time restraints rather than indifference :) ) may I ask is it OK to pose questions to "chat to kibitzers?" as sometimes I would like to know (for example) what system the players are using (in the vain hope that I might begin to learn some of the other systems out there) The other thing is -- I guess that all the players are using screens and therefore I would find it enlightening to get the "alrets" they have to use at the table (if I understand the way screens operate) AS to a blizzard of "chat" maybe it would be better to have the ability to swithc it on of off

BOTH hands rely on the lay of the cards to get to slam IMHO Hand 1 I think BOTH bid well ---- neither had good D to Q so be happy not in slam :) Hand 2 MAYBE N is worth ONE more try at slam with a 4♠ Q bid but even then SLAM really depends on ALL the cards being right and I as S would REFUSE the invitation by bidding 5♥ :)

2NT mainly because bidding ANYTHING else would be a lie :)

1. X (if penalty) otherwise pass and HOPE P can X ;) 2. PASS 3. 3♣ =good spade support 4. a tough one -- I would probably X and convert 5♣ to 5♦ 5. 3♠ showing 6♠ and less than 3♥(I think ;) ) 6. again I will Pass if the X is penalty bid 5♦ if it's for takeout

Well, to some people who were born after this incident occured, it might be new B) And it would be an interesting thread to read... :P OOOPS - sorry I do tend to forget that I AM 60 + years old -- and have been interested in bridge since my grandmother taught me the "Culbertson-- open a one bid with 2½ tricks support with 1½ and open a STRONG 2 bid with 4( where A was 1 and K was ½ trick) " system I did not mean to upset anyone with my original comment :(

STILL think it's OLD ( liKe 40 YEARS old news) and maybe not relevant here ) :lol:

I have a problem when U post question assuming "2/1 and NOT inverted minors " and THEN later change to "we were playing inverted minors I hd a brain storm " Maens EVERY answer is predicated on a false premise :lol:

Here I would prefer to bid 2♣ (as I understand BBO plus) because I truly believe 1♥ is a total underbid and 4♥ a copout ( because I think it SHOULD show an eight card suit ??) PLEASE correct me if I don't understand BBO +

SO why in the world post this NOW??? It is really OLD ( like at least 20 years old since it was proven to be cheating :ph34r: ) The scandal is I think there are MUCH more sophisticated ways to cheat since 1960"s :blink: :lol: :P and even MORE since then LIKE 70's 80's 90's 00's( :rolleyes: ) BUT by the same token I really believe that ALL Country ACCOCATIONS are trying to catch cheats and hopefully cheats of whatever country will SLOWLY be eliminated :)

I think whatever frequency you decide on is fine and the idea of voting at weekend is great

Hand with cards I lead a ♠ first hand without cards Lead ♠ (dummy's first bid suit) 2nd hand Lead ♦ for same reason 3rd hand Lead ♦ - ONLY unbid suit :blink: :)

Assuming playing SAYC or 2/1 I would play the 3♦ as GF - showing 5/5 good cards in ♠ and♦, :P

NORMAL to open UNLESS red V white (IMHO) and 1♠ or 2♠ I guess depends on partnership agreement -- IF we were white V red I would open 2♠ just to make life difficult for opps ;)

I have a suggestion - MAYBE have polls starting on a SPECIFIC day of the week ---- maybe every week --- every second week --- or maybe the first (say Monday) of the month ?? :D Think the idea of posting in news window terrific idea too BUT 31 for first poll not too bad either ;) I really appreciate the work needed to set up this type of "poll" and feel that if it were a regular start time MAYBE more of teh posters in forum might participate (BTW I was ONE of the 2 who sent answers in too late to be counted -- and received a lovely reply from Elainna ;)

1 about right 2 maybe 3 days (to allow for time differences around the world) Maybe send the probs to panellists 1 day earlier? 3 Frequency ? I guess THAT depends on how the "experts" want to do it :P 4 Separate threads are good IMO Other comment - Perhaps PIN the poll to top of list until too late to vote? I think it's a TERRIFIC idea - and thanks for all those willing to make it run so we can all enjoy participating :D

I may be stupid - but HOW do I put my vote in to Elianna?

1♦ Sure you MAY let opps in to bid some level of spades but i can't justify passing for that reason :lol: