bill1157

which was the expert?

what if you just open 3,4,or5♦ and save over 5 of a major? Bill

for the expert, pass makes the most sense, but for the B/I either 1NT or 2♥ is better: you are more likely to score well declaring the hand than possibly misdefending. Bill

you are talking about 1♦-1M/2N?

the 1♠ overcall is ok, but now just bid 4♠. 3NT is out because of the opposing club bidding, no good way to get to 4♥ if it is right anyway. I think the club bidding makes your likelyhood of making game much better (i.e. pd has a doubleton club or singleton). Bill

what does this sequence show in precision? And if it shows long diamonds, what does 1♦-1M-2♦ show? (and what about 1♦-1M/3♣?) Bill

hope the robots don't know about this, because I have been very rude to them at times! Bill

but might that not suggest 2nd round control in ♦ and ask for trump quality? I think pass at this point (partner having bid 4♠) is right. On these forums you see so many ATB cue bidding sequences where neither partner will let it drop and they end up too high, even after it is clear that slam is unlikely. Here you might even be held to 4 if pd also has 3♦'s Bill

3NT should be making here with partner having a long club suit. Bill

For a beginner, 3N is the best practical bid. You are going to confuse your partner if you start bidding 3 card suits and suits in which you don't have anything. Bill

REPEAT!!!... PARTNER FORGOT TO BID 2♦!!!!!!! Maybe 2♦ is so obvious nobody can see it! Bill

"Bridge behind Bars" by Pottage and Smith is outstanding. In the genre of the Bridge in the menagerie series but much, much better. Bill

shape is 2=3=1=7 Bill

I can see the rationale for the 4th suit being relatively natural, i.e. showing something in the suit as opposed to asking about the suit. Probably a better treatment for most partnerships. Bill

I play weak 2 bids as 5 card+ suit, 6-12 hcp with 1 partner. The directors in the local clubs want us to alert the bid when we do it. Is this appropriate? Bill

try playing with the robots some. I do this to get play practice and it is quite stress free. Robot tournaments are also nice. You get experience without having to be humiliated in front of a partner. Bill

what if you only opened 1NT when the singleton was a high honor (Q or better) and knocked out the 10 pt hands (subtract a point for the singleton honor) would that be sufficiently rare to work under the ACBL rules? Bill

But opener could bid a natural suit at the 6 level as a suggested slam? Bill

I think it is reasonable to open 2♥ third seat with this hand. A "heavy" preempt can be very effective opposite a passed hand. Bill

It is very hard to see a hand that partner could have, where pulling the double to 2♠ could make sense. Why doesn't (s)he pass and lead a spade if 4-6 or 5-6? Bill

You couldn't say whether the defenders had a wire on the hand based on 1 deal, you would have to see a pattern of brilliant leads that don't turn out wrong once in a while to suspect something funny. Bill

Somewhat related, I would like to have acbl points awarded for robot matchpoint games: what a wonderful event. Bill

I think you should move (i.e. bid 3♥). But originally, i would open 1 NT. Bill

is there no one in favor of opening 1♥ with this hand except me? Bill

I guess you could look at it like the take-out X. It usually shows 4 cards in the other major, but not always. Bill