BunnyGo

Wow...how'd you bid it?

What Marlow said. Competitive vs Inv. values roughly (5- bad 8) and (good 8-12)

Luckily it's all typed out for you :) Sadly, I wasn't going to be able to give a much better answer than Codo. I would expect it to show good constructive to limit values--something like 8+ to 12 HCP ish, but I don't know what's "standard".

The forum selection was on my advice. I thought this was the most appropriate of the places to post it; I may have been wrong, but I agreed with Phil and expected most posters to as well. Phil was of course correct in sussing diana's plan of posting the same hand from different viewpoints in different places. I'll let her tell the final story though.

I don't know what system GIB plays here, but I would interpret 5♠ as a grand slam try.

The default for the site is: 2 weeks for first move 1 week all subsequent moves three season year (spring, fall, build) and retreats are part of your orders, no extra turn for retreats. All players are able to toggle for early moves when ready. The site also allows for full control if we wanted different turn lengths, or just to delay one particular turn due to travel or something.

This was amusing for a while. Your suggestion in another post that people should try to "change your mind because you call them like you see them but are flexible" (paraphrased not quoted) tempted me to try one last kindness to get you to seem like less of a blowhard to the forums. I surrender. I leave you with these parting thoughts (in increasing order of importance) before I put your nom on ignore. I) Read your posts more carefully as: a) things you've seemed to be saying you later said you didn't and b) things you did explicitly say (even if you intended otherwise) such as "(3) Don't forget that partner balanced, and thus strained to act. " is saying "partner strained to act." Whether you meant "MIGHT have strained to act" it isn't what you wrote, and I take it at face value. II) Posts here try to be more than your standard flame wars internet forum; this tends to be an illuminating place where I get to have (polite) conversations with players of all different levels. You do not seem to be getting the same benefit out of this site that I have. I sincerely hope you reconsider your bombastic posts. Whether or not you think they are too much or not, they've turned me off from wanting to try anymore. III) The final piece of advice is one my father gave me many years ago: there is no skill nor subject where you are the best, there is always someone better. This is not to say there are people who are better than you at everything, but there's always someone better at any one thing. This is a place where better bridge players than I come to talk about bridge. I suggest you try to more quietly listen to them (yes feel free to answer too, but trust me when I say the posters are not trying to learn from you at the moment) because you are not the best bridge player nor bridge theorist in the room. Sincerely, Ben

Sounds like sound reasoning to me. Further, our Aces are (almost) sure tricks on defense, and the king is rather nice. Besides that, our hand doesn't look to be more "offensive" than "defensive" in that we don't have extreme shape, long suits that would be set up on offense, etc.

Ok... AKxx, x, Qxxx, Axxx This is not 'near-maximum' this is simply a solid "traditional shaped" balancing double. This would seem to be nearly ice cold for 4♠ and on a 2-2 spade split, and 3-2 diamond split (and no immediate ruffs) makes 6. So, please tone back the hyperbole, it makes you sound like you don't know what you're talking about--I'm being kind, because you may, but you haven't demonstrated this fact yet. Because responder didn't make a pre-emptive raise? You could be right, and he could be lighter than a full opener to protect us. Don't play bridge scared, especially with a shapely control heavy hand at IMPs. This is why I wouldn't blast 4, but would certainly bid 3. I understand bidding only 2, but I think that one should bring partner in on the joke that we have a really nice hand if he has some spade controls for us. Who said he strained? It's not that he DID strain to act, it's that he is supposed to strain if he has to. He's also supposed to bid this way when he doesn't strain. Furthermore, the Milton point count doesn't do this hand justice. If partner only has 3 spades, and doesn't have spade honors, fine...we'll have to play a bit (but he'll have some compensation somewhere...he's supposed to strain but not be suicidal). Wow...my blood sugar must be low, I agree with something you typed. Thank god, I thought I was sick for a second. This is insane. See hand presented above. Is partner supposed to blast 4 with that hand? Maybe. Are there a ton of hands that don't make 6 on friendly splits but you want to be in game and partner can't blast it over your underbid of 2 (since the hand is probably worth about 2.5 ♠)? YES! I'd suggest that I'm being unfair to somebody who probably has not played a lot of IMPs and mostly plays matchpoints, but the auction you're suggesting of passing partners double and raise is as scared as I've ever seen someone bid. Really? I'd be more likely to turn the cube if partner made forcing bids until we were in 4♠ than congratulate them. If partner can find a 3♥ bid over my 2♠ and then (as you suggested) raise my 3♠ continuation to 4, I'd be more worried about missing 6 than going down, even on bad splits. You must have been sawed off in a lot of contracts. Bidding scared is losing bridge. If partner has the hand you suggested then: a) he's not likely raising my 3♠ to 4 b) He wouldn't be forcing my 2♠ to 4 c) I'm not in terrible shape on lots of lies, leads, and lines I recommend you practice getting to "hopeless" contracts more and seeing if you can bring them home, I think you'll either be surprised and reevaluate your pessimism or find you need practice as a declarer if many of the "hopeless" contracts are makeable but you went down. It is not my style to overcall this hand, but it's not too far off, it has been the style of some of my partnerships, and when Justin says he'd do it, I don't respond, "that's ludicrous", I respond, "huh...let me reconsider..." It doesn't mean I'll overcall on it in the future, but I'll think about the fact that good players are overcalling on it. I recommend you reread the Tips for Forum Newbies again. And please tone back the hyperbole, it makes you sound like you don't know what you're talking about--I'm being kind, because you may, but you haven't demonstrated this fact yet.

What do you play as 2 level responses? I have some preferred systems for weak or strong NT, but the three level responses should fit well with, and thus depend on what you like the 2 level to be. Some options: 1) 2♠ = wk clubs, 2NT = wk diamonds, 3♣/♦ natural and forcing, 3♥ = 55 Majors NF, 3♠ = 55 Majors Forcing 2) Some people play that 3♣ or 3♦ is a puppet stayman, there are nice reasons to do this. 3) Some people play that 3♥/♠ is a splinter showing exactly 3 cards in the other major and 54 in the minors (and GF strength). 4) Some people over weak NT don't play transfers, so that 2♥/♠ is to play, 2NT is a club transfer, 3 clubs is a diamond transfer

Not a stupid question, just a stupid player. :(

If anyone wants to learn, this link has the "quick instructions" on how to play. The site I like to play on is free, and fairly well done. You get to keep your e-mail and other contact information as secret as you want (except from the webmaster). Anyone up for a game?

Out of curiosity (since I know you mentioned this affected one of your previous strongly held opinions) did you recently get sawed off after competing over a preempt in such a situation?

Good points. I'd intended my diamond 9 as suit preference, but could have been clearer with the heart A (and knew I could afford it). Maybe this hand belonged in the B/I defensive series from both sides. Maybe the 9 should have been count in hearts...I'd considered that that was what it "should" mean with agreements, but that wasn't what partner would read it as.

You are playing in a random (free) BBO matchpoint tourney. Your partner is a decent if slightly eccentric player (it's BunnyGo). Red vs White in third seat you hold: A97, 62, K, AKT8742 The auction: 4♥-(P)-P-(X) P-(4♠)-5♥-(5♠) X-All Pass You lead the Ace of Clubs. (if you have comments on the bidding and lead, please feel free to post that too, but the problem as presented requires it to this point). Dummy hits with: KQJ3, 53, AQ6, QJ63 Trick 1: A♣, 3♣, 9♦, 5♣ (UDCA, no other agreements) Now what?

You have friends who don't play bridge?

No, user rating is a 5 star rating on the persons profile. It is in the top right, and each other person can give them a rating out of 5 stars. It has nothing to do with "reputation".

This wasn't a "random BBO" player. It was someone with whom I play occasionally, but have no firm agreements. The bid flummoxed me, and I wasn't sure how I should now respond. I wasn't sure what this would/should be used for in an established partnership either.

I nominate Phil to run in the next election!

I believe matmat had a script (maybe he posted it about a year ago) that would filter out forums he didn't want to see in the "View New Content" button. Matmat, is this correct?

That was going to be my post verbatim!

no

Agreed, turning 27 and 28 while still in grad school made traveling to tournaments hard when there wasn't family or friends in the town who could put me up (thankfully my local club game was $3 a night for all "reasonably young" students and I only played once a week). The junior discounts were sorely missed at larger events though. I was occasionally able to get around this by playing on teams of 5 or 6 with 4 juniors. As they give a max of 4 junior discounts in that scenario anyways, it was still affordable.

Lately I've been enjoying a big bowl of humus with olive oil, garlic, and the local "hot sauce". Side of pita, a pickle, some olives and an onion.

That's not how "LA" is determined. With this hand and this sequence, there isn't anyone I've ever sat down at the table with who would pass 3NT. It's simply not done. Whether we'd rather be in 3NT is another question, but they wouldn't pass--sometimes the best double dummy spot isn't an LA.