fromageGB

While I have no problem showing the strength of a 5 card major with the use (or not) of Gazzilli, and always open the major in matchpoint scoring, with IMP scoring I prefer the 1NT as the infrequent gains offset the many small losses of an IMP. It's the other way round in matchpoints of course. I think the scoring method is a very important point that is commonly overlooked. Perhaps one of the reasons why most "advanced/expert players open 1NT" (if that is true) is that they tend to play most of their games at IMP scoring.

If you are playing forcing NT, then if you have no 2♣ agreement, an option is 1NT here, keeping 2♦ for 5 cards. One of the advantages is that knowing of a decent 5 card suit opposite can make a difference to a strong opener looking for slam. If you want to put non-natural options into 2♣, a good idea is to have 2♦ as an almost obligatory relay followed by responder clarifying his hand. This could be : 2♥ = 16+ and 4 hearts (<16 starts 1NT) 2♠ = 11/12 3 card support NF. This is the only non-GF option and can be passed, so is safer than having to go 3. 2NT = 16+ 2344 or perhaps a lousy 5 card minor (<16 starts 1NT) 3♣ = natural 2/1, 13+, 5+clubs 3♠ = 13+ 3 card support. After which you use your standard non-serious/cues/etc.

Yes, I have my amplifier turned off because the sound effects annoy me. I use chromium (will the be the same as chrome browser) on a PC.

And not just a (1♦). Our unopposed scheme includes a 1♠ reply as a relay, with balanced or a minor hand, and over any second seat overcall beneath (1NT) it is system on, with double meaning "I would have bid that". NT and minor replies are used to show the other major.

Yes, no invite, just 3NT or not. I use 2NT as compulsory transfer to ♣, and 2♠ asking for 4 card minor, 2NT denial. This is useful if you judge you need 4 card support for a minor slam, and aslo when you have a "weak both minors" takeout. I do play 2NT after failed stayman to play. I think being able to find the major fit when a couple of points lighter than you otherwise would is significant, especially matchpoints against a weak NT field where everyone will be in the major partscore beating you in 1NT.

Or as I play, 12-14, 17/18, 19/20 for 3 ranges. Sounds great to me. Find your fits. If it's your opening, it's probably your hand, so why pre-empt partner?

2/1 GF (by agreement) does not have to be absolutely GF. I and probably many others play that 2♣ may not be, with multiple meanings. My 2♣ followed by 2M shows 11/12 and 3 card support, 2♣ followed by 3M shows 13+ and 3 card support. The Bergen type 3-level support responses are therefore 4 cards or more, and I am convinced this is the better approach than having 3-card support in there.

My partner, using microsoft browser and software, yesterday suffered the same two things as Crujack.

Because you are thinking too long?

Maybe these are "barometer" tournaments?

Well, if you live in Yorkshire I would expect you would know what time it is in Greenwich.

In the chat manager click the saved chat. A window pops up for the send, click OK on that

To be fair, this is not exactly true. If you do play X as transfer, and you wanted a penalty double, the chances are you would also have good cards and long in their suit. If you were not long, you could play in NT. OK, given the sort of hand you want for penalty, the chances are opener is fairly short and few values. You could have an agreement that if he does have such a hand (typically low doubleton) when you pass, he will reopen with a X. You can now pass. Should you not have that hand after his double, it acts as a takeout double, and that could well be the best outcome.

An alternative is to change your lifestyle : rather than lying in bed all morning, you can get up and play bridge :-) Afternoon snoozes have a lot going for them.

If you haven't actually saved the web page, but see it via a saved link as seems likely, then you are seeing it on BBO. This means it may be available by a different route. Use the "my hands" tool : http://www.bridgebase.com/myhands/index.php sign in then enter the date you played. Select "Get hands". You should then see a list of all your hands on that date, and if you do find it there, there is a link to click to download the .lin file.

Presumably your computer is also wifi connected rather than wired. Choose to wire it with ethernet if you have that option. If you are on wifi the same time as your husband is, you are actually getting different strength signals depending on obstacles in the way, or the radiation pattern of the router. If you can load up a signal strength meter on your pad or phone, then that would be the best thing to see if signal strength is a concern. Then move so you are sitting near the router! Another possible cause is if others in your house are using the wifi and the router is set up with a limited number of connections allowed as a security precaution, though this is more unlikely.

AH, got it. Many thanks. Topic closed.

This has been bugging me, too. When looking later at previously played hands I once noticed that my partner failed to alert one of his bids. I gave the correct system reply with no alert. I know this is "correct" in that opponents can call a director if they feel they have been damaged at the end of the hand, but (a) few people would, (b) there is not sufficient time given to look at a hand to even notice it, before the hand is whisked away to be replaced by the next hand, and © it goes against the spirit of the relaxed game it was intended to be. My preference would be swing the other way : allow a self alert for any conventional reply which is not bog-standard, and let opponents call the director for unauthorised information if my partner has failed to alert. An alternative would be to have all the bidding with alerts shown, presented before play, so that players can see it and ask questions, with that display giving way to the opening lead only when every player has pressed OK.

A simple newbie question, but I have not been able to find the answer. When I need to lave a casual table at the end of a hand and chat "must go, thank you all" or whatever, all I seem to be able to do is log off BBO. There must be a way to leave the table while remaining logged on, such as when you have a prearranged game or tournament about to start. I have not noticed it, so how do I do it?

Perhaps a maximum may work better ?

Try it. You don't get a random hand dealt for you, you have to place the cards there yourself. If you can see the hand somewhere, just copy it one card at a time.

I've never played Zirconia, but with a "4+ spades" partner do play 2♦ as 3 card support. This is in conjunction with 2♣ Gazzilli. If you are playing 1NT or 2♣ as Gazzilli then the answer to the first question is surely that 2♦ is limited, because any strong hand is better starting with the strong bid. Without a Gazzilli then of course 2♦ may be strong, as it is forcing and can be followed up with another bid later. It seems odd to me that you would choose to play 1NT rather than 2♣ as Gazzilli as one of the benefits of 2♣ is that weaker fairly balanced hands can bid 1NT and play there, while a forcing 1NT forces you too high, perhaps. Nevertheless, if you did do that then yes it does restrict the 2♦ range, and partner can pick a cheap contract which you pass. If 1NT is strong, then it will not deny 3 spades as you will rebid spades to show them. On your final question, I play that a 2-level rebid from opener is not forcing, except that it does force if responder has only 4 spades. He has a choice of 2NT or 3♥. If you had 18/19+ and wanted to force, you should rebid at the 3-level.

But if they are free, why would people choose to join an EBU game as opposed to a normal BBO one? Surely the incentive is that you wish to donate to EBU coffers, and buy its master points :-) Perhaps the reason for an EBU game is that people can be expected to behave, obey proprieties, and we get a good game in the UK evenings with stable numbers. To replicate a club environment it would probably be better to - from specific start times - fill tables on arrival with no play starting until 12 tables are full, then close that tournament, start play, and put new arrivals into the next tournament. If anyone has to drop out it is on pain of being automatically banned from future EBU sessions until you have pleaded your case and been accepted for reinstatement. The EBU charge would cover the admin to do that. Meanwhile, if a pair does drop out, opponents get a sit out at average plus until a newly arriving pair accepts the offer if standing in (free of charge) rather than joining the next tournament about to start. Of course, all of this needs new EBU software and integration to BBO, so I expect it could not be done quickly.

New approach. Go to all the bridge clubs, concerts, cinemas you can find open (by bus or tube) and catch coronavirus early while they still have room in the hospitals to take you. Wait until the peak, and you're too late.

I think I said my approach will probably alter if the outbreak worsens. AT THE MOMENT I am happy to play bridge. As I write it seems the population of the UK is about 70M, and the number of known cases is 460. Correct me if I am wrong, but at a rate of one in 152K I am more likely to encounter an islamic terrorist and 20 youths wielding knives before I meet someone with the virus.