kaltstart

With one partner I also use 2♣ puppet, but our 2♦ doesn´t promise a 4card major. This way, we can also use "garbage"-puppet, which turned out useful several times. Anyway, Auken-Welland also seem to employ a puppet stayman approach over their 1nt opener. Would be interesting to get to know their further bidding. They seem to use transfers after the initial response.

In SEF, a 2NT response after a 1M opener shows exactly a 3card fit and invites to game. Without intervention 3M shows a 4card fit, usually.

As far as I see, the auto-removal was introduced to reduce the work yellows have to do when someone is stuck. I guess, most if not all of the removal requests come from tables which player reach via the "help me find a table"-function. Then why not restrict the auto-removal function to unprotected tables? There are several reasons why I exclusively play on protected tables. So at least I won´t be bothered by the feature any more. Protected tables can´t be reached via the above mentioned function, I think. If the host is stuck nobody else can reach the table, too. Maybe not the ideal, but many of those who complain here might be content as well this way.

Hello, today I discovered a new feature on BBO by chance: If a player doesn´t act for 60 seconds there is an automatic message sent to the table that it´s his/her turn and that he should play. After 80 seconds he is removed automatically from table. It is seemingly meant to address stuck players, but on my table an opponent, who is also a friend of mine, was thinking after a lead over a difficult contract. IMHO, there is no need for such a feature, especially if there is no possibility to opt out as table host. If a player is stuck, the table host can remove him. If it´s the table host, players can simply leave the table. Besides, thinking players often don´t notice those warning messages. It would be great if this feature could be removed or at least made optional for the table host. Furthermore, I find the pls play faster message annoying. Thank you in advance for considering.

As described in the link SEF is a 5card major system (better minor openings), 1NT 15-17 and Benjamin 2♣/2♦. Besides, there are some differences in further bidding: * Roudi: After 1m -(p)-1M -(p) 2♣ is now some kind of checkback stayman, see e.g. My link * invitational only 2nt after 1M: 1M -(p)-2NT shows 3card support, 1M -(p)-3M 4card support * 2/1 bids force to 2nt. This affects opener´s rebids as well, e.g. 1M-(p)-2m -(p)-2NT (usually 15-17, bal., forcing) 1M-(p)-2m -(p)-3m (no minimum, fit, forcing) 1M-(p)-2m -(p)- 2M (some kind of default bid, no other bid, can still be 5 cards, balanced) 1M-(p)-2m -(p)- 2M -(p)-2NT (nf) -(p)- 3m (sign-off in partner´s minor) * no garbage stayman, 2NT-rebid showing both majors; also see My link * mixed cues after shown fit * RKCB 3014, but some don´t show the trump queen with 5♠ Defensive Bidding: Landy over opponents´ 1NT opener

I think the op was talking about pick-up partnerships in the main room. Expert nor not, if someone can´t or isn´t willing to play transfers after a 1nt opener, whereas all potential partners are expecting to at least play those, it´s calling for trouble - I made those experiences. The simple reason is either that the majority won´t know how to bid without transfers to reach a 5-3 major fit or what other bidding sequences (without transfers) would mean. The result will always be that the game can´t proceed, most often because players leave.

Usually when playing polish club, I am playing WJ2005. With one partner, though, I compromised on the following approach: 1♣: any balanced 12-14 or 18-22 hand, nat unbalanced or any "semiforcing hand", i.e. what would be opened 2♣in SEF 1♦: like in WJ2000, which I really like, by the way, i.e. 4+ unbal. or bal. with 5♦s 1M: 5+, 11-19hcp 1NT: 15-17 bal. 2♣: any game force/23+hcp other 2 openers like in WJ2005 Of course, 1♣ opener is a bit overloaded. Until now we hadn´t many problems, but knowing about a way how to handle the nat. unbal. variant was therefore the reason I asked. We have been playing 1♣-1x-2♣ very wide-ranging up until now, so semi-forcing, if you will, just like bluecalm mentioned in one of his posts. Thank you for your help, by the way, bluecalm. I also mentioned the pair in the German open team who play a Polish club variant (Baltic Club),in which the 2♣ opener is reserved for a weak 2-suiter (♥+another), so they must also handle the hands which would open 2♣ in other PC variants within the 1♣ opener. I guess, they do so similar as bluecalm described...

I´d really like to learn about ways how to handle those 15+hcp hands unbalanced with clubs if playing this way. In case, 2C rebid is forcing how are the further bids defined? The pair Smirnov-Pikarek also seem to have a way to handle this problem. Any informations about it would be much appreciated.

Of course, one needn´t use such a feature, but I don´t think that you wouldn´t be happy with a feature that only scans the profiles for systems, for example. There are so many brands of systems so that you probably won´t be able to play the system without further discussions. Just a few examples: Precision seems to be a popular system in Bulgaria. Many of them play it with strong nt (15-17) and polish 2 openers, though. I haven´t met those who play it a la Wei yet. Some write Acol in their profile, yet playing 5 card majors, despite having agreed to play Acol (there is a brand of Acol, using 5443 opening scheme, by the way, too). There are probably lots of different brands of 2/1, well, furthermore if you see 2/1 as approach not as a certain system. Those problems could be solved if the search is linked to a cc for example that specifies also further bidding. But I doubt that this would work in practice, since people would have to opt for those cc`s, I guess. Another feature, "I´m looking for a game", with a special colour on the nick button seems to be used rarely by people.

A few years after I started playing bridge, I stumbled upon an article in the German bridge magazine about the strong pass systems being played in the 70ies. I don´t remember the names, but there was an example bidding sequence of 2 Dutch players using a strong pass system with a 1♠ fert. Being fascinated and lacking additional informations (no good internet access like today), I just invented one system around this fert, which might be nonsense, but it was great fun. I vaguely remember the minor openers which showed the majors, 4+, 7-11 hcp but not the rest. My partner and I were allowed to play it once in the club and even became first. If, by the way, someone can give me a hint about those Dutch players, I´d be grateful.

In my opinion, the FDCC is one of the nicest features of BBO. Maybe the reason why the standard CCs aren´t used much is that they don´t contain much more than the definition of the opening bids and 1st round responses. For the natural systems offered, the explanations of further bids might be more interesting for the opponents. One very detailed CC of Polish Club WJ2005 by Gerben on the other hand is used by many players. The idea of Adam to be able to load those in the Vuegraph is very good, imho. Especially if the explanations given by the CCs could be seen also later when the deals are stored in the vuegraph archives.

Laut der österreichischen Wettkampfordnung sind Brown-Sticker-Eröffnungen generell verboten (seit wann genau weiß ich nicht; nachdem ich vor ca. 15 Jahren einmal unwissend nach Nutzung einer BS-Eröffnung ermahnt wurde, wohl schon eine gewisse Zeit). Ausnahmen werden in Anhang 2 genannt (darunter auch Bamberger). Explizit erlaubt in der Gegenreizung wird dort auch der Gardener 1SA. Weiß jemand, ob der in Deutschland noch erlaubt ist? In Anhang 2, Abs. 2 werden darüber hinaus Einschränkungen für Eröffnungen genannt. Unterpunkt e): Eröffnungen auf Stufe 1, die nicht wenigstens drei Karten in der Eröffnungsfarbe versprechen, als forcierend vereinbart sind und auch Blätter mit mehr als 22 HCP beinhalten, müssen vereinbarungsgemäß wenigstens 15 HCP beinhalten. Dann müsste ja auch polnisch Treff verboten sein, oder sehe ich da was falsch?

I think that gurgistan´s overview of conventions which can be expected to be used in the main room is quite complete. I don´t see many problems with transfers over 1nt openers (1nt overcalls are maybe a different story). The bigger problem I see is that the 1nt opener is often rather 15-19, and can be unbalanced (just check the movie a few times). However I´d like to add to be careful if in your partner´s profile you only see 0314 or 1430 without "rkcb" or the like. They expect only the answer for aces and get upset if you answer key cards. Besides, many, maybe even the vast majority use 4nt as "always blackwood", and also get upset if you pass it with minimum and you thought it´s quantitative. Michael´s cue bid can be tricky if opponents open 1♣. Many French and Polish players for example use 2♦ for the majors.

Jassem published the book "WJ 2010" in April this year. Yet I couldn´t find any informations about changes compared to the 2005 version in English. Since I really enjoy playing polish club with some partners on BBO, although I don´t speak polish, I´d be really interested in those. Any informations, for example by polish speaking posters, would be appreciated. Is there a plan that his book is going to be translated, by the way? Thank you in advance

I think Oof Arted means that you can do what you demand already, but only using the browser version. After you started the browser programme click on "My BBO"-"Convention Cards". A windows appears on whose left side you have all your partners with whom you use fdcc with. After you delete an entry there, the server also won´t load the cc anymore when you meet your partner at a table. Then you can for example load a new one. You can´t do that within the windows version. Took me a while to find this out, too

Using the Windows-Version, yesterday I was invited to a table in Main and after after I was seated everything was fine except that the lobby and table overview (via the buttons on the left side of the screen) didn´t function anymore: no names shown in the "lobby window" and no scroll bar in the "tables window". Besides, the "movie" didn´t show the score history of the table, which it usually does, I think. Not a big problem - I just wondered.

First of all, thank you for the detailed replies. Since I often play with a French partner, the reason I asked just was to get a better understanding of the bidding sequence with which I´m not used to. And it´s difficult to get detailed informations about the system in English; most of it is in French, of course. By the way, the variation of Garbage Stayman isn´t as well known in other countries as well, maybe. Once, I had 2 garbage stayman sequences in 5 boards, and the American opponents asked me to alert it afterwards. Besides, only about 2 other players bidded stayman according to the score sheet. Sure not representative, but...

Since many French players answer 2nt after stayman with both majors, I´d be interested to get some informations about this treatment. I guess one cannot bid garbage stayman knowing that the answer on 2♣ might be 2nt, which might be a (slight?) disadvantage. Another disadvantage might be to inform the opponents about the distribution, which could help them in defending. What advantages does the convention have opposite to answering 2♥ with both majors and reverting to ♠, if necessary? I´m especially interested how the further bidding works, e.g. - confirming a fit. My partner for example bidded 3♣ to confirm a ♥-fit; I guess, 3♦ would show the ♠-fit. Is this the common treatment in SEF? Is it showing some range of hcp, like inv+? What would other bids after 2nt mean? - differentiating the route to game or slam with inviting, gf or gf+-hands with one fit in a major. I´m really clueless there. - gf hands with no 4card major, but good minor(s), with slight slam interest. Maybe those hands wouldn´t be bid via stayman anyway; just asking in case they would. I hope I am posting in the correct forum. Anyway, thank you in advance for any help.

Mrb ist die Abkürzung für "Merhaba", türkisch für "Hallo". Häufig sieht man auch "slm", die Abkürzung für "Selam", ebenfalls "Hallo". Mitspieler freuen sich übrigens meist, wenn man sie in ihrer Landessprache begrüßt :)

I had the same problem until recently. In the meanwhile a friend told me how you can load the updated cc: If you change your cc, do it in another folder, not in the folder convcards\username (for example copy the cc, paste it in another folder and change it there). If you sit down at a table with your usual p, there will be again the message "found cc" etc., but that´s again the old one. So you just have to load the new one out of the other folder. From then on this new cc will be the one which will be automatically loaded. This way works, but I don´t know how the bbo software works and why a direct change of the cc in the original folder didn´t work for me.