Jlall

Guess that's where we're different, I don't expect any of my opps to behave in such a way and I don't see why it's fair to. They are well within their rights to gain any advantage they can within the laws, and I don't think less of any of my opps if they choose to do so. If you would not do what Meckwell did then that's fine and nice but I don't understand expecting others to behave like you do. They are playing a match in the highest level event possible and their opps broke a rule and they called the director, I think that's normal and would never crucify them for it even if I would not have done the same thing.

Life is tough Adam!

So what Richard? I mean that is life. The stars get better rulings with the police, they don't wait in line to go to clubs, they get hotter women, bigger strike zones, more leniency on travels etc etc. Plus as Jeremy says they are more likely to argue their case well since they know the rules better, and as awm implies the directors are more likely to be intimidated by them and the fans and the backlash etc etc. I totally agree with the premise that if there is a close ruling in me vs Meckstroth or whatever, he'll probably win. Sucks, but that's life. What is Meckstroth really supposed to do about that, feel bad? Let's not forget he EARNED his status as a superstar, and that is one of the perks in his life. Is it fair? No. Is life fair? No. The whole outrage that stars get preferential treatment especially when it comes to rulings in their sport really seems shocking and juvenile to me. Haven't we learned this kinda stuff yet? As for THIS ruling, it really seems like it had nothing to do with it being Meckstroth, and the director made the right ruling. If the defense was written and not legible then the opponents did not have a defense to multi, as mandated by the ACBL. Is it somewhere in the laws that it has to be a printed out defense rather than written? I don't know the exact laws, but it wouldn't surprise me. If the written defense was legible and it's not required to be printed rather than written, then the director made a bad call. Presumably Meckwell were arguing that they couldn't read it, so it becomes a judgement call for the director on whether or not they can read it. That is up to the director, and he made his ruling. It is completely unfair to Meckwell to expect them to be "good sports" or to waive any possible penalties when the opponents have committed an infraction. I know everyone loves noble heroes, but to expect your opponents to do you any favors is nuts, no matter who they are.

1) It doesn't always go 1H-1x-2C. Sometimes they overcall or partner will bid 1N or 2D or 2H or jump shift or bid 2N anyways. 2) Even if it does, partner sometimes has extra values and you would get past the 2 level anyways no matter what you did (if he is 6-4 you might play 3H instead of 2H though) so it doesn't matter in those cases. 3) Even when it does go 1H-1S-2C-2H-p instead of 1H-1N-2C-2D-p it is not the biggest disaster in the world. Sometimes it works out fine and partners hearts are really good, or sometimes partner has a diamond void or whatever. We are just catering to such a small target at the expense of missing our 4-4 spade fit, or our good 4-3 spade fit every single time. It's really not worth it. If you made my hand weaker, or gave me much better diamonds, I'd be much happier to get with the program.

1N which gib never passes, followed by 3N unless he bids 2H.

If you held a void heart, would you feel differently? Partner's reaction is clear UI, so 4♠ is clear. Usually bad players now bid 5♥ in this situation. This situation reminds me a little of: Case 20 - Las Vegas. With a heart void I'd strongly consider a pass, I find them passing with 8 hearts to be much less likely than with 7.

I wonder how many people think it's aquahombre instead of aguahombre heh

Doesn't seem like a bug, just made an aggressive judgement?

And FWIW I think I open lighter than almost all of the group of US pros who play RM light except maybe hampson.

3 is the worst imo if you are playing RM lite because 1435 is by far the worst shape possible. I also hate stiff Qs etc and wouldn't feel terrible calling it the worst hand of the 5 anyways. I guess I'm weird because I like 5 as much (or more?) as 4, I guess I just feel more comfortable having so much defense/honor tricks, and I also like opening with spades. I would open both 5 and 4 at any vul. I would open 1 NV only.

But they'll make it anyways!

May I assume she does not read these fora? Is the doghouse comfortable? Is it really not obvious that he is just mocking the OP? Edit: Also his gf is known as one of the best women players in the world and would be considered by most (including himself probably) to be a better player than he is heh.

Getting blitzed is not very good, I'd rather just lose!

Its a difficult situation with the director not allowing the undo of the last pass with the knowledge of the MI. Frankly, I don't think its relevant that West should double 5♣, regardless of the meaning. What is relevant is that she wanted to double a preemptive 3♣ / 5♣ but couldn't. So a split score makes no sense nor does 'no adjustment'. If you do something completely terrible after being damaged, you don't get redress. Getting damaged does not alleviate you from your duty to play bridge after it happens. So it is definitely relevant. On the other hand the other guys should not gain from failing to alert, so I still think a split score is right.

3S, partner could easily be 6-5. This isn't a false preference it's a real preference..

They are red/white so they might be cold! We should pass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You are the only one good enough to make 6N here off 2 aces art. You are also the only one good enough to try to make 6N off 2 aces rather than double 6S white against red!

bidding now is not the problem, the problem is, are we going to save over 4♥ So far they've bid 1H and 2H, neither of which showed very much, not sure why we expect them to bid 4H now.

Also with a hand like Jxxxx x AQTxx xx I would want to bid this way. I would really not be interested in michaelsing in a live auction with little chance to play the hand, I would simply want to get my lead in, but once they stop in 2H obv I have to balance.

So nobody would want to bid this way with like Axxxx xx KQJx xx, doubling to get your lead in, then balancing? Not saying that's right, just saying if I had this hand I'd sure want to bid it this way. IMO the message of Xing 2D is mainly I want a diamond lead. After that we are showing spade length, and I don't see why that changes the first message to "diamonds is my first suit, and spades is my second suit" rather than simply "diamonds is my best suit, and I have 5 spades."

3D and pass. Would pass the first one if there was table action from RHO I guess.

3D now obv, wouldn't have considered bidding the round before.

They are r/w, easily possible that my LHO has 7 hearts and a weak hand and passed 1S. That would give RHO 4 hearts, definitely possible he chose not to X for whatever reasons. 4S.

Isn't this a spot where a split ruling can be applied where the offending side gets 5C X down whatever and other side keeps their score for failing to play bridge after the infraction? BLACKSHOE?!

Isn't a club switch away from the king equally insane? Maybe more so since with the spade ace, if you were going to underlead the club king, do it at trick 1? Equally in the sense that theyre both ridic I guess, but I think some insanities happen more often than others, like ducking the king never happens, but maybe LHO thought his partner gave a suit preference signal or something. Maybe the best line is to pop ace and try for a pseudo squeeze in the minors. This saves you the embarassment of going down on stiff CK, and preserves some chance of an error I guess. Like I said it depends on who my opps are but in general I think the best chance is that they have lost their mind by underleading a club, rather than one of the other things which I just don't think people ever do like ducking the CK on the way back. Against good opps I would just play for stiff K and beyond that I'm going down I guess so it doesn't matter whether I try a pseudo squeeze or them ducking the club heh.