JLOL

nige1, what is an egregious error if a completely nullo play is not one, especially when it's not like the winning play is some kind of complicated play, it is pulling trumps. I mean seriously, a 0 % play of not pulling trumps with all winners....lol.

It is a complete embarrassment to the people appealing and to the game of bridge and a sad reflection on the state of bridge that this was even a director call, let alone an appeal. I could not stop laughing when I heard about the director call, then I heard there was an appeal. Haha. Moral of the story, the state of bridge "at the top" right now is that if you can appeal, why not, it can't hurt and maybe the committee loses its mind! There is no self respect let alone integrity, so from a risk/reward analysis, well there is no risk. Oh I forgot, they lose 50 bucks! I'm sure it's a lot to someone who is dropping mid 5 figures for his team in that event. That'll stop this kind of BS! --Disclaimer, I was on the opposing team. We were losing by ~100 before withdrawing. Some members of our team seriously considered not withdrawing out of spite because of this appeal. It is a complete disgrace to bridge. We chose not to stoop to that level, even though we would be perfectly within our rights (as they were to appeal).

barmar we gotta play a midnight dude, you are my nemesis but we will join forces and pwn ALL

1S: auto 2H: auto 2S: With 7 good and 3 not-so-good this is fine, raising hearts directly will too often lead to the wrong major suit game. 3C: Terrible, this shape should rebid 2N if 3M promises 3. Personally I used to think 3M should promise 3 until playing with a lot of good players who think it can be HH doubleton and a primed out hand and a ruffing value (much like this hand). Either way 3C sucks. 3H: Almost always shows a doubleton (honor). The only time you bid 2S with 3 hearts is 7 good spades. 3S: Normal, could be stiff K but usually hsows a doubleton. 4D: Perfectly fine esp in precision. As little as K AKxxx xxx Axxx is slam. Obviously sets spades. there's no setting heartts in this auction when you almost surely have 8 spades and 7 hearts. 4H: last train. This is fine with a primed out hand. 4S: Sign off, only 1 KC+Q and a bunch of queens. 4D was enough. So far a perfect auction. The other hand was crazy to bid over that.

I honestly don't understand how 12 NV at MP at the 1 level can be less tempting that 11 red at MP with the wasted HJ over 2H vul at matchpoints. It is amazing to me. 1 is an obvious X, and 2 is an obvious pass. 3 to me is an obvious X, but I know the English people (gnasher, frances), are not used to these off shape doubles. The real loss is when partner has 5 clubs and a medium hand and he can't compete when it's right since you might have a doubleton club. Still, this double is normal to me, it finds 3N or 4oM when it's right. which is important to me. If you miss a 3m partscore, that's an acceptable loss.

I don't think our hand is worth 4D, we could have a fifth trump or better shape. I thought about it for a long time though, I could be convinced that 4D is right here, but I think the missing 5th trump is huge the more I think about it.

Justin, I love the way you think about Bridge and your insightful threads about this. But can you please stop to insult people just because they have a different style to write and think? LOL

LOL

LOL

y a ido somethig

LOL

4C

I hate opening this and would not. Also I have heard this "I never pass a 12 count" rule a lot, is that just conceding that you can't evaluate hands that well or something?

pass

Grand slam force in S? This does not look like a good idea to me. 4NT for me. Yes!

QT9xxx Kxx QJ9x void. Imps. Starting with RHO: 1D 1S X p 3N p p p RHO is not a beginner so expect them to have long diamonds. Your lead?

3H fo sho

I WOULD RISK A PASS CALL IN THIS SITUATION!!!

I would be SCREAMING for the cops after this one. LOL

4H also

2C is horrifying. I would bid 3H now, don't think it's close.

Yeah in effect there was no mi, how could the opps claim to be damaged?

Club to the ace and a spade although hackenbush spelled it out pretty clearly. Pretty, but shouldn't be too hard to find at the table. edit: The really pretty part of this hand is that east beats it by winning the HA at trick 1, a very counterintuitive play.

YeaH F Stevie :P I doubt Bobby woulda overcalled.

I assumed the 4S bidders were doing so to mess with the opponents more than anything (such as making). Fair enough, but 800 seems quite plausible to me, or 1100 sometimes. I don't think that big risk (800) is worth the gain of the extra preemption. Hoping for making really seems off to me. On hands where you are making, it is unlikely to opponents are doubling you.