shyams

shyams 17 - 24 garant_7 https://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:5623e45c.3719.11eb.94ca.0cc47a39aeb4-1607186752&u=shyams

Very nice. I must admit that this line never featured in my analysis when I was playing the deal. I did consider this line; I actually did play the ♥Q on the first finesse although I hadn't factored in the risk of West ducking. I was unable to decide among: a. Declarer playing hearts from the top (i.e. play West alone to have ♥K) b. Playing awm's above line c. Abandoning a diamond winner in dummy and finessing hearts once (i.e. ♦Q, then ♦K, then ♥finesse, then ♥A, then ♠A and low to ♠Q) I kept confusing myself on the so-called best option and eventually chose (probably) the worst. It must be apparent that I was fixating on East holding the King of Hearts while not giving enough weight to other possibilities.

The other alternative line (and I really thought it is a good one) is to play for 5 hearts, two diamonds and two black suit aces. In other words, sacrifice the ♦Q and play instead for a winning heart finesse. If the finesse fails, don't we still have other endplay possibilities?

First up, I don't work for (or volunteer at) BBO so please don't take this as official guidance. I assume you probably have a parser already for PBN or other bridge notations. If you do, you might find the below option useful. Richard Pavlicek (www.rpbridge.net) has a bridge utility that converts one bridge notation to another. Please look under Bridge Utilities (link here) where you will find a write-up on Bridge File Converter and a EXE file that does the conversion. That website contains a lot of other bridge related utilities and softwares. Hopefully it will address your requirement. If it doesn't help, please wait for someone from BBO to respond.

This fascinating deal came up at a Robot IMPs session. [hv=pc=n&s=sat5haqj83dq9cat5&n=sq43h754dak54c976&d=s&v=b&b=7&a=1np2cd(rebiddable%20!C)2hp2np3nppp]266|200[/hv] West leads the ♣8 on which East plays the ♣J. If you duck this trick, East continues with ♣K {and West will follow to this trick with the ♣3} I think this is the first crucial point where a decision has to be made. What is the best line of play to deliver the contract?

shyams 2 - 30 stephen tu https://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:29f931a7.3529.11eb.94ca.0cc47a39aeb4-1606973647&u=shyams

shyams 29 - 28 billyfung2 https://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:0e1c0e12.34bf.11eb.94ca.0cc47a39aeb4-1606928074&u=shyams

This was Board 4 in yesterday's daylong. IMPs, Human South, all other seats occupied by bots. [hv=pc=n&s=sakt83hajdakqcj98&n=s96hqt8643dckt754&d=w&v=b&b=4&a=ppp2cp2dp2np4d(!H)p4hp5d(cue)p5hppp]266|200[/hv] I reach this precarious contract. I get a ♦ opening lead on which I start discarding dummy's clubs. The play proceeds as follows: #1 - ♦6 - ♣4 - ♦10 - ♦A #2 - ♦K - ♦7 - ♣5 - ♦8 #3 - ♦Q - ♦J - ♣7 - ♦3 Questions: A. Was my 2NT rebid a poor choice? Do people prefer 2♠ instead? B. How should I continue to bring in the 11 tricks? C. Did I err in the first three tricks? (Perhaps I should have started playing spades sooner?) Please help with inputs / comments. My actual play and the full hand is in the spoiler below

Ha ha ha ha...

I think your President had shown, within about 4-6 months of taking over, that he as the President "is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office". A few centuries from now people will probably have replaced "Nero" with "Trump", and "Rome" with "United States". Edit: I just checked that particular betting market I referred to in previous posts. It is still open AND is now paying 5% on Biden!!! Any takers? No?? :) If one weighs risk v. reward and says "forget it", one is essentially saying that the US Govt. (viz. ALL the three branches of Govt. --- Executive, Legislative, Judiciary --- concurrently) is not trustworthy OR that the 2020 elections were not fair (or both). Edit 2: I am not implying that people should risk their money. I too am in the "forget it" group; it's just that logic dictates the opposite view.

shyams 28 - 28 gszes https://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:64c09e16.30e9.11eb.94ca.0cc47a39aeb4-1606506454&u=shyams

I find the Scotusblog website (which I visit occasionally) provides a good analysis on most matters relating to the US Supreme Court. In this instance, to quote the website, "... the [sC] majority blocked the state from enforcing the attendance limits while the challengers continue to litigate the issue at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit and, if necessary, return to the Supreme Court for a final decision on the merits" So it's not a fully settled matter --- at least not until the Circuit Courts can deliberate the matter in full and make a ruling.

[hv=pc=n&s=saj653haktd5cqj96&d=w&v=e&b=16&a=p1c1d1s(4%2B!S%3B%20forcing)3d(4%2B!D%3B%204-8%20pts)pp?]133|200[/hv] This was the last board in my Robot challenge vs. cherdano At this juncture, as per the GIB CC, South's options were: --- 4♣ which shows 5+ clubs and is NOT forcing --- 4♦ which shows 5+ clubs, 4+ spades, 17+ total points and is forcing --- 4♥ which shows 5+ spades, 4+ hearts --- Dbl which shows 1+ diamond, 4+ spades and 11+ total points. The text says nothing about whether GIB will treat it as forcing or not. --- 4♠ (not sure) I think this showed a 6+ card solid spade suit. My point is that there was no option available to South to show a 5-card spade suit without lying about the club suit. I chose 4♦; cherdano chose Dbl. We both landed in game (me 5♣ on a 3-4 fit, he 4♥ on a 4-3 fit) when all along the best contract was 4♠. North held ♠ KT8 ♥ QJ42 ♦ KT9 ♣ A43 Is this something that can be fixed?

shyams 20 - 9 cherdano https://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:13b77cc4.3037.11eb.94ca.0cc47a39aeb4-1606429867&u=shyams

shyams 20 - 27 mlbridge https://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:3bad2daf.2fc6.11eb.94ca.0cc47a39aeb4-1606381401&u=shyams

I guess I am a conservative bidder; a 2♦ overcall did not really feature on my list given the Vul status.

I would repeat the exact bidding sequence as posted by nige1 1♠ - 2♦ 2♠ - 3♥ 3N - 4♥ pass (South is delighted to pass with the misfit)

Should we (those who have finished ALL challenges in our half) begin to challenge relevant people from the other half of the draw?

Good article, thank you. I like the point about MMP (or any alternative proportional voting system). It especially gives regional parties or smaller groups a louder voice at the national level. I can't see it happening in the UK any time soon. The last feeble attempt (led by the LibDems) failed miserably largely due to (a) their inability to clearly articulate the benefits and convince the public AND (b) the establishment being against it, thereby drowning the voices of those in favour of alternative voting systems.

This is the lull before the storm ;) Sidney Powell is all eager about her lawsuit today which (she says) will unleash the kraken :) :)

shyams 16 - 9 smerriman https://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:d1c6f691.2dae.11eb.94ca.0cc47a39aeb4-1606151443&u=shyams

Bot's partner doubled followed by a pass & it's the bot's call; the option to double does not exist.

Pass :)

By the way, this particular betting market is still open AND is paying 4% on Biden. Given that the market is not likely to last beyond 15 Dec (and it could easily end much earlier), in effect one is being paid an annualised retutn of 40%-80% "risk-free" --- the only risk is the vagaries of the American political system.

shyams 72 - 11 sep123 https://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tview.php?t=ARDCHALLENGE:bf9ea0f3.2c39.11eb.94ca.0cc47a39aeb4-1605991210&u=shyams