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Fred, I almost included a comment similar to this in the message to my district director which I sent you. But as I was thinking about it, I'm not sure it holds water. I doubt that the ACBL board is specifically worried about "cheating through communication with partner via phone or MSN". Rather, they are worried about cheating, period. And cheating in the ACBL robot games would still be relatively easy if you had two accounts and previewed some hands with one account so that you could bid or play defense double dummy with the other account. Regardless of the cheating threat, I think these tournaments are excellent and should be ACBL-sanctioned, so I want to be sure you have the strongest set of arguments. I fear that this specific argument is relatively easy to rebut, and would be better left out. Instead, recommend you marshal the best empirical evidence you have on why you think cheating, while possible, is minimal in these tournaments. Best of luck.

Excellent response...thanks. Was worried I dove too far in the weeds and wasn't going to get any feedback. For the hands where you require yourself to have an honor-doubleton (in suit not bid by partner) for the NT rebid, what are your options if you don't have an honor? For example, how do you bid a 12-14 3325 hand with a weak doubleton after partner responds in a major?

So my partner and I realized that although we ostensibly play New Minor Forcing, we don't have well-defined and agreed responses after the 2m bid. This further led to my further realization that I don't have a perfect understanding of what the openers possible hand patterns are after these bidding sequences. Would appreciate folks (but particularly the experts) comments on this inventory of possible hand patterns for different sequences. In each case, I have categorized them on whether they are possible hand patterns for that sequence (Definitely, Maybe, Probably Not), and have included some questions along the way. 1C-1H-1N Definitely: 3334, 3325, 3235, 2335 Maybe: 3244, 2344 (Should these open 1D always?) Probably Not: 2245, 1345 (Should these open 1D always? Is 1N even the appropriate rebid, or should you always bid 2C whether it's the 2nd suit shown or a rebid of clubs?) 1C-1S-1N Definitely: 3424, 3334, 2434, 3325, 2425, 3235, 2335 Maybe: 3244, 2344 (Always open 1D?)...1444, 1435, 1345 (Is 1N rebid right with singleton in partner's suit?) Probably Not: 2245 (Open 1D always? Is 1N even the right rebid?) 1D-1H-1N Definitely: 3352, 3343, 3253, 2353, 3244, 2344 1D-1S-1N Definitely: 3442, 3352, 2452, 3343, 2443, 3253, 2353, 3244, 2344 Maybe: 1453, 1444 (Is 1N rebid right with singleton in partner's suit?) 1H-1S-1N Definitely: 3532, 3523, 2533 Question being saved for later...should we scrap NMF and just use Checkback? So if you have an opinion on this, please wait and I'll start another thread on it. Either way, I want to have solid understanding of these hand patterns before getting to that.

I played once with someone who, as declarer, showed notable disappointment/frustration after a defender chose to lead a certain suit...declarer adopted a sour look, slapped down his card quickly, and looked off into the distance in a "why me?" type of way. Turns out this was a ploy to get defender to continue that suit, which he did, and which permitted declarer to make the contract. After which, declarer (who was friends with defender) asked something along the lines of "how did you like my performance?" So, how does the quoted law apply to this behavior...is it unethical? Illegal? Something that the director could have been called on...and if so, with what appropriate ruling?

[hv=d=e&v=e&s=sa8hk8432dakj84c3]133|100|Scoring: MP Bidding has been: P 1♥ 2♠ 3♣ 3♠ ???[/hv] What's your call?

So consensus is clearly that my 2H was the bad bid that started us downhill (in case there was doubt, I am/was West). Point taken, and appropriate apologies will be offered to my partner, with hopes that any of his intentions of "shooting" me will disspate. What I am missing, however, is how to pinpoint the flaw in my thinking. I suspect experts use experience and feel in these situations more than crude points counts...but I am no expert and have to rely on such crutches. Given a fit (which we had), I have heard that dummy's void should be valued at as few as 3 points and as many as 5 points. I have used the 5-point guideline for months now, and it hasn't seemed to have burned me yet (I guess until now). My logic was 5 hcp + 5 for void = 10 = sufficient for 2-level raise. It seems the gap between this logic and the consensus opinion could be based on: 1. the void isn't really worth 5 2. I shouldn't count my full 5 hcp because they may not fit well with partner (especially the KH since partner has effectively denied support there...sadly, I didn't think of this possibility at the table). 3. something else So back to the experts...is the flaw in my logic based on 1, 2, 3, or a combination?

I think your district may just play later than others. In the last two years, I have lived/played in two different districts (4 and 14) and both had district finals in early- to mid-October. As to how we did...59% morning session + 54% afternoon session = ~57% = Not good enough for top 3 and qualifying for national finals. Your consolation is accepted.

West has 5 HCP...but how should the void be valued? Especially after it's revealed that spades is their suit?

[hv=d=n&v=n&n=s72h654dt6cj87643&w=sk984ht7dkq9732ct&e=sj3hkq82daj84ca95&s=saqt65haj93d5ckq2]399|300|Scoring: MP (P) 1N (2♠) 2N* (3♣) P (P) 3♦ (P) 3N (X) P (P) 4D PO *Not playing Lebensohl, so just showing invitational strength with spade stopper[/hv] Intermediate field (N. American Pairs Flight C district finals) Result: Making 5, ~10% MP for E/W How should the bidding have gone? Should we be in 5D, and if so who's to blame?

[hv=d=w&v=b&n=saqj42h86d8ckt853&w=s6hkqjdkt9754caq4&e=s875ha9532dj32c76&s=skt93ht74daq6cj92]399|300|Scoring: MP 1♦ (2♦)* P (2♠) 3♦ (3♠) P (P) X PO *No alert[/hv] Intermediate field (N. American Pairs Flight C District finals) When dummy appears, South says 2♦ should be Michaels/majors. North just looks confused and embarrassed that she got Michaels wrong. Result: Making 4, 930, 0% MP for E/W Logic of the double was that KQJ of hearts was likely one trick and maybe two, I was presumably sitting behind any diamond and club honors with tenaces (perhaps 3 tricks), plus probably a trick from partner. But most of that falls apart when North doesn't have long hearts. Were we just unlucky with opponents getting the convention wrong and fixing us rather than them, or was the double foolish?

[hv=d=e&v=n&n=sjt94hjt62dqjtck6&w=shk9843d8643cqt32&e=sk832h75dak92ca94&s=saq765haqd75cj875]399|300|Scoring: MP 1♦ (1♠) 2♥ (2♠) P (P) 3♦ (P) 3N (P) 4♦ (P) 5♦ PO[/hv] Playing in intermediate field (North American Pairs Flight C district finals) Result: Down 2, 25% board Who contributed most to the overbidding?

What are the alternatives to Jacoby 2NT that can show strong major support and help explore slam more economically? Hoping the experts/advanceds help us understand the better approaches? And are those approaches fairly standardized and well-known (i.e. for pick-up partnerships), or are we stuck with Jacoby with a random partner?

[hv=d=n&v=n&s=shkqxxdaxxcaqjxxx]133|100|Scoring: IMP Partner opens 4S...what's your bid?[/hv] Suppose you decide to explore slam with RKC...partner bids 5S (two plus queen). Now what? It was merely a practice session for my partner and I, so I decided to go for it...not sure if I would have done the same in a tournament. For what it's worth, he had: [hv=d=n&v=n&s=shkqxxdaxxcaqjxxx]133|100|Scoring: IMP Partner opens 4S...what's your bid?[/hv] Down one on heart lead when West held A9xx of spades. But the real question is whether it's crazy here to consider slam with the trump void? Any help appreciated...

♠QJT9x ♥x ♦KQJTx ♣Qx Dispute with my partner came up at recent sectional after I opened the hand above based on the Rule of 20. He suggested I was following the rule too literally and should make exceptions especially if shy of 2 quick tricks. To me and my (unreliable, no doubt) instincts, a hand with two strong suits like this and very good shape feels like an opener. Would you open? And does your answer depend on vulnerability and seat? (I believe it was white/white and I was in 2nd seat).