Walddk

If you must punt at this point (I would not), why not bid 3♠ en route? "I assume everyone expects 3♠ to be forcing?", you ask. Definitely, how else can responder make opener bid again? The only bid that's non forcing is 3♥; that is merely competitive. Letting 3♠ be non forcing is silly in my opinion. Don't go for a better partscore after a pre-empt. Roland

Frances is referring to Jos Jacobs from the Netherlands. Yes, one of the advantages of living in small-ish countries like the NL and Denmark for instance is that we simply must learn foreign languages. We won't get very far with Dutch and Danish. English is compulsory in Danish schools from the 4th grade, and you must even add at least one other language among German, French, Spanish and Russian. Roland

If you enter the vugraph area on Saturday the 18th some time after 10 am New York, 7 am Los Angeles, 16 Paris, 3 pm London, 2 am Sunday Sydney, you will see 8 tables up simultaneously. This is our limit at the moment (built into the BBO client). As I understand it, this will change in a future release. Who knows, some day we may get requests from six organisers for the same weekend, and we don't want to disappoint anyone. We are breathing a sigh of relief after it turned out that two of the organisers for this weekend will be broadcasting from 1 table only. So here is what you get: Canadian National Team Championships: 2 tables English. Belgium Team Championships: 1 table English, 1 table French. Junior Camrose & Peggy Bayer (from Scotland): 1 table English. English Open Team Trials: 2 tables English. Icelandair Open: 1 table English. At this point 59 commentators have signed up, so we are well covered at all tables throughout the weekend. Roland

I think a 3A is missing: You cue bid everything in sight up the line without adopting the serious 3NT. Obviously, you won't cue bid if you're not interested in slam. Roland

Makes a lot of sense, Justin, and whereas the Brits seem to stick to the old school of first round control cue bidding at the 4-level, I think it's dead and buried as soon as you cross the Channel - in most instances apparently also if you head West across the pond. To be fair, I also know (of) British top pairs who do cue bid the Italian way these days. Roland

We have two schools of cue bidding: the British/American and the Italian. The former tells you that your first cue bid must be a first round control (ace or void), the latter that any control (1st or 2nd) is cue biddable. To most expert players, however, there is a rule that your first cue bid in partner's first suit must be an honour. There is no doubt in my mind. The Italian way of cue bidding is superior, and it's easy to see that still more top players in North America also subscribe to that method. In my opinion, the best thing about the Italian school is that it's easy for partner to judge if you skip a suit (sometimes even two suits); then you have no control in that or those suits. Here is an example: ♠ AKQ954 ♥ K4 ♦ Q92 ♣ A7 1♠ - 3♠* 4♣ - 4♥ * limit If your first cue bid must be a 1st round control, responder could still have a singleton diamond or the king. On the other hand, the 5-level is not at all safe since you may be facing three small diamonds. Playing the Italian way on this auction, opener now knows that it's right to sign off in 4♠. Responder does not have a diamond control. As Luis rightly points out: sometimes you cue bid a king where partner has nothing. Then you may go off in slam if the opponents lead the suit and the ace is off side. But you have two chances that favour the odds, provided that all other suits are solid: 1. They don't lead the suit. 2. The ace is on side. As far as the 5-level is concerned, I don't like cue bidding at that level unless you are certain that the partnership is not off two key cards. Either you know that you are not by looking at your own hand, or you have checked it through rkcb first. Roland

It's not borderline, it's way below par. If I don't open 1♣ and rebid 2♣, I would rather open a 14-16 or 15-17 1NT. Next, I have thrown people out of the window for less than passing forcing bids and take-out doubles, not to mention pulling when I bid a confident 3NT :) Roland Ouch! I hope you were playing no higher than the 2nd floor! :) Yes, 2nd floor is the limit. I don't want them to get injured. Roland

It's not borderline, it's way below par. If I don't open 1♣ and rebid 2♣, I would rather open a 14-16 or 15-17 1NT. Next, I have thrown people out of the window for less than passing forcing bids and take-out doubles, not to mention pulling when I bid a confident 3NT :) Roland

[hv=d=s&v=n&n=sa10963hkq3dq73c86&w=skqj52h10dk642ck73&e=s8hj854d10985cq1092&s=s74ha9762dajcaj54]399|300|Scoring: IMP South: 4H Lead: SK[/hv] Here is how Versace played the hand: ♠K won with the ace, and a spade off dummy at trick 2 (Seamon pitched a diamond). Cayne switched to a low club won by the ace over the queen. Versace now crossed to dummy's ♥K, noticed the 10 on his left and played a club to the 10, jack and king. Cayne exited with his last club, ruffed low in dummy. Spade to ♥2, club ruffed with ♥Q and another spade ruffed in hand with the 7. He finally cashed ♦A and got off with the jack. Seamon had to ruff his partner's winner and lead a trump into Versace's A9 tenace. Great play by the master! Roland

Oh yes, I did it indeed read it, but you did not mention play and defence with one word. The only reason you would want commentators is to further explain the bidding. Why this and why not that, and so on. My direct question was: what about play and defence? Did you answer that question anywhere? No! Roland

Personally, I agree with Elianna. I can't say I'm surprised that Richard feels this way, but I think it's very inconsiderate to the hundreds of specs who will attend. Well fine, they will be able to follow the auction by virtue of FD, but let me ask again: what about play and defence? The auction is only half of the hand, isn't it? Don't you think that the majority of spectators would feel somewhat lost if for example non routine play and defence were not explained to them by expert commentators? I know this is the case, and unlike many others I know what the audience wants after 3 years as a vugraph coordinator. Roland

Yes, but as I said above, it takes some complicated programming (Uday knows much more about this than me). Roland

I don't doubt that Richard can arrange that, but are you sure that I don't have Moscito experts on my list with 181 commentators from all over the world? Roland

That would be ideal, I agree, and I have mentioned this to Uday before. As far as I understand, it's not a trivial issue. Maybe in a future release now that the world class team matches seem to be here to stay. Roland

Does the FD also tell you how to declare and defend? Maybe expert commentators could help with that. You may not need it but I bet that hundreds do and that they will appreciate it. Your approach seems somewhat selfish imo. Roland

This was not how the play went at the table, but I'm quite certain that Michael Seamon would have been capable of finding this defence if you had played ♠10 after cashing a top heart. Roland

Oops, too hasty here. RHO exits with a trump, and West discards. Can you make it now if ♦K is off side? Roland

When you cash one round of trumps, West follows with the 10. ♠10 next you say; ok East ruffs in and leads a diamond through. I think you're on your way down. Roland

LHO wins the king, cashes a top spade (diamond pitch from East) and exits with a club to the 9 and your ace. Roland

Typo, 5-1 you mean, and you know they are because Jimmy Cayne would never overcall on a 4-card suit. Right, RHO follows with the 8 to trick 1. To both Gerben and Frances: Versace did not play a club at trick 2. I haven't analysed yet, but I will check what happens if you insert the jack. Roland

[hv=d=s&v=n&n=sa10963hkq3dq73c86&s=s74ha9762dajcaj54]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] To me Alfredo Versace of Italy is the world's best individual player. Here he is in action in a strong team game on BBO last night. He opened 1♥, LHO overcalled 1♠, and North bid 2NT as a limit or better heart raise. 3♣ from Versace, and 4♥ by North ended the auction (the hand is rotated for convenience). ♠K lead from West. Plan the play please. If you get stuck, I will reveal the play to the first 4 tricks a little later. Roland

I'm in the 4♦ camp. Shows a void because, as Mark points out, I have 3♦ available as a singleton splinter. I am going to accept a grand slam try later (5NT by responder). In my book 4♣ would show a better club suit, at least two of the three top honours. Roland

I know Luis would still bid 3NT, but I will try 6♠. Right, I may go for 1100, but if you don't bid with that hand, you should find another hobby. And no, I won't run if RHO doubles. I prefer 1100 to 1400 ;) Roland

This question is easy to answer: LAW 76 SPECTATORS B. Spectator Participation A spectator may not call attention to any irregularity or mistake, nor speak on any question of fact or law except by request of the Director.

Alerts in the vugraph theatre are made by the operator. Roland