Walddk

No, you should not! This is one of the 25 conventions you would not want to learn. Roland

It's too good for a pre-empt because you have one trick too many. This is a 6-loser hand (for simplicity: 7 tricks), and since you should overbid by three tricks at these colours when you pre-empt, the hand is too good for 3♣. Even if 4♣ is natural and would show the number of tricks (7) you think you can take in a club contract, I would not bid it. It's normally not a good idea to bypass 3NT if that seems like a playable contract. This could well be the case here. This is perfectly normal 1♣ opening to me. Take away ♦K and it's a fine 3♣. Roland

1. Pass. I do not open a weak two with a hand that is suitable as dummy in the other major. 2. Pass. Getting in now is suicidal, especially after Stayman to my right. If you bid 2♠ now, you have offered the opponents self-sevice. They will take 300-500 when it's right. I am not much of an MP player myself, but I am sure that the majority of expert players think this is a clear pass - on both counts. If this is a case of hesitation before partner's pass over 1NT, I will not allow 2♠ if that turns out to be the winning call. Roland

We have experienced this on a number of occasions. Excuse me if I sound harsh, but there is only one thing to say: read our vugraph guidelines for goodness sake! Unless they lost them, every organiser has our guidelines and technical manual. Let me quote: Make sure that the banners are marked properly, e.g. which segment/session you are about to broadcast. Then it will make it easy for our viewers and other members to identify the sessions in our vugraph archives. If you are broadcasting from more than 1 team match at a time (or from more than 1 table in a pairs game), please make sure that each team match has a unique segment name. For example, do not name both segments of both matches 'Round Robin 4'. Instead use 'Round Robin 4A' and 'Round Robin 4B' (or similar). This will ensure that our facility for creating log files will create a separate log file for each match. I don't think we can put it clearer than that. Roland

5♣! Partner has ... ♠ x ♥ AKQ ♦ xxxx ♣ J109xx ... and raised to the cold slam. Then I woke up and realised that I had been dreaming. What a shame, I'd better Pass. Roland

I wish the AC got to spend the deposits when I sit on them, we'd be keeping lots more of them... Although, since EW would be the ones appealing, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be keeping any deposits. However, I agree with both of your sentiments in general, just not in this instance. I should have put it clearer. My point was that if the director, correctly, had adjusted the result to 6♥+1 and NS appealed, then they could be 100% certain that they would lose their money. Roland

Was he really? But first he felt like tormenting partner with a completely useless convention. No wonder opener got the response wrong; I would too, because 4♣ is never ...... (censored by me). To let the table result stand was a serious error by the director. It's easy to give opener lots of hands without ♦A. What a shame that an appeal did not materialise. If I had been on the committee, I would call (using pay phone of course) a nice restaurant and book dinner for the deposit NS paid. It would take the AC about 1 minute to rule "appeal without merit". I wish they were all this easy. Roland

MAS stands for ... Monetary Authority (of) Singapore Muslim American Society The Municipal Art Society (of New York) Market Analysis System Movimiento al Socialismo (Bolivia) Midtfyns Amatør Scene (Denmark) Manufacturing Advisory Service Musicians Answering Service Micro Analog Systems Microbeam Analysis Society ... and about 129 other things. Take your pick. Roland

Yes. It's not beyond what I consider offensive. However, I don't think it's funny either. Roland

Another problem seems to be that too many think they have been robbed just because it goes 1NT (12-14) pass pass; they take action on dubious values. The same applies for second hand after a weak NT opening. Some think they must get in at all costs. It's as dangerous as it is after a strong NT. Scenario 1: responder could have up to 10-11 hcp for his pass. Scenario 2: you haven't heard from LHO yet. Roland

Give me a break. Denmark was the first country to legalise pornography, in 1967 on print and 2 years later re pictures. More than 40 years later some people seem to have a problem and take offence if they see words like "balls", "tits", "boobs", etc. on print. I can think of words much more "rude" than these and would still not be offended. I acknowledge the fact that different countries have different standards and that there has to be a limit, even in the Water Cooler. Good luck to the moderators when they try to determine where that limit is. Roland

Anyway(s), I am curious to know how "should have" has become "should of" among some North Americans. I have seen that repeatedly at BBO tables. "I shld of played a spade ....". Is that merely colloquial/slang, predominantly by younger people? Roland

I don't know what others see, but i still see ♠ AKQ ♥ J103 ♦ J753 ♣ 841

I assume you count ♣1 as an ace, fair enough. Roland

I think 2♠ is enough despite the fact that I have ♣1. If it's a joker and I can put it where I like, I will let it be a spade and treat it as limit. Roland

What a tragedy. It is surely the end of the world. I promise to buy you a box of tissues the first time we meet (provided that planet Earth still exists of course) :rolleyes: Roland

Phil, if partner leads a club, he rates to have at least five of them. Then the chance of our side having a fit in either red suit drops significantly. Besides, if he is 3-3 in the red suits, how is he supposed to know that he should pass 2♦? I read Frances' initial post as 9 cards in diamonds and a major (5-4 or 4-5), but I could be wrong. Roland

No, Truscott (or Jordan in North America) applies after a double, not after an overcall. Roland I am really tempted to put up my old signature again, about reading what you reply to etc. My apologies. hrothgar did mention double. Roland

No, Truscott (or Jordan in North America) applies after a double, not after an overcall. http://homepage.mac.com/bridgeguys/Convent...TwoNoTrump.html Roland

Jacoby applies after interference if you have an agreement. If not, it's natural (11-12). I think it's best to play 2NT as Jacoby (or similar) and let the cue bid show an invitational hand with support. By doing so you give opener one more step to re-invite if he wishes. As for the problem here, I double. I have no guarantee of a safe haven in 5♥. Roland

I lead a spade, but I am known to have presented declarers with the contract before ;) Roland

I pass at these colours. We may have missed a partscore, conceivably a heart game too although that is unlikely because partner won't jump in hearts if he can't stand my correction to spades (2♦, diamonds and a major). I have pretty good defence and will not mind any lead. If I get a club lead, I probably did the right thing by passing instead of choosing 2♦. Roland

[hv=d=n&v=b&n=s3hakj984dkjca984&w=s42h63d962ckq10763&e=s975hq1072dq1053c52&s=sakqj1086h5da874cj]399|300|Scoring: IMP S: 7S Lead: CK[/hv] Here is the full deal. Ironically, a trump lead (the "recommended" lead against a grand slam) gives declarer no losing option. She has enough entries to set up hearts to get rid of the two diamond losers. The lead of ♣K is more challenging. We can all see that declarer can pitch a diamond on a top heart and ruff one in the dummy, but then you have not combined the chances (hearts). The unlucky declarer won ♣A, cashed both top hearts and ruffed a heart high. No queen. The problem was now that West got rid of one of her diamonds, so when declarer tried to ruff her losing diamond, West had the giant ♠4 in front of dummy's 3. Down 1. Declarer could still have made her contract after she ruffed a heart. The tool is now a double squeeze where West must guard clubs and East hearts. Result: no one can guard diamonds. In Denmark, and perhaps in many other countries too, all expert declarers would have chosen the squeeze, because that would have meant that you win the last trick with ♦7 (the beer card). Not bad in a grand slam, is it? (I know East can spoil that plan if he lets go ♥Q in the end game). No matter what, it was a fascinating hand on the club lead. Roland

[hv=d=n&v=b&n=s3hakj984dkjca984&s=sakqj1086h5da874cj]133|200|Scoring: IMP S: 7S[/hv] From the Australian Open & Women's Playoffs on BBO vugraph over the weekend. You have, confidently, bid to the excellent grand slam in spades. How do you play the hand on the lead of ... - 1. ♣K or - 2. ♠2 (East following with the 9) Roland

We can, and we do, every year in September (except for Oz and NZ where they are having fun with turning it forward) :) As it is now, I can't find my keys, pipe, tobacco, glasses and credit cards. Sometimes I can't even find myself. I don't need more I can't find. Roland