Walddk

Interestingly, both Jon (jonottawa) and Bob (geller) will get exactly what they want in a few hours, because .... Our matches Saturday in Shanghai are as follows (Bermuda Bowl unless stated): Round 19: 8 pm Friday Los Angeles, 11 pm Friday New York, 05.00 Saturday Paris, 4 am Saturday London, 1 pm Saturday Sydney Japan v Poland, Italy v Australia, Netherlands v Canada (VC) As far as rounds 20 and 21 (the last two) are concerned, we will not know our matches until about 30 minutes before start of play in those rounds. Understandably, the organisers want to have a look at the standings first before they decide. Roland

Hi Ana, It's all in our archives. The first part is empty, but you must scroll down to the boards they actually played in that match (17-32). Roland

Our matches Friday in Shanghai are as follows (Bermuda Bowl unless stated): Round 16: 8 pm Thursday Los Angeles, 11 pm Thursday New York, 05.00 Friday Paris, 4 am Friday London, 1 pm Friday Sydney Netherlands v Italy, USA2 v Germany (VC), Canada v USA1 (SB) ... Round 17: 11:20 pm Thursday Los Angeles, 2:20 am New York, 8.20 Paris, 7:20 am London, 4:20 pm Sydney Indonesia v China, Norway v Poland, USA1 v Italy ... Round 18: 2:10 am Los Angeles, 5:10 am New York, 11.10 Paris, 10:10 am London, 7:10 pm Sydney China v Norway, South Africa v Argentina, Poland v France (SB)

Our matches Thursday in Shanghai are as follows (Bermuda Bowl unless stated): Round 13: 8 pm Wednesday Los Angeles, 11 pm Wednesday New York, 05.00 Thursday Paris, 4 am Thursday London, 1 pm Thursday Sydney Poland v USA2, Brazil v Netherlands, Italy v Canada (SB) ... Round 14: 11:20 pm Wednesday Los Angeles, 2:20 am New York, 8.20 Paris, 7:20 am London, 4:20 pm Sydney USA1 v Brazil, Egypt v Italy, France v USA1 (VC) ... Round 15: 2:10 am Los Angeles, 5:10 am New York, 11.10 Paris, 10:10 am London, 7:10 pm Sydney China v USA2, Argentina v USA1, China v Australia (VC)

Our matches Wednesday in Shanghai are as follows (Bermuda Bowl unless stated): Round 10: 8 pm Tuesday Los Angeles, 11 pm Tuesday New York, 05.00 Wednesday Paris, 4 am Wednesday London, 1 pm Wednesday Sydney Italy v Argentina, South Africa v Poland, USA2 v New Zealand (VC) ... Round 11: 11:20 pm Tuesday Los Angeles, 2:20 am New York, 8.20 Paris, 7:20 am London, 4:20 pm Sydney Norway v USA1, Sweden v Netherlands, Japan v Germany (VC) ... Round 12: 2:10 am Los Angeles, 5:10 am New York, 11.10 Paris, 10:10 am London, 7:10 pm Sydney USA2 v Italy, Australia v Indonesia, USA2 v China (VC) ... So far we have provided commentary in English, French, Polish, Indonesian, Chinese and mixed Scandinavian. Wednesday we will be adding Japanese. Roland

Our matches Tuesday in Shanghai are as follows (Bermuda Bowl unless stated): Round 7: 8 pm Monday Los Angeles, 11 pm Monday New York, 05.00 Tuesday Paris, 4 am Tuesday London, 1 pm Tuesday Sydney Indonesia v Egypt, Poland v USA1, England v USA2 (VC) ... Round 8: 11:20 pm Monday Los Angeles, 2:20 am New York, 8.20 Paris, 7:20 am London, 4:20 pm Sydney USA1 v China, Egypt v Norway, France v USA2 (SB) ... Round 9: 2:10 am Los Angeles, 5:10 am New York, 11.10 Paris, 10:10 am London, 7:10 pm Sydney Brazil v Italy, Indonesia v Netherlands, France v USA2 (VC) ... I am happy to announce that we will be offering expert commentary in five languages Tuesday. English, French, Indonesian, Polish and Chinese. Roland

"No thanks" to a private chat message is not that annoying. Worse is having to reject 5-6 times when a window appears, created by the same user. Amazing that some can't understand that Reject once must be enough. Some just don't take no for an answer. Roland

Our matches Monday in Shanghai are as follows (Bermuda Bowl unless stated): Round 4: 8 pm Sunday Los Angeles, 11 pm Sunday New York, 05.00 Monday Paris, 4 am Monday London, 1 pm Monday Sydney Brazil v Sweden, Netherlands v Canada, Egypt v Poland ... Round 5: 11:20 pm Sunday Los Angeles, 2:20 am New York, 8.20 Paris, 7:20 am London, 4:20 pm Sydney Canada v USA1, England v Germany (VC), USA1 v France (SB) ... Round 6: 2:10 am Los Angeles, 5:10 am New York, 11.10 Paris, 10:10 am London, 7:10 pm Sydney Italy v Norway, USA2 v Brazil, Netherlands v France (VC)

Last minute change to our schedule in round 1. No Norway v Sweden. The match will be replaced by New Zealand v Brazil Sorry for the inconvenience. Beyond our control. Roland

As we have been notified well in advance regarding our matches in rounds 1, 2 and 3, I have managed to schedule commentators the day before. I think it's fair to say that we are rendering a great service first up by offering expert commentary in English, French, Chinese, mixed Scandinavian and Indonesian (for the first time). We will likely be able to add Italian, Spanish and Polish later in the tournament. Roland

Perhaps some teams may want to "buy" out of being broadcasted Impossible according to the Conditions of Contest: Vu-Graph "All contestants are required to play on Vu-Graph, on-line Vu-Graph and Television whenever assigned to do so by the President or his designee." Roland

Our matches for rounds 2 and 3 are (Bermuda Bowl unless stated): Round 2: Italy v Poland, USA2 v Sweden, Brazil v Indonesia. Round 3: France v China (VC), China v Italy, South Africa v Netherlands.

To avoid confusion, the list below is provisional. The matches in rounds 2 and 3 to be found when you scroll down. Since we can't know about 1) and 3), I am going to offer three matches as "ours" (2) for each round from 2-21. Some of the official matches will likely be from the Venice Cup (women), so I have not chosen any from the VC as 2). All matches below are from the Bermuda Bowl. Please select: Round 2: Italy v Poland, Brazil v Indonesia, Netherlands v Australia. Round 3: Ireland v USA2, China v Italy, India v Egypt. Round 4: Netherlands v Canada, Chinese Taipei v China, Argentina v Norway. Round 5: Indonesia v Italy, Canada v USA1, Australia v USA2. Round 6: Netherlands v Poland, USA2 v Brazil, Italy v Norway. Round 7: Sweden v Italy, Indonesia v Egypt, Poland v USA1. Round 8: Australia v India, Ireland v Poland, USA1 v China. Round 9: Brazil v Italy, Norway v Pakistan, Canada v USA2. Round 10: Australia v China, Netherlands v Norway, USA1 v Indonesia. Round 11: Sweden v Netherlands, Norway v USA1, India v USA2. Round 12: USA2 v Italy (surely the official match), Netherlands v Japan, Australia v Indonesia. Round 13: Italy v Chinese Taipei, Poland v USA2, Sweden v Ireland. Round 14: Poland v China, Australia v Sweden, Egypt v Italy. Round 15: Italy v Pakistan, Brazil v Ireland, Japan v Australia. Round 16: India v Norway, USA2 v Egypt, Netherlands v Italy. Round 17: Italy v USA1 (official no doubt), Norway v Poland, Indonesia v China. Round 18: China v Norway, Poland v Sweden, Ireland v Italy. Round 19: Italy v Australia, Indonesia v USA2, Sweden v China. Round 20: Indonesia v Norway, China v Japan, South Africa v Italy. Round 21: Netherlands v USA1, Norway v USA2, Sweden v Indonesia.

8xx, yes.

I think it does. What prevents opener from having say KQJ10xxxx x xx Ax if vulnerable? Now I can count 12 tricks even if spades are 4-1. Roland

Vulnerability please?

Facts: - 1A. Hearts are 1-5. - 2A. West did not lead his singleton heart. - 3A. West has ♣J. Assumptions: - 1B. Diamonds are 6-2. - 2B. East feared that clubs are running, so he rates to have three small ones. - 3B. West's shape is therefore 2-1-6-4 and East's 3-5-2-3. - 4B. Odds are 3:2 for ♠Q with East, but ... - 5B. West has ♠Q because of 2A. Why did East "panic" at trick 3? Conclusion: - 1D. East does not have ♠Q. - 2D. He would want to show as many high cards as possible if he had. - 3D. He would therefore have cashed ♥A, hoping to score ♠Q. Mike and Frances are on the same wavelength, and they would also have made it. Roland

I agree that 4♦ shows this hand quite well, but I do not agree with you regarding a double of 3♦. For me that would show that I had a penalty double of 2♥, not necessarily of any other suit bid by the opponents. Roland

Slam from North's point of view is virtually out of the question for a couple of reasons: - 1. South is unlikely to have have the ♥A, or king (guarded); else 2NT over 2♠. - 2. South does not have a singleton heart either. With 10 hearts between them and non-vulnerable we would likely have heard more noise by EW. And finally, the fact that South bid no more than 2♦, then 3♦ strongly suggests that he has no heart control. If he had a singleton heart, his hand would probably have been worth more than 2♦/3♦. Roland

I think you did very well until South sounded weak/weak (3♦). Given the auction after partner's 2♠, South has excellent cards, a very healthy minimum. In my view 3♥ should get that message across. "Good cards, no heart stopper". 2♠ promises a rebid, but it's possible to stop in 4♦. However, with two aces and ♦K North could perhaps jump to game now, alternatively bid 4♣ as a game try. If he does, South can bid game. I confess that all this is much easier with all cards in view, and I don't think it's a serious error to stop in 4♦. Perfect fit which is not always easy to spot. Roland

How do you manage to get this old in the United States? :) Roland

I don't think so. Remember that he won the ace first, then cashed the king. Furthermore, he did not continue diamonds at trick 3, so the inference must be that he started with AK doubleton. It seems like 100% after he tried a *low* heart at trick 3, trying to get his partner in to cash ♦Q or give him a ruff. Roland

I did. East won the ace, West discarding a diamond. So they could have defeated the contract. Not your concern though. East now exited with a club to the 10, jack and queen in dummy. Now what? Roland

[hv=d=s&v=n&n=sk76hj10dj76cakq65&s=saj1094hkq942d32c10]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] I played this hand in a team match on BBO the other day. I am not convinced that my line was with the odds although the contract made. Our 2/1 auction was: 1♠ - 2♣ 2♥ - 2♠ 4♠ - Pass Lead: ♦10 RHO won the ace, cashed ♦K and switched to ♥6. Low from hand and West followed with the 3. You are in dummy. How do you proceed from here? Roland

21? Grow up! Have a nice one, mate. Roland