Walddk

For those of you who may not know, Sancho (Matthias Schüller from Germany) is a European Bridge League certified director. Roland

Responder has an automatic raise to 6♦ in my book. By the way, we both have ♥J (not that it matters much). Roland

Doesn't 5♦ show the hand I have? So I bid it. Roland

1♠ but pass is a close second. The reason I chose to open is that I would hate to overcall with that moth-eaten suit later. When you open you don't promise a good suit. Besides, 1♠ takes the 1-level away from LHO. I would most likely have passed if I had hearts instead of spades. Roland

1♠ is plenty. I have a 5 loser hand and no intermediates. I don't think we will have missed a game if partner can't bid again. The hand needs to be a little stronger for me to bid 2♣ first. A jump to 2♠ wouldn't even cross my mind. Roland

What he said. 3♠ next. Roland

I admire Bart Bramley as a fine player and an outstanding analyst, but I think his method against the opponents' 1NT has two significant flaws. 1. You can't penalise a weak NT (11-13 and 12-14 for example). 2. 2♦ for the majors is not ideal. The problem is that advancer can't ask for the longer major. I much prefer 2♣ for that purpose because you have 2♦ available to get to the right major when advancer has equal length. Roland

The Vanderbilt is now scheduled on our vugraph web page. It's provisional but I expect it to be very close to the whole truth, if not *the* truth. http://online.bridgebase.com/vugraph/sched...?order_by=event Roland

I guess that's the reason why Australia is named Oz-One. There is only one of Aussie heritage on the team now :) Roland

Only slightly. I have Oz, SL, India and SA. You dismiss India and bring on the Kiwis. Roland

3♣. A vulnerable game at IMPs is too good to miss. Game will obviously depend on what partner has in clubs. He is likely to have a fistful of spades (no raise), so his shape is most likely 5323 or 5332. On a bad day 3♥ is too high (♠KQ or KJ) and repeated trump leads, on a normal day it's not unreasonable to hope for 9 tricks, and on a good day like today he has the values I need for game to make. Roland

Ponting, Gilchrist and 13 others. Roland

I agree entirely, and you could add Vince Demuy, now representing Australia, to that list of ex-Canadian world class players. Let's turn our attention to Scotland for a moment. They are not doing great at European Championships. Small nation, few members to choose from and an independent bridge nation for only 7 years (part of Great Britain before 2000). However, who would write them off if Mike's suggestion became a fact? Michael Rosenberg, Barnet Shenkin, Andrew McIntosh ... Roland

Pass is the percentage call in my opinion. Yes, you may miss the odd slam, but you will go down in 5 or 6 more often. I am not going to hang partner for bidding 4♥ on ♠ Qx ♥ Q10xxxx ♦ xx ♣ Kxx Now the 5-level could be too high. I agree with Adam that I need to add at least a black suit king in order to move over 4♥. Roland

So, Garozzo is the answer, isn't it? Bid 2♠ (at least invitational, says nothing about spades) and learn more about opener's hand. Roland Maybe Han understands that bidding problems are only problems in the context of the system actually in use, so he doesn't introduce an artificial relay that solves problems when it was not specified that this was in use. He also doesn't say he would make a short suit game try. He doesn't say he would bid 2S showing 1534 with 8-9 points. Seriously, people who post probably want answers on what they should have done at the table and what the best judgement is in the constraints of their system, they don't want to know what pet convention someone has to solve this particular problem. This kind of stuff is just too ridiculous for words. When you encounter a bidding problem while playing do you say, gee if I played such and such convention that would be a really great way to handle this hand type, I'll just bid that even though we don't play it! Justin, as you see Ben gave us five options one of which was "Other". So how can it be wrong to vote "Other" and describe what that other bid would be when asked specifically? I agree with you if Ben only had offered us the first four options. Then it makes no sense to add a fifth. I did not, Ben did, so in my view it's perfectly legitimate to describe a fifth option. I actually believe that this was Ben's intention when he set up the poll. Roland

I don't know how others interpret "somehow managed to win ....", but for me it sounds like they got lucky because there were much better teams in Japan. It's the word "somehow" I find degrading in this context. Whoever is offended that easily might know by now not to read Richard's posts... Oh, but occasionally he writes something intelligent. It's hard to know if it is or not if one doesn't read it. Roland

I don't know how others interpret "somehow managed to win ....", but for me it sounds like they got lucky because there were much better teams in Japan. It's the word "somehow" I find degrading in this context. As to your "Iceland appeared in a grand total of one Bermuda Bowl" you are spot on, and let me add that Iceland is the only nation with a 100% record. Entered once and won it. Regarding Canada (and that has nothing to do with you, Richard) I don't think they should have an automatic berth. Everyone else (except USA) must qualify, so why should the Canadians have a special status? By the way, Fred who used to play for Canada on several occasions as you all well know shares that view. Roland

Nothing really. Aa-Grøtheim were partners for ages, then they both took a break and now they are back with new partners. Tundal is an old partner of Grøtheim's actually, European Champions even. Terje Aa plays with Jon-Egil Furunes. The joke in Norway is that the Norwegian open team can't afford to have Aa-Grøtheim as a pair. Too many penalties because of time violation. :P Roland

You would weaken the Irish team. England are falling way behind; just look at the Camrose Trophy results. Ireland have won it three years in a row, by a margin even. Regarding Norway, there is no reason to team Helgenes up with Polish pairs. Brogeland-Sælensminde and Grøtheim-Tundal are world class. Finally, I find it offensive when you write ".... when Iceland somehow managed to win a World Championship." They won because they played the better bridge. Why is that so strange? Is good bridge restricted to USA and Italy? Roland

So, Garozzo is the answer, isn't it? Bid 2♠ (at least invitational, says nothing about spades) and learn more about opener's hand. Roland

If this is correct, and I trust Dave Thompson (mrdct) of course, it only goes to show that I am proven right when I wrote this in an earlier post. I can accept that ACBL doesn't know how many teams enter the event until they hit the deadline, but there has been a time schedule for a long time, so they do know the exact timings for the Vandy. There can only one explanation for the lack of info: no-one knows if they can get volunteer operators or not. As usual, they are going to advertise in the daily bulletins and take it from there. We must live with that and then ACBL must live with the fact that it will be impossible to schedule commentators in advance. Roland

I agree to a certain extent, because it's not enough to find volunteer operators (newbies) without giving them a chance to practice. If they don't get that chance, it will more often than not be embarrassing for them, ACBL, BBO, our spectators and staff. I am not in the same camp as those who think it's better to get a nonsense broadcast than nothing at all. The quality of the operators determines the success of the broadcast. It's as simple as that. Roland

I have a minimum for my overcall, so I can't see an alternative to signing off in 3♥. Roland

Apparently, the hotels in America charge a fortune for internet connection. I don't know why it has to be like that. The host hotels this time are the Renaissance St. Louis Suites Hotel and the Renaissance Grand Hotel. One would assume that ACBL provides plenty of income for the hotels by placing the NABC right there. So wouldn't it be reasonable if the hotels paid something back by giving ACBL an internet discount? With this said, I don't think it will ruin ACBL's budget even if they have to pay $100-200 a day. Aren't the NABCs money machines for them? I don't know for sure, but my (usually reliable) sources tell me that they are. Roland P.S: Still no info regarding broadcasts on BBO. Fred is in St. Louis now and will try to push as best as he can.

Then I will give them both 100% for having that agreement. It's all a matter of frequency. The opponents have at least nine spades between them, so what is more likely: North has a penalty or a take-out of 3♠? It's rhetorical, no need to reply. If this is indeed your agreement, Miron, then tell us what North would do with a much more frequent hand like ... ♠ ♥ AKJxx ♦ AJxx ♣ Axxx Yes, it would be nice to penalise them when you have ... ♠ AKQ10 ♥ AKxxx ♦ Kx ♣ xx but you never have that hand on this auction. Roland