bberris

There are lots of cheaters playing the individual timed game. The strategy is simple. Take a wild action or simply have a bidding misunderstanding, if it works play on, if it's a disaster, time-out for average. Some of these "players" even think it is part of the game.

In a live game with a competent director, after a claim is disputed the director is called and the result is adjudicated. In no case does play continue under ACBL rules, and I suspect under any other regime. This must be followed. To see why, what if a declarer claims with a two-way finesse. All he has to do is wait for the objection and hook the objecting player.

It affects how I play. Someone with a low ranking is more likely to: Pass a forcing bid Lead low from 2 leave in a takeout double pull a penalty double play high from equals opp opening leader lead low from equals as declarer pass a responding hand overcall and open crap pass an opening bid open a weak 2 with 7 or 8 cards cover an honor lead grab an ace lead the low sequence card reverse with a minimum criticize a good play that results wrong I'm sure I forgot somethings.

Bots screw up. So do people. But the bots don't make clicking errors. I don't know what caused this but I know that the bots solve problems by generating simulated deals. This one seems ridiculous, I agree. Anyway, I'd rather sit across from a bot, even a free one, than a random partner in an individual who calls himself advanced or an expert. I've seen much worse and I've done worse myself.

This really happened in the fun individual. ♠ - ♥ K973 ♦ AQT53 ♣ JT63 ♠ A9863 ♥ A64 ♦K4 ♣ A84 Holding the bottom hand, I opened 1NT, and my sort of live partner responded 3NT. (Hadn't learned stayman? Maybe trying to shut out a spade overcall. If you haven't played in the individual this is normal). Whatever, we've fallen into the right contract. LHO, also a living person leads the J of hearts, small from dummy, Q from right-hand robot. What luck! I can pick up the hearts for 4 tricks! So I proceed to play three rounds of diamonds from the top, (should have started hearts first) RHR showing out on the third round. Looks like west was 5-4 in the reds. I put him in with another diamond and he leads K of spades. I win and lead the 4 of hearts, deuce, 7, 8! The bad guys now cash two spade tricks only having blocked the suit. (Tricky devils but not geniuses). Now K of clubs to my A. Opps have taken 4 tricks so far. I lead my last heart, 5, 9, T! and they take the rest, for down 3. So on the opening lead livng LHO led J from J52. The robot cooperated in this master deception by overtaking with QT8.

The question is not, "Do you trust your partner", it's "What is our agreement?". With the example penalty double heart stack above, Axx, AQ108, Axx, Kxx this would happen once in a lifetime. You are allowed to pass, and if your partner makes a takeout double, bless him. So what is our agreement? I always bring up general rules about doubles with new partners. My preference is that all doubles are takeout whenever that makes sense. It makes sense that doubles are for takeout when we have not found a fit, which applies here. Philosophically, we want to find our own best spot to play before we go around writing speeding tickets.

You're really sure he has a stiff heart?! People I play against would not necessarily have a 9-card fit. This would be easy if I were a passed hand with a good partner (4D). 5S should ask for first/second round heart control. Still wouldn't partner overcall with ♠AKxxx ♥x ♦xxx ♣ KQxx ? I admit to being satisfied with 4S. Then what to do over 5H?

Agree with the posters it is not a forcing pass. Opener may have stretched. If he had bid 4H instead of 4S, that would create a forcing pass. A more interesting problem, what if the 3H bidder had instead jumped to 4H. Now opener has no way to distinguish good stretch bids. In that case pass should not be forcing either. I think FP should be reserved for clear-cut situations where we are strong and the other side is saving. Not the case here or in the situation I described.

With 10-11 pts and three cards in their suit, you should generally pass! Saving 2NT for this hand is silly; stretch to 3NT if you want. 2NT is only right when you make exactly 8 tricks. So it makes sense to use 2NT artificially, such as 4 card limit + raise. Passing with three cards in their suit and invitational has been called the cooperative pass; a play on what used to be called the cooperative double. https://sites.google.com/site/psmartinsite/Home/bridge-articles/the-cooperative-pass

Open 4NT ! Asks for specific aces, and prevents opps from finding a save. http://www.bridgewebs.com/stafford/OPENING%20WITH%204NT%20BID.htm

Oh, you mean a perverse reverse?

So if I understand this correctly, 1C 1S 2D ? I should now take a preference to clubs at the 2 level?