slothy

Just to answer the question about what to bid over 2♦ 2♠. In the version of Multi I play responder ALWAYS bids his shorter major. So with a 2♠ response one assumes he has !H tolerance. (it could be that has has 1♠ and 2♥ at worse, but there are other bids in the arsenal when one has NO TOLERANCE for EITHER MAJOR and one wants to play in one's own minor. But this is another post :) ). Now as opener, where one can have 5-6 up to 10 we want to show a variety of hands. Just because partner has not made a forcing 2N bid, 4♥ can be laydown, or with good odds, opposite some 13-14 points that have to start with a 2♠ response, and these hand types are shown in opener's 2nd round bids. 3♦ is a transfer back to !H. You are minimum and have nothing to show. Game is very unlikely in fact most certainly. Kx QJxxxx xx Jxx. But at least you know p has ♥ with you and opps have a ♠ fit. 3♣ is a max multi in ♥ with points concentrated in trumps. Something like xx AKJxxx Jxx xx. Partner with Ax Qxxx AQxxx x can take a stab at 4♥ 3♥ is a good multi in ♥ but one does NOT have semi-solid ♥ but good tenaces and controls elsewhere. ( now there is no real advantage for p to be declarer as YOU are the one wanting to protect YOUR tenaces not necessarily his. Something like xx QT98xx AT9 Kx. Partner may have good trumps and scattered values and raise you to game. It has imploded on occasion ( 2-3 times ) but %age wise we have bid some games others missed playing conventional multi or weak 2s and if one is a multi afficionado it is more subtle than a simple retreat back to ♥ where the potential advantage of p being declarer is lost AND you have the avantage o being declarer whhere you want the lead up to YOU.

Well that is all the excuse i need to mark you as an enemy, Rain. :P

It uses the same original code base..... As far as i am aware, DF tried to refactor code for later update to make it faster (which it is :) ) ...this may be the source of the bug in the later versions and slipped through the testing suite.... Alex

Should ask my ex mother-in-law.. She interfered in everything.

Diana, At least you didnt show your category "People I Religiously Avoid" - would be horrible for everyone to see me there :) :) :) alex.

I think i will game force. If i (eventually) find p top-heavy in spades then i will just sigh and berate my luck. As Mike suggested 1NT - this, imo, has a problem in that one is never going to be able to pattern out ones hand. Over 2S response 3C may well be passed out with suitable hands and ones heart suit is lost. 1S 2C 2S 3H potentially shows my hand shape at this point but maybe i am lying about my high card strength. I certainly dont want to miss out on pin-pointing a good 3 card H suit opposite. Of course if p bids 2D or 2H over 2C there is more room to show ones shape. Over 2H one is happy, over 2D one can bid 2H and then bid 3H and we are still at the 3 level. Difficult hand to bid i agree :(

Hi Mark (Zel), By the way, congrats on finishing the puzzle :) I agree with you entirely....however if one was to program in features to facilitate working out the puzzle, the interface would become more cluttered than it already is - and would add to the complexity of understanding what a solver had to do. I had wanted to include a pdf file for easy print-out and such, and when i thought about what i could include to aid a puzzler the gain involved would not outweigh the effort (of the programmer). I wanted to concentrate on providing an interface to automate the submission - this was my primary concern. The alternative was for a person having to submit the puzzle manually through email to Diana (this was the procedure in the past on others i have done) a lot of effort for the solver and an unnecessary burden on Diana. Having Hints and Testing the entries midstream i thought was sufficent help for the solver. Nothing wrong in getting a blank piece of paper(s) to scribble ones workings on :) One added feature i am including is to give an up-to-date list of current solvers :) So i guess you will be on that list soon :) Anyway, good luck to all who attempt it, Alex

you right vampyr lol i meant high reverse :)

When i play Acol i use a simple rule to open 1!C or 1!S.. If i cannot make a high reverse of 3!C over 2 level red suit response over 1!S i open 1!C otherwise 1!S. If partner has the money over a 1!C opener, i can pattern out in the flow of the auction....of course if there is intereference (there normally is :P) then this is where partnership agreement predominates... But then again if opponents interfere over 1!S you are practically paddling the same canoe as when you open 1!C. Alex

How about PHANTOM (FANTOM) FANTOM = Fantunes On Medication :) or Fantunes with Our Modifications. Alex

If someone can tell me how to implement a Spoiler I will do so. Cant see it on the editor :(. I agree with Ben, i think it is misplaced in this forum, simply because it is not that easy a problem and requires to make certain assumptions about card placements maybe beyond the ken of a beginner/intermediate, at least that is my feeling. Going through the hand i agree with Ben. I am winning the first club in dummy to play a ♦ immediately. I certainly want to clear up the ♦ position straightaway and clear the ground for an elimination. As seen in the movie West wins. Would be hard for him to duck if he did have the Ace, as no loss of a diamond trick, by ruffing them in dummy, may see declarer home - irrespective of the ♥ holdings. As it is known that the A of ♦ is with West, not going to go through the analysis when it is not, although fairly similar and same assumptions apply. The key assumption now is the ♥ holdings. I am playing for East to hold honour x in ♥, more likely than stiff or KQ tight. Alternatively, stiff ♥ and Hx in ♠. For 2 reasons: it is a legitimate play if East has a stiff !S and Hx in ♥. Also, if he has 2 ♠ and H x in ♥ he has to have the foresight of unblocking his ♥ honour, otherwise he will be endplayed. IF West exits with a ♣ or ♦ winning, cashing A of ♥ eliminating ♦ and ♣ and A of ♠ and exiting ♠. If he exits ♥, winning the A and proceeding as before. We are playing for an ending where West has Hxx in ♥ and East down to stiff honour, with declarer having no cards in the side suits, and West on lead. East could not profitably uunblock his honour. If West cashes his ♥ honour he sets up Souths J, if he plays a low ♥ East is endplayed, and a minor suit card gives declarer a discard of a losing ♥, whilst ruffing in dummy. If East had 2 ♠ and a singleton ♥ he has to furnish declarer with a ruff and sluff immediately. If he had 2 ♠ and Hx in ♥ and unblocked his ♥ honour, time to put him on your Friends List to ask him for a game later.

Well done Ben! The point of the hand is not to play for the unlikely 6-0-3-4 hand in South, cashing the ♦ immediately (as alas i did) as playing for the more likely alternative 9 card holdings in North where the squeeze is the only legitimate line to bring in the lottery ticket. As you pointed out, the 3-3 ♦ split can be catered for anyway. Well done again. Alex.

[hv=pc=n&w=sk96ha982dk9542c6&e=saqh753da3cakqt52&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=2sppdp3sp6cppp]266|200[/hv] You play in 6C. South leads the J!S. You take with the Ace of !S and lay down the A K Q of trumps. North follows to the trump pull with 2 small trumps and discards the K of !H on the Q. I got the ending wrong :( and on reflection know i most likely should have made it. Plan the play.

6-5 stay alive. 6-5-2 dont ask partner what to do. Halleluyah.

ummmm do you have an option for when you are not really sure what gender your partner is? i mean frustrating when you are uncertain whether to enter for Mens Pairs or Mixed....