bluffing -

[DrTodd13]

Right, when someone does the same psyche so much, it becomes a convention and not a psyche. Of course, in the ACBL, they had to ban "controlled psyches" because they banned the underlying convention.

[mishovnbg]

Psyching, or bluffing, is a part of bridge. I am sure if you would have gotten a bad score opps would not have called director.

They are just crybabies.

 

Mike  :D

If Opps are known to be beginners, I would say Psychic bid is a bit unfair.

 

Hongjun

It is not only fair, it is nice for them... Learning to play against psyches is part of game. Beginners can lose board by different way, by psyche is the best, because give them chance to win, if p didn't discover psyche :)

Misho

[Gerben47]

First of all, if people complain about psyches that is a failure of their teacher who did not prepare them for this.

 

Secondly, you can not ban psyches since there is no clear cut border. Sure, 1♦ - 1NT denies a 4-card major. If you have it, is that a psyche? What if you open 1NT on a 6322 hand? What if you have 7 clubs? Or only 14 points? 13? 12?

 

Psyching against beginners: Some say this is not fair, I think it is fair but a losing tactic as your expectation i s a good score anyway. You are randomizing your score in a situation that does not call for it.

 

You have to define what the goal of your contest is. If it is a learning round with many beginners I would not make a bid that is outside the "book".

 

If it is a normal competition, I play to win and expect others to do the same.

[Trpltrbl]

Psyching, or bluffing, is a part of bridge. I am sure if you would have gotten a bad score opps would not have called director.

They are just crybabies.

 

Mike  :)

If Opps are known to be beginners, I would say Psychic bid is a bit unfair.

 

Hongjun

I don't really play against beginners, don't like to.

Rather play my regular game against experts.

 

Mike :D

[bearmum]

First of all, if people complain about psyches that is a failure of their teacher who did not prepare them for this.

 

Secondly, you can not ban psyches since there is no clear cut border. Sure, 1♦ - 1NT denies a 4-card major. If you have it, is that a psyche? What if you open 1NT on a 6322 hand? What if you have 7 clubs? Or only 14 points? 13? 12?

 

Psyching against beginners: Some say this is not fair, I think it is fair but a losing tactic as your expectation i s a good score anyway. You are randomizing your score in a situation that does not call for it.

 

You have to define what the goal of your contest is. If it is a learning round with many beginners I would not make a bid that is outside the "book".

 

If it is a normal competition, I play to win and expect others to do the same.

before I start let me say I dislike psyching ONLINE when LOTS of us are playing with pickup partners -- and MAYBE against established partnerships who can psych REALLY well within the rules of bridge -- I only wish I could do it as well :D :D

 

Having said that in response to your all of the things quoted are OK OCCASIONALLY (and I mean occasionally )---- but if they become PART of you game (and partner acts as though he/she might expect you to have (for example a SIX card major OR a 7 card minor when opening 1NT) then it's NOT a psych but (IMHO) UI and SHOuLD be on your CC AND alerted to opps and if NOT therefore subject to SOME sort of sanctions - and no doubt the qualified directors will tell you what they are :)( if i'm right :D

 

As far as I understand the rules IF you SOMETIMES ( as opposed to really occasionally) reply 1NT to 1♦ which on your CC denies a 4 C major then you need to ALERT the fact that the 1NT MAY contain a 4 card major - as opps are entitled to that information ( EVEN if you DO change your CC :D ) - please correct me directors if I am misunderstanding the alerting rules :P

[vanilla]

know what!!!!

 

never did that TD let me know what crime I comitted to be dismissed from her tourney...........found out she also excluded me from future participation in her tourneys.....

perhaps you say I really should not worry about this

but TD in question seems to be an ACBL qualified TD also - directing in tourneys we play money for to play in....

 

we should use this forum (BBO) with so many players from all countries all over the world and from all levels from expert to novice to discuss what we can do to make bridge a game for everybody...

 

so I am a paria.......not allowed to play with the good kids

[Gerben47]

but TD in question seems to be an ACBL qualified TD also - directing in tourneys we play money for to play in....

 

Well, that does not say much it seems. In this group and in rec.games.bridge there have been a lot of horrorstories about really really bad TD that were "qualified" ACBL directors.

 

To be fair, the same is true for other NBO's but many posters are in the ACBL.

 

Gerben

[McBruce]

Psychic Call is defined in the Laws as 'A deliberate and gross misstatement of honor strength or suit length.' However, the Laws do not forbid such bids at all, except in one case: when they are made with such frequency that they become a de facto partnership understanding.

 

Some of the so-called psyches mentioned in this thread are not psyches at all. The original one, a 1♥ opening on a singleton, certainly was. Responding 1NT to 1♦ while holding four bad hearts certainly is not.

 

My number one concern as a TD in situations where the opponents claim damage due to a psyche is to take control of the situation. Too often the aggreived side is flailing about with snide comments and the accused side is responding in kind, like a football match where a player is trying to convince the referee to award a penalty kick on a dubious foul. You have to be a Jack "just the facts, ma'am" Webb type and prevent this from happening, threatening the players with penalties if neccesary. Nobody can make the right ruling if all four players are constantly gabbing. Here are the things to think about.

 

1. Were the opponents truly damaged by the bid they are complaining about? Damage must be clear and obvious to get to question 2:

2. If there was damage, was the bid a true psyche (must be deliberate and must be far from the normal expectation for the bid, not 'slightly off')? Is there evidence that is was a mistaken bid? If so, no redress.

3. Is there evidence that the bid might be a partnership understanding? If so, now you may award an adjusted score if the damage is serious enough to warrant it.

 

In the vast majority of cases you will find that the opponents are overreacting and you must be firm in letting them know that psyches are legal, while excessive complaining about them is not.

 

Some time ago in a club team game, I opened 2♠ in first seat and partner bid 2NT, asking for a feature. I had the K♣ AND the K♥ to go with my six spades to the QJT, so I had to think fast. Finally I settled on the solution that I would bid 3♦! This anti-feature bid (on a small doubleton) would likely get us to the right spot:

 

--if partner bid 3NT over 3♦, I could assume we were missing a diamond stopper and I would correct to 4♠.

--if partner bid 3♠ over 3♦, I could assume he thought we were missing a club or heart stopper and I would correct to 3NT.

 

(You may object that there are flaws with my reasoning. Good--it means my 'psyche' was not risk-free.)

 

Partner bid 3NT and I corrected to 4♠. LHO, who had over 2,000 MP, asked the meaning of our auction. Partner told him that 3♦ promised the ace or king of diamonds. Finally he decided to lead the A♦. All followed and he switched to a club. I was able to pitch a diamond and made an overtrick for 1 IMP (and as it turned out, no difference in Victory Points). LHO, who had held the ace and king of diamonds, went ballistic, calling me a cheater in a loud enough tone to carry the whole room. I called for the Director.