DOOM over MOSCITO

[TimG]

This is my last post on DOOM.

 

I'm going to have to update the "Explanatory Notes" on my convention card yet again after BBOs deal generator came up with this gem.

 

The DOOM defence is still under construction.

 

oops

[barmar]

Should I merge the last 2 days of posts into the "Defense to MOSCITO" thread in Non-Natural System Discussion?

[32519]

Ben, I think you should move this thread out of Appeals Forum back to the Non-Natural System Forum.

 

Thank you.

 

 

Should I merge the last 2 days of posts into the "Defense to MOSCITO" thread in Non-Natural System Discussion?

 

Yes, Ben was already requested to move it.

 

Thank you.

[32519]

What would North’s most likely action be if the West and North holdings in the ♥ suit were reversed, excluding the ♥3? In order to keep North’s hand in HCP strength more or less equivalent to what it previously was, The ♠A is removed. So now the hand’s would be something like this. With such a fine distributional hand and an excellent fit with opener, my guess is that North would jump straight to 4♥ attempting to end the auction. Would that be fair? North now has an additional HCP.

 

[hv=pc=n&s=s63haj76dkq976ck7&w=saqj74h9854dcaj83&n=st9hkqt32d3cqt954&e=sk852hdajt8542c62&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=1d(4+%20Hearts)2d(Refer%20CC%20for%20options)]399|300[/hv]

[hrothgar]

What would North’s most likely action be if the West and North holdings in the ♥ suit were reversed, excluding the ♥3? In order to keep North’s hand in HCP strength more or less equivalent to what it previously was, The ♠A is removed. So now the hand’s would be something like this. With such a fine distributional hand and an excellent fit with opener, my guess is that North would jump straight to 4♥ attempting to end the auction. Would that be fair? North now has an additional HCP.

 

[hv=pc=n&s=s63haj76dkq976ck7&w=saqj74h9854dcaj83&n=st9hkqt32d3cqt954&e=sk852hdajt8542c62&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=1d(4+%20Hearts)2d(Refer%20CC%20for%20options)]399|300[/hv]

 

I don't think that the North hand is strong enough to unilaterally commit to game.

As a practical example, South has an above minimum 1♦ opening and game has zero play.

 

I think that North needs to make some kind of invitational bid.

I suspect that 2NT should be used to show 4+ card support and invite+ values.

[TimG]

What would North's most likely action be if the West and North holdings in the ♥ suit were reversed, excluding the ♥3? In order to keep North's hand in HCP strength more or less equivalent to what it previously was, The ♠A is removed. So now the hand's would be something like this. With such a fine distributional hand and an excellent fit with opener, my guess is that North would jump straight to 4♥ attempting to end the auction. Would that be fair? North now has an additional HCP.

 

[hv=pc=n&s=s63haj76dkq976ck7&w=saqj74h9854dcaj83&n=st9hkqt32d3cqt954&e=sk852hdajt8542c62&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=1d(4+%20Hearts)2d(Refer%20CC%20for%20options)]399|300[/hv]

 

Opposite a possible four-card suit, this north hand is worth a raise to just 3♥. The idea, I believe, is to get in quick and out quick, jam the auction as high as appears safe and then let the opponents guess. In a very basic way of looking at it: we know we have nine trumps, so we bid to the 9 trick level. (I think it is also often safe to bid to the 9 trick level when responder has just four trumps because of two things: 1) opener might have a 5th trump, and 2) the opponents come under great pressure. But, that does not mean it is also OK to automatically bid to the 10 trick level when responder has five trumps.)

[32519]

OK, so both explanations make sense. From the bidding in either of your two auctions, West knows that East has a singleton or void in the ♥ suit. With that knowledge, I don’t believe that it will be possible to prevent West from entering the auction with 3♠ regardless. Will North be disciplined enough to pass the 3♠ bid?

[TimG]

OK, so both explanations make sense. From the bidding in either of your two auctions, West knows that East has a singleton or void in the ♥ suit. With that knowledge, I don't believe that it will be possible to prevent West from entering the auction with 3♠ regardless. Will North be disciplined enough to pass the 3♠ bid?

What does it matter? If West enters with 3♠, surely East will raise to 4♠. 4♠ should be down on the obvious trump lead.

 

Par on the deal is 4HX -1, so if North makes the undisciplined push to 4♥ and East fails to raise, NS will be fine (by taking the sac against 3♠) even if doubled (you're not going to claim that East would pass 4♥, West would double, and East would sit, are you?).

[32519]

What does it matter? If West enters with 3♠, surely East will raise to 4♠. 4♠ should be down on the obvious trump lead.

 

Par on the deal is 4HX -1, so if North makes the undisciplined push to 4♥ and East fails to raise, NS will be fine (by taking the sac against 3♠) even if doubled (you're not going to claim that East would pass 4♥, West would double, and East would sit, are you?).

 

In bridge you will forever be facing marginal decisions; some will go in your favour while others not. This hand is a case in point. Seeing all four hands makes the decision easier. Swop the ♣Q and ♣J around and 4♠ will make regardless of a trump lead. Even without switching the ♣Q and ♣J around, a misdefence from N/S will see 4♠ home. In drawn out tournaments when fatigue sets in, the error rate starts increasing.

 

So how will North’s decision be influenced by –

1. N/S red / E/W white?

2. All red?

[the hog]

Thanks a ton for this Frances!

 

The second suit may indeed be the opener's anchor suit. This will be adequately disclosed in the CC. The defence I am currently working on is aimed at really turning up the heat on the MOSCITO players. If I can sucker them into bidding on level 3 or higher when I have opener's anchor suit well covered, I can extract a very favourable penalty double for my side.

 

The hand posted in the other thread is repeated here with a slight modification to the E/W hands, changing the West 4072 distribution into a 4252 distribution. The N/S hands are left unchanged.

 

[hv=pc=n&s=skj97ha92d54ckj86&w=saqt2h63dkqt98c52&n=s8653hqj754da3cqt&e=s4hkt8dj762ca9743&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=1h(4+%20Spades)2d(Any%202-suited%20hand)3h(Fit%20jump)p4s(Double%20fit)d(Gotcha%21)ppp]399|300[/hv]

 

Whenever North has an unsuitable hand to make any response to partner's opening bid, would be an indication that the HCP favour our side. So now our side can start looking for our best spot. Conversely, when North does have a fit with opener (as here) and makes a fit showing jump in 3♥ which opener converts to 4♠ on a double fit, I have succeeded in my goal of suckering them into an unmakeable contract. I can now extract a favourable penalty double from the opponents.

 

These sorts of hands have opened a whole new scope for the defence. I will now dump my 2♥ and 2♠ bids from the original defence and move them into my 2♦ bid. Now I can keep North guessing as to what I really have!

 

Numeric one, I apologise. This has been the greatest con since BBO forums started. You got nearly everyone believing you. You dropped the ball with the bidding on this hand though as only a knuckalevy would bid like this.

By the way, for fun swop the Nth and Sth spade holdings.

[hrothgar]

Numeric one, I apologise. This has been the greatest con since BBO forums started. You got nearly everyone believing you. You dropped the ball with the bidding on this hand though as only a knuckalevy would bid like this.

By the way, for fun swop the Nth and Sth spade holdings.

 

Hi Ron

 

For the record, I posted the 3♥ fit jump and the 4♠ rebid as plausible.

 

I consider each to be the more aggressive action.

 

Bidding 3♠ rather than 3♥ is definitely reasonable, as is passing 4♠, however, I don't think this auction is impossible.

 

(I admit to having no idea whether East's repeated passes are reasonable)

[semeai]

only a knuckalevy

 

Neat, I'd never heard of this before. The Nuckelavee of Orcadian legend makes for some interesting reading: a skinless Horse-plus-human-torso [two heads, one horse one human-like, not a centaur] from the sea, enraged by kelp burning (to make soda ash!) who blights crops and is kept in check only by the Mither o' the Sea and by his fear of fresh running water. Thanks for mentioning it!

[32519]

Numeric one, I apologise. This has been the greatest con since BBO forums started. You got nearly everyone believing you. You dropped the ball with the bidding on this hand though as only a knuckalevy would bid like this. By the way, for fun swop the Nth and Sth spade holdings.

 

Neat, I'd never heard of this before. The Nuckelavee of Orcadian legend makes for some interesting reading: a skinless Horse-plus-human-torso [two heads, one horse one human-like, not a centaur] from the sea, enraged by kelp burning (to make soda ash!) who blights crops and is kept in check only by the Mither o' the Sea and by his fear of fresh running water. Thanks for mentioning it!

 

My friend, this article of yours on The Nuckelavee describes my DOOM defence perfectly. I think I will as of now start calling it the Nuckelavee Defence to MOSCITO. It matters not how hard you try to stop me from publishing this defence, you can accept the fact that it’s going to happen. The fear that the Nuckelavee has placed in all the MOSCITO players is only too evident from the concerted efforts from all of you to get me to abandon the project altogether.

 

Richard never took up my challenge for a defence to MOSCITO from the player sitting in the 4th seat. Fear not I will do it anyway.

 

Some extracts from your article:

The Nuckelavee Defence’s sole purpose was is to plague the islanders MOSCITO players.

…they were sure that the Nuckelavee would have driven mankind the MOSCITO players from the Northern Isles bridge playing world long ago…

…that rider and horse both opponents become one - a vile hybrid of man and beast defense from either side of the table, that, they swore, was Nuckelavee's true shape.

 

As for swopping the N/S ♠ holdings, err, now South no longer has an opening hand.

[hrothgar]

My friend, this article of yours on The Nuckelavee describes my DOOM defence perfectly. I think I will as of now start calling it the Nuckelavee Defence to MOSCITO. It matters not how hard you try to stop me from publishing this defence, you can accept the fact that it’s going to happen. The fear that the Nuckelavee has placed in all the MOSCITO players is only too evident from the concerted efforts from all of you to get me to abandon the project altogether.

 

In way way have you developed anything?

 

Over the course of the last week, you've scraped every single piece of your original DOOM defense.

 

You've redefined your double, the first step response, your 1NT overcall, your 2m overcalls, your cue bid, your 2NT overcall.

 

The only thing that you seemed to retain was your acronym.

And now even this has bitten the dust.

 

For the life of me, I have no idea what your defense consists of any more, other than you're currently recommending that the bid (1♥) - 2♥ should show hearts and 3-11 HCP and you like to overcall 2♦ alot.

 

However, if you're happy with your methods please use them.

Hell, please spread them.

 

As a MOSCITO player, nothing would make me happier than seeing your methods in widespread use...

[TimG]

As a MOSCITO player, nothing would make me happier than seeing your methods in widespread use...

If only because that would mean MOSCITO is in widespread use, right?

[mr1303]

From when I played MOSCITO, it suffers from the following problems:

 

1) Not being allowed to play it in far too many places

2) Finding a partner who would spend the time learning the relays

3) Having opponents who insist on complaining to the director about every bid, claiming they don't understand what was going on. You might reasonably claim that this is their problem, but I get fed up with having my system gone through with a fine toothed comb by regulating authorities.

[the hog]

Those are not Moscito problems, but the problems of the opponents.