won the noob section at nabc, 730pm session. 74%. Punted 2 boards that get us to near 80. whoops? Up to 3.8ish MPs after 3 sessions basically.

if you see a poker player-sized person (6' 2", 265 or so) in illinois gear and red hair, that's me, say hi, etc.

My NABC update:

World Junior Trials (USA U-26): Moved on to the semifinals after surviving a 5-team round robin. (4 x 8) Semis are 48 boards. First 16 lost 63-56. Second 16 lost 119-3. Resigned.

Collegiate Finals: Moved on to the semifinals after surviving an 8 team round robin (7 x 8). Lost to the eventual winners (CalTech) by 24 in a 28 board match. Lost the 3rd place match to Harvard, but in fairness we went through 2 bottles of wine, and my partnership played a (previously undiscussed and midchart, hence illegal) phantom club, and Harvard's pair, getting in the spirit of the consolation game, played a magic diamond. We lost by 1 imp, but it was fun. 2.6 gold.

Oh yeah, that Harvard match was shortened from 28 to 14 boards after we played the first 14 with teammates sitting the same direction at the opposite table. Oooooooops

::sigh:: At least poker went well.

Nicely Done!

74% is excellent against any field at any time.

What's the standard bid here? This is on BBO, MPs, w/r.

I'm in second seat. RHO and I both pass. LHO opens 1:heart" and partner doubles. RHO passes again

8 4 3
9 6 5 2
K 6 5
T 7 2

You bid 1S, in tempo. This sort of hand is the reason doubler shouldn't raise on four spades and a typical fourteen count. (Actually, you'd make this same bid with a 3=4=3=3 zero count, so count yourself lucky. And imagine your shape were 2=5=3=3, and you still lacked the strength to float the double...)

I you're thinking of passing the double, don't -- the doubled overtricks will be expensive. And a 1NT advance of a takeout double requires actual strength -- six or seven useful high card points is a minimum. That leaves 1S.

Yeah, that's what I ended up bidding, but I wasn't quite sure if 1NT would be a good response either.

Here's the ace-asking scheme I used to use, just copied over from several-year-old notes (someone wanted to know). You'll note that there's room for some, but limited, judgment -- how much to allow is a function of the strength of you and your partner.

Also, with my regular partner I simplified even further -- no first-bid suit (by either player) could ever be the ace-asking bid. This was to compensate for some, um, lapses in judgment regarding what was "obvious". The notes as I've copied them here retain the original rule, which is that a first-bid suit can't be the ask unless the bid is "obviously" not natural. Your mileage may vary.

_________________________________
Ace Asking

After suit agreement, the bid immediately above 4 of the agreed suit is ace-asking (RKC) in that suit, except that a first-bid suit cannot be the ace ask unless it is clearly not natural. When the cheapest bid up is not available, the ace-ask is the next bid above that (except another first-bid suit). The exception to this is 4NT, which may be natural after minor-suit agreement -- use judgment.

Responses to RKC are 1430. The cheapest non-playable bid above a non-Q-showing response is the Q ask -- answer 5 of the suit without, cheapest K with, NT with the queen but no side K. Note on non-playable -- after D agreement, 4NT is playable, so 5C is the Q ask even after 4H (ask) - 4S (1 or 4).

It is OK, but not mandatory, to show a useful void. (Voids in asker's side suit are not considered useful unless there is another obvious source of tricks.) Respond 5 of the RKC suit with 2 keys and a void, and show the void directly (with 5N replacing the RKC suit) with 1 or 4.

5 of the RKC bid, or the bid immediately above 5 of the trump suit (where the RKC bid was not 4 of that suit), is a specific K ask. Respond with the cheapest K -- 5NT shows the K of the ask suit. Variant to discuss: with exactly two kings, responder answers as if he had (only) the king he is missing.

After suit agreement, a jump above the RKC bid is exclusion RKC. Respond 3014 -- NOT 1430. Responses exclude cards in the excluded suit.

Any time a suit bid is not available because it is RKC, then 4NT has the same meaning that 4 of that suit would otherwise have had -- normally either a control bid or exclusion RKC.

Any unplayable bid above the king ask is a specific ask in the suit bid (or shown, with 5NT showing the king-ask suit, usually spades). With second-round control of any sort, answer above 6 of the agreed suit. With third round control, make a bid below 6 of the agreed suit if possible. If there is no room, then asker is looking for THIRD round control.

After double agreement -- two suits are raised clearly -- the RKC bid is the bid immediately above 4 of the higher suit. Responses are 1430, then 2 with no Q, two with one Q, two with both. K ask is 5 of the ask suit. Rare, but possible -- after 3-level double agreement, a jump above the RKC bid is exclusion RKC, with two suits agreed (respond 3041).

There is suit agreement when a known balanced hand is opposite a hand that has shown one suit. There is double agreement when a known balanced hand is opposite a hand that has shown two suits.

Gerber: 4C is ace-asking only when it is clear or likely that NT is agreed. This is usually true when someone has signed off in NT. There are some problem auctions, but we have not worked them out. After Gerber is used, 4NT is to play.

A free bid 5 of a major is looking for good trumps, if there are two or more unbid suits; second round control of the unbid suit, if there is only one; and second round control of the opponent's suit, if they have shown one.

A jump to 5 of the RKC suit (5N with S agreed, etc.), is the grand slam force, discussed elsewhere.

Over interference in a RKC auction, we play DOPI/ROPI below 5 of our suit, DEPO above. Note that this means what it sounds like -- X is 0 or 3, even though we play 1430. We should consider changing this to allow penalty doubles even with 2 keys.

This is the important question, and the usual answer is no. Notrump advances promise values. Suit advances don't.

next session, same bracket, et al...72%

sustainable?

seems like moving up to where they double my sacrifices is prolly in order.

Yeah, unless you want to MP-whore, I'd say moving up is good. If you're in a low section, you can still get pretty good points with <50% games sometimes. Also, playing against better players makes you somewhat better. And just like poker, it's kind of easier to visualize the hands when better players play, because they usually play correctly.

Moving up is always good. You don't learn anything worth knowing when playing against bad opposition, and the successes, when they come, will feel a thousand times better in the unlimited games. (Also, a minor but extant point: you'll learn bad habits.)

Also note that masterpoints really do mean absolutely nothing - if you feel good about the game and your play, you won. This isn't poker, where you win money and are looking for fish. In bridge, beating fish will eventually just make you feel dirty.

Congrats on your success, which I'm not trivializing -- those are great scores -- but they strongly suggest that you don't belong in that game.

1. You have exactly what your bid promises. OK, diamonds is a better suit, but forces you to the 2-level.

1NT is horrible. It promises about 7-10 HCP and a heart stopper. You have neither.

BBO mp tourney w/w

FCBL is in first seat with

7
AKQJT32
AKT
A8

I am third seat with


85
Q9832
KQJ952

Bidding goes

2c--pass--3c--3s
4h--pass--pass--pass

Alright, clearly we screwed up bad since 7C, 7D, and 7H are all cold. But where?

probably want to bid 4s over 3s?