Quote:
Originally Posted by DWetzel
If they in fact do have an agreement (explicit or otherwise) to open such hands -- and the evidence I've seen is that they more or less do open pretty much all hands except the balanced-ish 7-9 pointers,
What evidence is that dude? There is ONE hand given where I opened with a psyche (as in less than 8 or whatever) right? So I was 1 for 1. I have given my reasoning on bridgewinners for doing it but it was a stupid bid that is not "just bridge" it's definitely a psyche. It is very serious to say we are doing what you (or spain) say we are doing.
You are also just wrong about the bridge element. It is not right to open all 0-6 point hands in third seat white, you're right they have a game but what is the upside? When they have a slam, ok I will grant you it's good, but they have so many points you are not going to steal and you give them info for the play.
But to say from the evidence you have seen we always open except 7-9 balanced that is really wrong of you I am sorry. I can produce no evidence that we don't but that is because there is not enough hands. Kevin and I play thousands of boards a year together, do you think no one would have noticed if we open all 0-6 hands in third seat? I mean, we would get fired because that is stupid bridge and considered stupid by top players.
I think a real conversation is now happening about routinely opening a hand like KJTxx Qxx xx xxx in third seat white (say you are not a 2S guy). Maybe that will be the silver lining in all this. That is where the "just bridge" vs "illegal" thing is coming into play. But saying we open all 0-6 hands is accusing us of cheating, and we do not open all 0-6 hands. I wish I had not ****ing opened that hand now so badly, and I got ripped into by my teammate for doing it (do you think greco and hampson want to play on a team with someone who opens Txxxx Jxx QJxx x w/w in 3rd seat?).
For those that didn't read bridgewinners here are the circumstances behind that:
1) I was playing against Martin Lorencs. He is playing for Latvia and was very close friends and also bridge partners/teachers to a girl that I was once in love with. For reference/cite of the girl part here you go:
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...&postcount=444
I am sure google will show the connection between them. MY facebook friends can find pictures of her visiting me in the hospital after jumping off the bridge
2) Said girl (who I rarely talk to now), had said she was watching the event then mentioned that ML did not give us much help vs some team ahead of us, I think england (I think the match before we scored a blitz but latvia got blitzed, I guess by england?) so we didn't gain ground on us.
(I am willing to send screen shot of said text to chuckles if he still has my number pls text me or send me your number here)
Also I said to him "Triinu will be watching this" or something to this effect before play started, so you can check the video (not sure if it shows what happens before play starts but I definitely said it so it was on my mind but more to put it on his mind).
3) Here is a link to our set of boards vs latvia:
http://www.worldbridge.org/repositor...qmatchid=39394
On board 5 I held x x T9xxx AJxxxx. I opened 3C in second seat white/red (I had 3N available 6/5 minors but chose not to since I was second seat). X on my left, 5C from partner. X p 5N p 6S. Now I have an incredibly strong playing strength hand opposite a big fit, imagine partner with say a stiff diamond our save is going for nothing. However, I am in front of him and have no idea if they have guessed right, he might have say the HA or random major suit tricks. I decided to pass and that was disastrous as they made 1430.
Perhaps that was on my mind on board 6 when I absolutely lost my mind, I held K KJ9x AQTxxx Jx. I opened 1D (PRECISION WE OPEN LIGHT), he bid 1S and often 6-4 14 counts can jump in precision but obv not on this one with stiff K so I bid 2D. My point being I'm max. He bid 2H artificial GF I bid 3H. He bid 3S. So now not only am I max but my worst asset (stiff K) to begin with is now gold. Somehow I bid FOUR SPADES. That is obviously a horrible bid, I could have 1462 and a 10 count with no club stopper and easily bid the same way. Perhaps I made this error because I was thinking about the hand before which may or may not have been an error but it was certainly the losing call.
Then we have a normal game.
Now at this moment, in those circumstances, I chose to psyche. I think it is an absolutely stupid psyche to open Txxxx Jxx QJxx x. It has no lead value, and it accomplishes nothing (DW thinks its good to open to steal but in high level bridge when they have 27 HCP they will find their game even if you open in third seat). And apparently these psyches are risk free. Look how risk free it was. it went pass pass 1S 2D 3C. Already this could just be a disaster if it goes double, i have no where to run and we will go for a GIGANTIC number. But it goes 3S on my right, p 3N on my left. My partner bids 4H. Obviously he is 6-5 so at least we have a fit but again this is just going to be a HUGE number. They double us. How do you feel about your pointless risk free psyche now? Ok pointless is strong, obviously I did it and I hoped they had slam or something good happened like my partner could preempt in spades, it is not zero win but it is hugely minus EV IMO. Somehow my partner got out for 500, so we still lost imps. Also, you can easily imagine if 5D is the normal contract that it might go down sometimes, the opps are not always cold for game. But whatever.
Is it bad that I was playing badly and emotional? Yes. Anyone who has read anything I've read or certainly who knows me that I can have emotional control issues. I bet if you watch the video starting from not saving to not slam trying to the time I open 1S I look pretty tilted (I am not going to watch). But no, I do not open every 0-6 and yes I think that is ******ed, and no it is not free, and no I cannot produce counter evidence other than the fact that once again IF YOU PLAY THOUSANDS OF HANDS AGAINST TOP PLAYERS THEY WILL NOTICE IF YOU ALWAYS OPEN ON STUPID HANDS. Would I ever call the director for an opp opening a "just bridge" hand like KJTxx Qx xxx xx? No. Have I always opened on those hands? Yes. Is that part against the rules/should the rules change? I'll let this discussion solve that. BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU SAY I OPEN ALL 0-6 HANDS or atakdog saying he strongly suspects I do.
How can you say with basically no statistically significant evidence, I mean we're talking about 1 hand right? That from the evidence you have seen I always do that.
I also overcalled 3C r/w against Roy and Sabine in the R8 of the spingold that we lost and they won with like 7 to the ten and a 3 count RED VS WHITE. That is definitely not my style and is ******ed. I dont remember how large the number was but it was realllllllllllly bad. Sometimes I make dumb aggressive bids that are out of style for me like opening 1S. It is AMAZING how that decision is working out for me lol.
I mean you don't have to believe me but please don't act like there is evidence that I open all 0-6 hands in third seat white. Greco and ****ing Hampson would not play on a team with me if I did that because that is so stupid and yes of course that is cheating so I don't want to hear any bull**** about that is an accusation of cheating or we wouldn't be smart enough to figure out that that is cheating.
