David Stevenson
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I think that 1D (2C) x guarantees one four card major only. I think 3C here should be a strong hand, nearly game forcing or some might play it as game forcing. I would have bid 2H and then spades over whatever West does now.
I am surprised that Bernard described the default method of ten years ago as strong jump overcalls: I would have thought nearer forty years ago. Since then intermediate jumps became the default, and as Bernard says more recently weak jumps.
One thing that worries me somewhat is that a number of people play intermediate jumps but call them strong. The definition given by Brian above seems accurate.That is the trouble with copy and paste and poor proofreading. Goodness knows how that crept in. The following is corrected.
———The question “What do you understand by that call?” is severely frowned on by all authorities because you are trying to get information to which you are not entitled and unfortunately because the people you are asking may not know the laws you may get it. The legitimate question is “What is the meaning of that call?” And if you receive the answer “We have no agreement” that is an end of the matter.
You can say whatever you think is helpful but there will always be some people who think the point count is sacrosanct and some people who think any point range is subject to judgement. In all cases there are some people who believe everyone else should follow their view and do not understand other people’s.
Yes, you need to alert it. While I personally think it has to be a stopper since there is no point in showing a suit I know some people will show a suit. So to make sure no-one is misled, alert a stopper showing bid.
Online or in live bridge you have no right to know whether opponents are having a misunderstanding. You may deduce it from a legal question but you must only ask the correct person. In live bridge and some online bridge you ask the partner of the player who made the call. On BBO and some other online bridge you ask the person who made the call. The question “What do you understand by that call?” is severely frowned on by all authorities because you are trying to get information to which you are not entitled and unfortunately because the people you are asking may not know the laws you may get it. The legitimate question is “What do you understand by that call?” And if you receive the answer “We have no agreement” that is an end of the matter.
Of course if you have been misinformed then the director will adjust if you are damaged. So in your first case if they are not playing Landy and you suffer from that explanation the director may adjust. In the second case if they are playing fourth suit forcing and it was not alerted the director may adjust.
First let me distinguish between laws and regulations. The laws are decided by the WBF (World Bridge Federation) and apply everywhere. However the laws do not cover what you are allowed to play.
Regulations are set up by various authorities. While a club could set up its own regulations in practice what may be played in England and Wales is decided by the EBU (English Bridge Union). The WBU (Welsh Bridge Union) have saved themselves money and trouble by stating that EBU regulations apply unless they say otherwise specifically. Rules is a general term covering laws, regulations and conditions of contest.
So what regulations are in force in England and Wales about opening at the one level? You may not agree to open one of a suit with a hand with fewer than eight points. But there is also another form of valuation called Opening Points or as the EBU calls it the Rule of 18 or 19. You add your points to the number of cards in your longest suit and the number of cards in your second longest suit. It is easiest to show this by examples.
KQJxxx
Qxxxx
x
x
This has 8 points, 6 cards in the longest suit and 5 in the second longest suit, which adds up to 8+6+5=19 Opening points, or as the EBU puts it Rule of 19.
Axxx
xx
KQx
Txxx
This has 9 points, 4 cards in the longest suit and 4 in the second longest suit, which adds up to 9+4+4=17 Opening points, or as the EBU puts it Rule of 17.
In an ordinary event apart from a minimum of 8 points, in first or second seat you need 18 Opening points, so Rule of 18. Thus the first hand is a legal 1S opening, the second is not. However third or fourth in hand the only rule is the minimum of 8 points so you could open either.
In an event for novices and most holiday bridge Level 2 is played and now an opening bid requires 11+ points, or 8+ points and 19 Opening points, or Rule of 19. This applies in any seat.
Please note that these are legal requirements and there is no suggestion this is how you should bid. But when you open one of a suit you must have at least the requirements shown here. Just for clarification an opening bid is the first call of the auction that is not a pass.
The view of the EBU was that it was pointless having an unenforceable rule. Now that EBU tournaments and some club tournaments are on RealBridge where you can see opponents I wonder whether the EBU might reconsider some of their online rules for when opponents can see you but they have not done so yet.
It is against the rules to have an aide memoire in live bridge. It is not against the rules to have an aide memoire in online bridge.
I do not like the term cheating which is considered to be doing something seriously against the laws knowledgeably and for one’s own benefit. If nothing else, looking at an aide memoire is not considered a serious infraction.I have no idea what is happening in your club but I am amazed and worried that you call the director and get no response. I am only involved in one club night as a director plus eight EBU duplicates and all director calls are always answered. I do not understand the term “generic EBU directors” but personally I should put in a formal complaint to the club. To be honest I very much doubt that the club has the services of six “senior” EBU directors.
Despite the scores from other tables on a spade lead it looks far too easy to make nine tricks so I doubt there would be any adjustment for misinformation.
But as a director I should ask North and South what they were up to. Having played a lot of club bridge against some quite poor players over the years my guess would be that this was just very bad bidding. South felt he had to bid with 17 points and for whatever reason double never occurred to him so invented a ‘Landy’ bid. As for North, that is normal bad club bridge: partner shows hearts, you bid hearts, partner takes you out of hearts, you just pass in utter confusion.
One final comment: names are dangerous since people play them differently. Of course you can assume both majors if someone says Landy and will get an adjustment if damaged if they do not always have both majors. But to assume 5-4 is dangerous: some people play it as 4-4 and if you need to know whether it can be 4-4 you need to ask.It is perfectly legal. After all it is a natural bid and it is difficult to think of any natural bid that is illegal.
There is an awful lot of bidding done by people that is not very good, ranging to downright awful! But bad bidding is not illegal even though it does sometimes annoy opponents when it works out alright. ????I would always open 2S with the East hand despite the result.
I am less convinced about the auction in the other room. Yes, you have 15 points but it is becoming worse and worse as the auction continues. I would have rebid 2C.
System cards, often called convention cards, are a matter of regulation rather than law. Clubs rarely require players to have system cards and when they do they are meant to be exchanged with opponents at the start of around. In practice they are just made available to opponents. Players are not allowed to look at their own system card during the hand. On BBO and RealBridge the EBU permits players to look at their own system cards during the hand, commenting that it would be impractical to police it otherwise. Again, being a matter of regulation, clubs and other organisations could make different regulations but in practice do not. So in effect the rules are different online from live bridge.
Bidding cards are a matter of regulation rather than law. The regulations in England and Wales are that the bidding cards remain on the table until the opening lead is faced and are then returned to the bidding box. While in theory clubs could make their own different regulations in practice none of them do, with the one exception that certain clubs allow you to keep the final contract at a crooked angle in your box as an aide memoire. On BBO and RealBridge the auction is available throughout the hand and the regulation permits you to look at it. So in effect the rules are different online from live bridge.
I don’t think the 1C bid is at fault. While it is normal to open the major with equal length suits when they are 5+ cards long it is easy to find a hand where opening 1S makes finding 6C impossible. But there is a growing irrational fear of being passed with distributional hands with a lot of playing tricks so the 2S bid paints the wrong idea in partner’s mind. On the other hand the responder does have the values for a strong jump so 1C – 2D – 2S – 3D – 3S – 4D – 4S makes it clear to responder that spades is correct.
