David Stevenson
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Ok, I shall say it again. We are talking about disclosure, not what is legal. What do you need to write on the system card, or convention card.
There is not much importance in writing anything there unless you play something unusual. If your overcalls are nearly always 5+ but you might take a view with AKJT then it does not hurt to put what you suggested but I think it was what people assume if you failed to put anything. On the other hand if you only overcall with less than an opening bid, double otherwise (no, I am not suggesting that) then you should write a range in the box.
There is some disagreement as to what is standard for an overcall. I would have said 7 or 8 to 16, but I think some people expect an opening bid. I doubt that either way is very unusual anyway. But if you play it is normal to overcall on a 4 card suit, even QT9x, or you play 4 to 12, then you should write this in that box.
Blue book 6F2 and 7E2 have nothing to do with disclosure. They refer to what is permitted, which includes suits that most people would never dream of over calling on. Overcalling 1S over 1C to show 3+ spades is not permitted.
Ok, I shall say it again. We are talking about disclosure, not what is legal. What do you need to write on the system card, or convention card.
There is not much importance in writing anything there unless you play something unusual. If your overcalls are nearly always 5+ but you might take a view with AKJT then it does not hurt to put what you suggested but I think it was what people assume if you failed to put anything. On the other hand if you only overcall with less than an opening bid, double otherwise (no, I am not suggesting that) then you should write a range in the box.
There is some disagreement as to what is standard for an overcall. I would have said 7 or 8 to 16, but I think some people expect an opening bid. I doubt that either way is very unusual anyway. But if you play it is normal to overcall on a 4 card suit, even QT9x, or you play 4 to 12, then you should write this in that box.
Blue book 6F2 and 7E2 have nothing to do with disclosure.
Yes. To be careful, I checked. The regulation actually says:
………………
4B4Calls above 3NT
Once the auction is above the level of 3NT, no calls are to be alerted except for:
(a) Artificial suit bids above 3NT made before the opening bidder’s second turn to call (i.e. the first bid and the next three calls) e.g. 1S – pass – 4C (splinter) or pass – pass – 1S – pass – 4C (splinter). In both cases 4C is alerted
(b) Lead-directing passes
(c) Doubles or redoubles that are lead-directing but ask for the lead of a suit other than the suit doubled (or redoubled)
(d) Doubles and redoubles of no trump contracts that call for a specific suit to be led.………………
To simplify this no doubles, redoubles or passes are alertable above 3NT apart from ones that are lead directing.
As discussed in my forum there has been no change in the regulations for overcalls for many years.
Similarly, if you want to know what psyches are legal, please use my forum.
There certainly has been a box for simple overcalls since the latest EBU card which was certainly over 12 years ago. I cannot remember before that though I am sure I could find out if necessary.
There is not much importance in writing anything there unless you play something unusual. If your overcalls are nearly always 5+ but you might take a view with AKJT then it does not hurt to put what you suggested but I think it was what people assume if you failed to put anything. On the other hand if you only overcall with less than an opening bid, double otherwise (no, I am not suggesting that) then you should write a range in the box.
There is some disagreement as to what is standard for an overcall. I would have said 7 or 8 to 16, but I think some people expect an opening bid. I doubt that either way is very unusual anyway. But if you play it is normal to overcall on a 4 card suit, even QT9x, or you play 4 to 12, then you should write this in that box.
There has certainly been no change in regulations for overcalls for many, many years.It is automatic for BBO to give an adjustment of A== to any unfinished board. It is for the director to change that.
Certainly they should be allowed to stand. It was not the fault of the players who played and completed the board that others did not.
Of greater interest is the averages. Does this mean those players did not play the board at all? In general incomplete boards are completed by the software if the play has reached a certain point, and completed by the director if it has not reached that point. However it may be they did not reach a point where the director could adjust. If the delay was caused by software malfunction why were they not given average plus to each side as the laws require?Neither penalty doubles nor takeout doubles are alertable above 3NT, in fact no doubles are alertable above 3NT however strange except lead directing doubles asking for a different suit.
As to what it should be I shall leave the advice to Julian, though as a matter of interest with my regular partner we changed our methods about three years ago so that doubles of 4C, 4D and 4H are for takeout, while doubles of 4S are for penalties showing either good spades or a very strong hand, after advice from a very good player. But I do not know what Julian or Bernard would advise.
In some events you cannot have an Undo at all. That applies to the main EBU duplicates, for example.
In other events where you can ask for an Undo you can still do so after the next player has called.
If you do not know whether Undos are permitted in the event in which you are playing or not, or if you are not sure whether you are in time for an Undo, look for the Undo, usually part of the general button with three parallel lines, and see if Undo is there. If it is, you can ask for an Undo, if it is not then you may not or can not.Yes, Carolyn, you are correct, but if someone tells you something about the rules, you can always come here to check up whether it is correct.
Yes, Julia, Namyats, or South African Texas to use the British term, can be useful. There are various approaches to hands with a lot of playing tricks and not a lot of high card strength, the only point is to pick an approach that is legal. Strong twos can be played legally without the same constraints, describing them as “Intermediate to Strong” or just opening them at the one level which is what I tend to do. There are no specific limitations on four of a major openings either.
I think that it is best to just acquire knowledge generally. The EBU produces a Blue book which covers what is permitted to be played in England and Wales, but it is very heavy reading and it is probably better to ask here when in doubt.
Let us look at the two things that you mention. The minimum point count for a 1NT opening is nine and a lot of people play 12-14. There are really two sorts of people, those who think the point count is sacrosanct, and those who think that you can apply judgement. Better players tend to be in the latter camp. You will learn to play better bridge if you allow yourself a modicum of judgement, for example considering that hands with a lot of tens and nines and/or a decent five card suit might be upgraded, while flat hands (when I refer to flat hands I mean specifically 4333 shape) and hands with more than their fair share of fours, threes and twos might be downgraded.
How about a 2C opening? An Acol 2C opening showed a game force with five quick tricks or 23+ balanced, a Benjamin 2C opening shows a hand of power and quality with eight playing tricks, or 21-22 balanced. If you stick to those requirements then there is no problem but no one does. With a growing and irrational fear of opening hands with a lot of distribution at the one level less experienced players are opening 2C on weaker and weaker hands in top card strength. When an opening bid is described as strong an opponent has a right to understand a certain top card strength and so the EBU has very sensibly given rules as to the absolute limit to which judgement can be applied.
Consider
AKJ9842
A4
KQ32
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What do you open? If I was playing Benjamin I would open 2C, if not 1S. You might decide to open an Acol 2C which means your judgement is different from mine.
How about
AKJ98542
4
KQ32
–
Now I consider 1S obvious, but I know many people do not. But the point is that it is not a strong hand as people understand it, only 13 points and four controls. You have to find a legal opening. It is legal to play 2S as Acol, but including hands weak in top cards if you tell the opponents and you can open that. You could open 4S. But you may not open 2C either Acol or Benjamin because this misleads opponents and the EBU has set limits to the amount of judgement you may use to avoid this problem.
Of course it is not up to me to teach you judgement, that is for Bernard and Julian, but I would stick to an absolute minimum of 16 in points for any 2C opening. Then it will always be legal, you will not mislead opponents and partner might find it easier as well!
