[Michael Allen]

Brian, you are a much more advanced player than most of the rest of us.  We start off counting HCPs and then adding or subtracting for length or shortages etc.  As time goes on and we gain experience we learn to temper (or re-evaluate) what those numbers give us to produce a better result – or bid.  So if I have a balanced hand with exactly 11 HCPs I now evaluate what it’s actually ‘worth’ based on what Bernard – and you – have told us.  I need guidlines and the guidelines given above by Martin, help me formulate MY guidelines.  Don’t knock them – teach us how to temper them.

So let us return to the question: partner opens 1NT (12 – 14) and I have around 11ish points with a ‘good’ 6-card diamond suit.  How should the bidding go?

[Michael Allen]

Thanks Brian.  Actually I thought that if you make a cue bid (or a splinter) you are ALWAYS implicitly agreeing the last suit bid by partner as trumps.  When I was thinking about it before your reply I HAD intended to bid 4d but I didn’t see it as anything advanced – yes, in opponent’s suit – but that’s almost to be expected isn’t it – I have a first round control (either a void [likely] or an Ace) so don’t panic partner.  Or am I wrong again?!

[Michael Allen]

Okay Brian, so if you WERE using cue bids & splinter bids, how should it go?

[Michael Allen]

Okay Julian, but if I am not counting KQx as 5 HCPs and I shouldn’t count them as zero, what value should I give them?

[Michael Allen]

Good question Bruce, I had to think about that one but I saw it as part of the hand assessment – I WAS counting 5 HCPs but opposite partner’s splinter in the suit I NOW count 0 HCPs and reassess the hand: is it NOW worth exploring for slam? I really need the HCPs in the other suits … so, with three rags I am much better off.  Does that make sense?

[Michael Allen]

Lovely Brian, thanks for that.

[Michael Allen]

Thank you Brian – I shall examine the above in detail.

[Michael Allen]

Brian, are you saying that you have two log-ins for BBO?  I ask becuase there is an article in the latest EBU magazine (Sep 2020 page 42) about someone who was cheating by having two log-ins to BBO – they used one to play and one to kibbitz an adjacent table and thus see all four hands.  The person concerned admitted the offence and has been banned from EBU competitions for two years.  I am not suggesting for a moment that anyone in BMB would take advantage of such techniques (I am sure that, like many, my regular partner and I have each other’s mobile number just in case one of us loses the internet during a game.  But we wouldn’t dream of communicating details whilst playing.)  Clearly though, there is scope for the unscrupulous.

Has anyone had any suspicions of such behaviour?

[Michael Allen]

Bernard, you mention preparing a ‘slightly more complex list’;  do you, or anyone else for that matter, have an example of such a list … so that I and my partner can pinch some ideas! … please.

[Michael Allen]

Hi David, et al., My partner and I have the same problem so we DO start a table.  We seem to have been lucky 50% of the time when we get people who played together.  When they haven’t they spend 5 mins sorting out bidding systems.

We could all use this forum – I think that is what it is set up for!  My partner & I would love to play another ‘established’ pair (my partner & I have never actually met and only teamed up through BMB).  We only play Sunday nights 1930 though – every week.  Please email me if you want a game next Sunday 27 Sep at   michaelallen410@gmail.com

First come, first served, I think.

[Michael Allen]

Hi Brian, I did not understand it like that either; if a weak 1NT OPENING bid is doubled and opener’s partner changes it by bidding a suit THEN you persue them with another double, but NOT if your partner overcalls 1NT and opponents make a suit bid – unless I misunderstood it too.

And what was the silly outcome?

[Michael Allen]

I have taken that too Geoff, thanks.

Peter – I use Google Chrome for internet work.  To copy anything from any website, etc. I use the ‘Snipping’ tool.  In the bottom LH corner of your screen, by the windows symbol, is a box with a magnifying glass and the words ‘Type here to search’.  Start typing ‘sni …(snipping) and an ‘App box’ with ‘Snipping tool’ appears.  Click on it; select “New” and play with it for a bit.  Note that you will need a file in which to save what you snip (or copy).

[Michael Allen]

I lack your experience Brian  – I have never been in 7 of anything – but I’ll give it my best shot.  I assume North led a spade to the 3 and the A.  You have 10 Top Tricks so need the other three.  Two could come from clubs (unless 6-0 break),  and you could ruff a diamond in hand (providing trumps are 3-2).

So, plan: win ♠A, draw 3 rounds of trumps ending in dummy with ♥Q (and of course hoping they split 3-2), Play ♦A to ♦2 then, ♣A to ♣4 then, ♣K discarding ♦2, ♣Q (♦8), ♣J (♦10), ♣7 (♠6), ♣2 (♠9). Then play ♦4 and ruff with ♥J, and ♠10 back to ♥7.  Thirteen tricks; easy … on paper!

But there are TWO assumptions on distribution which you say did not break kindly.

If the hearts were 4-1 you can minimise losses to one diamond, if 5-0 you have a problem and if the clubs break 6-0 you have another problem!  But worth the risk.

At my level I probably would not have gone to a grand slam but that is a confidence issue rather than a bidding issue.

So how did it turn out?  No rush to answer – give others a chance to rip my effort plan to pieces!

 

[Michael Allen]

Although I have to admit, that in the past as partner of the person asked, I have thought, ‘Oh yes, of course, we’re playing McKenney … now what DOES that discard mean?

[Michael Allen]

Sorry Shirley, but what the heck does that mean? Where does it come from?

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