All know by now that I keep insisting on proper alerts in all IAC games, as explained in other topics. And even tho our IAC Guidelines now specifically tell about it, and all our TDs run rules that ask players to alert all artificial bids and special pardship agreements, every now and then comes period when it is ignored, massive ignore.
We have members that play Precison, and various versions of it, and we are like hawks on them to alert. Each week we get more ACOL players that also alert all their bids. Why is that us, majority - people that play 2/1, and plain assume all others know when our 1H-1N is forcing or semi forcing??
And what about 1H-2C? None ever alerts it anymore and their opps are in awe seeing that dummy only had xxx in clubs. Please, lets be fair to all colegues in the club. Takes only couple seconds, and it's for benefit of all, kibs too. TD's will be once again instructed to punish those that do not alert, and harshly those that were asked about meaning of the bid and denied to reply.
MIND: We do not ask for alerts as "Jac2N", or "Cappeletti". Not all know all conventions, nor they are required to know them. Some might play them differently. Alert bids by meaning: "4+ trumps, GF, Jac2N" is an example.

New slot for members in timezones we neglected for so long! djc11 is running Sunday FunDay at 1100utc, 6am est, noon Paris, 4:30 New Delhi  Please mark in your calendar and join !

When bbo created new PRIME club, all clubs lost access to tools, and for over 2 months now we are unable announce events, add or delete members, etc. We tried all we can to have them fix the issue, but we are not top priority, as we knew for long now.

BBO HOLDS A Q&A QUESTION ABOUT BBO PRIME
https://blog.bridgebase.com/2019/11/20/sunday-bbo-prime-qa-ask-us-anything/

PLEASE come along and state how it affects you that when Prime club was created, and you lost what you had here in IAC. Ask for it to be given back to us. Maybe we'll play Don Quixote role, but louder we cry, more of us complain, we ought be heard and finally get the problem fixed. Please, all members, come and tell your opinion.

Our club was one of few that was fully operational, giving great lessons, fun games, where people made friends. Many members improved game and got encouraged to participate in paid bbo events as acbl and others alike. Closing us, wont bring any good to anyone.

Hi all lovely members
Looks as some of us have objections on basic rules we try keep in IAC, namely having tables open for any member to sit or watch. I'd like to think that it is accepted and welcomed by majority, but please do correct me if I am wrong. And while in here, please feel free suggest what you think we missed and you'd want, or anything else..
TY

I recently (two years ago) started subscribing to The Bridge World, the world's leading bridge magazine.

One of the more enjoyable aspects of my subscription is the monthly MASTER SOLVERS CLUB. The Bridge World's MASTER SOLVERS CLUB is the world's longest-running and most popular bridge feature. New problems in bidding and sometimes play are presented each month. The great thing about the MASTER SOLVERS CLUB is that it does not require a subscription to enter. The contest is free and is open to all.

Each month there are eight new problems that require careful consideration. Usually they are extremely difficult bidding problems and you, the bidder, are asked to find the best, most descriptive bid. The highest scoring bid is very often doubling, cue-bidding, or bidding a three card suit.

Recently, I started a back-and-forth e-mail exchange of MSC ideas with two other IAC members. While I have done well on my own, twice making the "Honor Roll," I find the "discussion" stimulating. By starting this thread, I thought we might expand the "discussion" to others who might also enjoy the difficulty of the problems, but especially the discussion!

The link to the MSC problems is here:  https://www.bridgeworld.com/indexphp.php?page=/pages/msc/mastersolversmainpage.html

The deadline for replies is the 10th of each month at 9:00 a.m. EST.

Unfortunately, that is in just a few hours, so we will not see much participation due to time constraints. But maybe going forward we could generate a monthly discussion?

P.S. The reason I put this post in the 2/1 folder is that the MSC uses Bridge World Standard, a basic 2/1 system often used as a beginning template of agreements by experts. On most problems, the system used does not necessarily come into play. The problems are generally bidding judgement problems with more than one (sometimes several) viable answer.

P.P.S. I have not yet submitted my July answers, but I intend to do so later tonight. I'll post my thoughts on this month's problems soon.

In one of recent IAC Spur Teams Matches, board 8 (of 10), all white, this hand was dealt. West deals, score is almost 4-6 imps.

                                : KT63
                                : KQ652
                                : J6
                                : A2

: KQ643                                       : AQ92
: A987                                         : A974
: T4                                              : AQ42
: Q3                                             : K
                                : J5
                                : JT8
                                : KT8
                                : JT765

Many that kibbed found strange that at both tables offshape double came, altho auctions differed:
Table 1:  P 1H X 2H  -- P P X P   --  3C P 3D
Table 2: P 1H X P  --  2C P 2N

Is it wise with close score, IMPs, pard passed hand to bid anything with E holding? Or perhaps pass first bid then come later if 2H gets back to you?

If I am not wrong, when Hondo was teaching in IAC, and so altruistically kept lessons online to help me, and alikes me learn the game, he took extra effort to explain that Gerber occurs in only 2 occasions: jump to 4C after 1N or 2N opening, be that direct or thru 2C.

But, in our treasure box, which are IAC Spur matches, this bidding happened, red aga white:
1S-2D
2N-4C (Gerber, asking for Aces)
4H (one) - 6N
which  went down 2.

Opener: QJ743 AKJ 76 Q85
Resp: -- T82 AKQT543 AK4

So my question is simple: having in mind that 2N rebid from opener can show really just minimum, can responder use Gerber there? And with that kind of hand? Asking Aces with void?

In IAC matches today this was first hand. None vulnerable N is dealer.
At 1 table bidding was
pass 1D pass 1S pass
3D pass 3N and all pass

other table:
pass 3N (alert as gambling) pass 4C (alert as aces, presumably Gerber)
4D pass 4N (not alerted but meant as rkc --- ask same again??) pass
5D pass 6N all pass.

Full deal : https://tinyurl.com/y6g3kgqq

I'd be all lost at both tables, which is common state for me anyway
I'd take gambling as weak hand with long minor and no outside entries.
From the other angle, East hand has only 4 losers, is it not better open 2C? And how proceed? Would u bid 2C-2D waiting, or 2C-2S with so bad suit, or 2C-2N positive balanced (I hate that bid).

Thanks