Author Topic: 2020 June - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB  (Read 10442 times)

kenberg

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Re: 2020 June - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #30 on: May 10, 2020, 12:30:06 AM »
I might have mis-understood something

SOLVER: Kenneth Berg
        Sykesville MD
        U.S.A.

Your Solutions for the June 2020 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 1 Spade
PROBLEM B: 2 Clubs
PROBLEM C: Double
PROBLEM D: (b4)
PROBLEM E: 2 Notrump  Please score this as 3D, I misunderstood.
PROBLEM F: 2 Diamonds
PROBLEM G: 2 Diamonds
PROBLEM H: Club 6

Why did I bid 2NT on E? Because I went to the BWS site to see optins and, I think, misunderstood.

Here is what they have:


  After a single raise:
(a) a reraise to three is preemptive;
(b) two notrump is forcing with at least game-invitational strength;
(c) a simple new-suit bid is a game-try showing length (or a suit where honor strength would be helpful).
      After a two-notrump forcing raise: a simple new-suit bid shows shortness, a new-suit jump shows a two-suiter, and the three other game-and-below bids (simple same-suit rebid, three notrump, jump same-suit rebid), herein called TOBs, deny the requirements for any new-suit bid. The TOBs are graded from strongest to weakest (cheapest bid is strongest).

I read this and thought Oh, I can bid 2NT and then 3 H to show a stiff heart. No, they mean that if partner had bid 2NT instead of 2S then I could bid (of course) 3H to show a stiff heart/ Oh well.
Ken

Masse24

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Re: 2020 June - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #31 on: May 10, 2020, 12:50:03 AM »
      After a two-notrump forcing raise: a simple new-suit bid shows shortness, a new-suit jump shows a two-suiter, and the three other game-and-below bids (simple same-suit rebid, three notrump, jump same-suit rebid), herein called TOBs, deny the requirements for any new-suit bid. The TOBs are graded from strongest to weakest (cheapest bid is strongest).

I read this and thought Oh, I can bid 2NT and then 3 H to show a stiff heart. No, they mean that if partner had bid 2NT instead of 2S then I could bid (of course) 3H to show a stiff heart/ Oh well.
While 2NT may not be the game-try you wanted (based on system), it's not horrible.

I went back and read it again. It's formatted poorly, I think. I, too, thought the 2NT they referred to was a continuation of a game-try===NOT Jacoby 2NT. A wee bit confusing!!!

P.S. I marked you down for 3 !D.
« Last Edit: May 10, 2020, 01:15:20 AM by Masse24 »
“Kindness is the only service that will stand the storm of life and not wash out. It will wear well and will be remembered long after the prism of politeness or the complexion of courtesy has faded away.” Abraham Lincoln

jcreech

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Re: 2020 June - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #32 on: May 10, 2020, 12:57:11 AM »
Also Ken, I think it was DickHy that read that same bit of system notes in the same way as you.  Based on that, I thought about making the short- suit GT, but decided against because I figured that the panel would just select a bid instead of going back to read the system notes.  Some sort of help/long suit GT being more the norm.  If I trusted the panel, AND 2NT the start of a short suit GT, then I would have done that instead.
A stairway to nowhere is better than no stairway at all.  -Kehlog Albran

kenberg

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Re: 2020 June - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #33 on: May 10, 2020, 11:30:58 AM »
The bots use 2NT as the start of a short suit game try. Here is from their notes:
"The next step (1♥-2♥-2♠, 1♠-2♠-2NT) is a short-suit game try, showing unspecified shortness. Responder can bid the next step above that (2NT or 3♣) to ask where the shortness is. Opener bids the short suit, or bids his major if the short suit is one of the step suits."

I have often pushed the idea that when we do the BWS competition, where it is stated that we use BWS Standard, then that's what we should use. Every system has problem hands, and MSC often presents hands that are tough in the system being used. On A, if I were playing Goren, I would raise 1 !D to 2 !D. But we aren't playing Goren, so it's a problem.  If I were playing with the bots on E I would bid 2NT and then 3 !H, showing my stiff. But I am not playing with the bots.

I was trying to use BWS I just mis-read it. I was in a hurry, these things happen.
 
Ken

Masse24

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Re: 2020 June - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #34 on: May 10, 2020, 01:02:11 PM »
On behalf of Aloha9 (Marty)

Your Solutions for the June 2020 Contest
-------------------
PROBLEM A: 1 Spade
PROBLEM B: 2 Spades
PROBLEM C: 4 Spaes
PROBLEM D: (b4)
PROBLEM E: 3 Clubs
PROBLEM F: 3 Diamonds
PROBLEM G: 2 Hearts
PROBLEM H: Spade J
“Kindness is the only service that will stand the storm of life and not wash out. It will wear well and will be remembered long after the prism of politeness or the complexion of courtesy has faded away.” Abraham Lincoln

msphola

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Re: 2020 June - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #35 on: May 10, 2020, 04:04:18 PM »
hand A 1S
hand B 2N
hand C 4S
hand D B3
hand E 4H
hand F 2D
hand G p
hand H 6C

Masse24

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Re: 2020 June - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #36 on: May 10, 2020, 07:15:36 PM »
Scores are out . . .


YleeXotee led the way, with Masse24 close behind and Redbird44 third; all three made The Bridge World Honor Roll (which required a 670 this month), so congrats!! 

Way to go Joe!

NAMEBW-SCORERANKMPs
YleeXotee     730   1   30
Masse24     720   2   25
Redbird44     680   3   20
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Also participating and receiving 1 Monster Point are (alphabetically): Aloha9, BabsG, Blubayou, CCR3, Curls77, DickHy, DrAculea, Hoki, Jcreech, KenBerg, MarilynLi, Msphola, Thornbury,VeeRee, WackoJack. A solid month, with some high scores all around!

We had a GREAT turnout, our best yet! Hopefully we can continue to build on this in the coming months!

Commentary is still welcome for this set. :) There were some interesting problems, solutions, and choices by our members.
“Kindness is the only service that will stand the storm of life and not wash out. It will wear well and will be remembered long after the prism of politeness or the complexion of courtesy has faded away.” Abraham Lincoln

jcreech

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Re: 2020 June - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #37 on: May 11, 2020, 11:07:33 AM »
Usually, in a good month, I get burned on one choice, in an average month, two, and in a bad month, three.  This month, I must have been out of it altogether - I was burned on four choices.  And only one I would not make at the table.  On Problem A, at the table, I am certain I would bid 1NT and then regret the choice; here I bid 1 !S, and still feel pretty good about the choice.  I look forward to seeing which two panelists went with that choice.  No matter what, I just could not get myself to bid 3 !D without some table feel.  The last two times I tried that bid, I hit partner with a 4-4-3-2 hand and it did not work out well at all.

Other bad choices included raising partner with Kx in Problem G.  As recently as last night, I made a similar bid.  Last night, it was not my best bid - that would have been double, which would net 800, but putting partner in game was the next best bid as the cards lay.  Here, I can appreciate the desire to have partner overruffed in spades, but with my luck, bidding 1NT will get me raised to 3NT, and they take four top spades and a side trick for down 1.  I am not going there.

As for my other unfortunate choices, on Problem C, action was preferred over inaction - but the largest single vote getter was Pass.  With 15 HCPs and a less than stellar five-bagger, none of the choices look great.  And in Problem H, against 1NT, I tend to prefer leading something that I have values in rather than top of nothing; it was the second choice of the panel, but it was a distant 2nd choice.

A poorish 620 for me this month, but really, very few regrets.  On to next month.
A stairway to nowhere is better than no stairway at all.  -Kehlog Albran

kenberg

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Re: 2020 June - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #38 on: May 11, 2020, 02:31:41 PM »
I had a total disaster for this month. That's ok. The sun sets but the sun also rises. It seems I read a book about that once.

One that I want to see the thinking for is the !C 9 against 1NT from 962 on problem H.

I quote BWS standard:
Against NT:
"Spot-card leads: fourth-highest; second-highest (but highest of equals) from a weak suit"

Against suits:
"Spot-card leads: third-highest from even length; lowest from odd length"

Personally, I have never been fond of the second highest fro spots rule, but I lead according to agreement. I await their explanation of why we should in this case depart from agreement. If I follow the agreement, I lead the 6 against NT, I lead the 2 against suits

As to the merits of the agreement to lead the 6 against NT:
With this agreement, we lead the 6 from 962 and we lead the 6 from Q96 (since leading the 9 would deny the Q) and we lead the 6 from Q976 (fourth best). The person doing the leading already knows whether he has the Q, the point is to help partner to know that. If I lead the 6 from 962, from Q96 and from Q976 I don't see that this helps pard all that much.

Anyway, I lead the 6 rather than the 9 because BWS standard says so. Since nearly everything else went wrong as well, it did not matter.

Ken

Masse24

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Re: 2020 June - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #39 on: May 24, 2020, 04:57:38 PM »
No Bridge World received, so no summary.

If anyone else subscribes . . .
“Kindness is the only service that will stand the storm of life and not wash out. It will wear well and will be remembered long after the prism of politeness or the complexion of courtesy has faded away.” Abraham Lincoln

kenberg

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Re: 2020 June - MASTER SOLVERS CLUB
« Reply #40 on: May 24, 2020, 08:10:23 PM »
Same with me. I am not sure when the magazine usually arrives but earlier in the month than this.

I'm not sure what's up. I also was having trouble with the BW website but I just checked and that problem no longer exists.  Whew! These things happen and usually they get fixed.
« Last Edit: May 25, 2020, 12:57:39 AM by kenberg »
Ken