HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From:  martino@courier6.aero.org(Nick Martino)
Subject: Re: A Defensive Problem
Followup-To: rec.games.bridge
Organization: The Aerospace Corporation
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 21:45:02 GMT

Avi Roy Shapira wrote:

> After 3 passes, do you open?  I guess it is close but the possesion of both
> majors made me open 1D (weird huh?)  RHO overcalls 1NT Pard X's LHO XX's.
> and there it stands.
> 

[I assume it was LHO who overcalled and RHO who redoubled]

> 
>              98,
>              QT,
>              QJT3
>              A9752
>                        JT72
>                        K983
>                        A73
>                        K6
> 
> Parter leads the SK, and follows with SQ, SA and small spade to the J.
> dummy discards two small clubs. Declarer follows three times and discards
> a diamond on the J of spades.
> 
> How do you continue?
>
 
It looks as if we're being asked to believe that our expert partner's spade
play indicates something in Clubs.  Of course, he needs to have at least
QTx for a Club shift to be effective.  That would leave declarer with
perhaps the most ridiculous 1NT overcall I have ever seen (i.e.,
xxx/AJx/K9xx/J8x, vul vs not).  Although I must admit that the few postings
I have seen from the OKBridge world tend to indicate that the opponent's
bidding is generally absurd, I have difficulty accepting this construction.
 Still, if you trust partner's play in spades, he doesn't have the Heart
Jack, so a Heart is unlikely to work.  That leaves one other possibility. 
Give declarer a *slightly* more reasonable passed hand 1NT overcall,
showing the 2 lower unbid suits (e.g., xxx/AJxx/xx/QJxx), and now the Club
shift is the only way declarer can get home.  Of course, on that
construction, partner passed in 1st seat on AKQx/xxx/Kxxx/xx. In an expert
game,  I don't think I'd have this problem.  At OKBridge, the Club shift is
probably the winner.  If partner does have the requisite QTx, declarer will
duck and win the continuation.  No matter how declarer attempts to attack
the red suits, he will come up one trick shy provided you withhold the Ace
of Diamonds properly.

---Nick


************************************************       
                                                                           
                                                                           
                         
    martino@courier6.Aero.org (Nick Martino)                            
   
    The Aerospace Corporation                                            
                                                                        
************************************************

 
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge,comp.binaries.ibm.pc.games
From: nathan@brokaw.lcs.mit.edu (Nathan Glasser)
Subject: Bridge program demo available for ftp
Organization: MIT LCS, Cambridge, MA
Date: Sun, 3 Jan 1993 05:30:01 GMT


I have placed a copy of the demo version of Bridge 7.0 by Artworx Software, a
commerical bridge game for IBM-compatible computers, on wuarchive.wustl.edu in
the /pub/MSDOS_UPLOADS directory, under the name br7.zip (and also br7.txt).
This can be accessed via anonymous ftp. The demo is "playable", but see below.

In my opinion this is yet another bad bridge game, but form your own opinions.
It sounds like it might be similar to a "Goren" program mentioned in the past
in that it has sound card support to make the players speak, though the demo
does not do this. The demo is playble, but there's only one hand you can play,
and you can see just how horrible computer bidding and play can be by watching
what it does on that one hand.

I found this demo on a CD-rom containing various commercial software 
demos.

Often files on the site I've placed this program on disappear without
warning; if this happens it can be put back, or other arrangements can
be made to make this available elsewhere if interest warrants (which I doubt).
(Please do not send me mail asking me how to ftp.)
--
				Nathan Glasser
fnord				nathan@brokaw.lcs.mit.edu,mintaka!brokaw!nathan
YP-17				Nate on IRC
Beware the DDG!
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
From: maceache@fox.nstn.ns.ca (Tim Maceachern)
Subject: Re: A Defensive Problem
Organization: NSTN Network Operations Centre, Nova Scotia, Canada
Date: Sat, 2 Jan 1993 15:13:39 GMT

pynq@quads.uchicago.edu (Jeremy Mathers) writes:

>In article <1992Dec31.180747.3967@nstn.ns.ca> maceache@fox.nstn.ns.ca (Tim Maceachern) writes:
>(You've seen this hand so many times by now, ...)

>But, note well dummy's spots in hearts...

>>>>>>              98,
>>>>>>              QT,
>>>>>>              QJT3
>>>>>>              A9752
>>>>>>                        JT72
>>>>>>                        K983
>>>>>>                        A73
>>>>>>                        K6
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Parter leads the SK, and follows with SQ, SA and small spade to the J.
>>>>>> dummy discards two small clubs. Declarer follows three times and discards
>>>>>> a diamond on the J of spades.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> How do you continue?

>To which Tim says...

>>I'm still in favour of the heart King, rather than a low one.  The play
>>of the King will serve to wake partner up to the necessity of telling
>>me what to play when I'm in with the Club King on the next trick.  I
>>can imagine partner being much less forthcoming if I lead a low heart.
>>
>>If partner has j72 in hearts, I want to see the 7 on the heart lead.
>>The king is such an unusual lead that I believe partner will have to
>>signal.  However, if I lead a low heart, I'm not sure that partner
>>will signal.  Of course, if partner's cards are not suitable for
>>signalling, I may lead a diamond later by mistake... that's life.

>Hold the phone!  If you lead a low heart (as I would have), you find out
>right away whether or not partner has the jack.  After declarer plays small,
>either partner plays the jack, forcing the queen, or he doesn't (letting
>dummy's ten win).  You also find out right away whether you are going to
>be +500 or -760...

Why would partner ever play the jack from jxx or jxxx?  How does partner
know that declarer doesn't have the nine?
*******************************************************************
*         Tim MacEachern         * Tim_MacEachern@hawk.nstn.ns.ca *
*     Software Kinetics Ltd.     *  or maceache@hawk.nstn.ns.ca   *
* Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada *                                *
*           Opinions expressed are the author's only              *
*******************************************************************
From: tnh@sw.stratus.com (Tim Hill)
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
Subject: Re: Bizzare Bidding!
Date: 22 Dec 1992 14:54:43 GMT
Organization: Stratus Computer, Inc.
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: bigbootay.sw.stratus.com

In article <stark.724728170@lindblat.cc.monash.edu.au>, stark@lindblat.cc.monash.edu.au (Justin Stark) writes:
>                  J 6
>                  10 3 2
>                  J 10 4
>                  J 6 5 4 2
>    K Q 10 8 5 4             9
>                             Q J 9 5
>    A K 8 2                  9 7 6 3
>    9 8 7                    A K Q 10
>                  A 7 3 2
>                  A K 8 7 6 4
>                  Q 5
>                  3
> 
> ...
>         1H  X  2H  X  (*1)
>         /   4S /   4N (*2)
>         /   5D /   5H (*3)
>         /   5S /   5N 
>         X   6S /   /
>         X   /  /   /

Why yes, it was bizarre bidding!

> 	How would you play on a 10H lead!

We'll need five spades, one heart, two diamonds, and four clubs to bring
this home.  Our mission is to avoid a second spade loser.

Let me guess.  Declarer covered the lead, ruffed the HK, played a club to
dummy, and ran the S9.  North won and gave South a club ruff.  Down 2.

I suppose the question is whether declarer should have picked up the SJ.
Well, the auction appears to mark South with both aces.  Unless South was
particularly crafty, he probably played the HK on trick one.  Even if South
played HA on trick one, it's hard to believe North would raise hearts and
then lead HT from KTx.  

So, credit South with SA and HAK.

Now North's heart raise could certainly be made with very few HCPs, but
surely we have to credit North with the majority of the four missing queens
and jacks.  That makes the odds at least 3:1 that North has the SJ.  So I
think it's a tad better to play North for SJx than to play South for SAJx
(note that we can't win if South has SAJxx).

So, lead the SK at trick two.
-- 
Tim Hill
Stratus Computer, Inc.                  tnh@vos.stratus.com
55 Fairbanks Boulevard                  508-460-2232
Marlborough, MA  01752                  fax 508-624-7488
From: paul@sco.COM (Paul Jackson)
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
Subject: Re: Ethics question
Keywords: no agreement = procedural penalty
Date: 18 Dec 92 15:23:20 GMT
Organization: SCO Canada, Inc.

In article <1992Dec14.225451.24791@cbnewsc.cb.att.com> rainbow@cbnewsc.cb.att.com (Rob Buchner) writes:
>And if you provide an explanation which turns out to be inaccurate,
>it is also an automatic procedural penalty unless you can prove 
>your explanation is indeed your partnership agreement, which is 
>hard to do unless you have something written down somewhere.
>Even if you bid your hand out according to your understandings,
>while the opponents may not get an adjustment, you get a penalty.
>This information comes straight from a national director.
>Consider yourselves forewarned. For a partnership, not having
>an agreement is not sufficient to avoid any responsibility.
>Partnerships are now held responsible for having agreements.
>Not having an agreement will result in a procedural penalty.

This is absurd and a clear example of idiotic overreaction. Even with
experienced expert partnerships there are occasional misunderstandings, for
any misunderstanding to yield an automatic procedural penalty is just stupid.

I agree with the underlying premise that a practiced partnership knows
enough about their style and agreements that it is rarely on completely
unknown territory and therefore has an obligation to give their "best guess"
as to what an auction means, but to say that this means a partnership who have
ever played together before can't have a misunderstanding is crazy.

If this becomes widespread, the net effect is that only practiced
partnerships who spend the time to write down their entire system can
effectively compete at tournaments. This is NOT good for bridge.
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
From: sgm@sgfb.ssd.ray.com (Steven G. Myerson)
Subject: Re: A Grand Slam?
Organization: Raytheon Company
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 14:24:25 GMT

In article <1992Dec28.105212.1@aud2.aud.auc.dk>, i13mufel@aud2.aud.auc.dk writes:

* In article <1992Dec27.042715.4667@actrix.gen.nz>, John Roseveare writes:
* > 
* > I have not been able to solve the following problem.
* > 
* > 		(S) J 10 8 4
* > 		(H) A 10 7
* > 		(D) K Q 6 3
* > 		(C) J 8
* > 
* >    (S) 9 6		   (S) Q 2
* >    (H) K 9 8 5 2           (H) 3
* >    D) 10 7 5              (D) J 9 4 2
* >    (C) Q 9 6               (C) A 10 7 5 3 2
* > 
* > 		(S) A K 7 5 3
* > 		(H) Q J 6 4
* > 		(D) A 8
* > 		(C) K 4
* > 
* > Lead: 5H
* > Can a 7 Spades contract be made against competent defence?  I am told it
* > can but I can not see how!

* 		N	E	S	W
* 	1)	XH	3H	6H	5H
* 				--
* 	2)	XS	XS	AS	XS
* 				--
* 	3)	XS	XS	KS	XS
* 				--
* 	4)	TH	XC	XH	XH
* 		--			
* 	5)	AH	XC	XH	XH
* 		--
* 	6)	XD	XD	AD	XD
* 				--
* 	7)	XS	XC	XH	XH
* 		--
* 	8)	XS	XC	XS	XX
* 				--
* 	9)	XC	?	XS	XX
* 				--
* 
* 		(D) KQXX
* 
* XXXX				(D)JXXX               (D)JXX      
*                                 (C)    		OR    (C)A
* 
* 		(D)XX
* 		(C)KX
* 
* THEN YOU GOT IT!!!!

Sort of. There are a couple of errors and omissions.

Trick 1. All of dummy's hearts are higher than the 6,
         which supposedly won the trick.

Trick 8. Unless you kept the four of spades in dummy during tricks 2 and 3,
         you can't get back to declarer's hand with a trump.

The ending is incorrect.
South started with ace doubleton of diamonds, used the ace at trick 6,
and therefore cannot have a small doubleton left.

Trick 10 should be the final spade from south's hand and a club from north.
South started with five spades, not four as the trick-by-trick anaylsis shows.

This produces the following three card ending, with East to discard:

              North:  (D) KQx
West: (D) xx                   East:  (D) Jxx
      (C) Q                           (C) A
              South:  (D) x
                      (C) Kx

Steve Myerson (sgm@sgfb.ssd.ray.com)
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
From: ray@eecs.nwu.edu (Jim Ray)
Subject: convenient minor computer game
Organization: EECS Department, Northwestern University
Date: Fri, 1 Jan 1993 00:19:54 GMT

I am interested in finding a computer game that uses the convenient
minor method of play.  If anyone has a recommendation, please email it
to me.  Thank you.

*****************************************************************
*                                                               *
* Jim Ray                                      ray@eecs.nwu.edu *
*                                                               *
* If the thunder don't get you, then the lightning will. jg     *
*                                                               *
*****************************************************************
From: i13mufel@aud2.aud.auc.dk
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
Subject: Re: A Defensive Problem
Date: 29 Dec 92 15:01:00 GMT
Organization: Aalborg University Center, Denmark

In article <1992Dec29.152155.18908@ramon.bgu.ac.il>, avir@chen.bgu.ac.il (Avi Roy Shapira) writes:
> Okbridge is becoming a meeting place for r.g.ber's and more and more of us
> meet there for an occasional skirmish. This is good. The other day, our
> own professor BY dropped by (sorry we didn't play a few hands together BY)
> 
> Anyhow, playing with a good partner, 2/1 with gedgets I picked up in
> 4th seat, W v R, the following collection of tickets:
>    JT72, K983, A74, K6
> 
> After 3 passes, do you open?  I guess it is close but the possesion of both
> majors made me open 1D (weird huh?)  RHO overcalls 1NT Pard X's LHO XX's.
> and there it stands.
> 
> 
>              98,
>              QT,
>              QJT3
>              A9752
>                        JT72
>                        K983
>                        A73
>                        K6
> 
> Parter leads the SK, and follows with SQ, SA and small spade to the J.
> dummy discards two small clubs. Declarer follows three times and discards
> a diamond on the J of spades.
> 
> How do you continue?
> 
> --
> Aviel Roy-Shapira, M.D.         Ben-Gurion University Medical School
> Dept. of Surgery A.             POB 151, Beer Sheva, Israel
> avir@chen.bgu.ac.il             AVIR@BGUVM.BITNET



kC!
Xref: sparky rec.games.bridge:7138 news.answers:4873
From: John.Roseveare@bbs.actrix.gen.nz
Subject: A Grand Slam?
Organization: Actrix Information Exchange
Date: Sun, 27 Dec 1992 04:27:15 GMT


I have not been able to solve the following problem.  All
responses/suggestions (by E-mail or posting) gratefully received.  If the
problem is just too trvial/easy/"old hat" please accept my apologies in
advance!

		(S) J 10 8 4
		(H) A 10 7
		(D) K Q 6 3
		(C) J 8

   (S) 9 6		   (S) Q 2
   (H) K 9 8 5 2           (H) 3
   D) 10 7 5              (D) J 9 4 2
   (C) Q 9 6               (C) A 10 7 5 3 2

		(S) A K 7 5 3
		(H) Q J 6 4
		(D) A 8
		(C) K 4

Lead: 5H

Can a 7 Spades contract be made against competent defence?  I am told it
can but I can not see how!

John Roseveare
USEnet John.Roseveare@bbs.actrix.gen.nz
FAX (NZ) 4 4992295
66 Dowse Drive, Lower Hutt, NZ


-- 
John Roseveare
66 Dowse Drive,Lower Hutt, New Zealand

Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
From: reha@cbnewsi.cb.att.com (reha.gur)
Subject: re: delicate decision
Organization: AT&T
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 15:31:53 GMT

> Matchpoints, only the opponents are vulnerable.
> Your opponents are playing fivecard majors and 12-14 1NT.
> RHO opens 1D, you hold: AJT/J/AK95/AQ862
> 
> What do you do now?
> If you double and partner bids 1H, what do you bid?
> 

Well, I would have bid 2C as my first bid.
But I guess double intending to bid clubs over hearts is okay
provided that partner doesn't get too carried away in hearts.

For your second bid, 1NT may work out but you can always bid it later. So
2 clubs is my call.

reha gur
From: taylor@foraker.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Eric Taylor)
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
Subject: Re: This actually happened to me...
Date: 23 Dec 92 02:58:27 GMT

In article <1992Dec20.154523.14051@midway.uchicago.edu>, pynq@quads.uchicago.edu (Jeremy Mathers) writes:
|> None vul - you hold: Kxxxx,x,xx,xxxxx
|> Partner opens 1H, next hand doubles.  Your call?
|> 
|> Sharif/Hirsch recommend a pass.
|> 
|> However, some time ago, this actually happened to me, and I passed, and
|> partner went for 300.  Partner said I should have seen it coming, and I
|> think he's right.  Isn't the most likely heart distribution 5-1-1-6 ?
|> (As it, in fact, was)  Isn't it clear that a penalty pass is coming?
|> 
|> Partner had 3 spades and 5 (bad) hearts.  How is he to know when to
|> rescue himself?

The opponents were also probably a favorite to make 3NT.
If you were only -300 I would smile and be happy. :-)

Partner is sitting over the person with length
in his suit.  This is very good for him.  Mike Lawrence
mentions that one of the least rewarding doubles are those
made under strength.  The truly devastating doubles at the
1 level are those made by the balancer.

If you bid 1S with the above hand, what are you going to do
when partner bids 2NT?  That will probably be the last time you
play with that partner.  If you feel you MUST bid with the above
hand, make a preemptive bid.
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
From: sgm@sgfb.ssd.ray.com (Steven G. Myerson)
Subject: Re: opening lead against 6NT
Organization: Raytheon Submarine Signal Division
Date: Mon, 21 Dec 1992 16:44:45 GMT

In article <1992Dec17.153844.10560@linus.mitre.org> Robert D. Silverman writes:

*In article <1992Dec17.145526.17546@walter.bellcore.com> Martin I. Eiger writes:
* :Matchpoints, opponents vulnerable.
* :
* :                         You   LHO   Prt   RHO
* :S - 9 7                   P     1D    1S    4N       4N = Blackwood
* :H - 9 7 2                 P     5C    X     6N       5C = 0 or 4 aces
* :D - 9 7                   P     P     X     P
* :C - T 9 6 4 3 2           P     P
* :
* :What do you lead and why?
* :
* :Please e-mail responses to me, and I'll summarize opinions and present
* :all four hands when the dust settles.
*  
* This is a non-problem.  When partner bids a suit, then subsequently
* doubles a NT contract, he is DEMANDING that you lead his suit.
* [unless, of course, you play lead inhibiting overcalls]
* 
* In the above situation, If partner wanted a CLUB lead [after doubling
* 5C] he would NOT double the final contract. You would then lead a club.

What if partner wants a club lead,
and knows the contract will go down if indeed the club is led?

Does this mean partner cannot double for a particular lead
and then double again for penalties?

Steve Myerson (sgm@sgfb.ssd.ray.com)
From: tnh@sw.stratus.com (Tim Hill)
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
Subject: Re: Computer bridge game recommendation for father
Date: 28 Dec 1992 18:21:58 GMT
Organization: Stratus Computer, Inc.
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: bigbootay.sw.stratus.com

In article <1992Dec28.145907.15917@rosevax.rosemount.com>, craig@bunsen.rosemount.com (Craig Taylor) writes:
> I am looking for recommendations for a computer
> bridge game for my father.  He just received an
> entry level game for Christmas from Radio Shack and
> will take it back.  He is a life master.
> 
> I am looking for a self-contained game, not software
> for a computer.  I'm sorry if this is FAQ as I do
> not play and do not normally read this newsgroup.

Questions about computer bridge games do seem to be frequently asked on this
news group, but not frequently answered.

In general, computer bridge (unlike computer chess) hasn't received much serious
attention over the years, but there does seem to have been a recent burst of
commercial activity.

Based on reviews, Saitek's Pro Bridge 500 appears to be the best self-contained
bridge-playing computer on the market.  Baron/Barclay Bridge Supplies
(800-274-2221) wants $400 for it.  They quote the _ACBL Bulletin's_ review:
"A quality product which will provide considerable entertainment for beginners
and intermediates."

Sounds like faint praise to me.  Have any rgbers tried it?
-- 
Tim Hill
Stratus Computer, Inc.                  tnh@vos.stratus.com
55 Fairbanks Boulevard                  508-460-2232
Marlborough, MA  01752                  fax 508-624-7488
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
From:  martino@courier6.aero.org(Nick Martino)
Subject: Re: This actually happened to me...
Followup-To: rec.games.bridge
Organization: The Aerospace Corporation
Date: Tue, 22 Dec 1992 02:09:13 GMT

 "the beave" wrote:
> 
> None vul - you hold: Kxxxx,x,xx,xxxxx
> Partner opens 1H, next hand doubles.  Your call?
> 
> Sharif/Hirsch recommend a pass.
> 
> However, some time ago, this actually happened to me, and I passed, and
> partner went for 300.  Partner said I should have seen it coming, and I
> think he's right.

I think your partner is a results merchant.

>  Isn't the most likely heart distribution 5-1-1-6 ?

I haven't run a simulation, but I'd be willing to bet that, on average,
partner rates to have more Hearts than anyone else at the table. Possible
distributions include 7-2-1-3, 7-1-1-4, 6-1-1-5, 6-2-1-4, 6-3-1-3, 5-3-1-4,
5-2-1-5 etc.

>  Isn't it clear that a penalty pass is coming?
>
No.  It's probably coming less than half the time.  LHO may have a Notrump
or Diamond bid. 
 
> Partner had 3 spades and 5 (bad) hearts.  How is he to know when to
> rescue himself?

Any time one of your competent opponents passes a takeout double at the
one-level, you know you're up against a real stack. Therefore, if you can
envision another place to play, it's probably right to initiate rescue
operations.  

---Nick 

************************************************       
                                                                           
                                                                           
                         
    martino@courier6.Aero.org (Nick Martino)                            
   
    The Aerospace Corporation                                            
                                                                        
************************************************

 
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge