[Oof Arted]

My cardinal rule when playing with a Lady (even the wife)

When she says you are wrong YOU ARE WRONG

When she is Wrong she is always RIGHT




I'm Still alive to prove it works

[awm]

hanp, on Apr 22 2009, 03:44 PM, said:

Maybe to you offering to buy your partner a coke is the best way to get your mind on track again, to me it isn't..

I'd put the rules this way:

(1) Bridge can be a high-stress game, but most people play better when they are not under a lot of pressure. Strive to keep partner's stress level down. Things that help with this include arriving to the playing site early, avoiding criticizing partner or analyzing hands at the table, smiling and making it look like you're having a good time during the session, and generally being pleasant and polite as much as possible.

(2) It can be difficult to maintain focus during a long event. Do not spend your time thinking about or analyzing hands which you have already played. If you find that you're distracted or not playing your best, try to take advantage of the break times to get your mind clear. Having a drink or snack during the session can help with this. Similarly, if partner seems not to be focused it can help to offer partner a drink or snack.

(3) If you must discuss a hand during the session (and it is best to avoid this whenever possible) then approach it from the viewpoint of what you could have done better. Could you have signaled more clearly? Would a different bid have better described your hand? This is much more constructive than asking why partner made a particular dumb play or bid, or insulting partner's choice of play or bid.

[Double !]

Oof Arted, on Apr 22 2009, 04:01 PM, said:

My cardinal rule when playing with a Lady (even the wife)

When she says you are wrong YOU ARE WRONG

When she is Wrong she is always RIGHT




I'm Still alive to prove it works

lololol

I thought this was a universal given!!!!

And, it is a given that, should the woman suggest that she might have made an error, it is due to something the male had done.

DHL

[bill1157]

BillHiggin, on Apr 22 2009, 09:00 AM, said:

Cardinal rule:
If your partner says he plays SAYC but no transfers, then you ought to prepare to enjoy the adventures that are about to happen - good bridge is not on the slate today.

actually it might not work out too bad, at least you won't hear: "but pd aren't we playing stolen bid X's?"

Bill

[helene_t]

I never understood why it would be a bad sign if someone doesn't play transfers. Considering that different people have different ideas about when they apply (Our 1NT overcalls? They double our 1NT? They interfere with a 2♣ capp, do we play transfers like GIB does?) it makes perfect sense not to play transfers with a pick-up partner.

[manudude03]

I think it's something to do with when you do a WTO over 1NT, it almost invariably gets raised to 4. It shouldn't happen, but it does. Not to mention all the bidding space used up for potentially partscores.

[se12sam]

I have a cardinal rule specifically for 'real world' bridge that I have seen people of all levels (barring experts) violate often.

My rule is "don't lose interest with poor hands". It's so easy that I confess I have broken it often. And I try hard nowadays not to lose interest.
Examples:
     1. I am dealt with a yarborough. Soon enough, I have mentally 'switched off' while defending.
     2. I find myself as a defender, dealt with a hand with one Queen and no other honor card. By trick 4-5, declarer has finessed out my queen. This may be the normal line of play but when the queen drops, so does my interest level in the rest of the deal.

The problem is not linked to poor card play per se. It's also to do with obvious body language. In my experience, whenever my partner or I have 'relaxed', the declarer's chances of finding the winning line (for his side) has gone up!

[mycroft]

helene_t, on Apr 23 2009, 07:39 AM, said:

I never understood why it would be a bad sign if someone doesn't play transfers. Considering that different people have different ideas about when they apply (Our 1NT overcalls? They double our 1NT? They interfere with a 2♣ capp, do we play transfers like GIB does?) it makes perfect sense not to play transfers with a pick-up partner.

I totally agree. However, if partner says they play SAYC without transfers - as the original person said - that is a bad sign. It means,most likely, that they think SAYC = "not 2/1", and you are going to have *no* idea what they play (1S-3C-X. What is it? Unless you *know* SAYC, you might be surprised...) , but it certainly won't be the booklet.

I'd rather play straight SA, no transfers. I have a better idea what we play (i.e. nothing) than the inevitable argument when I actually expect them to have seen the Yellow Card.

[pirate22]

Keep them coming--a few comments---losing interest with no points---i have had some super results with no points declarers think i have them all.
Passing 4n/t---of course 1n/t -4n/t is passable but going through any other motion,is to pass a cardinal SIN,must get the book.
Ref holding 2 aces against a slam-reminds me we arrived at 6 n/t minus 2 aces(bidding misunderstanding) the person on lead held them and x vulnerable cash Rubber---now there is in the english language two words "Greed" and AVARICE, THEY UNDERLED ONE OF THEM--i was able to make the contract
another nugget against 2 internationals,me, my, first congress picked up 21 points balanced, i quicly counted left to right right to left and passed-pass pass 1n/t(12-14) pass--pass-pass

I led my longest-and we bounced back and forwards--it arrived at trick 10,and declarer,was very agitated(international) the dummy had 2 points,and declarer went 1 down 50 to us-the traveller was torn out of the board,and we were snarled at "Pair no plse" all the scores read 3n/t our way minus 2 it did look pretty 10 results - 100 and ours reading + 50 (why did i pass 21 points?(answer by private e-mail only)
They say lightning never strikes twice in the same place---to date,with competitive bidding mostly low/high level no of n/t's--we have taken all 13 tricks,had the pleasure of this happening 3 times in my lifetime of bridge

Good advice,especially with the internet.ENJOY ONES BRIDGE,

[Stephen Tu]

Quote

Passing 4n/t---of course 1n/t -4n/t is passable but going through any other motion,is to pass a cardinal SIN,must get the book.

Pirate22, *you* are the one who must get a book. Minimum of 95/100 books will say that 1nt-2c-2h-4nt and 1nt-2d-2h-4nt are non-forcing invitational, quantitative. I bet you cannot find any book by a reputable author that says otherwise.

[mtvesuvius]

pirate22, on Apr 26 2009, 09:59 PM, said:

picked up 21 points balanced, i quicly counted left to right right to left and passed

LOL

[Benoit35]

Quote

There is one cardinal rule I see broken at the bridge table consistently, don't argue with your wife.

Replace "argue" with "play" and I agree 100%.

[G_R__E_G]

Benoit35, on Apr 27 2009, 12:31 PM, said:

Quote

There is one cardinal rule I see broken at the bridge table consistently, don't argue with your wife.

Replace "argue" with "play" and I agree 100%.

If you then proceed to replace "wife" with "self" then I agree 110%.

[barryallen]

whereagles, on Apr 22 2009, 04:43 AM, said:

Double !, on Apr 22 2009, 12:56 AM, said:

#1)  Never get involved in the opponents "discussions" at the table.  Wait patiently and keep your mouth shut.

Priceless

Always best to wait for the start of the next hand, then comment upon how unlucky they were!

[bill1157]

helene_t, on Apr 23 2009, 08:39 AM, said:

I never understood why it would be a bad sign if someone doesn't play transfers. Considering that different people have different ideas about when they apply (Our 1NT overcalls? They double our 1NT? They interfere with a 2♣ capp, do we play transfers like GIB does?) it makes perfect sense not to play transfers with a pick-up partner.

last thursday I played with a new player (with 0 master points) and when the subject of transfers came up, i said "lets not": game went great, we won. Thanks for the good advice. Now he has 1.2 mps for finishing 1st in A at the club!

Bill

[vuroth]

I think the point was "SAYC" but no transfers. I've read the ACBL SAYC bulletin 50x, so my expectations for SAYC are pretty specific. If you're not playing SAYC, what ELSE don't you play from the standard?

As for cardinal rules, how about "never save partner"?

[Lobowolf]

If you lied (or taken a position), stick to your story. Don't try make up for it or correct later, e.g. by passing a forcing bid or claiming to have one fewer ace.

If you're going to preempt, pop it to what you think is the correct level the first time, then hope they guessed wrong. Don't give them a second chance to do the right thing after exchanging information.

Don't think about the last hand while playing this one.

Try not to let partner think about the last hand while playing this one (particularly, e.g. if he's screwed up. A well-placed "Don't worry about it" saves tricks).

[pirate22]

well 1n/t--2cl--whatever---4n/t is quantative,i still argue my point,can any one guarentee that 1n/t 4cl is ace asking,also stated in replies,,,,do the gerber fans know what a sign off bid using gerber???
Another "Chestnut" 1n/t---2cl
2d -- 3d---------what does 3 d mean

and yet another chestnut you hold KJ10x s---109xx--AQx--AQ
bidding proceeds u 1n/t--2cl
2ht --3n/t your bid? one shld bid--- scroll down





4spades regards

[Stephen Tu]

Quote

well 1n/t--2cl--whatever---4n/t is quantative,i still argue my point,

LOL. No one on the forums backs you up, no books back you up, yet you still argue, despite finding no support from anywhere.

Quote

can any one guarentee that 1n/t 4cl is ace asking,also stated in replies

If your agreement is "SAYC", then this is ace asking. Whether your partner will answer correctly depends on their skill level, and nationality. Americans should generally get this correct. If they are a beginner then they may not have learned this yet, but with a beginner you take your chances on almost any auction.

If your partner gets it wrong, at least he will be wrong instead of you.

Quote

do the gerber fans know what a sign off bid using gerber???

Most of us are not "fans" of gerber; properly used it rarely comes up, and beginners/ints abuse it horribly, using it in sequences where it shouldn't apply or with the wrong hand in the sequences where it does apply. But it does happen to be the only reliable way to ask for aces vs. a balanced NT opener with a pickup partner, and happened to be the appropriate bid with the example hands you supplied.

Signoff bids after gerber -- 5♣ is the king ask, anything else would be a signoff, including 4nt. 5♥,5♠,5[nt] are undefined, avoid using them as no one will know what they are. Everything except 5♣, expect to play there.

Quote

Another "Chestnut" 1n/t---2cl
2d -- 3d---------what does 3 d mean

This is natural and forcing with diamonds in common modern usage. Unfortunately the meaning of this has varied over the ages, so people who learned at a different time may think it is non-forcing.

In SAYC, however, it logically has to be forcing, because the other ways to get to diamonds (1nt-3d, invitational, 1nt-2s-3c-3d, signoff) are clearly defined by the document as non-forcing.

Quote

and yet another chestnut you hold KJ10x s---109xx--AQx--AQ
bidding proceeds u 1n/t--2cl; 2ht --3n/t your bid? one shld bid--- scroll down
4spades regardless

First thing you have gotten right here, congratulations.

[pirate22]

Stephen Tu ty for your replies --------1n/t--2cl---2d--3d this asks pard to bid his best 3 card major,although u did not specify this ,you said it was forcing

the 2cl hand 10xxxx---QJxxx--Kx--x 5/5/2/1 3d is nonforcing to game

i would also agree it depends when one started bridge hence "Chestnuts"