[Mbodell]

I agree the decider should decide and then we should move on. Personally, I think 6 is fine (rub of the grain, LHO is 5440/5431 - except for folks who got 2♠ doubled not following the script) but 13 does seem odd. I think on 13 1nt is the top spot and 4♦ is quite bad. I'd do 1nt > 3♦ >> 3nt > 4♦ > 5♦ as I'd expect 1nt to nearly always outscore 3♦ and 3nt to make almost as often as 4♦ and score much better when it does (since 4♦= will still lose to 1nt some of the time).

[Ant590]

Re: board 13

Aside from the issue of whether a diamond partial or NT scores more highly, I guess there is the fact that in a normal field more people are going to be in NT. So in my head (and I almost always get MP calculations wrong), the distinction for ♦:NT score will be roughly 90%:30% when the diamond partial scores better, but roughly only 10%:70% when the NT scores better.

To me this implies that 1NT should not score more than 7/10 on this challenge, but also that 5/10 seems a little low perhaps.

[hanp]

Your claim that 1NT will be more common than 3D doesn't seem right to me. Many openers will rebid a 6-card diamond suit. Moreover, the opponents have a 9-card heart fit and we have a 10-card diamond fit, that usually means the auction doesn't end in 1NT.

I also think that a significant portion of the field will get to game, opener does hold 7 top tricks.

[Ant590]

hanp, on Aug 26 2010, 12:40 PM, said:

Your claim that 1NT will be more common than 3D doesn't seem right to me. Many openers will rebid a 6-card diamond suit. Moreover, the opponents have a 9-card heart fit and we have a 10-card diamond fit, that usually means the auction doesn't end in 1NT.

I also think that a significant portion of the field will get to game, opener does hold 7 top tricks.

Arrgh, yeah you're probably right. I hate MP calculations, and as others have said I have much respect for inquiry for his efforts, and renewed admiration for the staff at BW and other publications which run such challenges.

[tgoodwinsr]

We felt distinctly unlucky on Bd 13 -- not because of 1NT vs. 2D, but because we bid 3NT. We didn't bid any suit except diamonds. If opener's ace had been in spades, not clubs, 3NT would have been cold -- and presumably everyone would have bid just the same way.

This isn't a complaint about the scoring, just an observation that blind chance plays a part in this type of contest. (In bridge, too.)

[TimG]

tgoodwinsr, on Aug 26 2010, 09:05 AM, said:

We felt distinctly unlucky on Bd 13 -- not because of 1NT vs. 2D, but because we bid 3NT. We didn't bid any suit except diamonds. If opener's ace had been in spades, not clubs, 3NT would have been cold -- and presumably everyone would have bid just the same way.

This isn't a complaint about the scoring, just an observation that blind chance plays a part in this type of contest. (In bridge, too.)

Maybe the black aces can be switched and the hand recycled for a later bidding match.

[Ant590]

Right --- I'm eager for some final round 2 results now =D

[JLOGIC]

Ant590, on Aug 28 2010, 02:05 PM, said:

Right --- I'm eager for some final round 2 results now =D

+1

[Cascade]

TimG, on Aug 27 2010, 04:45 AM, said:

tgoodwinsr, on Aug 26 2010, 09:05 AM, said:

We felt distinctly unlucky on Bd 13 -- not because of 1NT vs. 2D, but because we bid 3NT. We didn't bid any suit except diamonds. If opener's ace had been in spades, not clubs, 3NT would have been cold -- and presumably everyone would have bid just the same way.

This isn't a complaint about the scoring, just an observation that blind chance plays a part in this type of contest. (In bridge, too.)

Maybe the black aces can be switched and the hand recycled for a later bidding match.

Or not switched and recycled