[thepossum]

jillybean, on 2025-November-23, 06:40, said:

---

Looks like a win for those who use LTC correctly - ie when it gives roughly the right contract in hindsight
I was getting anxious that there may be a play for slam but checked the DD - it does look as if it could almost make

[bluenikki]

Cyberyeti, on 2025-November-23, 15:58, said:

If 2♥ can be 3 I'm not playing that system, rebid in NT

2NT conceals the good 5-card minor.

[jillybean]

I was East, It was an easy 6 but I'm not sure I'd ever find it , with or w/o ltc

[mike777]

 jillybean, on 2025-November-23, 19:01, said:

It was an easy 6 but I'm not sure I'd ever find it , with or w/o ltc

I expect many of us would not get to six including me.

[smerriman]

jillybean, on 2025-November-23, 19:01, said:

I was East, It was an easy 6 but I'm not sure I'd ever find it , with or w/o ltc

Without seeing N/S's hands, I don't think I'd want to be in it. It's unmakeable on a spade lead, right? (Of course, you're lucky that's unlikely for South here).

[jillybean]

smerriman, on 2025-November-23, 20:00, said:

Without seeing N/S's hands, I don't think I'd want to be in it. It's unmakeable on a spade lead, right? (Of course, you're lucky that's unlikely for South here).

right

[thepossum]

It's not an easy 6
DD only gives 5
I think LTC estimated exactly 11 tricks lol
Not an easy 6 for me

[Cyberyeti]

bluenikki, on 2025-November-23, 18:26, said:

2NT conceals the good 5-card minor.

If you play strong NT, yes, not necessarily for us. We rebid 1N up to bad 19, and open 2N with a good 19.

After 2♥ any cue bids may be ambiguous, after a NT rebid, they're not shortages.

[P_Marlowe]

jillybean, on 2025-November-23, 06:34, said:

<snip>
I don't play losing trick count myself but I hear a lot of players, club players and BBO reference it, usually after a decision that didn't turn out well.

Yes, and I always ask myself hearing this, what did poor old LTC do to you, to deserves this.
Its not the car that kills, its the driver.

[jillybean]

P_Marlowe, on 2025-November-24, 12:48, said:

Yes, and I always ask myself hearing this, what did poor old LTC do to you, to deserves this.
Its not the car that kills, its the driver.

Exactly, just because you have LTC, XYZ, NMF & WKW does not mean you can turn your brain off.

[thepossum]

 jillybean, on 2025-November-25, 16:23, said:

Exactly, just because you have LTC, XYZ, NMF & WKW does not mean you can turn your brain off.

Sadly a lot of people everywhere who should know better turn their brains off with model predictions. It can be much more expensive than an unmakeable slam. Enough to bring down banks

[Huibertus]

smerriman, on 2025-November-23, 20:00, said:

Without seeing N/S's hands, I don't think I'd want to be in it. It's unmakeable on a spade lead, right? (Of course, you're lucky that's unlikely for South here).

I doubt declarer is likely to be lucky, it depends on who you are playing. There are people (and bots) that lead passively, and there are people that cash aces hoping to score a trump trick as well, but there also are people that holding an ace against a slam lead to develop a second trick. It's no guarantee, but there will be opponents like me that will lead a ♠ on this hand, as the second trick won't come from a minor.

[Cyberyeti]

Huibertus, on 2025-November-26, 10:34, said:

I doubt declarer is likely to be lucky, it depends on who you are playing. There are people (and bots) that lead passively, and there are people that cash aces hoping to score a trump trick as well, but there also are people that holding an ace against a slam lead to develop a second trick. It's no guarantee, but there will be opponents like me that will lead a ♠ on this hand, as the second trick won't come from a minor.

Depends on how the auction went, there are plenty of people who if they blast 6♥ could be missing ♦AK, and/or declarer could have a stiff spade