Ace again - and a Thank-You to IntoBridge


This is more a tribute to IntoBridge and a big thank-you for this platform than the discussion of a board. I can definitely say that that I learned more playing on-line, and especially on IntoBridge, than in years at the table. I have no more opportunities to play bigger tournaments with strong players. But comparing directly with experts is the next best thing. 

Getting immersed into the board and the daily challenges are helping a lot to gain competence and routine. We just need to be willing to acknowledge our mistakes and learn from them. It helps that you can compare to many other players and see how they solved the problem where you failed. Even if you win, you should study the mistakes on the other side, or learn that it was just luck.

I am also impressed by the robots. I play Lia in 2/1 style, a system I learned to love over time. As you see in the bidding above, you can bid quite accurately. The missing diamond stopper is the problem here, and a diamond lead is guaranteed. Most players ended in 3NT and failed. Here is a typical bidding.


You can blame Lia for bidding 2NT without a diamond stopper. But what should Lia do? The 2♠ bid denies heart support, and it does not show game values. So, 2NT looks like a good bet. I have no idea if 3♦ would have worked instead of 3NT, asking for a diamond stopper and forcing to game. Probably, one should simply bid 4♠ after 2NT.

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