[mr1303]

Dear All,

I hope you have noticed that we have put new pass cards and 1C cards in the bidding boxes. The old ones were getting a bit dog-eared.

We also have a stock of the new 1/2 cards (see picture of one of these below). These will be added to the bidding boxes on Wednesday 1st May and Tuesday 7th May. I'm sure you all know by now that the official date after which these 1/2 cards will be allowed to be used is 1st May.

In case you haven't yet read about the rules regarding the 1/2 card yet, they are as follows:

The 1/2 card can only be used when supporting a suit bid by partner or repeating a suit you have already bid. eg 1H - P - 2 1/2H or 1H - P - 2C - P - 2 1/2 H. Not 1C - P - 1 1/2H
The 1/2 card cannot be used at the 4 level or above.
The 1/2 card can be used only when bidding a suit, not No Trumps
The 1/2 card can only be used once per bidding sequence per partnership. i.e. If you have used your 1/2 card your partner is prohibited from using his/hers and vice versa.
For scoring purposes the 1/2 is ignored. The contract is rounded up and the score rounded down. This probably needs an example or two: If the final contract is 2 1/2 H you need to make 9 tricks to make your contract and your score will be 2H + 1 (140). If you make 8 tricks your score will be -1(-50 or -100). If the final contract is 3 1/2 H you need to make 10 tricks but will score only 170 if you do, and deservedly so! If you make 9 tricks your score will be -50 or -100.

The EBU will continue discussions on whether they will introduce a more refined scoring system to take account of the 1/2 bid but it is very unlikely that this will happen as the UK would be out of step with the rest of the world.

The 1/2 card will be kept at the back of the front section of the bidding box. To make a bid of eg 2 1/2 Hearts place the 2H card on the table as usual and the place the 1/2 card over it so that the 2H can still be seen. The card remains with the rest of the bidding cards until the bidding has finished.

If there are any questions about this new bidding card please ask.

[WellSpyder]

I'm not sure why we aren't being allowed to use the 1/2 card in NT as well as in suits - or should I be raising this query in the "Changing Laws and Regulations" forum?

[Zelandakh]

There is absolutely no need for half bids when you have an efficient Weasel system in place. Weasel is far more effective than the scheme in the OP and not limited. If there were legal half bid contracts available then I think they should be scored as the lower contract for declarer's side and the higher for defenders. So 2.5♥ by South making 8 tricks vulnerable is +110 NS and +100 EW. Before introducing their scheme, I think the EBU should write a 10 page addendum to the OB addressing how the half bids work in conjunction with transfers and other ways in which suits are shown without bidding them directly.

[Cyberyeti]

How does 2 1/2♥X making 10 tricks score ?

[manudude03]

So, we can bid 1 1/2 ♠ over 1NT?

And 2 1/2♥X making 10 is +570/870 if I understand the scoring right (scored as 2+1 rather than 2+2 or 3+1)

[glen]

can you use 1/2 cards if you play 2/1?

[WellSpyder]

 glen, on 2013-April-03, 07:52, said:

can you use 1/2 cards if you play 2/1?

I'm afraid in that case it will be treated as an insufficient bid.

[Cyberyeti]

 manudude03, on 2013-April-03, 07:36, said:

So, we can bid 1 1/2 ♠ over 1NT?

And 2 1/2♥X making 10 is +570/870 if I understand the scoring right (scored as 2+1 rather than 2+2 or 3+1)

Well when doubled you also have the potential third way of (2 1/2 x 2 = 5) so 150 + 50 + 300/500 + 100/200 would be possible.

[Free]

I would prefer a useful 0NT card instead of a useless 1/2 card.

[Cyberyeti]

 Free, on 2013-April-03, 12:51, said:

I would prefer a useful 0NT card instead of a useless 1/2 card.

Would prefer a card that was a variant pass, usable once only by each player in the auction that did nothing other than reset the count of the number of consecutive passes so that where partner made the last non pass, you can give him another bid.

[PhilKing]

 manudude03, on 2013-April-03, 07:36, said:

So, we can bid 1 1/2 ♠ over 1NT?

And 2 1/2♥X making 10 is +570/870 if I understand the scoring right (scored as 2+1 rather than 2+2 or 3+1)

I don't see why we should be allowed to bid 2♣ over 1NT - both score 40. Down with Stayman and Landy!

[Hanoi5]

Doubling your partner's bid seems like a better treatment than 1/2 bids. And you don't need a new bidding card.

[Zelandakh]

 Hanoi5, on 2013-April-04, 08:46, said:

Doubling your partner's bid seems like a better treatment than 1/2 bids. And you don't need a new bidding card.

1NT - (P) - X - (P); XX - AP. "Making 13 vulnerable. Nice bid partner."

[manudude03]

Playing Schools bridge several years ago, I came across this sequence:

1S-(2C)-2S-(P)-P-(3C)-P-(X).

When told she couldn't do that, she then asked how to get partner to bid a different suit (she was 3550 if I remember right)

[WellSpyder]

 Zelandakh, on 2013-April-04, 08:58, said:

1NT - (P) - X - (P); XX - AP. "Making 13 vulnerable. Nice bid partner."

 manudude03, on 2013-April-04, 09:17, said:

Playing Schools bridge several years ago, I came across this sequence:
1S-(2C)-2S-(P)-P-(3C)-P-(X).
When told she couldn't do that, she then asked how to get partner to bid a different suit (she was 3550 if I remember right)

I foresee another round to the debate about which doubles should be played for take-out and which for penalties....

[Hanoi5]

 Zelandakh, on 2013-April-04, 08:58, said:

1NT - (P) - X - (P); XX - AP. "Making 13 vulnerable. Nice bid partner."

If your double of partner's bid ends the auction that double doesn't count for the score.

[sfi]

 WellSpyder, on 2013-April-04, 09:23, said:

I foresee another round to the debate about which doubles should be played for take-out and which for penalties....

This double manages to have it both ways.