[helene_t]

"Are there any of you who are bridge players?", the professor asked. This was an "incentives and motivation" class at the business school, and the theme of this lesson was something about sticks and carrots. Something to do with management or maybe about how to deal with business partners.

I enthusiastically raised my hand.

"Very well", the professor addressed me. "Suppose you and I are bridge partners. You believe I am an overly aggressive bidder constructive auctions. How would that influence your style?"

"I would become more conservative in order to compensate", I said.

"Wrong", the professor replied. "Because in my view, you are already too conservative and I am trying to compensate. If you become even more conservative, I will become even more aggressive etc. We end up me always bidding 3NT on my own and you never raising to slam. It would be better if we both bid according to what we believe is normal. We might then end up in contracts that are a bid shaky from your point of view and a bit timid from mine, but at least we are communicating".

What this had to do with business administration was lost on me, but I sometimes think about the conversation when playing brigde.

Matchpoints, w/w. Opps are decent club players.

---

2♥ was 5♥+5m. I (South) knew very well that my partner might have a some random 10-count so maybe I should just bid 3♦ (Lebensohl). But then the professor's advice came to me. I really believe that 3NT is the normal bid. If I become overly conservative, my partner will start doubling with random 8-counts to compensate. And besides, she doesn't have to have a random 10-count. She could have a random 13-14 count. Do I really want her to bid again with that over my 3♦?

The lead was ♣A, followed by a small club for my queen. I play a spade for king and ace, E cashing ♥A and continuing hearts. I play one more round of spades, W discarding a heart.

---

In this seven card ending, W has
[s]-
♥xx
♦?x
♣KJx
while E has
♠Txx
♥-
♦?xxx
♣-

The question mark is ♦Q or a small diamond. You can afford to lose one more trick. What now? If you cash the last heart, E will discard a

Spoiler

diamond

[kuhchung]

Why is the S9 in my hand

[helene_t]

kuhchung, on 2018-February-20, 15:29, said:

Why is the S9 in my hand

oops good point, I think that sorta ruins the whole thing. Hopefully it wasn't! I will correct it.

[Cyberyeti]

What was the range for 2♥ ?

[helene_t]

Cyberyeti, on 2018-February-20, 15:46, said:

What was the range for 2♥ ?

It was reluctantly explained as "less than an opening". I suppose the question is if W might have opened 1♥ with a 10-count (rule of 20) including a dubious ♦Qx. I don't know.

[ahydra]

Call me boring, but I play DA, DK, small diamond to guarantee the contract. I don't think we need to risk the contract for the overtrick as 3NT= should be good given a lot of people might be in partscores (e.g. if West does not have a two-suiter opening available it probably goes p-p-p-1NT (weak); all p, and even if he does N might not double).

ahydra

[kuhchung]

What was the point of the story btw? To justify the bidding?

[helene_t]

Sorry just realized that I should have changed it to east discarding a spade. No the bidding is not justified of course. I was lucky that E had hA.

[WellSpyder]

helene_t, on 2018-February-20, 18:18, said:

I was lucky that E had hA.

And that W didn't lead a lower C. Or not a C. Or switch at T2.....