So Close But So Far - Weekly Free

[@harikannanramadas6564]

Gib's bidding and defence are at best serviceable. Tough luck pete.

[@johannbogason1662]

Thanks Peter!

[@janestearns9936]

I finessed trumps on Bd 7 cos 10 card fit so got a better score. Didn't think about the singleton lead hence more trumps likely in that hand. Your tips are great. Thx so much.

[@ReneGrothmann]

Phantastic series. Makes me feel better, because I also mis-guessed the king of hearts in board 7. I feared a spade ruff after crossing to the ace in clubs which I now think is quite unreasonable. I shied from 6 clubs too and played 3NT. You cannot trust the robot in slam bidding. I just bid it myself if possible.

[@jyutzler]

#7 deserves more discussion. Note that I have updated this to fix some mistakes. Playing the HA gains when W has [a stiff K] or [Kx(x) and East has the CA]. I think either possibility is under 15%. The finesse gains when E has the Kx(x) which is roughly a 3/8 chance (37+%). I submit that playing the HA is making an IMP play in an MP game.

[@pianoman16]

I got 51.8%. Bad boards 4, 5 and 6. I neglected to do the diamond finesse on board 5 as there were other finesses to do and pressure from hearts.

[@MrWrite1]

I always try to bid the 4nt against robots.

[@rainerherrmann7025]

B3 is typical when one forgets playing with a robot instead of a human. The 4H bid would have been questionable even then. If you can not stop in 4NT what alternative contracts remain besides 6C? Grand-slam is likely unattainable even in the unlikely event that 13 tricks were present. 5C is not a sensible match-point choice here. Up to 3NT the robot had given a good description of its hand. Usually it is a good idea to go slowly, but once you decide to go past 3NT (I agree) there is lot to be said to simply bid the contract you think you can make.

[@jimperkins9661]

On board 3, as you said, you could not be better. So unless you had hopes of 7, I would blame you for merely answering and not taking the bull by the horns and bidding slam yourself. I don't feel obligated to answer and answer only. When partner bids 4NT it should say, "I have a suitable hand for slam if you have the right cards." Again, there is no way you could have had better.

[@m4_HeretiC]

In game one I bid the the "robot" 3nt balanced choice of games 13-15, 3H and it left me. Got a club lead, they let me win with 10 and managed to squeeze the robots for 3nt +2 100%. I had to guess if K diamond was good though since E discarded QClubs then won A clubs and played below Ace of Diamond on the last 3 tricks

[@TheMiningProbe]

3NT shows a 4-3-3-3 there rather than just balanced btw. Not to say it's a bad bid I like it

[@frankmorgan826]

B2 opening 1C got them to 3H-1.

[@jyutzler]

#6 I made a game try with 3H. Partner had an extra spade and amazing heart support but still signed off. Argh! I'm not saying that I disagreed with your judgment to just bid game there, just that I got punished for being slightly less aggressive. I would expect a human to accept my game try with that hand. Rotate dummy's side suit positions to the right (not an unreasonable layout) and the contract is hopeless.

[@frankmorgan826]

B3 1N 2S 3C 3N 6C

[@jonthomson5764]

Pretty dull set that mostly played itself, 66% overall. Soft 100% on board 1, same spot but East let me lead to the Kd for +2. Other differences were in the mundane 3N+2 on 3, only +1 on 5, +1 on 7

[@anipi100]

Hey Pete, I play the weekly free with you most every week and have done for years now - you asked for comments - didn’t you hear my scream all the way down under when the robot passed my club slam try 😂

[@BridgeWithPete]

Haha, I thought I heard something.

[@IgrochYT1]

Gooood