Taking that into account, there appear to be 3 possible actions: pass, 3D, and 3NT. Which one you go for is largely a matter of personal style.
Knowing the complete layout things look different. You can see exactly where you want to play: in 3Cxx - but even if you pass, partner doesn't have a clear-cut redouble and may well bid 3NT instead.
So, you must do your duty and help partner out ...
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| West | North | East | South |
| p | |||
| p | 2♣ | p | 2♦ |
| p | 2NT | p | 3♣ |
| X | XX | p | p |
| p |
Partner had no trouble passing and 3Cxx +2 scored another bundle.
We often wonder why players at this level fail to report blatant examples like this one. But in this special case, we at least have no doubt about the motives not to file a complaint of one of the players involved.
The West player on this board, playing with a pickup-partner, was Nevzat Aydogdu. He is a Turkish 'star' player on BBO, just like his brother and regular partner Fikret Aydogdu. There is an impressive number of hand records from online bridge suggesting the behaviour of these gentlemen, when playing together, is not exactly what one would call perfectly ethical. But in fact these hand records are irrelevant as there is a far better indication of the way this pair operates: when defending a hand in a BBO tournament, with dozens of eyewitnesses kibitzing, a message from one of the brothers appeared in the chat window telling his partner how to defend - the classic mistake of a pair using MSN or ICQ to communicate, but typing a message in the wrong window.
Actually, this incident was not enough for BBO management to sanction them - BBO management only act when they feel it is to their advantage. The brothers were not suspended, let alone kicked out - and both still have their star. So instead of being kicked out of bridge this pair could get to the semi-final stages at the Open European Pairs Championships, played recently in Antalya.
1 comment:
Call me a cheater too then, for with norths hand, I would redouble 3C. Even if partner has only 3 clubs we have a pretty good chance to make 3Cxx on outside stregth. Examine the hand...
1) West could not open 3C.
2) Partner did not show a five card major with a transfer, and is not broke since he failed to pass 2NT.
3) Redouble is not a demand to play 3C, after all, the 2NT rebidder described his hand already, it is instead a suggestion if partner's hand is suitable. A three card club suit would probably be enough, a four card suit is clearly more than enough to leave it in.
Once again, this hand is hardly proof anything. It would be thrown out of court. As for your allegation of cheating against another pair of players. I know nothing of the case you suggest, but they are good enough to get to the Open European Pairs Championships semifinals, they one don't need to cheat of bbo in a nothing game to get there. Although I do not speak for the BBO, I know people are banned regularly for cheating, and for other issues, as you well know. If there was proof they were cheating, they would have been banned, I can assure the logically minded readers.
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