tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627538303203776446.post8868625458103363261..comments2024-01-12T08:05:37.833-05:00Comments on Rambling$ and Gambling$: The HP incident and the forums (bridge)The Pretenderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344696445428286985noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627538303203776446.post-14596903028778077142010-07-31T13:54:06.710-05:002010-07-31T13:54:06.710-05:00Yes, I've actually come full circle to thinkin...Yes, I've actually come full circle to thinking he probably didn't have a wire, though I would look closely at the video if there is one.Jonathan Weinsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15576500112947042008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627538303203776446.post-84486080406691670362010-07-30T22:35:49.714-05:002010-07-30T22:35:49.714-05:00I actually heard first hand from a source that at ...I actually heard first hand from a source that at some break during that day, HP approached him giving the hand as a problem (including the state of the match) and seeming quite proud of his 6D bid stating that you need the club pitches. That doesn't sound like someone who had a wire on the board.<br /><br />If you're going to punt, punting 6D is a lot more fun than going the safer 4NT route. Also, there are psychological considerations to having such a wild punt work, in the original manner of an intentional Grosvenor Coup.The Pretenderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10344696445428286985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627538303203776446.post-41553210417724981832010-07-30T15:45:31.135-05:002010-07-30T15:45:31.135-05:00Well, I agree with you a lot of comments were off-...Well, I agree with you a lot of comments were off-base. It doesn't matter if the bid was sane or even if it was state-of-the-match sane (I don't think so, there will be many superior ways to swing in 40 boards.) It only matters if *this* player might have done something this weird without a wire. Although I'm suspicious, I can't say *for sure* he wouldn't.<br /><br />You really softened my stance on this one, initially I was as ready to convict as anyone. But really, you've softened it from guilty to probably guilty, and I agree it would be bad to convict with no other evidence.<br /><br />One final point: why not bid 4nt planning to raise 5d to slam? This will earn you 90% of the plus swings available by bidding 6d. It will lose on this hand since partner happens to be 4-4. Hmm. Of course, this doesn't close the case by any means--HP *could* have just not thought of 4NT. People who are swinging definitely don't always do so in the most intelligent manner. HP projects a huge ego that probably masks a lot of insecurity, and doesn't often play in situations where he's not even close to being the big fish in the room. It could have gotten him into a state of mind where he just did something weird that he knew had a chance, and it just happened to come in.Jonathan Weinsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15576500112947042008noreply@blogger.com