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I was one of several kibitzers when Free bid and made six hearts, and I confess that as I was watching, I was wondering just why he was getting the trumps right. When he explained to Richard that "it was obvious that trumps were 4-1," I was still wondering. NOW I get it: the Rule of Symmetry!
I am reminded of the time, several years ago, when a good friend of mine won the finals of a Regional Knockout by "guessing" successfully to take an anti-percentage finesse for the queen of trumps in a grand slam. When the opponents asked him how he had managed to get that right, he explained with a straight face that, "The queen lies over the jack." I'm told he won a lot of IMPs with the finesse, and a lot more with the remark. . . .
TLGoodwin
How to win FOT tourneys a hand that helped a lot: +12.8 imps
#22
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Posted 2004-July-27, 19:23
WD, i think i would go down playing on 3-2 heart (playing AK of heart)
#23
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Posted 2004-July-27, 19:32
Terrence Reese first mentioned the "Law of Symmetry" in "Play Bridge With Reese"
I discussed this with a mathematician friend - he stated that it has no validity.
I discussed this with a mathematician friend - he stated that it has no validity.
"The King of Hearts a broadsword bears, the Queen of Hearts a rose." W. H. Auden.
#24
- mmm Duvel
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Posted 2004-July-28, 01:37
You're right. It's not a law imo, just a guide in tough situations imo. All I can say is that it helped me a lot already, and it will keep helping me in the future I guess...
"It may be rude to leave to go to the bathroom, but it's downright stupid to sit there and piss yourself" - blackshoe
#25
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Posted 2004-July-28, 02:12
The law of symmetry has no basis whatsoever.
The fact that I have a singleton and my partner has a singleton has no bearing on how the opponents five spades say are distributed.
Each opponent still has 13 cards some (or none) of which will be spades. This is exactly the same if you and your partner both have doubletons. Therefore the chance of a 3-2 break has not altered at all because of your singletons.
I have done a simulation of 1000000 hands in which the condition was that NS each have a side suit singleton and an eight card spade fit. Here are the percentages of each break in the simulation compared with the theoretical percentages.
You can see that it is unlikely that your two singletons affect the distribution of the opponents five cards in your 8-card fit.
The fact that I have a singleton and my partner has a singleton has no bearing on how the opponents five spades say are distributed.
Each opponent still has 13 cards some (or none) of which will be spades. This is exactly the same if you and your partner both have doubletons. Therefore the chance of a 3-2 break has not altered at all because of your singletons.
I have done a simulation of 1000000 hands in which the condition was that NS each have a side suit singleton and an eight card spade fit. Here are the percentages of each break in the simulation compared with the theoretical percentages.
Theory Simulation 5-0 3.91% 3.92% 4-1 28.26% 28.23% 3-2 67.83% 67.87%
You can see that it is unlikely that your two singletons affect the distribution of the opponents five cards in your 8-card fit.
Wayne Burrows
I believe that the USA currently hold only the World Championship For People Who Still Bid Like Your Auntie Gladys - dburn
dunno how to play 4 card majors - JLOGIC
True but I know Standard American and what better reason could I have for playing Precision? - Hideous Hog
Bidding is an estimation of probabilities SJ Simon
I believe that the USA currently hold only the World Championship For People Who Still Bid Like Your Auntie Gladys - dburn
dunno how to play 4 card majors - JLOGIC
True but I know Standard American and what better reason could I have for playing Precision? - Hideous Hog
Bidding is an estimation of probabilities SJ Simon
#26
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Posted 2004-August-01, 09:47
The_Hog, on Jul 27 2004, 08:32 PM, said:
Terrence Reese first mentioned the "Law of Symmetry" in "Play Bridge With Reese"
I discussed this with a mathematician friend - he stated that it has no validity.
I discussed this with a mathematician friend - he stated that it has no validity.
Doesn't the "Law of Symmetry" go back to Culbertson?