Another


K Q 4 3
7
A K 8 5 2
A Q 3
9 8 6 2 J 10 5
Q J 8 4 3 2 A K 9
------ 10 9 4 3
9 7 2 J 6 4
A 7
10 6 5
Q J 7 6
K 10 8 5 Opening lead: 4 of hearts

NorthEastSouthWest
1 ! Pass 2 ! 2
Pass! Pass 3 ! Pass
3 ! 3 Dbl! pass
6 pass 6 NT pass
pass Dbl All Pass ! Alerted

Six bids alerted, if I may be allowed to count an alerted pass, to miss out on their best contract? That 6 spade bid looks genuine, partly because it's awfully late in the day for a conventional bid and partly because it isn't alerted. I had to look up their self-ranking, as is my wont on truly egregious bidding and play. I just knew they'd call themselves advanced or expert. Damn. Only half right. Or three-fourths, since it was the South "advanced" player who deigned to play with an intermediate and who doubled a three heart bid for whatever reason. I thought they'd call themselves advanaced, not because advanced players are given to such wayward bidding, but rather because those given to a lot of conventions that they don't understand tend to consider themselves advanced.
North bid diamonds twice, but both calls were alerted, so it's hard to know what was meant. But if he was advertising a diamond suit, South had ample warning about their fit. But what can he do over that leap to 6? A good board cannot be retrieved at that time. Seven diamonds would have diminished the penalty though, from minum 1100 to minus 200, if South knew the six spade bid couldn't have been right.
Anyway, there's not much to be said about this disaster. I'll only say I've known a sprinkling of players who substitute an arm's length of conventions for an understanding of the cards. It gives them a chance, if you say, "I don't play that convention," to look a little startled and to pause and say, "Oh! You don't."
In any event, I would say that until you get real, real good, there's nothing better you can do than to make yourself a sound, reliable bidder, showing both your strength and your good suits to the best of your ability. When you get real, real good, you might wanna try some of that fancy-schmancy business. And if it leads you to a greater percentage of fine contracts, please let me know. "