[Delebripe]

I have really enjoyed playing in the SYC games, and thank BBO and ACBL for setting this up.

However, automatically revealing opponents hands when declarer “claims” gives declarer an unfair advantage. At the very least, defenders should have the option to show their hands. Showing defender’s hands should NOT be done automatically. In actual table play, only the declarer shows his/her hand, and explains how they intend to play the remaining cards. When all four hands are revealed, it is easy for declarer to show how he would play the hand out, whereas in reality, he may not actually have known which way to finesse, or which card to discard. In actual table play, when declarer claims, and shows his hand, defenders see his hand, giving the advantage to the defenders, thereby discouraging declarer from claiming too early. Furthermore, in the BBO format, revealing all hands incentivizes the declarer to claim prematurely so can see where the remaining cards lie.

Delebripe

[jandrew]

Delebripe, on 2020-April-29, 12:22, said:

I have really enjoyed playing in the SYC games, and thank BBO and ACBL for setting this up.

However, automatically revealing opponents hands when declarer “claims” gives declarer an unfair advantage. At the very least, defenders should have the option to show their hands. Showing defender’s hands should NOT be done automatically. In actual table play, only the declarer shows his/her hand, and explains how they intend to play the remaining cards. When all four hands are revealed, it is easy for declarer to show how he would play the hand out, whereas in reality, he may not actually have known which way to finesse, or which card to discard. In actual table play, when declarer claims, and shows his hand, defenders see his hand, giving the advantage to the defenders, thereby discouraging declarer from claiming too early. Furthermore, in the BBO format, revealing all hands incentivizes the declarer to claim prematurely so can see where the remaining cards lie.

Delebripe

When declarer claims then -

• defenders' hands are NOT disclosed to declarer, but ARE disclosed to each other;
  
• declarer's hand IS disclosed to both defenders.

So - defenders have an advantage, if there is one.

[Delebripe]

Thank you for that. I hadn’t realized.