[gnasher]

barmar, on Dec 8 2008, 12:46 AM, said:

Suppose you have a partner who psyches frequently, but you always try to respond as if he has the nominal meaning of the bid, until the rest of the auction makes it clear that it's unlikely.  How much do you have to disclose if you always assume he's not psyching?

You have to disclose what you know about partner's possible hands, including any knowledge gained through experience of playing with this partner. That responsibility exists regardless of what methods you play following partner's bid.

I sometimes agree that a 1NT opening includes all 4441 shapes that are in the right range. Opposite this, we play Stayman and transfers, and bid as though opener had promised a balanced hand. Should I tell the opponents that he might be 4441? Yes, of course I should. The answer to your question is the same.

[blackshoe]

I would not write the word "psych" on an ACBL convention card. If I did, I would expect to be drawn, quartered, and ridden out of town on a rail.

I would put "the bid shows X, but experience has shown that partner may well have Y". Of course, I'd want to be sure that "Y" is not an illegal agreement.

[MFA]

blackshoe, on Dec 7 2008, 07:54 PM, said:

I would not write the word "psych" on an ACBL convention card. If I did, I would expect to be drawn, quartered, and ridden out of town on a rail.

I would put "the bid shows X, but experience has shown that partner may well have Y". Of course, I'd want to be sure that "Y" is not an illegal agreement.

It's also necessary to be sure that "X or Y" is not an illegal agreement.
2♥ = ♥ is ok, 2♥ = ♠ is ok, but 2♥ = ♥ or ♠ is not.

[jdonn]

blackshoe, on Dec 7 2008, 07:54 PM, said:

I would not write the word "psych" on an ACBL convention card. If I did, I would expect to be drawn, quartered, and ridden out of town on a rail.

I would put "the bid shows X, but experience has shown that partner may well have Y". Of course, I'd want to be sure that "Y" is not an illegal agreement.

Of course it wasn't more than 15 years ago that I saw people at bridge clubs using the old fashioned convention cards with an area where you check if Psychics are never, rare, occasional, or frequent (something like that). I remember specifically that everyone I know would check the 'rare' box even if they never psyched, because it covers your bases nicely. It's not like someone will complain that you don't psych often enough to constitute 'rare'.

[mycroft]

they used to check the "rare" box because they never psyched, but wanted an out when they misbid. Not really understanding the "deliberate" part of the term - but since when has actually knowing what a term means stop bridge players (cue my "it's just a bid that asks me to describe my hand, it's NOT A RELAY" story)?

Of course, back then, with one partner, we used to check the "Frequent" box, and circle it a couple of times just so people knew we meant it.

[gwnn]

What happens if you write in "always" in the frequency of psyching box?

[kenrexford]

gwnn, on Dec 8 2008, 05:46 PM, said:

What happens if you write in "always" in the frequency of psyching box?

I write that on some of my partner's convention cards.