[goldfolk]

On 2 or 3 occasions now I have experienced people making what I consider to be virtually risk free psyches in goulashes. For example one person opened 1H with 10 solid spades, Ax hearts and stiff J clubs when his partner bid 2D I was not inclined to compete with QJ to 8 hearts and KJxx of clubs so they had an unopposed auction to 6 spades which was absolutely cold with 7 Hearts being 3 off. On another occasion a person with 5 spades bid 2 hearts to his partners opening bid of 1 Spade and when his partner supported hearts he merely corrected back to spades. It does seem to me that when used on the right hands this is a virtually risk free psyche and especially in goulashes, there is a strong case for banning such psyches. Wonder what others think.

[smerriman]

In goulash anything goes. It's definitely not a good strategy to use a standard bidding system (eg opening bids at all levels should have completely different meanings to standard), so how exactly are you going to determine what is a psych and what isn't?

[johnu]

Don't play goulash???

[TylerE]

If you're playing goulash expecting bridge, you're doing it wrong.

[LBengtsson]

goldfolk, on 2020-December-17, 16:11, said:

On 2 or 3 occasions now I have experienced people making what I consider to be virtually risk free psyches in goulashes. For example one person opened 1H with 10 solid spades, Ax hearts and stiff J clubs.

---

Canape system. LOL

♠5 not in diagram. Dropped on floor. LOL

[aawk]

Goulash is best played when your drunk and don't care anymore. By the way goulash is better to eat and I was learned never to play with my food.

[goldfolk]

Lol OK so consensus is that psyches are part of 'normal' goulash bridge. I agree that goulashes aren't 'normal bridge but they can be quite fun.

[bluenikki]

goldfolk, on 2020-December-17, 16:11, said:

On 2 or 3 occasions now I have experienced people making what I consider to be virtually risk free psyches in goulashes. For example one person opened 1H with 10 solid spades, Ax hearts and stiff J clubs when his partner bid 2D I was not inclined to compete with QJ to 8 hearts and KJxx of clubs so they had an unopposed auction to 6 spades which was absolutely cold with 7 Hearts being 3 off. On another occasion a person with 5 spades bid 2 hearts to his partners opening bid of 1 Spade and when his partner supported hearts he merely corrected back to spades. It does seem to me that when used on the right hands this is a virtually risk free psyche and especially in goulashes, there is a strong case for banning such psyches. Wonder what others think.

What you describe is not a controlled psych.

A controlled psych is one where there is an agreed rebid (other than passing a forcing reply) that confirms the psych.

In your case, the opener doesn't care whether his partner knows he's psyched: He intends to outbid him at every level.

[barmar]

goldfolk, on 2020-December-18, 05:05, said:

I agree that goulashes aren't 'normal bridge but they can be quite fun.

Yes, but you have to enter them with the appropriate attitude. Everyone knows that the hands have unusual distribution, and standard bidding is not geared towards such outliers. So they improvide, take flyers, etc.

You need to be prepared for that.

[blackshoe]

TylerE, on 2020-December-17, 22:34, said:

If you're playing goulash expecting bridge, you're doing it wrong.

^^This.