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Matthew George

2025-03-28T17:00:42Z

71.167.222.112: /* Filmography */ fix Spinal Tap 2 name and link

{{short description|Australian film director}}
{{for-multi|the Dominican cricketer|Matthew George (cricketer)|the Australian footballer|Matthew George (soccer)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=December 2015}}
'''Matthew George''' is an Australian [[film director]], producer and screenwriter. His films include ''[[Under the Gun (1995 film)|Under the Gun]]'', ''[[Four Jacks (film)|Four Jacks]]'' and ''[[Let's Get Skase]]'', which was co-written with [[Lachy Hulme]]. His first film, ''[[Under the Gun (1995 film)|Under the Gun]]'', was written and directed by him at the age of 21, making him one of the youngest feature film directors in Australian cinema history.

George is a founder and partner of Acacia Entertainment, a finance and production company.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/exec/matthew-george|title=Matthew George|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=18 June 2015}}</ref> Acacia Entertainment is a joint venture between the Tunica-Biloxi Tribal Economic Development Corporation, a wholly owned entity of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana and Savvy Media Holdings, another finance and production company he formed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tunicabiloxi.org/tribal-info/tribal-enterprises/acacia-entertainment|title=Acacia Entertainment|website=Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana}}</ref>

He produced and financed the [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] biopic ''[[LBJ (2016 film)|LBJ]]'' (2016), directed by [[Rob Reiner]], and starring [[Woody Harrelson]], [[Jennifer Jason Leigh]], [[Richard Jenkins]], [[Bill Pullman]], [[Kim Allen (actress)|Kim Allen]], [[Michael Stahl-David]], [[Jeffrey Donovan]] and [[Michael Mosley (actor)|Michael Mosley]], based on the 2014 [[Black List (survey)|Black List]]-winning script by Joey Hartstone.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2015/06/woody-harrelson-rob-reiner-sign-on-for-lbj-1201445688/|title = Woody Harrelson, Rob Reiner Sign on for 'LBJ'|date = 16 June 2015}}</ref>

Following ''LBJ'', he produced and financed the American thriller ''[[Wind River (film)|Wind River]]'' (2017) starring [[Jeremy Renner]], [[Elizabeth Olsen]], [[Gil Birmingham]], [[Jon Bernthal]], and written and directed by [[Taylor Sheridan]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2016/03/wind-river-casts-jon-bernthal-julia-jones-gil-birmingham-jeremy-renner-elizabeth-olsen-1201729392/|title = 'Wind River' Adds Jon Bernthal & Others as Shooting Starts on Jeremy Renner Thriller|date = 31 March 2016}}</ref> In 2016, George re-teamed with Harrelson and Reiner to produce and finance the film ''[[Shock and Awe (film)|Shock and Awe]]'' (2017), which stars [[Woody Harrelson]], [[James Marsden]], [[Tommy Lee Jones]], [[Jessica Biel]] and [[Milla Jovovich]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2016/08/jessica-biel-richard-schiff-luke-tennie-rob-reiner-shock-and-awe-movie-1201806218/|title=Jessica Biel, Richard Schiff & Newcomer Luke Tennie Join Rob Reiner's 'Shock and Awe'|date=23 August 2016}}</ref>

In 2018 George produced and financed the biopic entitled ''[[A Private War]]'' which details the life of the American born British War Journalist [[Marie Colvin]]. The film is directed by [[Matthew Heineman]] and stars [[Rosamund Pike]], [[Jamie Dornan]], [[Tom Hollander]] and [[Stanley Tucci]]. The film was released domestically by Aviron Pictures in November 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2017/11/tom-hollander-a-private-war-marie-colvin-biopic-1202213250/|title = Tom Hollander Enlists in 'A Private War'|date = 21 November 2017}}</ref>

George also produced and financed ''[[The Secret: Dare to Dream]]'' based on the best-selling self-help book written by [[Rhonda Byrne]]. The film was directed by [[Andy Tennant]] and stars [[Katie Holmes]], [[Jerry O'Connell]] and [[Josh Lucas]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/09/katie-holmes-josh-lucas-the-secret-new-orleans-rhonda-byrnes-1202470242/|title = Katie Holmes & Josh Lucas Pic 'The Secret' Gets Backing from Tri-G, Savvy Media & Shine Box Ahead of New Orleans Shoot|date = 24 September 2018}}</ref>

== Recent work ==
In addition to his previous productions, Matthew George's most recent credits include ''Albert Brooks: Defending My Life'' (2023), a documentary celebrating the life and career of actor and comedian [[Albert Brooks]]. Directed by [[Rob Reiner]], the film received critical acclaim and was nominated for four Emmy Awards.

He is also credited as a producer on the highly anticipated sequel to the cult classic ''This Is Spinal Tap''. Returning from the original are [[Harry Shearer]], [[Michael McKean]], [[Christopher Guest]], and [[Rob Reiner]], who will reprise his role as the documentarian Marty DiBergi. Several notable musicians are making cameo appearances as themselves, including [[Paul McCartney]], [[Elton John]], [[Garth Brooks]], [[Questlove]], [[Trisha Yearwood]], and [[Lars Ulrich]]. Other cast members include [[John Michael Higgins]], [[Chris Addison]], [[Brad Williams (comedian)|Brad Williams]], and [[Paul Shaffer]].

== Filmography ==
* ''[[Under the Gun (1995 film)|Under the Gun]]'' (1995, writer/director/executive producer)
* ''[[Four Jacks (film)|Four Jacks]]'' (2001, writer/director)
* ''[[Let's Get Skase]]'' (2001, writer/director)
* ''[[LBJ (2016 film)|LBJ]]'' (2016, producer)
* ''[[Wind River (film)|Wind River]]'' (2017, producer)
* ''[[Shock and Awe (film)|Shock and Awe]]'' (2017, producer)
* ''[[A Private War]]'' (2019, producer)
* ''[[The Secret: Dare to Dream]]'' (2020, producer)
* ''[[Wind River: The Next Chapter]]'' (producer)<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vlessing |first=Etan |date=November 9, 2022 |title='Falcon and the Winter Soldier Director Kari Skogland to Helm 'Wind River' Sequel |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/falcon-and-winter-soldier-director-kari-skogland-to-direct-wind-river-sequel-1235258768/ |access-date=November 9, 2022 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |language=en-US}}</ref>
* Albert Brooks: Defending My Life (producer)
* ''[[Spinal Tap II: The End Continues]]'' (2025, producer)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{IMDb name|0313531}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:George, Matthew}}
[[Category:Australian film directors]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australian film producers]]
[[Category:Australian screenwriters]]

Beer card

2025-03-10T15:42:12Z

71.167.222.112: /* Requirements */ fix pronoun similarity

{{Short description|Seven of diamonds playing card}}
[[File:Poker-sm-238-7d.png|thumb|right|The seven of diamonds]]

In [[Trick-taking game|trick-taking card games]] such as [[Contract bridge|bridge]], the '''beer card''' is a name informally given to the seven of diamonds ({{diamonds|7}}). Players may agree that if a player wins the last trick of a hand with the {{diamonds|7}}, their partner must buy them a [[beer]]. This is not considered as part of the rules of these games, but is an optional and informal side-bet between players. This practice likely originates from [[Danish Tarok]] or [[Skat (card game)|Skat]] in the middle of the 20th century.<ref>McLeod, John. [https://www.pagat.com/boston/bridge.html#beer Contract Bridge] at [[pagat.com]]. Retrieved 4 October 2016.</ref> In most decks, the {{diamonds|7}} is the only diamond number card that lacks [[rotational symmetry]].

==Requirements==

The requirements vary depending on whether the winner of the last trick is the declarer or a defender. In most cases, though, the last trick must be won by {{diamonds|7}}.

For declarer, the requirements are generally that:

*He must make the contract (exceptions may be made for a successful {{gcb|sacrifice|sacrifice}})
*Diamonds must not be trumps (though some people play that only diamond {{gcb|partscore|part-scores}}, and not games or slams, are excluded)
*He must take a justifiable line to win as many tricks as possible

For a defender, the requirements are generally that:

*The contract must be defeated
*Diamonds must not be trumps (though some people play that doubled contracts are excluded)
*She and her partner must try to win as many tricks as possible
*Her partner must try to stop her winning the last trick with {{diamonds|7}}

== Additional rules ==

* The beer card may be won on the first trick; if that does occur, a case of beer is owed to the declarer/defender who won said trick.
* If you go off trying to make the {{diamonds|7}}, you are required to give your partner the amount of IMPs it cost you, in beers.
* If the contract is doubled, two beers are earned. If the contract is redoubled, then four beers are earned.

==Examples==
{{Main|Contract bridge}}
{{BridgeHandNS
|7|Q 8 3 2|A K Q 10 9|Q 7 6
|Q 8 3 2|A K|J 7 3 2|A K 5}} South plays in the inferior contract of three notrump (having an excellent six diamonds), against which the opponents cash the first four spade tricks. To maximize the chance of getting a beer, declarer must discard two top diamond honors and a small heart from dummy. If the diamonds do not break 4-0, it is straightforward to cash nine winners, ending with the beer card. If the diamonds don't break, there's a chance that a defender will be pseudosqueezed and choose to discard a diamond. For declarer to discard three diamond honors risks losing the contract unnecessarily, and so forfeits the beer, even if diamonds turn out to break normally.

Alternately, if North-South only exclude diamond partials from beer card enforcement, then the declarer in six diamonds can easily beer assuming trumps break. Declarer wins the (say) heart lead in the South hand and cashes one high trump in the North hand. When they break, declarer cashes two more high trumps, exits a spade, uses the rounded-suit entries to ruff two spades in the North hand, and finally trump the losing heart with the beer card. When they do not break, the simplest line (ruff a heart in the South hand) forces declarer to use the beer card while drawing trumps.
{{Clear}}
{{BridgeHandNS
|A|A 8|A K 9 7 6 5|K Q 9 3
|K 10 8 7 6|9|Q 10 3|A J 7 6}}
{| class="wikitable" style="float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:10px;"
!West||North||East||South
|- align=center
| ||1{{Diamonds}} ||Pass ||1{{Spades}}
|- align=center
|2{{Hearts}} ||3{{Hearts}} ||Pass ||4{{Clubs}}
|- align=center
|Pass ||4NT ||Pass||5{{Clubs}}
|- align=center
|Pass ||7{{Clubs}}||Dbl|| Pass
|- align=center
|Pass||Pass||||
|} Note that the four notrump bid is the modern Roman Keycard Blackwood with 1430 responses and clubs as trumps. South won the {{Hearts|K}} lead in dummy, drew trumps in three rounds and played a diamond to the ace. When both minors broke, South ruffed the remaining heart in hand and claimed their doubled grand slam along with the beers. Plus 2330, two beers, and 14 IMPs.

In theory, South should have interpreted the final double as a Lightner double and removed to {{diamonds|7}}. However, given that their priorities placed the probable doubled beer ahead of trusting the opponents, they should still not redouble. Since the opponents were non-vulnerable, it just may have occurred to them to remove to seven hearts. While the sacrifice rates to go down two thousand, there is certainly no hope for even North to score the beer.

{{Clear}}

==See also==
{{Commons category|7 of Diamonds}}
*[[List of playing-card nicknames]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.bridgeguys.com/sec/glossary/b/index.html Bridge Glossary "B"]
*[http://www.nswba.com.au/youth/ybeer.html NSW Bridge Association]

{{WPCBIndex}}
{{Playing cards}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beer Card}}
[[Category:Contract bridge card play]]
[[Category:Playing cards]]
[[Category:Card game terminology]]
[[Category:Drinking card games]]
[[Category:Beer culture]]

Slam-seeking conventions

2024-12-03T17:33:08Z

71.167.222.112: /* Blackwood */ Mention the problem of overbidding in lower trump suits, and Kickback as an example to avoid this

{{Short description|Codified artificial bids used in contract bridge}}
'''Slam-seeking conventions''' are codified artificial bids used in the [[card game]] [[contract bridge]]. Bidding and making a small slam (12 tricks) or grand slam (13 tricks) yields high [[Bridge scoring|bonuses]] ranging from 500 to 1500 points. However, the risk is also high as failure to fulfill the slam contract also means failure to score the bonus points for a game (300-500). Conventions have been devised to maximise the opportunity for success whilst minimising the risk of failure.

Contract bridge [[bidding system]]s are mainly "natural" (most bids have an obvious meaning) or "artificial" (many bids have a meaning unrelated to the denomination mentioned). However, even natural systems such as [[Acol]] find occasional need to resort to artificial means called [[Bridge convention|conventions]]. A very common type of conventional bid is of the slam-seeking variety to be used in situations when a small slam or a grand slam appears possible but more information is needed before the [[optimum contract]] can be determined.

In order to make a small slam (grand slam) the combined strength and shape of the two hands must be sufficient to take 12 (13) tricks '''and''' the opponents must not be able to cash two (one) tricks before declarer has set up those 12 (13) tricks. It is widely considered (for example [[Ron Klinger|Klinger]] 1994 and Root 1998) that 33 [[hand evaluation|high-card points]] are needed for making a small slam in no trumps, and 37 high card points for a NT grand slam. However, slams in a suit can be made with fewer high-card points if the two hands fit well, for example have no "wasted values", have a double fit (8+ cards in both trump suit and a side suit), have "primary values" (aces and kings) rather than "secondary" ones (jacks and queens), or are shapely (with long suits and voids or singletons). Slam seeking conventions have been devised to establish whether these conditions exist.

There are pros and cons with each convention and none are suitable in all circumstances; some are better used when a notrump contract is likely and others when a trump contract is sought. Certain groups of slam seeking conventions can be used in combination whilst others are mutually exclusive. The choice of conventions and their application to particular hands is a basic part of bridge skill.

==Blackwood==
{{main|Blackwood convention}}

In its original form, Blackwood is an artificial four notrump bid (4NT) which asks partner to disclose the number of aces in his hand. With no aces or four, partner replies 5{{clubs}}; with one, two, or three aces, 5{{diams}}, 5{{hearts}}, or 5{{spades}}, respectively.

In a more modern form, known as Roman Key Card Blackwood (RKCB), the 4NT bid asks partner to disclose the number of key cards held where the five key cards are the four aces and the king of trumps. Responses are stepwise: 5{{Clubs}} for 0 or 3 key cards, 5{{Diams}} for 1 or 4, 5{{Hearts}} for 2 without the trump queen, 5{{Spades}} for 2 with the trump queen. Some prefer to reverse the meaning of the first two responses and the variants are referred to in abbreviation as RKCB 3014 and RKCB 1430 respectively. Various methods are used to continue with king-asking and queen-asking bids.

Both Blackwood and RKCB work well when spades are trump, but run the risk of bidding too high when a lower suit, such as clubs, is trump. There exist similar conventions that try to work around this shortcoming. One of the most popular of these is [[Glossary of contract bridge terms#kickback|Kickback]], in which the asking bid is 4 of the next strain above the trump suit, rather than always being 4NT, with the step responses identical to RKCB (e.g., 3 steps up shows 2 or 5 key cards without the queen). This conserves bidding space and lets the partnership sign off in 5 of the trump suit regardless of what suit is trump and regardless of how many key cards have been shown.

==Gerber==
{{main|Gerber convention}}
This is similar to Blackwood but the ace-asking bid is 4{{Clubs}} rather than 4NT. The responses are 4{{Diams}} for 0 or 4, 4{{Hearts}} for 1, 4{{Spades}} for 2, and 4NT for 3. Similarly, a 5{{Clubs}} bid following an ace-ask asks for kings. Gerber is a jump bid to 4{{clubs}} used after a notrump opening bid and on other occasions by partnership agreement.

==Culbertson 4–5 NT==
{{main|Culbertson 4-5 notrump}}
Culbertson 4–5 NT was the first slam bidding system to gain widespread approval; it was part of the [[Glossary of contract bridge terms#Culbertson|Culbertson system]] through the 1930s, and was part of the British [[Acol]] system for many years. After suit agreement, the bid of 4NT showed two aces and the king of a (genuine) bid suit, or three aces. Responder would make one of these bids: five of the lowest bid genuine suit to deny an ace; bid a suit (if necessary at the six level) to show the ace of that suit. Bid 5NT to show two aces. There are various subtleties, and both partners are allowed some latitude for judgement. The convention is rarely used today.

==Quantitative notrump bids==
{{main|Quantitative notrump bids}}
These are used to establish whether two relatively balanced hands have sufficient high card points (HCP) to make a [[Glossary of contract bridge terms#S|slam]] or [[Glossary of contract bridge terms#G|grand slam]] contract in notrump; used after a notrump opening bid.

==Cue bid==
{{main|Cue bid}}
Cue bids are a co-operative system. Cue bids are used to communicate specific controls (aces or voids, kings and singletons). Once a trump suit has been agreed and the two hands are considered to be strong enough, partners bid the lowest available suit which they control; this process continues until one of the partners has sufficient information to make the contract decision. Cue bids have been part of the [[Acol]] system from the early days.

==Grand slam force==
{{main|Grand slam force}}
The grand slam force uses a direct bid of 5NT to query the quality of partner's trump suit. It cannot be used following Blackwood because the bid of 5NT asks for kings, but it can be used following cue bids or Gerber.

==Splinter bid==
{{main|Splinter bid}}
Splinter bids are a variety of cue bids. Splinters are used early in the bidding to communicate a strong hand, with a fit for partner's last bid suit and a side-suit singleton or void. The splinter bid is a double jump shift to the singleton or void suit. Partner of the splinter bidder will then typically bid game or proceed with cue-bids to investigate the possibility of a slam.

==Swiss convention==
In the Swiss convention, in response to an opening 1{{hearts}} or 1{{spades}}, a bid of 4{{clubs}} or 4{{diams}} shows four-card support for partner's suit, about 13–15 points, and two or three aces respectively. Alternatively, the bids of 4{{clubs}} and 4{{diams}} can be used to show trump quality; the specific meaning of the two bids varies between partnerships.

==Asking bid==
Given a hand which justifies slam exploration, an Asking bid pin-points a potential weakness. As in Blackwood, one partner takes control and asks the other for his holding, but as in cuebids, it is related to a specific suit. The partner replies stepwise to communicate features of the queried suit. Asking bids were devised by [[Alan Moorehead]] and developed by [[Ely Culbertson]]<ref>{{OEB|7|266}}</ref> and are an alternative to [[Cue bid|cuebids]]. They are still used in some artificial systems, such as [[Precision Club]].

==Serious 3NT==
{{main|Serious 3NT}}
A "Serious 3NT" is used by one partner during a cue bidding sequence to indicate a strong slam try. A cue bid that bypasses 3NT indicates a control while denying a strong hand (in case partner is strong).

==Last Train==
{{main|Last Train (bridge)}}
A bid just below game level, in an agreed suit, suggests the possibility of a slam.

==Relay bid==
{{main|Relay bid}}
Relays form a highly artificial codified scheme, where one partner takes full control early in the auction and just bids the cheapest available bids (relays), and the other describes distribution and controls in detail. The scheme based on relays, where one partner describes an absence of controls (rather than presence, as in cue bids), is known as [[Spiral scan]], and can be combined with Blackwood, even in natural systems.

==See also==
* [[Norman four notrump]]
* [[San Francisco convention]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
*{{OEB|6}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |title=Slam Bidding |first=H. W. |last=Kelsey |authorlink=Hugh Kelsey |publisher=[[Faber and Faber]] |location=London |year=1973 |isbn=0-571-10363-4}}

{{WPCBIndex}}
[[Category:Bridge conventions]]

[[fr:Blackwood (bridge)]]
[[nl:Blackwood (bridge)]]
[[pl:Blackwood]]
[[ru:Конвенция (бридж)#Конвенция Блэквуда]]