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Showing content with the highest reputation on 05/02/2023 in Posts

  1. My thinking is to double finesse in spades, running the queen and if it loses to the king, run the ten. I haven't worked out all the odds and suit combinations but as long as one of the finesses works, you can set up the fourth spade on any 3-3 break and some 4-2 breaks.
    2 points
  2. I don’t know who suggested the change but, imo and that of just about every good player I know, 1/2 cheaply is far superior to first round first
    1 point
  3. Would a beginner duck, holding the King, if we tackled spades by leading low towards our hand? Even if he or she did, as is almost surely best, few beginners would do so smoothly. So, win the heart, pull trump ending in dummy and lead a low spade. It’s probably the technically best line anyway. If south plays low without apparent thought, insert the 10. If that loses to the Jack, run the Queen next time.
    1 point
  4. Clear pass Minimum hand, balanced, mediocre support for clubs. If partner has spades, he’ll bid them and we have an easy raise. If he doubles, which is ‘cards’, we have an easy 3C If he bids 2N, again an easy 3C, warning him off 3N unless he has two stoppers or expects to run nine tricks. If he bids 3D, we bid 3S, showing our shape while denying a heart stop. Bidding is for players who don’t understand how informative pass is. For example, double could, I suppose, be played as showing spades but I’d refuse to play it. It is completely unnecessary…..do we really think that partner can’t bid spades himself with 4S and longer clubs and gf values? Double should be PENALTY. Believe it or not, the 2H bidder isn’t showing AKQJxxx in hearts. We’d all bid 2H on something like xxx AQ109xx Axx x. If not, we must be Trappist monks, sworn to silence Which means we might have AQx KJxx KQxxx x. Sure, it’s rare (although the family of hands on which he’d bid and we’d like to double is not as small as my hasty example might imply) but why on earth would we voluntarily play a method where they get to bid with impunity. Ok…I know we could pass and hope partner reopens with a double but his hand might suggest some other call. More importantly, as I hope I have persuaded some, we don’t need double as takeout. As for an immediate 2S, imo that should be reserved for at least 4=5 in the pointed suits, plus some extras..not much but some, and we lack any.
    1 point
  5. Unlike most problems here, you have multiple good options rather than a bunch of poor choices. What is best depends on your agreements. Could partner have four spades? If so, you could double if that shows spades. If not, raising to 3C looks like a good choice. Or you can simply pass and see what partner does. The only downside to passing is that you may not be able to get across your good support later.
    1 point
  6. Pass. You do have a partner.
    1 point
  7. I’ve played in some partnerships that had a lot of agreements, but this is an auction I’ve never discussed with anyone. 3N doesn’t say a heck of a lot, other than presumably denying a 4+ major and having at least a 10 count…and less than, say, 17…4N is available for stronger hands, and one devalues many club holdings for slam purposes, since club values are stoppers, not length trick promoting as are values outside of clubs. I’d take 4C as an extra values bid, typically 4=4=4=1 or 4=4=5=0 and with safety at 4N. However, I think it could also be a very strong one suiter with serious slam hopes. 3N 4M shows a strong hand, flexible in nature so often 6331. 4M over 3C is also a strong hand but more unilateral. 3N 4C 4D 4M has to be different from both of those, and my thinking is that it should be stronger…indeed, I think it is forcing. Good question…got me thinking. I’ll try to remember to discuss it with my regular partners, both of whom are away on holidays right now. Not that I’m jealous😢
    1 point
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