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Showing content with the highest reputation on 05/11/2023 in all areas

  1. The good news, of which there isn’t much, is that partner rates to be relatively short in clubs…but this is far from certain. If so, then partner may hold 5 diamonds or may hold 4S as well as 4 hearts. I agree with David as to the hideous nature of these auctions. One ‘solution’ is to pass 2C and thus isn’t as bad an idea as you may think, although it’s system dependent to a degree. Partner should strain to reopen (of course, if you hesitate over 2C and then pass you have created an ethical problem that will often come back to bite, so develop the habit of acting in tempo…it’s often better to make the second best call in tempo than the best after hesitating). If he passes 2C then you’ve almost certainly missed nothing and may well be better off than anything that might happen over double. This is especially so if you play 15-17 1N, such that partner, if he passes, will not only have club length but also likely fewer than 15 hcp. If you pass then hear double, bid 3C then, if need be, 3S. Note that if he reopens, your hand is stronger than you originally think since all your hcp will be working opposite an opener with at most Jx in clubs. Meanwhile, back to the actual auction. I’d bid 3D now. Denies hearts so Implies spades. If you’re in a 4-3 fit at the 3 level rather than the 2 level, too bad.
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  2. The 1♦-(2♣) and 1♦-(P)-2♣ auctions are impossible. It is difficult to get anything right after that start and people usually do not. These two auctions are at the top of my list of places to play artificial rebids, especially if 1♦ can be balanced. The answer to each of your questions is 'yes'. Some people will forbid 2♥ with an unbalanced hand on this auction (in which case partner is limited to 12-14 and game is remote), so beware.
    1 point
  3. Slightly off topic but I strongly prefer this style, shape before values and support with support. It also protects partner when they overcall on garbage. It's really a package deal - play new suits as forcing (or use transfers), so that the cue can always be fit, so that the initial overcall can be light since partner won't hang you that easily. I had a disaster board a few months back after my diamonds overcall on the auction (1♣)-1♦-(P)-2♣*; (P)-? where I assumed partner had shown support for diamonds. I decided to bid my undisclosed four-card spade suit despite my middling 11-count, as the hand improved quite a bit with partner's length opposite my so-so diamond suit suit. The auction continued 2♠-(P)-3♥; (P)-3♠ (half stopper in clubs)-(P)-4♥; a.p., partner had a reasonable hand with long hearts and diamond shortage and thought 1♥ first round would have been NF, leading me to greatly misjudge the strength of my hand. Even if you want to play new bids as NF (and I really don't see why, it is pretty much never good to contract for 7 tricks in a major or 8 in a minor in competition exactly) I strongly dislike hiding shape in strong hands. The time when points were king has long gone, don't punish partner with non-descriptive forcing bids after overcalling on a good 6-count.
    1 point
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