sasioc

I'm very aware that I tend to do that sort of thing when I'm under a lot of pressure, eg I'm playing an important match or I'm being kibbed by someone whose opinion really matters to me. I haven't yet worked out what I can really do about it as the whole point of the problem is that I don't realise I'm in a state of mind where I'm about to do something absurd. One quite funny example occurred a couple of weeks ago, when I was declaring and RHO got in and played defence's suit back. I "ruffed" with a non-trump from hand but LHO assumed I had actually ruffed and played low so dummy's 7 won the trick. I wouldn't even have realised I hadn't ruffed and would have called for a low card from dummy, but RHO was so annoyed at his partner's failure to play high that he started telling him off before I'd called for a card, waking me up to my own mistake!

My thoughts exactly, although I am no expert

Partner held AKxxx x AQxx Axx Diamonds are 2-2 with the king onside and clubs are 4-1 with KQxx offside.

Like Fluffy, my first instincts were to play a line like inquiry's but didn't feel I could fit it all together nicely (entries completely hideous!) or be confident I was doing the right thing. I hope someone will enlighten me :)

Until whereagles pointed out that p could have KJ 8th and an ace I thought this was an easy 6♣ bid, maybe now I'll join the blackwood camp. As well as the chance of taking a diamond ruff you will almost certainly have play to establish those hearts for your twelfth (and, if they don't take their ace of diamonds, potentially 13th) trick.

The only thing I think I can add to this is that which one is right for you could depend on what defence you play to 1NT - is there a hand type that double could show that you want to get into the auction on reasonably frequently and cannot show with a bid? Otherwise, as people have said, whether you want to be able to double a strong NT player for penalties could depend quite a lot on the ability of the player and their bidding style, psyche frequency etc. I am certainly aware of players who psyche a strong NT with sufficient frequency that I would not consider not having a penalty double available playing against them! Personally I like being able to play the same thing facing all NT ranges (at least saves on the awkward moment when p doubles a 14-16 NT and you don't know if it's penalties or whatever artificial meaning you play it as) and rate the defence I play to allow me to get in when I need to so play a non-passed hand double of 1NT as penalties.

I'd think it was a scramble without agreement and am certain that it is in my two regular partnerships.

It feels like if partner had a 3♦ opening with something outside, which is roughly what I think I'd be playing him for by considering his bid to be a sign off, he might have just dropped 3♣ given that he knows we have not discussed what 3♦ means. I know that if I held a hand that wanted to sign off in 3♦ facing a 3♣ bid I would probably pass to make it clear to partner that I did not have a good hand and prevent a mess up at a higher level. Another consideration is that oppo haven't come in where I expect them to have at least one major fit, possibly a large one. If partner had a weakish opening hand with lots of diamonds it would have increased the chance that one of them could take action (although I do realise that west could have a pretty tough time coming in). I think it more likely that partner has some sort of good hand - the next question is whether he thinks 3♦ is forcing or not. Given that I'm unsure and that my hand is pretty good (depending on exactly what I've shown with 3♣) I'll try to find a bid, in this case 3♠ because p is unlikely to think I have four of them or any big honour in spades for my initial bid, so will hopefully know what I do have.

IMPs, sorry for forgetting to mention

aguahombre - I agree that 3NT for the minors makes a lot of sense and apologise for forgetting to include it. It was not considered at the table because it was not clear to the person who held the hand that p would take it as the minors without discussion.

[hv=pc=n&n=sjhatdt5432cjt432&d=w&v=n&b=12&a=pp1h1s3hppdp]133|200|Not certain about low pips so just put the smallest ones in :)[/hv] Playing teams Spoiler: If you bid 4C, this will go p p x. What do you do?

[hv=pc=n&s=sakq92had9432ck32&d=w&v=n&b=12&a=3hp4h]133|200[/hv] What now? How close do you think it is? It's possible you had a decent club pip, like the 8 or something - I've just put low cards in where I wasn't certain what the pips were.

3)A method I find useful that no one has mentioned yet is leaping (and non-leaping) michael's over a pre empt. This is where you overcall 4m over your opponent's pre empt to show either that minor and a specified or unspecified major or both majors, depending on what opener's suit is. You assume that you are not showing opener's suit and you are showing the minor you have bid if this is not opener's suit, ie 2♠ 4♣ shows clubs and hearts 2♦ 4♦ shows the majors 2♦ 4♣ shows clubs and an unspecified major The same idea applies if oppo opened 3x. All of these bids show strong 2 suiters - I play them as 15 points-ish upwards (obviously depending a great deal on the hand). Some people play unusual no trump as showing a non-specific two suiter in some situations, eg (1d) 2nt as clubs and a major. I don't do this personally, but do play one strange thing, which is (1c) 3c as spades and diamonds. There are also all sorts of defences to 1NT that show 2 suiters, eg landy, ASPTRO and various variations on that theme. Passed hand doubles of 1NT or doubles of a strong NT are played as showing 2 suiters by some (often showing 5m4M). Defenses to strong 1♣ can also contain all sorts of two suited calls, a common one being 1NT for the minors and x for the majors. I personally play a version of suction when non-vul, which you may or may not consider to be a 2 suited bid :P 2) A method I play as responder (a variant of responder's reverse Flannery) is 1♣:2♣ to show 5 spades 4 hearts. It is non-forcing, allowing partner to pass with 6 clubs and no major fit. I play this because it can be hard to find your heart fit on these hands if you are not strong enough to bid 2♥ over your partner's 2♣ rebid. We had a very nice hand for it in the Azores, where I held something like Jxxxxx xxxxx x x as responder and managed to play in our 9 card heart fit when the field was off in some number of spades.

Easy pass. I'm vul, my p is a passed hand and in general I'll only bid 1NT with a *good* 15 count - this is not a good 15 after 1H. I have no obvious source of tricks and not a pip in sight. It feels like I need to hit partner with a reasonable suit to be in a good position after bidding this, both in terms of expecting to make 1NT and in terms of what we'll do now if doubled. Unlike Quartic I don't think my heart stop is actually particularly good (not a massive priority for me when evaluating this but thought I'd mention), given that my highest card apart from the K is the 8. I'd much rather have shorter hearts with better pips and some useful length elsewhere.

+1

You say you were worried that, having not given a positive response, you had made it harder for partner to know what you had (ie some values). While it's true that 2♦ is not a positive response, most people play that it does not deny values either, it just doesn't have anything better to do. Partner should expect that you may show up with a good hand and be prepared for you to tell him you have one. Fwiw I would basically never bid 2NT 8+ because it just makes it so difficult to find the right strain and to know how many points you have between you (given that it's unlimited) unless you have discussed continuations very thoroughly. Additionally it is also possible that you will wrongside 6NT or 3NT, even if this is rare. It's also not necessarily that important that partner knows what you've got - as long as he tells you what he's got! Once he's opened 2♣ and shown hearts and diamonds you are in a position to guide the auction as you have a better idea of your combined assets than he does. If I were the 2♣ bidder I would let partner tell me what he wanted after I'd shown my suits and would not go beyond game by myself - my hand's not *that* good. Partner knows that diamond honours are huge, as is the spade ace. He is in a far better position than me to judge where we belong.

2♥ for me. I'd prefer to have values concentrated in my suit but I have a 7th heart and reason to suspect that oppo have a large club fit. I'd like to put pressure on opponents and feel that a weak jump shift is not such a terrible description of this hand. I'm aware that it's not fantastically suitable but I don't really think it's suitable for 1♥ or pass either. Fwiw I prefer 1♥ to pass by a long way.

3♠. Although I think it's quite good for it, I can't think of a call I prefer.

I don't understand your partner's argument either. I'm not sure about the general style in different parts of the world (I'm aware that Americans tend to have far sounder pre empts than we do over here in the UK) but certainly for most players I know a weak two does not promise much in the way of defensive values - indeed, defensive holdings would strongly discourage me from opening a weak two. If my partner doubled a contract because I'd opened a weak two and hence must have some defensive trick(s) I'd kick him under the table! I am keen to open a weak two on this hand because of the vulnerability and the fact that I have a seventh diamond, which makes up a bit for not having the suit quality I'd normally look for to bid like this. I won't open at the three level because I am in second and opening this will make it very difficult for partner to judge when it is right to bid 3NT over my second seat pre empts (or to take any other action for that matter).

3♥. I like my suit (good intermediates) and I have great shape. It's a bit light in terms of playing strength but if I open 2♥ and oppo overcall 3♠ partner is not likely to bid 4♥ when it's right. I also won't feel great on an auction like p 2♥ 2♠ 3♥ 3♠ where I'll feel I have to bid 4♥ but know that oppo are now reasonably well-placed to do the right thing compared with if I'd opened at the 3 level.

While I have been known to double with some 5431 hands (depending on suit quality and overall strength of the hand, ie a hand that could stand to x and then pass throughout) and hence might just about have five spades for my initial double, I'd still have thought that 2♠ here is a strong bid, showing a 5 card suit. With a very spade-y hand partner might have bid 3♠ and with a typical takeout double shape and a game force facing your 1NT bid he might cue or bid NT.

As has been mentioned, I play a drury bid as showing a decent 8- poor 11 points so asking where I am in my range is of value (we open most 11 counts, including balanced ones, so partner will not expect a great hand once I've passed). Over 2C (3 card raise) we play a new suit as a long suit trial looking for slam, with the exception of 2D, which is indeed an artificial ask. Over 2D (4 card raise) a new suit is still a long suit trial bid but now it is initially only looking for game.

At this vulnerability I'll probably open 3♣. Make the spade king into the club king and I'll definitely open 4. Partner will expect a pretty good hand from me to pre empt vulnerable, although I'd feel happier opening 3 if I were in second. If I choose to open 3♣ I will not consider bidding over 3NT.

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I held this hand and bid 6♣, reasoning that if partner had a classical shape we were likely to have lots of tricks and that if she was off-shape she may have a stronger hand. I also thought that if she had spade length she may be more inclined to bid 3nt rather than double if she held soft spade values and a good hand and pass rather than double if she held soft spade values and a slightly less strong hand, hoping to take a penalty, so if she had some spade length it was hopefully without wastage. Unfortunately oppo kicked off their defence by cashing two bullets, so we did not gain on the board!