Edmunte1

Here are 3 boards from National Teams Championships. You're sitting South and you have to take bidding decisions related to heart suit. 1.[hv=d=n&v=b&s=s2ha875432dqc10987]133|100|Scoring: IMP 1♠-(pass)-1NT*-(pass) 3♠-(pass)-? *-forcing[/hv] 2. [hv=d=n&v=b&s=s2ha875432dqc10987]133|100|Scoring: IMP 1♠-(pass)-1NT*-(pass) 3♠-(pass)-? *-forcing[/hv] 3.[hv=d=n&v=b&s=s2ha875432dqc10987]133|100|Scoring: IMP 1♠-(pass)-1NT*-(pass) 3♠-(pass)-? *-forcing[/hv]

1. I definitely prefer 3♣ instead of 3♦ 2. In the proposed sequence, i would bid 4♣

I don't like 3♠. Bidding now is suicidal

Do whatever you would have done over (2♠)-pass-(3♠). I'll bid 4♥

-South hand is between 1♠ and 2♠, i prefer 1♠; -North bid well 2NT -South has a pretty obvious 3nt bid

Obviously forcing as long as we bid a voluntary game and opps are sacrificing to level 5

Considering hearts 1W-7E, then the probability for diamonds being: a ) K ------ 10 xxx is 0.42% b ) K10 ----- xxx is 1.54% so you're 79-21 odds playing for the drop. If you consider that other factors compensate this rate (like West is a weak player or west is usually known as falsecarding player under a rate of 1/5), you should finesse. In any advanced+ field you should play for the drop.

Playing Check-back Stayman, you can have an easy 2♣-2♦-2♠ sequence, as long as you don't use this sequence for different purposes.

- I dislike 2♦, i think 3♦ is a much better bid - I dislike 3♦ as long as i bid only 2♦ before (when do i start to show this great hand?), 4♦ now - I don't understand 3NT - South should have bid 4♣ now, as Justin said, 4♠ is still a slam try, but a mild one -Pass - North is finishing a sequence of completely bad bids - Insults - never

-DBL - I like it -3♣ - Dislike it, no shape, minimum values, bad ♦ points -3♦ -Dislike it, it seems that the hand has no direction, but understandable -3♠ - Consequence of the previous bad bid, closed now -4♠ - Found 4 gold pieces

My advice is to play system on against this kind of conventional doubles, and use redouble for what purpose you wish. If undiscussed bid 3♥ nat and forc + 4♦ over 3NT. Do not pass 1nt x-ed with unbalanced hands, you can be easily be in a much worse position on the second bid.

I would have bid 2♥ at both forms of scoring

I would have bid this way too

4♣ is bad, 4♥ is a much better call, and even 4♦ is better

[hv=d=n&v=e&s=sxhqxdjxcakq10xxxx]133|100|Scoring: IMP pass-[pass]-?[/hv] How do you intend to use your long club :) ?

This post belongs to B/I forum. I have taught my students in one of the first lessons that there a 3 types of calls: -Non Forcing: has 2 goals - looking for the best partscore and keeps bidding alive if partner has extra force if he didn't limit his hand yet. Examples, last call is NF: 1♥-2♥, 1♦-1♥-1♠-1NT -invitational - invites partner to bid game if has has maximum values for his previous bid(s). Examples: 1♦-1♠-1NT-2NT, 1♦-1♠-1NT-3♦, 1♥-3♥ -forcing - you have to use a special mechanism that generates a forcing situation. For example NMF (new minor forcing) or 4SF (fourth suit forcing) or Check Back Stayman. The main ideea is to make an artificial call that creates a forcing situation, afterwards you and your partner start describing your hands looking for the best game/slam. Example: 1♦-1♠ 1NT-2♣ !! -artficial bidding mechanism, generating forcing (NMF here) 2♥(descriptive call)-3♦ - forcing now because it was preceeed by the NMF. Ideea for B/I: any bidding sequence that doesn't use forcing mecanism (NMF/4SF) is maximum invitational and NMF/4SF creates GF

Good problem Roland. Some of my points of view: - I don't think that leading ♣K from Kx holding J10xx in trumps as unusual after South showed 5-5 in majors (probably 1♠-1nt-2♥-2♠-3♥-4♥ is the usual sequence). The defense should try to get some tricks in the minor suits and leading the better and shorter one seems a pretty good choice for me. Let's remeber that EW are a world-class pair; -I don't also think that playing for the finesse requires spades 3-3 as long as a ♣-♠ squeeze is available if the finesse works (ruff ♦, enter to dummy on ♥K, cash ♦K and East is squeezed if his shape is 4-1-4-4, 5-1-3-4; - I agree with Harald that calculating the probability using empty spots teory doesn't bring us any useful clue; -I quite agree with the double restricted choice ideea. At this moment it's a restricted choice for East (Q from QJ or bold Q). Also it could have been a restricted choice on West overuff (10J or bold 10), but it's more probable with J10xx East to try to falsecard with J -Last but not least, let's remember it's a MP tourney, with good and no so good players, so not everyone would receive ♣K lead. If trumps are 3-2 some lucky players will chalk an easy 450 but 4-1 trump will keep them to 420. This could be a reason for playing for the finesse, though with trumps 3-2 we will receive a bottom . Considering that ♣K will be lead in 50% of cases, then: A. I trumps are 3-2 we will receive a 37.5% playing for a drop and 0% playing for finesse (37.5% gain) B. If trump are 4-1 we will receive 62.5% for playing for finesse and a 7.5% playing for drop (55% gain)

I'll lead trump and wait too

I prefer 2♣ on this position, 3♣ should promise a better suit

Non forcing constructive, i would have bid 3♥ otherwise with a forcing hand. Something like QJ108x x AQJxx xx

I think that playing 3OM as a transfer to 3NT and keeping the splinter option too is a better agreement, losing just an unusual preempt.

Easy pass on both hands for me

Obvious pass. Even playing G/B 2NT this is a pass hand

That's happening when they stole the green cards

I agree with Roger