Edmunte1

I'll go for a defensive lead too, so ♠K it is.

Double seems just fine

Ruff ♥, Diamond to ♦10 If wins ♠ finesse, ♠A, clubs (finessing again in ♦ if ♣ is 4-0). If it loses, win return, ♦A, ♠finesse, ♠A, clubs

I would have bid 6♣ for 2 reasons: -We may make it: Partner usually should have an Ace outside his solid suit (8 fast tricks), and if we add a queen (♣Q or♠Q) we have good chances of making even if hearts are 1-1 -West will probably preempt, as long as he will look at his hand with little defense, and as long as he doesn't know that we have a heart loser

Sigh No, i didn't forgot that partner passed, nor that the preemptor can have another Quenn or King or so, not the fact that USUALLY we need more than usual to make 3NT (we lack suits). It was an analysys based on an average scenario. BUT - I also didn't take into account a lot of scenarios where we make game 3NT/4♠ with much less. For example: 7 carders: ♠Qxxxxxx -- xxx xxx - 2hcp xxx -- xxx KJxxxxx - 4hcp xxx -- KQxxxxx xxx -5 hcp 6 carders: ♠QJxxxx -- Qxxx xx -5hcp ♠QJxxxx -- xxxx Kxx -6hcp xxxx -- AQxxxx xxx - 6 hcp Qxxx -- Axxxxx xxx -6hcp etc. So many times partner will provide a long suit for us. I'll look carefully at the full part of the glass before "sigh''-ing.

First time when i saw the hand, i tghought it's an easy pass. Though we hold 19 hcp, we lack suits and we'll make tricks only based on hcp's, the suits definitely breaking pretty badly. I also tghought that ♠ and ♣ suits are blocked, so will have a hard time bringing 9 tricks home. On a second look, seing all those spots in hearts, i realise that it increseas the probability that LHO is holding 7 hearts. Considering that partner has void in hearts, his probable shapes are: -0♥(544) -31% -0♥(643) -33.5% -0♥(652)- 17% -0♥(742) -9% -0♥(733)- 7%, etc The expected hcp for partner's hand is (40-19-5)/2=8. So the partner will provide some suits for us! In fact when part holds a 6+ card suit and 8+ hcp's we have good chances to make 9 tricks, and some of the 0(544) will see us home too, especially if we have comunication on diamonds or partner has 5♦ and some quality in suit. Another important consideration, is the win-loss raport: a) considering bidding 3nt as a winning bid we will score 600-250=350 +8IMP's or 630-250=380 +9 IMP B) considering bidding 3NT and going down -100-250=-350 -8IMp's, -200-250=-450=-10 IMP So it's a 50-50% raport. Adding to that some small slam chances, i think that 3NT is the long term winner

I don't think you can drive normally to this slam using simple SAYC or 2/1 methods. You need some artificial stuff, for example, method to show a strong bal/semibal raise (i don't like splintering with an stiff Ace). There are more ways for this, the simplest is using first jump reverse for showing that. In our case 1♣-1♠-3♦. Now South should show some slam interst and North will happily drive to slam: ------ Pass 1♣-1♠ 3♦-3♥ (natural) 4♣-4♦ (cues) 4NT-5♣ (1KC) 5♦-6♦ (♠Q+♦K, no♣K) 6♠

I think this hand has some pluses and minuses: - 5th club (as a trick) and maximum values for the 3♣ bid - No Aces and only Kx in ♠ is the downside of the hand, maybe we won't have enough tempo to take our potential tricks. I think that when you make your choice between 3♣ and 3NT you should take care of the next factors: -How frequently you'll miss the game by bidding 3♣ and partner passing with a balanced 13-14 hcp hand; - What would your opponents usually do, how agressive is the person who is staying in your seat. Phil examples are nice, but they imply hands with controls that take 3 fast tricks in hearts, and they have small probabilities, due to luck of aces often yo won't have the tempo to collect your 9 tricks

Playing 2Nt as invite+ with 4+ trumps, i'll double with this hand, and bid 2NT over 2♠

I agree with gnasher's post

Yes

Why can't partner have an 3352 18 count, with no real club stop? How else does he bid it? Pass seems pretty normal, as long as: - normally game it's not in the picture (too many losers) - you best fit it's usually 8 card, and you're bidding 3 over 3 - bidding could be dangerous (you're red) if partner is broke

Yes, and passing 3♠ x-ed should show some interest.

No, this is not the time for doubling. We are in our normal contract 1NT and we have the lead, and it's not the case about being robbed, and not even about having the majority of HCP's. Pass is normal. But as i see other posts, it seems that double it's a logical alternative :P

I think that partner wouldn't have doubled with doublton in clubs, so 4441 or (34)51 or 4450 seems the most probable shapes for his double. The normal question is: do we have enough to drive to game vs. a normal minimum double for his bid. I constructed possible 4 minimum hands for partner's bid (considering perfect shape if minimum): -Kxxx AKxx AQJx x -KQxx KQxx AQJx x -AKxx Kxxx AQJx x -AKxx AQJx QJxx x and on almost of all them we have game chances, so 4♠ seems a normal choice. Another point of view: you cannot have xxxxx xxx xx xxx or so because you'll pass and corect 3♦ to 3♠, so any free bid should show some constructive values, but 5th spade and a usefull King are enough reasons for bidding the game.

I'm not passing this. 3♥ taking away bidding space seems more than normal

6♠, putting the opponents to take last guess seems best shot for me

6♥ has so many ways to win a bunch of IMP's instead of passing a cheap save

I don't believe that no one yet didn't push ''something creative'', it sound very tempting :(

- I think that it's important to show 4+ card majors over 1♦ overcall as long as doubling with an unspecified major can be vulnerable to LHO preempt. In your example you didn't get the oportunity to know what 4 card major partner had, and that could be usefull (of course, ♠J will still be an enigma, but knowing partner has 4♠+5+♣ increases the chance for heart shortage or ♠J). I like dbl=4+h, 1he=4+s, 1s=no 4M, but i think any method is ok. - As long as 6NT is safe, partner should unerstand 6♥ as a 3rd round control in hearts ask for grand. Of course partner could have Ax xxx Axx Kxxxx and 6NT will be down and 6♣ will make, but i think it deserves the risk

I disagree with: - 2NT Jacoby - 1NT followed by 4♠ (space taking not constructive method) - 2♦ (should be 5+cards or very good 4) 2♣ (2+card ) is the normal everyday bid, keeping the bidding low and easy

6NT by South it's a better contract than 6♥

3♦ now, after the antifield pass first time.

1. Pass, not close for me. 2. Close between transfer in clubs and Stayman+2NT (considering Stayman+3♣ NF unavailable)

Ben, the main reason for playing fit jumps is to make the partner the boss of the action and to be able to take a good decision in a competitive battle, where you're not in position to do it. Briefly, 3♠ in the previous example means: i have a good offensive raise to 4 ♥ and i'd like you to know that i have a good spade secondary suit. That implies the next logic that stands behind the 3♠ bid: from my point of view a ♦ preempt is possible, and you should be able to work out to pass/double/overbid 5♥, knowing that i have a good spade suit and a good offensive hand(HHxxx Hxxx x xxx is the minimum hand for this bid). So there's a temporary sacrifice a high card definition. I agree that you can sometimes reach slam using FJS, but it's not a main tool for slam bidding (it consums too many bidding space). But holding a stronger hand you'll move second time after you made the FJS. When i'm saying that FJS estabilishes a FP up to the level implied by the jump means that for example we cannot let our opponents to play 4♦ (or any other contract inferior to 4♥).