l milne

You're right Fluffy. Bridge by Question and Answer, Reese.

Yeah, if we don't double on these hands (this is a good minimum) we can never get them for penalties, as partner has to bid 3NT instead of pass.

Assuming expert (even double-dummy if you like) defense: [hv=pc=n&s=sj765hdc&n=skq98hdc]133|200[/hv] You start with a small card to the King. What do you play next if: a] West plays small, East wins the Ace; b] West and East both play small.

I think 2♠ at MP is 'obvious'...ly going for 200 a lot of the time. They don't need 4 trumps to double you, you're red and it's MPs! At IMPs I think 2♠ is also ludicrous, not because of the 200s, but more the 1100s.

Hi folks, found this declarer play problem in an old book I was reading today. Very interesting point which I don't has been covered much (and the author agrees ;) ). Not too hard, you'll probably know once you've got it. Merry Christmas! [hv=pc=n&s=s92hj6532d942cakj&n=saj653hqtdak5c982&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=1cppdp1hp1sp1np2np3nppp]266|200[/hv] The bidding was aggressive, but both North and South love vul games and back themselves to make sub-25 3NTs when all the points are in one hand. 1♣ showed 4+, and as EW are playing a weak NT system, if East is balanced he will generally be in the 15-17 range. The play begins with the lead of the 3♣, to the 9, Q, A. As South needs a heart trick even if spades break, he begins with a heart to the Queen and Ace. East returns the 4♣ to the Jack, 7, deuce. Plan the play! EDIT: solution two posts below :) take your time if you don't see it!

Pass

If North had the ace or queen of clubs, he should switch. Not switching with the King is fine. South 100%.

Yes. One unsophisticated line would be to cash the top two spades and all the red top tricks, for 7 top tricks. Now declarer simply needs to score a small ruff in each hand, and the last two trumps will be good for the 10th trick. So, 2. K♣; 3. K♠; 4. A♠; 5. A♦; 6. K♦; 7. A♥; 8. K♥; 9. small heart ruffed; 10. small diamond ruffed; 11. small heart.

First pass seems pretty obvious, not sitting for this one though.

2♠ bidders seem to hate vul games. If 3♠ is preemptive, and I don't really understand why it would be, especially as a passed hand, then I would bid 4♠. 2♥ has some merit but I also don't really see the point.

What are a few example hands for auction 1?

The last thread I posted in A/E was pretty much unanimous, so here's my new one. 1. What is this double? 1♥-X-P-2♠; 3♥-P-P-X! 2. [hv=pc=n&s=sj84hk7dak84caq96&d=e&v=b&b=10&a=1hdp1s2h]133|200[/hv]

1. Puppet 2. 3♠ 3. Would someone more enlightened than myself tell me why my 2♠ bid is so wrong? :(

Cool hand :)

3♠. Tempted by 4, not tempted by 2.

True, my mistake. Tricker on small spade leader and diamond back, think you have to endplay East now?

No way I'm putting partner through the misery of collecting 6 tricks on defense, when opps have a probably 9-card fit, when I have nothing to help him out with, that's for sure. I'm tempted by pass and 2NT, try to play a 5-3 minor fit. Might play quite well. Obviously pass and rip to 3♥ is also an option.

[hv=pc=n&s=s5ha96532da63caq8&w=saq962hdkq95ct742&n=sj84hk84djt842ck6&e=skt73hqjt7d7cj953&d=n&v=n&b=5&a=pp1h1s2h3s4h4sppdppp]399|300[/hv] 4♠x went one off for -100. 4♥x goes for -500.

I disagree with almost all of this. Upgrading the South hand is wrong but did not cause the error. It is an (IMO tiny) error in judgement. This is not a forcing pass auction. Perhaps at red, but here I just can't see the upside. Consider that South is limited to a 'tight' range and North can easily just have some hand with a bunch of major cards (not dissimilar to here). Playing FP here just seems to give North the option between -500 and -550 in a lot of normal auctions. Why can't we just play normal bridge, where if I have a 15-17 NT and the opponents bid to the 5-level and I have 3 tricks, I double for penalty? Obviously if South hasn't doubled for penalties, North's double is ridiculous. Yes, partner's spade ace might cash. But why hasn't partner doubled if we are beating this and we contribute no defense?

100% North. Pass is not forcing (???????)

I dislike 3♦ more than I dislike (the first) double. In fact, I might even double at the table. I think East has too much to pass and possibly miss a game, although I would certainly understand pass opposite a passed hand. But even though 2NT is a nice descriptive bid, it prevents us from playing at the 2-level in a suit. It also partner from making the (obviously very rare) penalty pass. Also, if partner isn't jumping/cueing opposite a double, we probably aren't missing game. So, for me, double as East is fine, 3♦ is the crazy bid. East should just bid 3♠ over that.

:(

This thread needs some results. What was partner's hand this time? I realise that whoever's bid didn't work out will be blaming their partner :)

Partner rates to have 7 clubs, so 6 cards outside. Of those, we can be pretty sure he is losing a spade, we have 4 tricks apart from that, so unless he has the J♥ or the K♦, he rates to lose 2 tricks outside trumps. So, some hands where 5♣ could be good: x xx xxx AKQTxxx x xx Kxx KQJTxxx x Jx Qxx KQJTxxx Some hands where 5♣ is somewhere in between OK and quite bad: x xx QJx KQJTxxx x T9x xxx AKQJxx Some where 5♣ is bad: provided by karlson. It partly depends on your style of 2♣. I play with one regular partner that bidding here can be quite aggressive if we have a good 6+ suit. So x xx xxx AQJxxxx would be completely normal. That said, there aren't many hands where 4♣ goes off. I would bid 4♣, invitational. We just don't know how good partners hand is; let's involve him in the decision. I don't expect to go minus very often, unless partner is an animal.

Wow, I don't think West is at fault for passing the double of 4♦, partner should have denied a fit and shown a good hand with diamond cards! I think East should bid 3♠. Either that, or have some more discussion about cuebids in double auctions.