the_clown

A of ♠ seems quite obvious to me.

[hv=pc=n&w=saq985hak874dcakq&d=e&v=b&b=10&a=2d(weak%202)p2sp3dp3hp4hp]133|200[/hv] No specific aggreements, 2♦ was weak 2. Do you make another move and if you do, what do you bid?

[hv=pc=n&n=sqj2ha6dqj4cajt72&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1np2cp2dp3dp]133|200[/hv] Team game, no specific agreement about the 3♦ bid, except that it is natural and game force. Your bid?

Chances arent great. I guess I would draw trumps, play ♣ to the King, and if it holds, eliminate the minors. Depending on the information I have to that point, I would play ♠A and a ♠ hoping E has doubleton Honour, or a ♠ to the Jack hoping ♠ KQ are onside, or E has singleton H. It would be useful to know how many rounds of ♣s and ♥s E could follow.

Anything other than letting the score stand would be unthinkable. While I can see that the claim is pretty pointless and doesnt save much time trowing the ♣Q is not something even a beginner would consider.

5♥ for me. Partner couldnt act over 1♣ holding 6+♠? This means he is either broke, which means 5♣ make easily or he doesnt have any points in ♠, good news. Besides I dont see them bidding 6♣, even if it is right. Even if p is broke we migth escape for -1 or -2 if he has some useful spot or lenght on my suits, so I would gamble and bid it.

I cant imagine bidding 3NT over 2♥ in this auction. If partner is short in ♥, it is likely that 5♦ is a better contract that 3NT and slam is also possible, even a grand as you can see. A sensbile auction would be 1♣-(2♥)-3♦ (forcing since playing lebensol) 4♥(Splinter)-4NT 5♥-6♦ (invitational to 7 showing all keys are on board, if a key card is missing u bid 5NT and then sign off) Now you may or you may not bid the grand, but given the fact that you have a great ♣ suit that partner doesnt know about, bidding looks right.

Ok, I play a strong club and there are a few things that I like in my system, that I cannot do with yours. The ability to open light- the constructive bidding is more difficult for the opponents while we can find our fit rly fast and probably make them guess. Playing 2♦- weak 2 in 1 major and 2M as two-suiter 4-9 HCP has the same goal. When partner opens 1♥ I can bid with 4♥ 0 count and 5card support and with 13 count and 4333. And if I have nothing and I see they have game, I can respond a forcing 1NT or 1♠, knowing that partner will never force me beyond the 2 level. Even more important, when partner fails to open a strong club, and ops interfere I can just bid game in our fit and I dont need to worry about missing a slam. In a natural system I probably will have to start cuebidding and the auction may get very ugly. Being forced to open NT with a low singleton is not a great prospect as well, besides it will often wrongside the contract if p is the one who has the ♦ stop. In my system I play 1♦ is 0+ and accept that we will sometimes miss our ♦ fit im competition, but we can enjoy all the other advantages.

Yes, it is pretty standard that 1♠-3♠ shows 4♠. If you have 3♠ and un invitational hand and 3card support, you bid 2 of a minor and then bid ♠ at the lowest level. It might be important for partner to know whether you have 3 or ♠s in order to make the right decision, e.g. to bid game or not, or to bid 3NT or 4♠

For a start, I would pass 1♣. I would be very happy if ops play there, (and even more happy if p finds a balancing double passed around) since I will surely write +300 at least. I can bid ♣ naturally in the next round to show my hand. If you double, what do you plan to do if partner bids 2♥?. 3♣ would be artificial and bidding NT surely doesnt imply being void in partner's suit. Or if partner doubles their ♥ contracts, because you need to have at least 3 small ♥s for my takeout double?

100% agree with Art

with Q10 of ♠, I would not be too worried that ops are taking the first 5 ♠ tricks, partner is likely to have something in ♠, especially if opener doesnt raise, or mby support double. If you could tell me what p will do over 2♦, It will be easier for me to plan my further bidding.

I bid 2♦, good ♥raise. If p bids 2♥, I would pass, else I would bid NT at the cheapest level, suggesting to play there.

What I play is fairly simple and works most of the time. Double 5-7 any shape or 8+ with no 5card suit and no Stopper (you cuebid on the next round) new suit 5+cards GF pass 0-4 any or trap pass overcall their suit- other 3 suits

1.Splinter If you bid 2M, p will usually bid 2NT if he has a stopper and not a marginal overcall. If he bids 3m you can bid 3M to ask for a half stop. 2.mixed

I would bid 3♠. 3♥ is fourth suit forcing for me, which means I should describe my hand. Partner knows that I have long ♣, so why not inform him that I got support (with 3♠ I would have bid 2♠ over 2♦)? 3NT with the ace singleton is out of the question for me. After 4♣, 4NT shoould be to play, so I am passing.

Assuming you know his whole distribution and point range by 3nt you can play the following. 4♣-RKCB ♣, 4♦-relay to 4♥-either Exit in 4M- opener passes or bids 4♠, or Slam Interest in♥- next bid 4NT-RKCB ♥. 4♥-RKCB ♦ 4♠-RKCB ♠ 4NT-invitational to 6NT If you dont play relais to 3NT and just check if p has a 4card major, I would suggest all your bids are natural. With the hand above you will just bid ♠s at the lowest level, p will know that you dont have a 6card suit since if you had one, you would set ♠ as trumps right away

I am passing. This should show no penalty double in ♥ and a balanced or semibalanced hand, or a ultra strong one suiter. If p doubles I will pull to 5♣ which will show Slam try, hopefully p will pass with no ♥ control. If I had ♥control myself I could just RKCB with 4NT. If he bids 5♣, I will cue, if he bids something else I will pull to 5♣, which should be a slam try with no control.

1♥ (11-15)- 2♣ (4+ GF) 2♥-3♣ 3♥-4♣ 4♦ cuebid aggreing ♣-4NT 5♣-5NT(1 key missing, 6♣ would be invitational) 6♣ It is possible that opener rebids 4♥ after 3♣ and then responder will probably sing off in 5♣. Alternativ responder can bid 4♣ over 2♥, RKCB, intending to ask for the ♦K below 5♣. This loses when opener has ♦singleton.

I play 1♣-1NT 8+ balanced unlimited. After that 2♣ is a Relay and opener can find out responder's shape and strenght below 3nt. Even without playing relais I think playing 1NT as 8+ is superior as you have all the space in the world for opener and responder to limit their hands. The principle of fast arrival is very helpful. 1clubs-2NT is 4441 Hand with 8+ points, 3Clubs is 4414 etc

I would open 2♣ precision (6+ or 5+ and 4M), and after p bids 2♦(relay), I am bidding 3NT, showing a (semi)solid suit and side values. Partner will let me play there. Using standart methods I will surely open 1NT and p will me force me to some major game.

Assuming 3 clubs was a good diamonds raise with a great interest in 3NT or 5m. After a cuebid gets doubled I play the following. pass-Stopper or half stop (partner can then ask) NT- double stop XX shows xx or xxx in the suit new suit shows shortness Works fine for me

Its beyond me why P didnt show majors over 1NT. With the actual hand a good declarer will take first round ♦, finess keeping you off lead.

I would bid 3/4 ♠ preemptiv. If I do not have a preemptive bid I would change my system. 2. King of ♦. It loses only when p has the ace of ♥ and we are cashing 2♥ off the top. If p has a ♠ or the ♣ ace we need to set a second trick quickly, or dummy will discard everything on the long ♣s. W did not cuebid so it is likely that he has ♥ control. 3.5♥ P/C. Hopefully p will see that I lack ♣ control since I didnt bid 5♣. 4.♦, I will try to get my ruff. 5. I am passing, p is short in ♦, so he will definitely balance, if he has some values. I hope he DBLS. 6.4 ♠. Could make, p knows I am passed hand and will almost never go on. 7.3♥, wtp.

Ace of ♥. Declarer is either 7-6 or 6-6 and a singleton ♥. I cant imagine bidding 7 with no 1st Round control ind ♦, since diamonds will be lead like 90% of the time. If he is a poker player one may do it hoping p has the ace, but I do not think it is likely.