Quartic

Thanks for the replies everyone. I bid 2NT at the table, but I wasn't sure if it showed what I wanted it to show. I will discuss this again with my partner so we have a clear agreement.

[hv=pc=n&n=s64hjt8652daj6ckq&d=w&v=0&b=8&a=p1h2d2sp]133|200[/hv] You're playing modern Acol with a competent partner in a club teams event. 1♥ promises 4+ hearts, 11+ hcp. Your 1NT opening is 12-14.

I had a disagreement with a pick-up partner on this hand: [hv=pc=n&s=saq8742h6dk2cjt94&w=skj5ha743d98ck632&n=sht85daqt754caq75&e=st963hkqj92dj63c8&d=s&v=n&b=15&a=1sp2d(GF)2h2s3hd(Penalty)ppp&p=h6h3h5h9hjs7h4h8hqs2h7htstsas5d4cjckcac8cqhkc4c2s3s4sjd5skd7s6s8d8dad3d2c5h2c9c3d6dkd9dtctc6c7djsqhadqs9]399|300[/hv] We were playing a simple form of 2/1. North said South's hand wasn't good enough to open and that South shouldn't lead the ♥6. South said North shouldn't have doubled 3♥, and could have passed or bid clubs or diamonds.

This is the line I wish I'd found. The full hand: [hv=pc=n&s=sqj6hj5dajt9752c5&w=st7543h98742dc642&n=sa82haqdkq8643ca8&e=sk9hkt63dckqjt973&d=s&v=n&b=15&a=3dp6ddppp]399|300[/hv]

[hv=pc=n&s=sqj6hj5dajt9752c5&n=sa82haqdkq8643ca8&d=s&v=n&b=15&a=3dp6ddppp]266|200[/hv] How would you play this on a club lead? Does RHO's double make a difference?

I agree - since the defender didn't state a line we play his cards in the least favourable way possible - playing the ♦K first. I think this should have been adjusted to 3♠x making however many overtricks despite it being a top. If I remember correctly this is a higher score than 4♠x.

I think the general rule is with 25+ you want to be in game, and with 24 you don't mind if you're in or out. Your bidding before 3♦ hasn't promised any values - your partner forced you to bid with his double, so you could have 0 points for 1♠. I think if you bid 3NT (instead of 3♦), your partner should expect you to have about a 5-7 count.

2♠ for me Vul, especially in 2nd. Would bid 3♠ NVul 1st or 3rd.

I had a similar situation last Thursday: [hv=pc=n&s=shkj7dkqcakqjt543&w=st32hqtdj864c8762&n=sqj98ha964dat73c9&e=sak7654h8532d952c&d=s&v=e&b=3&a=2c(strong%20artificial)p2sp3cp3hp3np6ndppp]399|300[/hv] I was West and hadn't discussed lead directing doubles of slams with East, so didn't alert partner's double. I led a spade because my general bridge knowledge told me that was the right lead if partner's double was lead directing. After the hand we discussed it, and agreed that double of a slam asks for dummy's first bid suit. It is still not clear to me whether I should alert in this sequence in the future. Declarer said after the hand that if he had been certain that his partner's aces weren't in spades he would have bid 7♣.

[hv=pc=n&s=stht2dakj82ckj986&w=sj74haq76dt765c32&n=s982hj953dq4ct754&e=sakq653hk84d93caq&d=n&v=b&b=13&a=p1s2np4c4s5c5s6cdppp&p=sastsjs2h4h2hah3h6h5hkhth8c6h7h9d2d5dqd9c4cac8c2d3dad6d4ckc3c5cq&c=9]399|300[/hv] North thought 5♣ denied defence. South thought North was wrong to bid 6♣, and thought 4♣ was optimistic. Who is right, or are both to blame?

[hv=pc=n&s=skq2hakq6dkcaj652&w=sa6ht5daq9654c943&n=sjt9853hj93djt2ck&e=s74h8742d873cqt87&d=n&v=n&b=5&a=pp2c3d3s4ndpp5d6sppp]399|300[/hv] What should I (South) have done over 4NT? This was an individual (Bridge Big). The system is a simple form of 2/1.

Are you sure you mean East's second turn here? That double looks systemic to me. Did you mean third turn or second double instead?

I prefer the first one, quacks are more useful in No Trumps, which is where we're headed. I like the supporting honours in partner's suit, and the ♥J supporting the Queen is good too.

Playing in an individual (butler scoring): [hv=pc=n&s=sj643h2dacak98762&w=sk9h953dq983cqj43&n=sq872hkqjt6dk42ct&e=sat5ha874djt765c5&d=e&v=0&b=14&a=p1cp1hp1sp4sp4n(Rkcb)p5d(0%20or%203%20keycards)p5h(%21s%20Q%3F)p6s(Yes)dr(I%20was%20going%20to%20bid%207%21s)ppp]399|300[/hv] Should South not keycard, or was North's 4♠ an overbid? Just bad luck?

At the table I assumed LHO had 4 clubs, so decided to try and find partner's suit, leading the ♠7. While this was partner's suit, the lead was not a success: [hv=pc=n&s=s7ha9654d75ckj954&w=sa642ht7dakt9ct73&n=skt983hq8dj643cq2&e=sqj5hkj32dq82ca86&d=w&v=e&b=16&a=1dp1hp1sp2cp3cp3nppp&p=s7s2sks5stsjh4s4d2d5dad3hthqhkhac4c7cqcasqd7s6s3dqc5d9d4d8h5dkd6sas8h2h6h7h8hjh9h3c9c3c2c6cjcts9ckdtdj]399|300[/hv] I also messed up later in the defence too, throwing a ♥ I needed to keep, letting the contract through for an 11 imp loss. A low club lead would probably have led to down 2.