Quartic

I play a weak 1NT opening, so I don't have this problem. I might bid 3!c regardless though.

Playing in a club pairs event, you pick up a very nice hand in 3rd seat. Unfortunately partner pre-empts with 4♣ in front of you: [hv=pc=n&s=sa74hak98643dkca3&d=n&v=n&b=5&a=4cp]133|200[/hv] How do you proceed?

I would always open this 1♦ - all my values are in my suits, I have 21 for the rule of 20, I have a perfect 2♣ rebid. I don't actually see a downside.

Maybe so, but this North for some reason decided not to.

I play double as penalty against all 1NT openings. However, almost all players at my club play a weak (12-14) NT. If more played a strong NT I might well consider playing an artificial double of some sort. That said, I think most important is that you and your partner are comfortable with however you play double.

On this hand any careful defence will get the contract 1 or 2 down. The full hand was: [hv=pc=n&s=sa9854ha95dac7542&w=s762hkq8dqj96cj98&n=sjt3ht7642dk532c6&e=skqhj3dt874cakqt3&d=n&v=b&b=13&a=p1c1sdp1np3nppp&p=s5s2stskhjh5h8h2h3hahqh4s8s6sjsqc3c2cjc6hkh6d4h9c9s3cac4ckc5c8h7cqc7s7htcts4d6d2d7dad9d3sadjd5d8s9dqdk]399|300[/hv] Happily (for me sitting East) South misdefended by playing a small spade back after winning the ♥A, giving me my 9th trick. I wasn't entirely happy with my 1NT bid, but felt it was more practical than either 2♣ or 2♦.

I think my choices are pass or 1NT. Since I don't have a ♦ stop, and my black-suit length isn't exactly good I think I'm going to pass and hope they get too high.

[hv=pc=n&s=sa9854ha95dac7542&w=s762hkq8dqj96cj98&d=n&v=b&b=13&a=p1c1sdp1np3nppp]266|200[/hv] Playing in an IMP pairs game on BBO you pick up the South hand. The auction proceeds to 3NT by East. East-West play a weak NT so East's 1NT rebid was 15-17 with a ♠ stop. You lead your ♠5 won by declarer with the K, partner contributing the T. Declarer now plays the ♥J, what's your plan?

On second thought, I think I prefer pass after all. For me its quite a close decision, and I might go either way at the table.

A good example of a variety of ways encryption can be used in bridge can be found here. It includes encrypted bidding as well as encrypted signals.

1NT - I have a good ♥ stop, and enough strength.

Good point, thanks.

That's what I thought, but at least two players at my club doubled with that hand, so I'd become a bit uncertain.

I was trying to check my intuition about partner's double, which is why I included the question about what you expect the double to show. I also thought the decision for the north hand was interesting whether my partner has bid correctly or not.

I chose 6♣ at the table, which I realise now is clearly inferior to 6♥. Unfortunately, partner's double was not what I expected: [hv=pc=n&s=skq9h6dq963ckqt32&w=s3hkqdkt842c97654&n=sjhajt98532djcaj8&e=sat876542h74da75c&d=s&v=b&b=7&a=1cp1h4sdp6cppp]399|300[/hv] We were down 4 as clubs didn't break, and partner was unable to run my hearts. 6♥ (by north) would be 3 off on best defence, but probably just 2 off in reality (requiring an underlead of the ♦A).

Double was the right bid on this particular hand, unfortunately my partner chose 2♦: [hv=pc=n&s=s943ha862dt742c65&w=skthkqj754dq853c7&n=sa76h93dj96cakj43&e=sqj852htdakcqt982&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=p1h2cpp2dp3nppp]399|300[/hv] 3NT is not a success - I went 2 off. 4♥ is makeable, but we can get any 2 level contract down 3 double dummy for a top.

[hv=pc=n&w=skthkqj754dq853c7&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=p1h2cpp]133|200[/hv] What do you re-open? We were playing Acol with a weak NT, so 1♥ only promised 4 cards.

[hv=pc=n&n=sjhajt98532djcaj8&d=s&v=b&b=7&a=1cp1h4sdp]133|200[/hv] Playing Acol with a weak NT, I pick up this hand after partner opens, and get a tricky 2nd bid decision. What's your call, and what do you expect partner to have?

I thought of this after the hand, but is my hand good enough to force to game here? (I was East.)

Forcing with club support.

[hv=pc=n&w=sa72ht3dak54cq986&e=skqj95h7d97cakt73&d=e&v=e&b=6&a=1sp2c2h3h4h4sppp]266|200[/hv] This slam was missed by everyone in a recent teams match. This was the auction at our table. Could we do any better, or did the interference use up too much space? We were playing acol, so 2♣ was not game forcing.

It was the side that got the good result (East-West) that made the unhelpful comment.

Nice problem - I'm really not sure what my best bid is - I'm tempted by both dbl and 4♠. But I can easily imagine pass being right too.

It's a bidders game. 5♥ makes comfortably, with a chance for an overtrick. 5♣ is down two. The full hand was: [hv=pc=n&s=sj54hajdkt964ckqt&w=s97hkqt98764d852c&n=st32hdj73caj76542&e=sakq86h532daqc983]399|300[/hv] Unfortunately, at the table, we played 5♣ undoubled.

Double - we have the balance of points, and I expect to beat 2♦. 2nd choice 3NT, but I think if that's making we're probably taking 500 if I double, and 300 shouldn't be a disaster.