Quartic

Playing last night at my local club this hand came up: [hv=pc=n&s=s954ha74dkcaq9543&w=sat6hdaqt765ct862&n=sj7hqt9853dj8ckj7&e=skq832hkj62d9432c&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=1c1d1h2s(Fit%20jump)3c3s4c4h(Cue)d4n(RKCB)p6c(%21c%20Void%2C%201%20or%203%20keycards)d6sppdppp&p=has6&c=13]399|300[/hv] We got to the good spot of 6♠, but 6♦ is safer. How could our auction have been improved? No one else reached slam, so 6♦ +1 would have also been a top.

At the table I also bid 5♣. Unfortunately the full hand was: [hv=pc=n&s=sjt4hkqj3d853cak7&w=s952ha8dqt97cj432&n=sq873h965dkj642c8&e=sak6ht742dacqt965&d=w&v=e&b=16&a=pp1c1h3c3h5cppp]399|300[/hv] Partner's two hearts were a nasty surprise.

Best is to say what your agreement is, not how to interpret the specific card partner played. So in your case, I think West should say "a low card encourages hearts". Not "It is an encouraging card".

2♣ is a weaker raise, 2♥ is stronger. I would probably take 2NT as another good raise, but I don't remember if we've discussed it.

[hv=pc=n&e=sak6ht742dacqt965&d=w&v=e&b=16&a=pp1c1h3c(pre-emptive)3h]133|200[/hv] Playing Acol (4cM, weak NT), so you've shown either 5+ clubs or a balanced 15+ with 4 clubs (or a 4441 with 4 clubs). Partner has at least 4 card club support, and probably less than 9 points. Matchpoints. Also interested if the answer is different at teams.

I would pass both hands. Hopefully we can find a 9th trick somewhere. I think a 5NT reply to 3NT forces 6NT and invites 7NT. If you can just count 12 tricks with no chance of 13, just bid 6NT.

I like the idea of using 2NT as a good club raise here, moving the strong balanced hands into redouble. I'll discuss that with my partner.

I think we play 2NT as a forcing raise over 1m, similar to over 1M. I was planning to rebid 2♣ with this hand.

I wasn't sure after the hand if I was too good for 3♣. Perhaps redouble shows a different hand type, but then how do I show a hand with extras and support that doesn't want to commit to beyond 3NT? Unfortunately on this hand, partner passed 3♣. The field was in 3NT, but 7♣ was there due to the helpful lie of the cards. I'm not sure if 6♣ is biddable. The full hand: [hv=pc=n&s=st765hkt63dj92c73&w=sk43haj7d85cqj865&n=sqj92hq954dkt6ck2&e=sa8h82daq743cat94&d=e&v=b&b=10&a=1dp2cd3cppp]399|300[/hv]

Why is 3NT so bad when I have a good idea LHO will lead a spade? Against stronger opponents I would probably just try 4♦, but I would certainly be less sure what would be best. Also, what would you have opened instead? Do you think the hand is worth showing 15+ if partner responds 2♣? I won't have a problem after any other response if I open 1♦, but I don't see any problems after opening 1NT either. Probably your way, but it might be location dependant. My way is common in my local club. There are some small theoretical advantages* to my way, but being on the same wavelength is much more important. *For example, with a weak hand with both minors, responder can transfer to diamonds planning to pass opener's reply. It also hides responder's hand when opener doesn't like diamonds, so the opponents don't know whether responder was looking for 3NT, or just signing off.

[hv=pc=n&e=sa8h82daq743cat94&d=e&v=b&b=10&a=1dp2cd]133|200[/hv] Your general system is Acol (4 card majors, weak 1NT), so you promised 4+ diamonds. Partner's 2♣ is (9)10+, forcing one round. What's your rebid?

Good point. But I didn't know there was a cross-ruff in 5♦ - give partner a small ♥ instead of a small ♣ and I still make 3NT on a ♠ lead. I might not have bid 3NT if I didn't expect a ♠ lead, but Axxxxx from partner still has play, just needing diamonds 1-1.

[hv=pc=n&k=e&s=skt984hkj6dqckqj4&w=s532h7dkjt953c652&n=sj6hq9854dact9873&e=saq7hat32d87642ca&d=w&v=e&b=16&a=pp1n(12-14)p2n(%21d)p3d(%21dQxx+%20%5Bor%20%21dxxxx+%5D)3spp3nppp&p=s8s2sjsqd2dqdkda&c=9]399|300[/hv] Third in hand, I pick up a nice 14 count. I decided I didn't want to open 1♦ with such a poor suit, so I opened an off-shape weak NT. After partner transferred to diamonds, I showed my good support with 3♦. After LHO's 3♠ overcall, I decided he would probably lead a spade against 3NT, and I would then take 4 tricks outside diamonds, and probably 5 or 6 in diamonds. +600 was a complete top when no one else bid 3NT.

I would like to open 1♣ and rebid 3NT - that should show this sort of hand IMO. If I don't have it available, I probably rebid 2NT.

We had no agreements about negative doubles - we hadn't played for over a month, and we didn't have an old card to refresh our memories, so we'd quickly filled one in before the session. Unfortunately we hadn't discussed how high to play negative doubles.

[hv=pc=n&n=s864haq2d743cat72&d=s&v=e&b=3&a=1s4h]133|200[/hv] Our general system was Acol (4 card majors, 12-14 1NT). What should double be here, and should I pass, double or bid something? The full hand for all the gory details:

I did it manually. I also added the known east and west cards.

[hv=pc=n&s=s852ha96dak3caq95&n=sakq4hkq43dj942c7&w=sj3h7dq765c4&e=s76h8dt8cj32&d=w&v=0&b=8&k=s&a=p1dp2cp2hp2sp3sp4dp5dp5np6nppp&p=c4c7cjcqdad5d2d8dkd6d4dtd3dqd9c2h7hqh8h6djc3c5d7sas6s2s3sks7s5sj]400|300[/hv] I would now cash the ♠Q - if ♠ are 3-3 I'm home. Otherwise I can try for 3-3 ♥. I'm probably missing a squeeze.

Unless 5♣ shows West's hand I think it's the worst bid in the auction - taking up lots of space we should be using to find our fit if it exists. If it does show West's hand, I think the agreement is terrible - I would much prefer to use 5♣ here as exclusion agreeing spades (checking 7♠ is safe). East's 2♣ is a very close second for worst bid. I see no reason not to start with 1♠. I have no problem with 2♦ or with 2♠ given the bad 2♣ bid. I see no alternative to 5♥ at that point in the auction. Now West has given himself almost a complete guess at the best spot. I don't much like the guess of 6♣ though - I think I would try 6NT at this point myself, or maybe 7NT if I assume partner has a standard 2♣ opener.

2NT: 9; 3♦: 7; 1NT: 4 Playing a wide range 1NT rebid: 1NT 10; 3♦: 6. 3♠ for me would promise 4 spades, and this hand is not worth that lie (I'm not sure any hand is.). 2♦ and 2♠ are terrible, completely underbidding the hand. Also, what follow ups do you play after your wide range 1NT rebid?

Looks like your teammates were on different wavelengths about double of 2♣. How much would that have gone for?

Yeah, I must have thought I was defending 3NT. My plan is still the same though, hoping partner has a trick for me too.

Partner has suggested a singleton heart with his play, so declarer has the AJ. I continue hearts, and hope to get in twice in spades to cash the last two hearts for one off.

I personally prefer a transfer to a minor followed by 3M is natural, but I don't recall whether I had discussed that with this partner - we play together infrequently. I haven't come across the idea of a transfer followed by 4M before, but it makes some sense. Another way to play it would be exclusion for diamonds, so I wouldn't be at all certain bidding it undiscussed.

I understand this - I was just wondering if we could/should have avoided this one anyway. I would never open 1♦ with this - I really don't want to play a 4-2 fit when I have a 5-3 available (for example).