humilities

I think it's winning bridge to open these hands - I open 1D all day. That being said this is more of a partnership question. If your partnership opens these hands, there really is no alternative to 1D. You can't open 2D in second seat with a side AK and Q and ever expect your partner to make a good decision. 2D shouldn't even be on the table imo.

Given South could be completely broke, North will be bidding conservatively - lots of medium hands will rebid 2S. As was said above, 3S is basically begging South for something, anything. Two trumps and an AQ10 should be automatic. I don't like North jumping to 4S at all in BAM or matchpoints. You have the spade suit and 15hcp - it could easily be a partscore hand. Why voluntarily go minus? ps: I love Ken's 3C call.

Warning: the following content is graphic in nature. In an auction full of revolting calls, my partner and I cannot agree on which was the most awful. Help us settle a disgusting disagreement :) Club matchpoint game, both sides vul [hv=pc=n&s=s543ha2djt82ck954&n=sajt2hd654cajt832&d=w&v=b&b=4&a=1hd3dp3hp4hdppp]266|200[/hv] South asked and was told that 3D was natural and weak, though East meant it as Bergen (what we all, Bergen was on their card). Obviously, 4H was untouchable, and 5C is a very good sac. Which call do you think was the biggest culprit? Side question: given the UI raised by the question of 3D, I think East clearly must pass 3H (she held Qxx Kxxx Kxx Qxx). You could also claim that South's X was influenced by the incorrect explanation, though it was not. Given this is a mediocre club game, do you guys try to get these type of things overruled? At a regional/national I would have...

Mike, That was my initial thought, but I am second guessing myself now. What would partner do with: AKxx xx xx AKQxx Or some such 4-5 in the blacks (or even 4-6?) that is good enough to compete but doesn't want to bid game opposite a hand that couldn't bid over X...

oops double post

This is a very tough one for me ... I'd like a discussion on what North should do with 5-5 vs 6-5 hands, and how South should take preferences. [hv=pc=n&s=saq9762h65dt865c2&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1hp1sp3dp3sp4dp]133|200[/hv] How likely is it that partner is 6-5+ in the reds on this auction? Or do all (most?) 6-5 hands rebid 4H?

To me, a 4D splinter is a no-brainer. 4th seat, schmorth seat, I'm going to game with 4 trump to the J10, a singleton, and 2 aces. North has an easy RKC bid over 4D splinter. Ofc we are not bidding seven off the Q of trump.

Playing 2/1, how would your favorite partnership fare on this hand? What's your auction? IMPs, game all, auction has proceeded thus far: [hv=pc=n&s=saqj2h4da62cqt543&n=skha32d975cak9872&d=n&v=b&b=13&a=1c1hdp2cp]266|200[/hv]

The opps did go through some sort sequence starting with 1S-1NT-2C-2D but my partner's couldn't remember the details..

Yeah I noticed that - I'm pretty sure it was because I remember thinking how solid this hand was in anything but 3NT or 4S. Heh it gives me a little satisfaction knowing that Seamon/Demuy didn't get this hand perfect either :) tho I'm not sure how you ever get to 6D or 6H after 1S - 1NT (that's how their auction started as well)...

Shoot I'm so sorry I must still have the North hand wrong. .. South's hand is right (I wrote it down) and I'm sure of the Spade and heart positions for North. That means North hand Kxx or KQx of Diamonds... I had 8 tricks off the top (hearts were 3-2). 5H, 2S, 1C - as South I had to finesse the spade for my ninth trick. I'll correct the diagram. Sorry for making this thread a mess with details.

OP here ... one more thing ... I just found my notes from that match (it was a few weeks ago) and turns out my memory was faulty - if you are curious here is the actual hand - seems to be the same problem but perhaps another sequence lends itself... [hv=pc=n&s=s4hkq987djt854cat&n=sakj932ha32dkq2c2&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1sp1np3sp3nppp]266|200[/hv] edit: corrected North hand thanks Cyberyeti

Thanks for the input all, glad to hear it's not such an easy problem, I don't feel as dumb missing such an easy game. At the other table the opps had no problem getting to 4H so I thought there might be an easy fix that I was just missing. (then again the opps at the other table were not exactly I/A) Is there a BART sequence that gets us there?

I am teaching my three Int/Adv partners to play expert-standard-ish 2/1 with a few (but not many) gadgets. I try to focus on learning to bid and play rather than learning system, but occasionally the need for system creeps in ... take this hand from regional swiss: [hv=pc=n&s=s3hkq987dkq865c32&n=sakj982ha32djt2ck&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1sp1np3sp3nppp]266|200[/hv] 3NT was an embarrassing contract. We need a way to get to 4H, and I think we need a system solution to do it. I'm putting it out there to the Forum community for recommendations - what is your 2/1 solution to this problem? Is this solvable at the Int/Adv level (keeping in mind that memory strain is a very real consideration)? BART perhaps? I'd really like to avoid any 2NT-relay systems as my guys are very comfortable with 2NT showing 18-19 balanced and playing xfers over that ... however I'm willing to listen to anything. Thanks in advance :)

First of all - your partner is completely absolved as in my mind you never conclusively showed a ♦ void. From his perspective you could be off a cashing Ace. Our style: 4♦ at that level (below game in our suit) shows a ♦ *control* not necessarily first round control. You would want to make the same bid with KQx AQx x J10xxxx else partner will always think you are off 2 cashing ♦ tricks. RKC will then sort out the aces/voids. Given that, you absolutely *must* show the void when partner bids 4NT else he will think you are off a cashing Ace. Then, partner may or may not get it right, but at least he has a chance. As the above posters have said, it's hard for either side to be sure the clubs will provide 13 tricks... Splinters sort of solve this, sort of not, as you could easily have a similar hand with 3 trumps: KQx AQx - J10xxxxx or KQx AQx x J10xxxx or KQx AQx xx J10xxx None of the above really qualify for a splinter. With the first two, though, you need to cue 4♦, with the third your lack of cue is just as critical.

Don't they call 1NT/2NT openings the "slam-killers"? Seems appropriate...

[hv=pc=n&n=shakq8754d2cakqt9&d=n&v=b&b=13&a=2cp2dd2hp2sp3cp3np4cp4hp]133|200[/hv] IMPs - regional knockouts - both sides vul. Thus far all bids are natural. Rightly or wrongly I gave my partner a chance to choose clubs - but it seems to have worked out with a likely xx heart preference. Now I want to cue bid 4♠ or 5♣ looking for a ♦ cue bid, but I have a big question: is there any chance either bid could possibly be misconstrued as to play? Thanks in advance for your advice.

Playing 2/1 as South... the only good slam is the one suit we did not bid. [hv=pc=n&s=sk987htdakq5cak32&n=sajhaq6543dj987cj&d=n&v=b&b=13&a=1hp1sp2hp3cp3np4nppp]266|200[/hv] It's a given on this acution that North's Diamonds are at least Jxxx, right? If South had bid 4♦ over 3NT would your partnership be 100% that this was natural and slamming in Diamonds? Will partner look at Jxxx and know that's what I am meaning - in his mind he could just as easily have QJx? I didn't feel 4D was clear... we do play kickback though we have not discussed 4♦ on this particular auction - it doesn't make sense as kickback. 4D would have surely been RKC over any 4C bid... How would you get there?

How do you play the following auction? (2S) X P 3D P 3H P 4D? Assuming doubling and bidding 3H shows a strong hand (17+) but is not forcing ... is 4D forcing? Or just show long Diamonds and no tolerance for hearts... (note: we do not play lebensohl. Seems to me it would be forcing if you do...)

Club matchpoint game, average field, your partnership is aggressive with first seat preempts (but not insane) Hand #1, none vul x AKxxx Q10xx AKx Partner opens 2S in first seat, RHO pass, are you bidding? 3H? 2NT? (your methods like it or not: 2NT asks for a feature and new suits are forcing for one round) Hand #2, both vul A10xx AKxxx x Axx Partner opens 3D in first seat, RHO pass, is this a 3H bid?

Thank you all for the constructive responses. Mike, as South, it's gratifying to hear you say that, but I fear you overestimate B/I/A. I presented it this way for a reason - we played this hand on BBO and exactly zero Norths bid 4S. BUT, six pairs got to 4S when South raised 3 to 4. So what seems obvious wasn't so to my partner with all of BBO on his side :) then again maybe that should have told him something...

Whoops error in the diagram - corrected.

[hv=pc=n&s=saqt9hadqj2cjt432&n=sk872hj2dt93caq65&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=3hdp3sppp]266|200[/hv] South: My hand is pretty much a minimum takeout double of 3H North: My hand is barely better than the rule of 7 would indicate Each thinks the other should have taken the plunge. Your thoughts?

Following the axiom that good matchpoints is often bad bridge, I present this hand: [hv=pc=n&s=sk976hkjt52da5c52&d=w&v=0&b=8&a=1hpp]133|200[/hv] My stream of consciousness: Should I bid? - partner is short in hearts but did not bid - opener has a pretty good hand - likely each side has half the deck - If it is a total misfit hand, I should be quiet and take my plus score - That being said, on close hands like these it is much easier to declare than defend - Relating to the above point - I hate to go +50 (or even -80) when I can make +80 or +90 our way - I'm going to bid What should I bid? - 1NT has no source of tricks. That being said, LHO will be constantly stuck leading out of his hand - 1S is likely to hit some spades in partner's hand (or if not, he probably has a minor to bid) - the downside to playing 1S is that hearts may get overruffed in dummy - giving RHO the lead (which is bad for me) I finally settled on 1S - which was worth all the matchpoints. Typical matchpoint insanity? Or a bad bid that got lucky? (I' think it's the latter but would love to hear other opinions)

Clearly 3H was wrong that was the whole point of the OP glad to hear it was ridiculous too :P Excellent thought that didn't occur to me at the table - thanks :) Opener held: AKx Kx KJ K10xxxx I just bid 6C figuring our mediocre opposition probably wouldn't bid the grand (they didn't) but still felt just as stupid missing such an easy opportunity. Thanks to all that took the time to give advice.