mr1303

Double. Surely on this bidding it's going to be a few high cards and no clear-cut bid rather than a trump stack. Partner can pull to 5H with the right hand.

What a match!! 12 to win off of 6 balls Come on England!!!

I'm at unfavourable? In that case 3C is enough. Partner should play me for something close to this at unfavourable. I'm allowed to have my pre-empt from time to time At favourable I'd have 5C on the table

Latest news: the price has now been set at £175 for the week. We will be offering a discount of £10 as an incentive for people to sign up by the end of April. I hope to see as many of you juniors as possible there, for what rates to be a really enjoyable week

In my opinion, this hand wouldn't be out of place in the advanced/expert forum. My response is hidden:

Closer to GFing than passing 2H, but I guess an invite is a good middle of the road. 109 of spades look good here as well

To be fair, the only trap passer is the Sheep. As it is, I'll bid 6C over their Jacoby 2NT. The 6 level belongs to the opponents (I open this 5C by the way, but only at unfavourable)

Why are there 3 Englishmen in the cricketers of the year? I'm sorry, but we've been awful over the last year. Unless you have to have played cricket in England to qualify for that.

I'm not even sure I'd open this at the 1 level (although it's close). Certainly not enough to bid at the 3 level. WOuldn't be surprised to discover that 4S or something was cold, and we couldn't get in the bidding.

I hate it when partner make bids like this. COuldn't I have a 0 count with both majors here? Anyway, I'm going to XX this one, and see what happens. If this goes for a million, it's partner's fault for making undiscussed bids.

2C for me, but this is fairly close. I certainly wouldn't criticise a 1H opening on these cards. I think that a 1H then a 3C jump shift will lead to partner trying to discourage me the entire time with his KQxxx of spades, whereas if I open 2C then he might be a bit more talkative

I think that my hand rates to be a good hand as declarer, and that involves 3NT. I can imagine there being 4 top losers in both contracts. 3NT isn't a command for partner to pass though is it?

So what happened?

Well, partner held: xx xx KQJxxx xxx True, he should have pre-empted, but we were playing 2D as Ghestem (shudders) and he didn't think he had enough for 3D. LHO had AQxx of spades and was alert enough to lead trumps, so I went for -1100 in 4HX. 6C was on, but then they weren't bidding it after their auction.

Well, that was exactly what happened to me. I led the 9, all followed, then continued with the ace, and dropped RHO's Jack. In the analysis afterwards in the pub, RHO did say he'd duck with Kx as well, so there wasn't much in it.

Could LHO not have Kxx and RHO ducked with Jx?

Partner hasn't exactly helped us to guess here. If 6H invites a save or is to make, or what I don't know. FWIW I do agree with 3H. I think I'll pass. Partner can't expect me to know what to do here.

OK, you lead the 9. All follow and you're still in hand. Next play? LHO follows with a low card on your second round

[hv=d=w&v=e&s=skjxxxhj10xxxxdxcx]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] 1C P 3NT to you. Come in with 4C or not?

[hv=n=saq10xxx&w=s&e=s&s=s9x]399|300|[/hv] You need to bring this suit in for 1 loser in no trumps. What is the correct way to play the suit against genuine experts? No outside entries.

1C for me, breaking my normal rule. This time I don't expect to make a game (unless partner can bid spades himself) so I content with bidding a suit I want led. If opponents bid a game here (possibly 3NT) partner will realise I don't have a strong hand, so must want a lead. Jxxxx is not good for leading purposes.

5D any position or vulnerability (except 4th!!!)

Pass, and hope I don't get doubled...

2S here shows a better hand, no two ways about it. Incidentally, I wouldn't have reopened at all, since I have (essentially) a weak NT, and no particular reason to think partner has a penalty double of clubs.

Any case for playing this as pre-emptive? I.e. partner is unlikely to make any interesting noises having passed first up, so why not kill some opposition bidding space?