mr1303

As a general rule for opening 1 of a suit (as opposed to passing or opening 2C) you shouldn't think too much in the way of HCP. I rarely pass any 11 count regardless of vulnerability, but for a beginner if you have good suits and no rebid problems opening light is to be recommended.

The way I do it is that my pre-empts are always fairly disciplined at all vuls in 1st/2nd seat. Even in 3rd I don't just pre-empt to take away space, I make sure my suit is a good lead on defence as well. This way my partners know what's going on when I pre-empt and don't force them to guess.

His hand was: [hv=s=sakqhakqjxxxdqxcx]133|100|[/hv] Whatever he wanted it to show, I guess we'll never know

The way I play it, the 3NT rebid shows the solid suit (at worst AKJxxxx) and stoppers in all suits except the one bid by partner. Hence a singleton club is not good enough for a 3NT bid here.

It's a convention that is part of the 2/1 system, and it works like this. When neither side has limited their hand and the partnership is in a game forcing situation, with a major suit agreed as trumps, a bid of 3NT shows serious slam interest. E.g. 1S 2C 2S 3S 3NT This is a demand for a cue-bid, but shows genuine slam interest. A direct cue-bid would by inference deny serious slam interest, but is mandetory in case responder has serious slam interest. 1S 2C 2S 3S 4C denies serious slam interest. This avoids getting to no-play slams when both opener and responder are minimum, but possess controls, whilst allowing sensible exploration when one or other has a strong hand, without his partner getting in his way. In order for 3NT to be serious, a major suit has to be agreed, and the auction has to be game forcing. Serious 3NT is also on in the following situations 1S 2C 3S 1C 1S 3S 2C 2D 3S

I fail to see why 3NT is less of an overbid than 3D. 3NT is fine if you had a club stop, but without I think 3D is ideal. Then if partner bid 3S you can bid 3NT without worrying

David is from sunny Manchester, like myself. We're limited by the EBU orange book, and as most of the competitions we play in are level III, this is even more strictly controlled.

Ben makes a good point. If double is take-out then that looks like the right thing to do. However, since most of us haven't discussed this sequence, how many people will take this double as take-out, or who will take it as showing 4 spades?

on a diamond guess though. I'll take the sure +500.

So they're 2 off in 4S X and you make.... nothing. Seems a reasonable result to me.

Yep, pass looks good, and I'll pass again if partner doubles.... If partner bids anything else I'll bid my hearts

If you hate them so much, then why are they on our card.....

Depends on what my hand is.....

I've never been a fan of this 2/1 as GF unless suit rebid. I want this sequence: 1S 2C 2 any 3C to be 100% GF. If partner has no support at all for my suit, he can bid NT, and I haven't lost anything. Suppose the sequence continues: 1S 2C 2D 3C 3NT I can now bid 4C to show something approaching a real "Rock of Gibraltar" strong jump shift. However, these come up so infrequently, I see little point in wasting a jump shift to show this hand type. With the more likely hand, xx Kx xx AQJTxxx I like to get my hand over to partner as quickly as possible; with an intermediate jump shift. Thus 1S 1NT 2D 3C can show a similar length suit, but with a less good suit, so partner is less likely to get excited 1S 2C 2NT 3C can be a mild slam try 1S 2C 2NT 3C 3NT 4C can be a full blooded slam try and 1S 2C 2NT 4C can be RKCB The suit should be equal to that of a vulnerable pre-empt, and should deny 3 card support for the major opening.

In 2/1, 4H would deny a spade or club control.

In the Lawrence version of MSS, does 3H not show a singleton here? If partner has KQJx of hearts, you don't want to go anywhere near 6C, but if he has Axx or xxx, then 6C is a favourite.

I don't see why 3C hasn't been mentioned. YOu've been forced to do something, and if you would usually raise 2C to 3C with 3 card support, I don't see why you're promising more support than this. Partner can bid 3H on the next round to ask for half a stop, should he want to.

Next stage: RHO now bids 3H, which LHO now alerts, announcing that 2D showed the majors. You call the director, who's a bit busy at the moment, who tells you to carry on and you end up in 5C doubled, which goes for -1100, as everything breaks horribly. Based on the following auction, how do you rule? 1C P 1D 2D P P 3C 3H P P 3S P 4S P P X 5C X end

Yes, the 2D was a convention that LHO forgot to alert, usually because they had no agreement about it. The next part of the story will come tomorrow. It's about to get shocking.....

[hv=s=sakxxhxxdakqxxcqx]133|100|[/hv] You open it a strong club, and partner responds 1D (negative). You aren't playing a relay system, so partner won't have a nice 7 count with some useful 10s. RHO comes in with 2D. You pass (double would be take-out) and partner bids 3C. What do you do? (3C is not forcing btw) What would you do if 2D meant the majors?

Who was your partner? It wasn't me, since I never go for -1100 any more.

Here are my thoughts: 1) This action is obvious. Pass. Unless you play that double is penalty, in which case I might try this, but sadly it is take-out. Hence I pass. If partner reopens with a double, it's Christmas come early. 2) Again, obvious. 4333 shape + a weak NT = pass. Double is revolting, and all your strength is defensive. I want nothing to do with this auction. I'll pass now and forever. 3) 3C. Showing a good raise to the 3 level. I'll take a chance on bidding 4S if partner bids 3S here, but I'll be ready to apologise if I'm wrong. 4) Nasty. Either pass, double or 5D could be right. I'll guess 5D, and expect it to be wrong. 5) Can I change my methods? If it's a strong jump shift, I'll bid 3S, and see what partner does (if he bids a new suit, then it's agreeing spades, if he bids 4H then I'll cue-bid the club K). If partner can have a 12 count for this bid, I want to throw myself into a pit of gravel. 6) 5D. I fear the tap in 5H. Incidently, I assume partner's double is take-out. My hand suggests it might not be.

What's wrong with Jacoby 2NT? That's part of SAYC isn't it?

Contract was fine, it was the 2C bid that we have problems with..... Unless you play that as some sort of forcing spade raise (and you've way too much for a 1st/2nd seat drury bid, if that's what you play) it seems crazy. Why would you want to tell partner about a 2 card suit when you have AKJxx in support for his suit? Incidently, when partner opens that East hand, I don't think it's possible to get to a making slam (6S is down on a club lead)

Hmmmm. Surprisingly enough I have some, despite never having played in a pay-to-play tournament (I don't possess a credit card, not because I'm against them).