mr1303

I agree. I'm just as likely to open 2NT with a 5 card major as I am 1NT with a 5 card major, and I don't use puppet stayman then, so I don't see any reason why I should have to do it when I open 2NT.

Redouble should be for rescue, asking the 1NT bidder to pick one. I think 2D should be to play here, especially if the 1D opening doesn't promise 4 cards. 2NT should have good support for both suits, willing to play the 3 level on strength (3m should be pre-emptive) 2S I don't know. I like partners who don't make bids like that.

Is 5NT not GSF here, since I think we've agreed spades as trumps. As to asking for aces, why give them a chance to double for a lead? If 3S is a slam try, and the explanation given was that it was, then surely partner must have the ace of clubs and the two top spade honours for his bidding? If I was going to bid 4NT, I would have bid it on the previous round, since cue-bidding clubs is unlikely to help me find out anything I want to know?

4S here is denying a heart control. Not really a problem, since you have the AK. It also denies the diamond ace, since he would cue-bid that. So I bid what I think I can make: 6S. If he doesn't have the ace of clubs, that leaves him with at most KQJx QJTxx x KQx, not really enough to start making slam tries on. I'm going to place him with those holdings in the majors, but something like AKx of clubs.

Ogust can apply quite happily to minors. Whether or not it's the best treatment is another matter After a weak 2 in clubs (should you play it) 2D is probably better used as an enquiry, rather than 2NT, since anything greater than a rock bottom minimum will force you past 3 of your suit. After 2D you can still stop in 3D using Ogust, since it is only maximum hands that go past 3D. Having said that, I prefer 2NT as a high card feature ask after a weak 2 in a minor, and a shortage feature ask after a weak 2 in a major, since after a minor you're more likely to need a stopper for 3NT, as 5 of a minor is a long way off

Playing a strong club, what do you open holding the following hand, and why? You're at unfavourable vulnerability, in third seat and against opponents who know what they're doing against strong club. In third seat you play 2+ cards 1D, and 4 card majors. [hv=d=n&v=n&s=skhkjtxxdakqxxxcx]133|100|Scoring: MP[/hv] TYIA Mark

Alternatively use Lawrence Drury, which combines the best of both worlds. After P P 1M P 2C 2D is used as an asking bid. Responses are: 2H = any minimum 2S = max with 3 trumps 2NT = max with 4+ trumps Maybe slightly better when 1H is opened, to have 2H = 3 trumps any range, 2S = 4 trumps min, 2NT = 4 trumps max, as this allows the pair to stop in 2H when responder has only 3 trumps. Responder can further ask with 2S as to range (2NT = min, 3C max) after a 2H response

What about 2D? Whilst this is good enough to force to game, how much I want to encourage my partner is unclear, and if I take things slowly, this will give opps a chance to stick their noses in. A (natural) 2D bid should muddy the water for them sufficiently to shut them up

You're vulnerable. OK, so are opps, but if it's a part score hand your chances of considing 200 when no-ones making a game are far too high. So no. At green it might be close, but not at this vul

Doesn't exist :) But if partner pulled that randomly on me I'd assume Key card for spades.

Some play a variant known as mini-multi (commonly found in strong club systems) where the only options are the weak 2 in either major. This allows more flexibility as there's no danger of pre-empting partner, and 2D can be passed. 2D (P) 2H = pass/correct 2S = pass with spades, bid a feature with hearts 2NT = strong enquiry 3C/D = forcing 3H/S = pass/correct 4C = please bid the suit below your major (so I can play it) 4D = please bid your major 4H/S = to play In the UK most people use the 20-22 balanced option in the multi, so a 2NT opening can be used as something else (usually both minors, or a bad pre-empt in a minor). Alteratively a strong 4441 hand (which are incredibly difficult to bid) can go through multi 2D

Every time I double with this hand I find my partner with a flat 4 count who decides to leave it in, and it makes when the 4H opener has something like a 15-16 count and a decent heart suit who decides that slam is unlikely when partner can't open. And I usually get a complete bottom defending 4H doubled conceding an overtrick. I fancy I won't miss much if I pass, so that's what I'll do.

Hi everyone In another thread regarding suction, destructive defences to strong 1C were mentioned. A pair I know who are involved in the England U25 set-up play the spade for a laugh defence overcall, where it shows any 13 cards not suitable for another bid. Is this legal, either in ACBL land or EBU land? It would appear to me to be in breach of the Orange book law 9.1.5 which states that you may not have an agreement to make random calls, including overcalls

[hv=d=s&v=e&n=sakqhakj9daq82c76&w=s97653hdkt63ckj95&e=sjt42hqt53dj4caqt&s=s8h87642d975c8432]399|300|[/hv] and then [hv=d=s&v=e&n=sakqhakj9daq82c76&w=s97653hdkt63ckj95&e=sjt42hqt53dj4caqt&s=s8h87642d975c8432]399|300|[/hv]

How can you bid 1NT after partner has responded 2C. If you play that 2D is forcing (and if you don't you really should do) then you will never miss a 4-4 heart fit. Indeed in 2/1 you are forced to rebid 2D with 5 of them (unless you have all other suits stopped and can bid 2NT) when partner responds 2C, as 2H and 2S deny 5 diamonds. AS to asking for aces when you have a fit in a major after a stayman enquiry, how often do you need to do this directly? The only times when you need to ask for aces specifically is when you have a singleton somewhere, and here you can splinter, and ask for aces later easily enough

Here's a lovely 21 HCP Grand that I bid the other day. http://bridgebase.lunarpages.com/cgi-bin/h...etchlin=7903839 [hv=n=s985hdkj752caq654&w=saq732hq9832d63ct&e=skjt64ha65dq4cj32&s=shkjt74dat98ck987]399|300|[/hv] Bidding was as follows, playing SAYC West dealt: Pass 1D 1S 2H 4S P P 4NT P 5C P 5S X P P XX P 7C X All pass 4NT was take out, 5S showed a void, XX was pick a slam. Play was as follows: HA H4 H3 C4 S5 S6 C7 S3 CK CT C5 C2 C8 S2 CQ C3 S8 S10 C9 S7 D8 D3 DK DQ CA CJ H7 H2 D2 D4 DA D6 HK H8 S9 H6 DT SQ D5 S4 D9 H9 DJ H5 C6 SJ HT HQ D7 Claimed last trick And won 2 beers as well

The biggest danger with these hands is not opps finding a spade fit but your partner assuming there is one. I'm overcalling on all of them, as I respect my partners too much to do this to them

I opened it a strong club, and rebid 2S (forcing to game). WIth some interference (opps bid hearts to the 3 level) we got to 5D, and I had a go at my partner for not bidding 6 with 4 trumps and a singleton in their suit.

I have a rule. It's called don't sell out to 2D with 9 cards in the majors. It works pretty well for me.

Natural, showing 5 spades. X here would show exactly 4. 2D would be the cue-bid showing any GF

Surely if you play texas, then that is the way to do it. There's no point in using 2 bids to show the same thing. Stayman was the correct way to start, then after 2D, bid 4D, delayed texas. Otherwise you're wasting your time putting it on your cc

A pair I've played against many times in EBU events played Romex. I know they used it in convention level 3 events without any difficulty, and they used the three strong bids (1NT, 2C and 2D). Strange for the EBU to allow someone to play something slightly different, but there you go.

The reason that people play that 1M 2any 2M is forcing, is this allows opener to conserve bidding space. Especially 1S 2H, as 2C and 2D, which opener may have wanted to bid, now cannot. 3C/D show very good hands, and so with an above minimum opener (14-17 typically) opener may have nothing else to bid. Equally, 3S after a 2/1 sets trumps, so opener needs a very good suit in order to bid this way. Everyone who I play SAYC with enough to have some sort of discussion won't pass in the sequence 1M 2any 2M.

Any partner who passes in the auction 1S 2H 2S unless they're already a passed hand doesn't stay my partner for much longer. 1) 2Nt here should show stoppers in both minors (instead of 2S) 2) 3C/D show at least 17 HCP, and a good 2 suiter. So what am I supposed to do with something like: AKxxx Kx KQxx xx If I have to do anything other than bid 2S, I'm playing a different system next time.

Hand 1: 1S (limited to 15 HCP) 1NT (forcing) 2C 3S (3 card limit raise) pass Hand 2: 1H 2D (GF) 2H 2S 3D 3H (this usually promises 2 card support, but stiff K is usually sufficient) 4H