jogs

If every fourth suit is forcing. How do you bid this hand? 1♦ - 1♠, 2♣ - ? ♠ K6542 ♥ K9852 ♦ 8 ♣ 76. The main need for 4SF is to distinguish 3 from 4 card support in a major. 1♣ - 1♦, 1♠ - ?. 12+ points with 3 spades is an awkward hand to bid.

West obviously didn't trust his partner. Was right not to trust pard. Since East did bid this hand poorly.

West wasn't able to picture East's hand on this bidding. West made a judgment call. After a fit jump, West would have known 4♥ should be bid.

Fit-showing jumps in comp wins again.

The real dilemma is fourth suit forcing is a lousy convention that everyone plays. It is overused. When the fourth bid is 2♦ or 2♣, that's is fourth suit forcing. Play all other fourth suits as natural. That would solve many problems. 1♣-1♦, 1♥-1♠... natural. 1♦-1♠, 2♣-2♥... natural.

They should persist in diamonds. If you play carelessly you could go down. Do you pitch a heart on the third diamond? Then what on trick 4? Spade to queen. West wins king and play the club king to the next trick. You must remember to duck. If you win this trick, you may limit yourself to 5 clubs and 3 aces in the other suits.

Friendly defense by East. Doesn't diamond back at trick 2 give you no play? Please post the entire hand. Thank you.

What's the range for pard's 1♠ overcall? He is likely to be near the bottom of the range.

Double fit is only promising 4-4 in the minors. From partner's point of view there may be more clubs than diamonds.

I'm thinking more in terms of which 5-card suits are 'bad'. Maybe Kxxxx is 'bad'. Anything better open one of the suit and treat the hand as 18 points.

Why? 4432 is the second worst pattern. Jx of clubs is not good.

Would not have XX 5♣. Realistically you must know opponents are bidding 5♠ next. Either bid 5♦ or 5♥. Bring partner into the picture. Have him help on what to do against the likely 5♠ bid. RHO makes a weak 2♠ bid and then doubles 5♣? His bidding is irrational. Have no idea what's happening. Would pass 5♠X. Don't know what's the best lead.

I'm in the rarely make adjustments on the opening bid camp. Later in the auction may make adjustments based on info about other player's hands. 4333 and 4432. 15-17 HCP 1NT. 5332. 15-16 HCP 1NT. 5332 with 17. Now use judgment based on the quality of the 5-card suit.

Bad bidding. Never make these bids without discussion.

Agree. Let the opponents play these low percentage slams.

Notrumps compresses the total tricks. After a two level overcall we usually only belong in 3NT when there is a running minor. When partner holds Qx(x) or Ax(x) and a good hand, he should cue 3♥ and not bid notrumps first. He should also be aware of right siding 3NT(although it is unlikely we belong that high).

_____ S Q J 9 4 3 _____ H A 6 2 _____ D 8 7 6 _____ C A 2 S 6 ____________ S 7 5 2 H K Q J 8 ______ H 10 4 3 D Q J 2 ________ D K 10 9 C K Q 9 6 3 ____ C J 10 5 4 _____ S A K 10 8 _____ H 9 7 5 _____ D A 5 4 3 _____ C 8 7 http://www.newbridgelaw.com/ I can't find where Lawrence/Wirgren defines SST. On this example L/W says the SST=5. By your definition the SST would be 4. 5=4=2=2 facing 4=3=3=3 SST=4 because the shortest in diamonds and clubs is both 2. I believe L/W meant for each suit the shorter of the partnership holdings.

Actually 2NT could be the 'least worst'. At least we agree all options are 'bad'. Where I really disagree is which patterns should be making the negative double. With one spade partner should pass more often. With zero spades perhaps double was the wrong call. ♠ AJx ♥ xx ♦ Qxxx ♣ KJxx How does one bid this hand after 1♠ - 2♥ - ? With no opposition bidding many partnerships would start with a forcing notrump followed by 3♠. I think we should follow the same line in a contested auction. Double, followed by 3♠. Using this line of logic, never double with a spade void. Double less often with a singleton spade.

Actually I rarely play this game. Only a student of the game. Have not analyzed the frequency of desperation slams. Have noticed when I do play, opponents at the other table bid slams much more often than I. Nearly every time our team wins a 10-13 imp swing.

I don't agree that all SST=4 are equal. 5=4=2=2 facing 4=3=3=3 ♦ xx ......... ♦ KQJ ♣ xx ......... ♣ Axx If they find a club lead, they can win one club and one diamond. 5=4=3=1 facing 4=3=3=3 ♦ xxx ........ ♦ KQJ ♣ x .......... ♣ Axx We only expect to lose one diamond. SST=4(3+1) is better than SST=4(2+2) We must be aware of the exact hand pattern.

With 1=3=54 and 9 HCP, partner should consider passing the 2♥ call. He knows or should know that this is likely to be a unlucky board for us.

Assuming a bad spade split, why do you think 2NT will do better? At least we are not doubled.

2♠ says whatever you agree it says. We are really discussing the best use of 2♠. 2♠ also increases the chances of them competing with 3♥. If pard has 1=2=5=5, he can rebid 2NT. The reality is our best spot is defending 3♥ when we have a misfit.

Many views with few responses. Surprised by the willingless to try 2NT natural. Cohen told us 20 years ago that in contested auctions 2NT natural is rarely the best place to play. And even when it is, we wont know it. On this board they will make 4 or 5 hearts. They rate to find 6 tricks before we can cash 8 tricks. Negative double is a generic term for sequences which start with: we bid, they interfere, we double. Each sequence should be treated individually. 1) 1♣-1♦-X 2) 1m-1♥-X 3) 1m-1♠-X 4) 1♥-1♠-X 5) 1♦-2♣-X 6) 1M-2♣-X 7) 1M-2♦-X 8) 1♠-2♥-X This thread could be titled "negative doubles, part 8". Doubler's most frequent pattern is probably 2=3=4=4. That would be 7=5=7=7 pattern for our partnership. 6=8=6=6 pattern for them. That means even when we hold 21-23 points, they may make more tricks in hearts than we can in any of our 7-card fits. I favor 2♠. Use as little room as possible.

On less than 1.5% of the boards does one side or the other have 32+ HCP. On nearly 10% of the boards in high level championships one pair at the two tables bids a slam. On boards where one team is in slam and the other isn't, the team in slam is wrong more than 50% of the time. Did Hammick's survey agree with my survey?