jogs

What's the vulnerability on this board? I can't see it. Assuming advancer is 4=1=4=4. Whether opponents go down or not will depend on their pattern fit. 5=4=2=2 facing 3=6=2=2. They rate to go down. Maybe more than the value of game. 5=4=4=0 facing 3=6=0=4. They're probably a favorite to make. They can hold every pattern in between. We are in no position to judge. Does advancer show 18-21 HCP on this second double? Still think we need to know the vulnerability and run a monte carlo to answer this question properly. Also helps to know your opponents.

Bid 2♥. If the hand belongs in clubs, partner will bid them on his next turn. Also if it goes 1♥-2♦, 2♥-2♠, ? Bid 3NT, fast arrival. Don't bother to show the clubs.

Not sure director should allow the claim on Ex. 4. If declarer is too careless to explain the claim, he may be too careless to remember to unblock. If all sloppy claims are accepted, one should claim anytime he doesn't know how to make the contract.

Tricks aren't only about points. Tricks come from HCP, combined trump length, and pattern fit of the partnership hands. Advancer has passed 4♥. Interventor now knows advancer is likely to have a doubleton spade. The 5♦ bid shows the other suit. Now interventor knows the partnership side suits don't fit. The double of 5♠ is clear. Less clear if 5♣ is bid. Both partnerships will have a two suited fits. This creates a more combined tricks than combined trumps situation. This makes 6♥ a higher percentage bid. 6♥ may be a necessary sac.

I completely disagree with your partnership approach to contested auctions. After the 4♦ opening, slam is unlikely. Being in the correct strain is worth its weight in gold. Only bid slams which are at least 65% makeable. Advancer should pass 4♥. You should double 5♠. Even if advancer had a singleton spade, he needs a perfect hand. Must hold at least ace fourth of heart, ace of diamonds, and the king of clubs. If I held both hands the auction would go --- ---- 4♦ - 4♥ p - p - 4♠ - p p - 5♦ - p - 5♥ all pass No one would introduce a new suit to play at the five level. 5♦ is a suit agreeing to hearts as trumps. If opponents compete to 5♠, double for penalties. Your hands don't fit.

Pass, if partner's bidding shows 5=332. On balance spades rates to make 1/2 trick more than notrump. Rather hope for nine tricks than ten.

I held a similar hand 7=2=2=2 and opened 2♠. The auction went 2♠ - X - 3♠ - 4♥ 4♠ - X - all pass 4♠X making. LHO asked,"thought the preemptor wasn't allowed to bid again?"

Second bidding 2♦ first. With luck opener with Kx of diamonds can rebid 2NT. 3NT from partner's side should play better. May gain a trick. May gain only tempo. You want RHO with AJTxx of diamonds on lead. Don't want LHO with xx of diamonds to lead a diamond through partner's Kx. 2♦ may also lead to a club slam.

Partner has at most two kings and he's taken control of the auction. He's either totally out-to-lunch or 7NT is cold. Bid 7NT.

1♥ - 2♠ Opener knows responder has 4 hearts and at most 4 minor suit cards. Opener only needs the ♥K and ♣A for 7♥ to be odds on. 1♥ - 2NT Opener only knows about the 4-card heart support. He may think he needs the ♣J to solidify his club suit.

NickToll already suggested 2♠. I think that's the best response. Second choice is 1♠. Don't like 2NT or 4♦. Splinters should be mostly 4441 hands or hands which have no better response. 5431 hands with a poor five card suit.

How can I define those bids in more detail? I have no control over how opponents bid.

Does it really matter what the chances of 1♣ having 5 clubs in a vacuum is? Partner opens 1♣. RHO overcalls 1♠. Now what are chances of opener holding 5+ clubs? Partner opens 1♣. RHO overcalls 2♠. Now partner probably holds 5+ clubs over 70% of the time.

For the reasons given by you, bid just 5♦. If pard has the ♠A and ace king of diamonds, he still needs tricks to make 12 tricks in diamonds. With that much he may find a call over 5♦.

Bridge is dominated by pros in their sixties. Bridge is not a sport. While poker has been dominated by players in their twenties(last two years). Poker is a sport.

I favor the super conservative follow up bid of 4♣. Partner is likely to have 5-4 in clubs/spades. He can bid again if he chooses.

It's probably never right to bid 2NT. Bypasses three steps. The vast majority of the time we want to play on the two level and not 2NT. 4333 produces fewer tricks than all other patterns.

That's certainly true. When opponents put pressure on us, we'll be lucky to be right 60-70% of the time. Cohen and Bergen say bid up to the level of your trumps. But they neglect to mention that flat patterns are unlucky. With a 4-4 fit and 20 HCP, the expected tricks is 7 1/2, not 8. Flat patterns produce fewer tricks than trumps. 2♦ gives the partnership a greater chance of declaring on the two level. Which should lead to a greater percentage of plus results.

1♦ - (2♣) - X I have no idea if there is a consensus way to play this neg dbl? I prefer new suit non-forcing. ♠K43 ♥ KQJ76 ♦ 543 ♣ 64 1♦ - (2♣) - X - (p) 2♦ - (p) - 2♥ non forcing seems safer than 1♦ - (2♣) - X - (p) 2NT - (p) - 3♥ non forcing At least that's how I feel. If dbl then 2♥ is forcing, how would you bid the hand shown?

Assuming the OP is not playing neg free bids. With ♠ K43 ♥ KQJ76 ♦ 543 ♣ 64 Doesn't responder wish to be allowed to show hearts on the two level? Or are your minimums for the negX higher?

Looking for the ideal spot is the wrong approach toward these hands. You should be scrambling for a plus score. It's rarely right to be in 2NT in a contested auction. 2♦ is not shutout. Responder with a good hand wont pass it. With 5-4 in the majors, he can now show his five bagger. 2NT may already be too high when responder is minimum.

With only 8 HCP responder should have both four card majors. Should have at least 10 HCP with only one four card major. 2♦ sounds like the best rebid. Responder should not bid 2NT without clubs doubly stopped. He should call 3♣ to allow opener to rebid 3NT. With Kxx and Qxx, put the interventor on opening lead, not his partner.

The mind is not flexible. But if you have anything resembling an open mind, you will recognize the correct line when you see someone else succeed with it. Not necessary to know their level of expertise.

Was 2NT some type of spade raise? Double is hand wanting to compete with exactly 3 hearts. 2=3=4=4 most likely pattern. With fewer hearts advancer should have a suit worth bidding.

Is it possible to play 500+ hands a week and have time for steps 3, 4 and 5? Step 4. Analyze hands. Are players really capable of analyzing hands unemotionally? Online it's possible to view the action of the other tables.