Chamaco

Hehe, probably that I was dreaming the same, except that in my dreams all kibs thought *I* was being the idiot :huh: :P ------- Uh oh, sorry, that's too close to reality to be a plausible dream ;)

I like Serious (or frivolous) 3NT a lot, when major fit is found. Sacrificing the chance to play 3NT as natural signoff is more than cunterbalanced by the possibility of showing a cue denying a good hand so that pard will be warned before taking off. So I like it even after opps competition: actually, I think it is much easier to remember an agreement if it ALWAYS apply, even in competition... On the other hand, I think much more issues might be raised for LTTC. While serious 3NT is relativley easy for anyone, LTTC is much more complex because the message can be different for each sequence. I like LTTC and I voted for its adoption, but in my opinion the whole thread should be centered much more on LTTC and the gadgets associated to it(rather than on serious 3NT), e.g.: - "Lackwood"? - what would then be the meaning of non-jump new suit at 5-level ? EKB or cue ? If cue, what does it promise ? - etc etc....

The full hand was: [hv=d=s&v= &n=saxhjtxxdtxxcqxxx&w=sxhq96daj953ck753&e=sxxxxhakxdkqxxcax&s=skqjxxxhxxxdxcjxx]399|300|Scoring: MP[/hv] EW have a good slam in diamonds. East made a takeout double a little offshape but right on honors concentration After East denied stopper with 4D, West raised to 5D only. I wonder whether using the "fast 3NT denies stopper" version of Lebensohl (or its alternative version = slow denies) would have helped here.

Count losers, not hcp. For one suiters, you could adapt the requirements from your weak-2 style. A decent agrement for 2 suiters is the following: none vuln: 7-losers KQTxx-x-QJ9x-xxx QJTxx-x-QJ9xx-xx favourable vuln: 8 losers QJTxx-x-QJ9x-xxx JT9xx-x-QJ9xx-xx At favourable, Matchpoints, it may payoff to relax the requirements to allow for higher frequency of overcalls (e.g. bidding 44 2-suiters). At IMPS a little more discipline should payoff. all vuln : 6.5-6 losers KQTxx-x-KQJx-xxx QJTxx-x-KJTxx-xx unfavorable vuln: 5.5 losers KQTxx-x-KQJxx-xx QJTxxx-x-KQTxx-x

I count 13 likely tricks if spades break, and even if they do not there may still be quite good chances (pick Jxxx or squeeze possibilities). I bid 7NT. It should be even safer than 7S if spades are stacked.

I would like to know what is the implication of 4D in terms of clubs control. Superficially, to my intermediate understanding, it seems to me that the 4D bid should specifically promise or deny a control in clubs besides promising solid diamonds. Pard should be allowed to signoff if he "sees" clubs unstopped.

My personal idea of 4C is to set explicitly trump before asking keycards :-) I do not think it's obvious that 4NT is RKCB for last suit bid, at least not everynody plays that way. So I use a setting-trump bid followed by keycard ask. If 4NT were *FOR SURE* RKCB in last suit, then I might bid it right away. Yes I know not very elegant but practical :blink:

Does it promise/deny club control ? responder might hold AK of spades but be worried of side controls, no? I agree that in this specific hand it probably does not matter (I guess opener will rebid ebven if responder signs off in 4S), but in other hands, it seems to me that it might be important to have specific agreements on whether 4D shows/denies club control...

3C forcing.

Yes, that's the "CRASH" scheme they teach to italian beginners for 2C opening (you 'll find it named as "CRODO" in italian profiles).

If you play 2/1 absolute GF and 1NT is nonforcing, what do you bid with: x-AKxxx-QJx-Jxxx when pard opens 1 spades (10-15) ? I suppose noone will suggest using 3 hearts as inv JS with this hand , and 2H is not an option (absolute GF). Then one needs a more complcated structure than plain 2/1, a little like ETM full 2/1. Some time ago, I asked whether it could make sense a 2-way Jumpshift as showing EITHER a natural strong JS OR a fitshowing JS. The only person that seemed interested was Ben (inquiry), but in any case I had no chance to give it a try so far...

Or if you use it as weak! Right, the meaning of 1S followed by 2S can be switched

The case of 1M opener and precision 1D opener are different. When you open 1D, you do not have available 2/1 GF, so a jumpshift to 2M can be quite useful to set trumps. When you have a slammish single suiter in a major and pard opens 1D in precision, you want to set the trump suit ASAP, frcing pard to accept that suit as trumps even if he holds a void (this will rarely happen if you start with a 1M response and bid slowly:pard will always refuse your long strong suit, since he is always short there) If you start with 1M, you need a tool to set the trump suit as GF BELOW game (4th suit forcing is horrible for that). So, if you do not use the strong jumpshift, you are almost forced to use 1D-1M-2C/D-3M as GF with selfsufficient suit (the strong JS-type hand) and not as invitational (as I said, using 4sf here is almost always a losing option). This treatment is ok if you use the immediate jumpshift as invitational.

Other better players than me will for sure describe the pros and cons of defenses vs weak and strong NT. But I am really looking forward to their opinion of what's best vs 14-16 NT: will you use a defense that allows constructive bidding (as is common vs weak NT, e.g 10-12, 12-14 or 13-15) or a disruptive defense (as is mostly played vs strong NT) ?

I like 3C, with less outside wastage I'd have bid 4 clubs (5 if the hand had a singleton somewhere). With outside values, I guess 3C is fine. ----------------------- Pard double is for penalty. It makes no sense to use takeout doubles opposite a partner who preempted. No reasons to pull, since we also offer more defensive tricks than he expects.

One of my previous signatures was: "Bridge is like dance: technique is important, but what really matters is not to step on partner's feet". I did not intend this as a joke. I really think being optimal bridge partners depends first and foremost on "chemistry": - sharing a compatible attitude on how to tackle the difficulties of tough bidding and play situations; - face the setbacks and success with an attitude that lets us enjoy the game, whether we win or lose. This means that the hours we play at the table will not be a way to pump up our ego, but, above all, some time to enjoy with a person we like. The above are a general statement: I will add specifically for my case, that I love to be able to play with a pard that likes to workout on the details (e.g. is not scared of building a system with specific nuances).

Furter question to all the posters (and the others). Since we play Lebensohl, West could respond to to pard takeout double with a direct 3NT which means "I have values for 3NT but no stopper and no interest in a major" (bidding 3NT going via 2NT Leb would show the same hand + stopper). Was this perhaps the best bid in your opinion ?

Matchpoints, EW vulnerable. South deals and opens 2♦ Multi, alerted as weak 2 in a major or 21-22 balanced. You hold 8-Q96-AJ953-K753 You did not agree on Multi vs Multi nor granovetter defense nor anything fancy, so you pass. Bidding goes: S.....W.....N.....E (2D)-p-(2S*)-Double (p)-3S**-(p)-4D (p)-? (*)2S shows a hand that can stand 3H rebid, and might still bid games in heart. If opener has spades, he is expected to pass. (**) Stop ask. Do you agree with this bid ? The alternative could be 3 diamonds, which is indeed invitational (since we play Lebensohl) , but is nonforcing and shows about a good 7 to a poor 9 count. Since pard promises a good hand for this double (e.g. a minimum opener with 12 hcp would not double unless great shape), our hand is game force. Additional info: we do play leaping michaels, so double by pard can also come from a minor-based single suiter. Finally, when pard denied spade stop, what do you bid over 4D ?

I like a trump lead. But as an alternative I like hearts. We are not likely to be on lead very often, and if I had to choose which suit to lead through dummy I'd guess hearts. If playing hearts I would not play a low one, but unblock by playing the J.

No, 3C = 4th suit forcing does not necessarily promise 5+ spades. Sure, many times it will, but it might come as well from a GF balanced hand with only 4 spades, without clubs stopper.

After 1H:1S:2D:? 3S = invitational, NF 2S = weak NF, less than invitational The forcing single suiter woul be 1H:2S.

Happy Birthday Wayne !!! (But please, give us back your old "clown-juggler" avatar pic!!!! ;) )

Matchpoints, nobody vulnerable You are North, holding: AKQ62-97-K86-JT5 South (pard) deals and opens 1H, and bidding uncontested, goes: 1H-1S 2D-3C 3D-? What do you bid here ? The response should comply with the following agreements with partner: we play 5 card majors with 2D opening = Multi, and 2H and 2S are natural, strong semiforcing openings (1R force) including about 18-21 single suiters or 2 suiters. That means that pard has shown a weak 55 (a good 55 would have jumped to 3D, and a really strong 55 would have opened a semiforcing 2H).

There are dealer programs that allow you to do that. Basically you deal random hands with specific constraints in terms of hcp, shape, etc etc, and then you bid both hands (or all 4 hands). There are commercial programs that can do that, which embody lots of god features. One of such programs is "Dealmaster", I think you can purchase it from Bridgebase. But, there are also free programs that allow you to set most constraints. These programs are free, but the interface and ease of use is more complicated. One of such programs is "DEALER".

I do nt know whether it is "standard practice", but if I have AKxxx or longer suit and nothing else, I start with a positive response, even if that is supposed to show 8+ hcp. So a 1D response denies any suit headed with AK. ------------------------------------------------------------ A useful agreement might be a good-bad 2NT here, so that we can discriminate whether pard has really something; however, as it is, I do not see a likely 3NT. I think I am going to pass 3C.