mck4711

I have a full opening, and still I think I would pass. In case pard has a (min)hand with 4522, the bidding goes -lets assume opps are silent - 1♦ 1♥, 2♣ 2♦, and I am fighting for +90, though I am easily down. In case pard has a flat 3433, opps have double fit in M, so they can always outbid me, and I might have pushed them to a positive partscore-result. In case I would have been in overcaller-position, much easier. Now: difficult.

A brag thread? No! At least it was not my intention. In case that it is understood in this way, I feel sorry and I do apologize. We too often experience that we have a "weak" hand, and opps just bid their optimal contract. And we just get another bad result. I think that this hand illustrates in a good way that we can do - sometimes - something with weak hands to make life for opps extremely difficult. Not more, and not less.

OK, first thanks to inquiry who helped me to get through these unbelievable strings :), and I am appreciating the exchange with him if a hand is suitable etc. I really like this idea, and I am convinced that it helps to improve. Anything else upfront? Yes, if I am not mistaken someone else has already posted a play-problem. Nevertheless I hope that is ok that I am continuing in the original fashion. **************************** [hv=pc=n&s=sAQT5hAKT65dcQJT9&w=sh7dc&n=s4hJ42dAQT9cK8742&e=shdc&d=d&v=n&a=PP1HP2CDR2S3HP4DP4HP4NP5DP6CP6HPPP&p=H7]399|300[/hv] You have reached 6♥, opps have bid both once. How do you make your partner with +1430 happy? Please be specific, and careful.

A 6-6.5 loser hand. Absolute minimum for Michael's with unfavourable vulnerability. At IMP I think I would pass. At matchpoint 2♥.

4♣, pard is passed, creating a guessing game for opps.

The end of the story: My judgement was like VM1973, so I stayed in. Pard had JT Jxx T7xx AKxx. ♦-lead, but luckily ♦ split 4-4.

The end of the story: Pard had Jxxx AQT9xx x xx. We went down smoothly 3 doubled. Slam on their side is cold, best one is 7♣. 6♠, carefully played, also possible. My judgment went along the lines of VM1973 that opps have around 30+ points, and slam on their side is likely.

- Pard did not bid 1♥ or 1♠, therefore denying 4 card-major suit. - Pard did not bid 1NT, showing a balanced hand with values - by tendency - in ♥ and ♠, that NT-bid doesnt mean though that pard doesnt have support for ♣ - Pard did raise to 2♣, showing by tendency an unbalanced hand, HCP like 1NT, I expect something like 1345 or 2335, with values rather in minors -> therefore: pass. K of ♥, and K of ♦ seem to be dangerously placed.

non-vul, IMP, SAYC ♠ AKQx ♥ Axx ♦ x ♣ xxxxx U open, opps dont bid: 1♣ - 1♠ 2♠ - 4♥ ? Interested in slam? Ur considerations and call?

all love, IMP, LHO dealer ♠ AKQxxx ♥ AKxx ♦ x ♣ Jx p - p - p - 1♠ p - 1NT - p - 3♥ p - 3NT - p - ? Do u stay in or run to 4♠? Ur considerations and call?

all love, IMP, LHO dealer ♠ Tx ♥ Jxxx ♦ Jxxxx ♣ Jx p - 2♥* - 2NT** - ? * weak 2 ** 21-22, balanced I am weak, ok very weak. The obvious bids are p, 3♥ and 4♥. My choice at the table: 4♥. Aggressive, yes. What are ur considerations, and whats ur call?

3♥ and then you can have the following agreement: - opener 3NT: shows doubleton, after 3NT 4♦ shows 2nd suit and interest in slam - opener accepts transfer: shows 3 cards, again 4♦ is nat and shows interest in slam - opener bids 4x: shows 4 cards in ♠ and 2nd suit; 4♠ if 4333 or 5332 if 5 cards in M possible.

SAYC You have ♠ K7 ♥ KQ987 ♦ AKJ ♣ AT8 I have experienced it now several times that people bid in 2nd seat with this kind of hand (20 HCP, balanced) after 1x opening of RHO with 2NT. This is NOT according to standards. Not SAYC, not Forum-D Plus, and I assume also SEF (but I am not sure). Of course you may have a special agreement with your partner, but this is up to partnership agreement. It seems that people get confused with the 1NT-bid that shows in 2nd seat a balanced hand (16-18 HCP). Why is it wrong? And what should I bid instead? According to standard (SAYC, Forum-D Plus) 2NT in 2nd seat is Unusual NT, and it shows a 2-suiter, ie the 2 lower unbid suits. Meaning if RHO opens 1M then 2NT shows ♣ and ♦, and if RHO opens 1m then 2NT shows the other minor and ♥. And what to bid? X. At first sight this seems to be a "normal" take-out double, but with your next bid you show your strength, usually 17+ HCP. Depending on the bidding of LHO, pard, and RHO you bid accordingly. Eg: 1♦ - X - p - 1♠ p - 1NT, this NT-bid shows now 19-20 HCP, balanced, stopper in RHO-suit, or p - 2♥, this ♥-bid shows now 17+ HCP, 5+ cards in ♥.

I agree: Too strong for 2NT, and with only 1 stopper. With values for game I would cue-bid: 2♥. After 1m opening that does not necessarily show fit, but tells P that I am strong enough for game, but cant describe my hand as this moment in a better way. Especially I am asking for ♥-stopper. In case P doesnt bid NT, I can still ask with 3♥ for a half-stopper. Edited: "♥-stopper" instead of "♠-stopper"

Lebensohl is usually played after p opens and RHO intervenes: 1NT - 2x - 2NT to distinguish between forcing and non-forcing bids. Therefore 3♣ is nat and non-forcing. Other Q then of course: - What would 2NT be? To play, certainly a rare case, but... After 1NT - p - p - 2♦ (♥+♠) p - 2M - 2NT should show ♣+♦ After 1NT - p - p - 2m (nat) p - p - p - 2NT: to play

Hi Uwe, I think that we both agree, but express it differently. - it is a bad suit-quality, ie broken. QJT987 produces 4 tricks, even opposite single or void. If u r aware of that and pard-agreements allow that kind of suit-quality, fine with me. But: In case ur agreement allows this broken suit-quality, then u cant bid a solid suit, and vice-versa - at least u should not IMO. if u do then u make partner guessing. - after a 3♣ preempt is it in general much easier to enter the auction than after 3♠ - void: where are the 13 cards? I dont say u are not entitled to bid, but u should be "alerted", and quite often it might be that u have a better play in another colour - yes, pass and I get 0, if I enter -50 or -100 are the expected result, it seems that opps missed somewhere to go for +110. A HAPPY pass! Best, Markus

7 of ur HCP are of dubious value (♥, ♦, ♣), and if RHO has a real 1♠ bid there is not much left for pard... 2♠ at MP 2♠ at IMP, but I am not too optimistic, and -2 possible In case that RHO should have psyched then pard should know realize this after ur nat 2♠ and act accordingly 3♠ risks too much

Michael, you are so sensitive... :) Yes, It actually happened as described. As mentioned in "Preempts 1" these are real-life examples. Edited: "sensitive" instead of "sensible"

IMP, non-vul, SAYC P in 4th seat has: ♠ - ♥ Kxx ♦ QTxx ♣ K987xx Is this hand worth a 3♣-bid? IMO: No! What else to bid? - Pass. This hand has quite a lot of minuses, ie - not enough playing tricks, let's say 3 - 4. AQT9 is behind, always :). - void, here in ♠, it is usually not that good if your hand has a void if you make a preempt-bid - the effect of the preempt is not that big, the entire 3-level is still available; compare with a 3♠-bid: here the opponents have to bid on level 4 - the game is IMP, what part-score do opponents have? maybe 2♥ or 2♠, who knows? what is our score? on a lucky day partner has the perfect dummy, and 3♣ makes, but usually not, so after a hard battle 3♣-1 or -2 Having said that: With a "Pass" with this hand in this situation you gain more than you lose, at least in the long run. Edited: "lose" instead of "loose"

IMP, non, vul, SAYC, RHO dealer and opens You have ♠ KT9xxx ♥ Q ♦ - ♣ QJ98xx RHO bids 1♦ So, here we go: Michael's Cuebid (2♦) shows 5-5 in majors, Unusual 2NT shows the 2 lower ranking unbid suits, ie ♣ and ♥ (5-5), according to standard-SAYC. Maybe a simple ♠-overcall, and maybe I can bid later ♣, or just pass? What are your considerations and what is your call?

IMP, vul, SAYC, I am dealer ♠ Jx ♥ - ♦ AKQ87xx ♣ AKxx 2 possible biddings (I chose first one), but both lead to the same question, opps dont bid: 1) 1♦ - 1♥ 3♣ - 3♥ ? Your considerations and call? 2) 2♣ - 2♥ 3♦ - 3♥ ? Your considerations and call?

IMP, all love, P in first seat ♠AKxxxx ♥x ♦x ♣Axxxx 3♠? My opinion: No! This hand has more minuses than pluses, i.e. - 6 cards with no intermediates, KQJT98 is "weaker", but produces 5 tricks, even opposite single 5 playing tricks, 4 in ♠ and 1 in ♣, should be 6 (law of 2, 3, and 4); fair assumption that one opponent has 4 cards in ♠ bad distribution, it might be that this hand is better played in ♣ than in ♠ too strong, with A, A, and K and a 6-5 distribution this hand is simply is strong for a 3♠-preempt. The rule of 20 is easily fulfilled. And you have after any bid by your partner a reasonable answer: 2♣ or 2♠ (if 1NT), or 2♠ (if 2♦ or 2♥). In case partner should answer 2♣ or shows support for ♠, then this hand becomes quite interesting. Law of 2, 3, 4: At bad vul, ur hand should be 2 tricks short, at equal 3, and at good 4. Here: U should have 6 playing tricks, but u have only 5. If we change the set-up a bit then it might look different: In 3rd seat I think this hand is a possible 3S bid. You don't preempt partner anymore, and you make life extremely difficult for the opponents. For me borderline between 1♠ and 3♠. in 4th seat I think this hand is a good 2S bid. In forth seat you can't preempt anybody anymore, so this bid describes well your hand: 6S-cards and minimum. Still distribution bothers a bit.

Sometimes I am really challenged. Mistakes that nobody of us would (of course) do - never. Nevertheless, there are some areas where someone might get stuck, e.g. preempts. My idea is to write about things that struck me, real-life examples I experienced. I am turning the table around that usually someone is asking: what to do here? what to bid there? meaning of this or that? But no worries, no "textbook" :). In case you like it: Fine, I am happy. And maybe it can help solve the one or other unclear situation. In case you don't like it. No, thank you, we don't want to get answers on unasked questions: No problem, please say so, and I am going to stop. Markus PS and a word of warning: Are there standard bids for all kind of situations? No! You have a lot of borderline situations, and you have individual styles, individual partnership agreements, special situations during a team-match etc. I am trying to catch a "broad" opinion, but that doesn't mean that you or a third player agrees on that. It is reflecting my opinion. ***************************** IMP, all love, SAYC, dealer starts with preempt the following bidding, opps are silent: 3♠ - 4♠ 4NT - 5♦ 5♠ - p something is wrong? yes, something IS wrong! what? Opener started with a 3♠-bid, showing usually 7 cards in ♠; and HCP in the range of 5-10, depending on style and partnership-agreement. Important: Once he has made this bid, he is fixed. Responder can raise with a lot of hands to 4♠. He can have a strong hand and is of the opinion that 4♠ is a possible game. Or he can have a weak hand, then the raise shall put even more pressure on the opponents. Having said this, OPENER CANNOT start slam-bidding, e.g. asking for aces after p's raise to 4♠. The only one who CAN investigate if slam is possible that is: RESPONDER.

lets give it a try. you find more info re me in this forum, especially at "Looking for BBO-Partner".

regardless if you have now 5602 or 6502 hand, i suppose the bidding went like: 3♣ - X - p - 3♠ p - 4♣ with x (you) and 3♠ (by partner) you have "agreed" on a fit, though you havent never mentioned ♠, but with your X you indicated that you might have ♠. now cue-bidding (4♣) confirms ♠, shows 1st or 2nd round control (up to agreement) and shows interest in slam. with ♥K the next bid is 4♥. Now you know enough for bidding 7♠. I forgot (edited): In case you have agreed on 1st round controls then the bidding would go, starting with 3♣: X - 3♠ 4♣ - 4♠, 4C: 1st round control, 4S: nothing else 5♣ - 5♥, 5C: 2nd round control, 5H: 2nd round control 7♠, thx-all i needed important here: for you the ♥K is more important than the ♦A, therefore cuebidding makes more sense than Blackwood