bigbenvic

I dislike intensely the suggestion that you change your bid because partner hesitated over 4♠ If your plan is to bid 3♥ or 4♥ and bid ♣ over any competition then by acknowledging the hesitation and changing your action to pass aren't you guilty of breaking the rule you are afraid you will be accused of if you bid now? So If I wanted to cheat as your partner, I could hesitate before passing to "tell" or "stop" you from bidding on, which is what the rules are in place to stop.

What's partner looking for? a 7th spade is nice and might be our 12th trick but often he's looking at stopping them getting to 2 before that. He knows I have a shortage, what did 5d ask (or show)? My gut feel is that he's holding AK of trumps and is looking for an outside card in the right spot to go with the singleton. I don't have one so will take the action that shuts him down the most at this point.

IMO the issue here is that East made a lazy bid of 5♦ when he had a much more inclusive bid of 4♥ to make, given he has decided not to pass 4♦! I think I would bid 2♥ after the 1♦ response, it show a big hand and a good suit. I'd love for it to show a Diamond fit (but that is not practical) but I may be able to bid Diamonds later in the auction and partner might work out my 6-4 shape. The benefit I see here in 2♥ is that it takes away space from south who may not butt in with his spade suit now, at least I've made it harder for them than 1♥ does. What would 4♥ be after 1♦? One bid should set Hearts as trumps (2♥, 3♥ or 4♥) and if that's 3♥ maybe 4 could be this type of hand?

Ten 4th is a stopper right? at the table I'd try 1NT and then I'd redouble for rescue if they x. At imps I think I bid 1 spade.

This is a rock of a 15 count, I'm backing in for sure, would 2H show just a 4-5 or would it suggest more shape than I have?

At this Vul I would open 1♠ if red I would open 2♦ (4+4+ H+S) I also think I must be out of step with everyone as my bidding would (sadly) go 1S 2D 2H 3C* 4SF as 2/1 isn't a GF for me 3S* showing the 6th spade with the plan to pull 3NT to 4H to show the 6-5 and play in 1 of my suits. At this point as responder I now hate life, bid 3nt on a 0265, bid a 6-0 fit a 4-2 fit or try for 1 of my suits? Clubs is an awful suit to bid but stands a better chance to find the right spot than diamonds as I must be 1165 or worse here to not bid 3nt. Only issue is if partner thinks we are slam hunting! 4C 4H P and prey we aren't too high. It seems weird but maybe passing in first seat and biding my time is the best move as I have both majors and a 10 count. I'd never think of it at the table but I wonder...

This is a tough one, we have half the deck, partners cards are sitting over openers, the hand looks a misfit and they are at the 4 level. I want to double and I think I will but I will be preparing an apology in my head before dummy tracks. And usually that is a sign that I probably should pass!

I may be a wimp but I'm passing. It's close but AK in clubs and Q 4th in both majors doesn't seem enough to want to re-enter the auction with a 15 count. I assume your NT is 15-17 (or 18) and so I'm a minimum, soft values in our likely trump suit. Yes the shape is right for a double but I've had these hands end up in 3Maj X -1 or 2 and IMP's lost many more times than I've had it go X all pass and Imps for us, or any of the other positive things that could occur. Edit I should also note that I usually put emphasis on the short suit straining to re-open and I do only have 2 diamonds which is what makes this close to a bid and I would not be unhappy with a partner who chose X.

I would pass but it's very close, 1♠ being my second choice.

However his partner jumped to 6♣ which is a red flag and at best he has xx in hearts. The jump is so extreme that I would be expecting something closer to AQx xx AQ AKJxxx as you are using up a lot of space and when you do that in a non competitive auction you should reserve it for a narrow range of hand types, here it should be 6 card suit and no tolerance (Jx or worse though you have the J so xx at best) for the primary suit, though 3 in the second suit is possible. I agree RHM in hindsight 3nt would be the much better rebid after 1♣-1♥ but I tend to use that as a solid suit AKQxxx or better as you are saying I have good points and a running suit (even though it doesn't always run!) on this hand if I have to fib that's a much better one. 6H on AQJxx might be fine if you know he has the K♥ but unless you are coughing, board tilting or other then I think it's a wrong bid in this auction.

The 6-1 break is unlucky but 6H seems a poor bid to me, 6c had to be a choice between clubs and NT surely? AQJxx is 1 heart short for me to suggest that slam. I would just bid 6nt over 6♣ as if partner had any interest in my suits he wouldn't jump like that. I think I'd rather open 1♣ and bid 2nt even if 18-19, I loathe reversing into a 3 card suit, I am all for bidding a lower minor with 3 to solve hard hands though. Over 2nt he is now in charge as my hand is limited, so 3♦ allows me to deny a heart fit a diamond fit and 6nt seems any easy spot to get to now. I don't mind 2nt as an opener on that shape with a stiff king, but understand why many don't.

X and I like to have an agreement where 4nt is to play after any suit bid by partner. If I want to slam try I have to bid 4♠ which is a slam try in whatever his second bid was. Not sure I am strong enough but the x and bid 4nt shows better than a direct 3nt bid so a balanced 15-17 type hand, 16-18 if we open 11 counts with 5 card suits.

Could 4♣ just be a strong 5-5? I am bidding 4♥ to show the 6th Heart and since I am bidding again after 2NT then I am very strong, If I was intermediate I'd overcall, and if I was weak I'd 2NT and pass. I think I'm bidding 5♦ over 4♠ but only as I have both red JT's. It's close to a pass over 4♠ as I am not sure anyone is making. Without the JT's I think it's more likely we could be facing the situation where both sides are past the last making contract but I need so little from pards on this hand that I would bid again, I suspect 5♦ has a better chance than 5♥ too.

Lol, I'll try the 2 again :-) Sorry I was so busy working on the maths that I totally overlooked that tiny little flaw. A cunning plan Baldric.......

There's also the 1 case of stiff Q offside, where you can finesse the ten (1/12 of .15 = 1.25%) and the 4-2 breaks where the Q falls doubleton, (10 of the 30 4-2 combo's or 1/3 of 48%, which is 16% plus half the other ones (48-16=32 halved is 16%) which gets me to 36 + 1.25 + 16 + 20 = 73.25% There's about a 0.5% of the K♠ being stiff, which takes us to 73.75% which is almost 74% Edit: I edited this as I originally only had 5 of the 30 4-2 combo's but given either hand can have Qx it should be 10 of the 30 combo's.