bigbenvic

With me 4♦ is non forcing. I'm a minimum opening, have bid over 2♠ which shows extras which in this case is my concentrated values and 5-5. I've the right shape for going on but I reckon I've already bid my hand with 3♣ so sadly I would pass. With Norths hand I would like to bid 3♥ after 1♠ to show my good suit and a diamond fit. Prefer to be 5-5 but I have 10 red cards so. If they don't bid 4♠ before my next go I can sneak a 4♥ bid in to show the extra card. I'm happy to be in 5♦ with this hand, have 2 major losers so just need to bring trumps home and avoid a ruff somewhere!

My choices were between pass and support later, bid 2♠ and if I can 3♠ next round, or to punt 3♠ now. I don't have 4♠ as an option for the reasons bftboy says. I decided on 3♠ now, I like 2♦ fnj or 3♦ as a fit jump but usually it's done as lead direction (as well as allowing partner know how high to go) and I have a terrible suit and pre-emption is what I needed. I love the discussion of 1nt by Ken & others it's good stuff. Ken, what do you say in the Alert? Do you have a comprehensive set of system notes, is it in there? Does your partner also bid 1nt here with these type of hands? If not I worry about the legalities of having something that only 1 player does. If you both do it I may not agree on it (the methods not your logic of them) but if alerted and explained properly I don't think it's an issue.

Imps or Pairs? If Imps I'm just winning and drawing trumps, playing K♠ and if necessary ♠ to the T. I'll probably lose 2 ♠ and the Ace of ♣. There's not a lot of points left for an opener and a response that isn't destructive so they East probably has a lot of shape to go with his bid. Maybe there's a ruff on the horizon that I don't see (stiff ♥) and using the Q as an entry to hook ♠ could be fatal, so could giving W a 2nd chance to lead ♥ before he wins the A♠, give east something like xx x Q9xxxx JTxx.

Edit sorry i'm tired, removed rubbish post! I wouldn't balance with west's hand which is why East has to act now. If no leaping michaels I'd have to bid 3♣ and hope to get ♥ in later.

If you play 4♥ after the splinter as a cue then you have to find another bid, IMO possible instead of 4♦ but if you do bid 4♦ then you have to kick with the North hand. Maybe just Pretty sure I'd use a gadget to ask partners shape*, upon hearing 3343 I'd bid 3♠ to set trumps which invite cues hear the ♣A and roll out RCKB find 2 aces and 1 king & no Q♠and bid 6♠. *The gadget is a transfer to ♥ followed by 2♠ to ask shape, pards bids 2nt with 4333 - 3c asks which suit, or the lowest of suits with 44 - again next suit up asks, if he has 5♣ or 5♦ then he bids 3♠ or 3nt. It means you don't open 5-Majors 1nt which is a little drawback and with a maximum and good ♥ you superaccept the transfer as if you are responding to 2♠. It has downsides but I like it as it can find a pushy minor slam and allows 3nt as a spot to play when you are mirrored, which though rare does make you smile when it happens for a good score.

Can you make it if the overcaller has the ♣A? I can't see a layout that makes with good defence except playing him for a stiff ♥K and not the ♦K. The ♠T looks like a suit preference to me but he might be just showing how solid his suit is. So who do I believe? Tough hand.

Not that necessarily lead one at the table but ♥ could be right. Partner rates to have some ♠, some ♣ and lots of Diamonds, given that we have only 1 ♠ and 2 ♣ he could be very short in ♥. Maybe the lead of the lowest ♥ (suit preference) gets a ruff, a ♣ and another ruff. Or maybe natural trump trick, club and a second round ruff!

Clear double as the first bid, I double again, hey maybe partner wants a piece of 3♠ I've nice pointy cards for that. If I bid 3d I pass now, I'd never expect 4♥ in the hand if you overcalled then doubled, more like a 1363 and good pointy cards giving partner a chance at penalty passing, or punting 3nt with a spade stopped and a useful diamond holding.

Pass as well for me. I'll hold my breath but pass if he X too.

I'm bidding 3♠ now, I don't like passing and bidding 3, nor bidding 4 over partners reopening X or bid. That punishes him for doing it on hands with the right shapes but minimum points. Agree R/W 3rd seats shouldn't be that weak, 10 count good with a good suit about the worst he should have.

3S for me but only as MY partner can be fairly weak for this bid, including having only 5♠ and I am a 4333. If playing more conventional (normal?) weak 2's I would probably bid 4 at imps and though I think 3 is fine at pairs, at the table I'd probably bid 4 as well.

That's a definately a maximum, maybe just a fraction too strong? Not sure. At that vul I can't fault 2♥ but I'd be tempted to overcall 1♥. change my shape to a 6322 and I will jump to 2 for sure. I hear what you a saying JLOGIC, re buying it in 2♥ but I rarely see auctions like this go swish. So my expectation of buying 2♥ is low, yes being X and going a number in 3 is unlikely but when the conditions are right for them (getting club ruffs and having AQ over the K of ♦ etc) going slow gives them a better chance to wield the axe. Passing has benefits, they might try a 4-3 spade fit, yes please! You might buy it in 2 or the might do other crazy things (like X for penalties!) I just like the style of jamming the auctions and applying pressure on the opponents every chance I get. This is one of those auctions I like to take away their room on with a range of hands from long trumps weak values to near invitational and as little as 2 trumps.

I think I bid 3♥ straight away, I want to make it difficult for them to judge the hand, can I enduce an overbid from them? Maybe they'll try 3nt or 4♣ maybe I get to X them! If i pass the first time I'm passing again, it's offering your head to them if/when they are right to take it and good opponents don't need much room. If you pass and then bid 3♥ you should IMO bid it the first time, it will save you in the long run.

No, was just starting my post with the question I try to ask when I am in defense, in this case where are the 4 tricks coming from to beat this contract of 4♥. Was in no way reflecting on your post, I agree if pards has 5 he has to cash the second, so as he didn't I've dismissed it for the purpose of my post. The ♦ switch would be a terrible one as you rightly pointed out, if he had only 5♣

where are our 4 tricks coming from? We have 2 minor suit tops, partner should heave either the A or K of ♠ or the A♥ for his bid. The K♠ is no good for us so he doesn't have it (if he does the ontract is cold!) If he has the A♠ then it looks cold too, unless pards has the Q♥ which makes East KTxxx(x) Axxx xx(x) x which makes that highly unlikely. So pards has to have the A♥ and as such I'm letting the K♦ win playing the 5. Maybe when in dummy, declarer will play a ♥ to the Q. My partner could have ♦ length and be playing for me to have A♥ and xx♦ so I fly the Ace and lead a ♦ and score a ruff. If I play the 5♦ it might look like I hold 3, so the ruff isn't on and he tries a trump, partner wins and hopefully the diamond trick doesn't go away!

Same, I expect the overcaller to be a bit shapey say eg 6-4, but 500 (surely we can get at least that) rates to be a good score.

Rarely come across a weak only multi (except 4+4+ Majors) 2♦ other than wk either Major. Does it have any other options? ie 3 suited weak 2 suited wk, minor pre-empt? If its just weak either major I use x=16+ unbal (or 21+bal) 2nt as 15-18 Bal and 2 major natural good suit overcall (12+ points but stress good suit) Also use leaping Michaels. 3c/d would be Nat almost always a 6 card suit (good quality) and circa 13-15 points So here it's an easy x, I don't like using 2nt here as pards can mistake my hand for Balanced, maybe he bids 6♦ and now what do you do? Pass (and do something next round if there is one) is my second option but I don't like it much.

♣ I'll assume 5224. If 4234 then auction very different! 1c-1nt 3nt all pass! That hand doesn't look like a 2nt hand to me. It's got a 2 good suits and xx & Ax in the others. Looks like a suit based hand to me, why open 2nt? I'm happy to open that 1♠ and take the risk of it being passed in (in which case 2nt is probably being passed in too) so as to be able to investigate a better spot. Reckon I'm in 6♠ but maybe it goes - 1♠ 2nt* (10-12fit or 16+ fit) 3♣ (LST opp 10-12) 4♣ (4card ♣ support forcing to 4♠) 4nt (key card spades) 5♦ (whichever shows 1, I use 0314) 5♥ (Q♠ ask) 6♥ (Q♠+K♥) 7♣ to play!

Totally agree, too many people focus just on points. I'd prefer to have better diamonds but I've been dealt a 7-5 and the opposition (so far) are silent so this is what I'm doing. So after 2d and 3d over the assumed 4th suit forcing (to game) from pards, that should show 6-5 and maybe if I rip 3nt (or 3 of a Major) to 4♣ I'll show the 12th card in my hand. Since my void is in his best suit I'm not concerned that he has 6 or 7 of them as I have AKQ to seven of my own. My question would be after if after 3♦ it goes 3♥ 4♣ 4♠ (you showing the 7th ♣ him 6+5+ majors) is 4nt to play? maybe showing a 0157 shape/

Hard to bid 2♣ as they've already bid 2♦. 6♠ is a good punt but I want to get Pards help if I can. Does 3♦ set ♥? If it could be a general forcing bid, I want to bid that and then 5♠. With a pick up partner I think 6♠ is a reasonable punt and it shouldn't be confusing. I reckon I'm 1 off (just a feeling) but JT of clubs is all it needs so I'll have a crack.

Call me crazy (cos I am) but I want to punt 3nt here. The Ajx should be 2 stoppers, and 9 tricks is easier than 10.

I'm bidding 5♠ I have 0 defence to 5♦ - I'll get the 'sorry pards if you have it beat in your hand and we're not making' ready, just in case. I have somewhere between 4&5 losers, would need to have a firm understanding about what pass and rip the X to 5♠ shows. I would have bid 3♣ after pards bid 2H with the intent of bidding them again and again if I can! if pards has the right 11 count with as little as Tx in ♠ slam would be a fair chance. 2♠ won't ever find it IMO (yeah I know 1% chance but it could happen) Bidding ♣ also gives him some chance to compete the hand better- it gives the enemy a clue to but only partner KNOWS if we have a double fit, the opps are guessing!

I pass too and then totally agree withe the above. The x and pulling 2♣ to 2♥ should expose the psych that I hope is afoot.

The problem with pre-empting 4♥ here (3 is not a pre-empt you arren't stealing much room) is that both of them have bid and one of them has described his hand fairly well (his 2nt is 10-12 Balancedno 4 card Major) you are not therefore not given South much of a problem, he should know what to do, X bid Game, look for Slam - stiff A♥ would be a huge card in a 3154 or shapier hand! If the 2nt bidder is aggressive, maybe they'll overbid and get to a bad spot! Also your suit is terrible KJ empty into 2 10+ hands brrrr. In first seat easy bid, here all you are doing is giving good players the opportunity of getting better scores, save your ammo for a better time.

4♥ if it'll show ♠ and a minor 3♠ if it doesn't.