bigbenvic

Does X show spades? If it would have I'd x planning on bidding 6♦ on my next bid as I wouldn't expect a 6♥ response from RHO! If not then I bid 6♦ and even though I like the thought process of Trinidad, I'm still bidding 6♠ over 6♥ as I might not get a club lead as opener will be on lead and may try to take their heart trick and I may be able to find a way to make when RHO has the A♣ and the trump Queen.

I think 7♣ is a bad call. You've agreed trumps, signed off in slam and when the opponents have sacrificed decided to be pushed to the grand. At This point, you don't know if your slam was making, you don't know if your making grand but you can be very sure they are not making 6♠ Just double and take the plus, if they've found a good sacrifice, congratulate them and move on. Effectively they've guessed with 6♠ and even if the forcing pass shows first round control, you just don't have enough info to reliably bid the grand.

I'd be disappointed with myself if I cashed AK ♠ and failed to give my partner an uppercut, or protect his Jxxx from being finessed twice if they ruff with the K. Otherwise cute.

Can you also ruff a spade after to get a full count on that suit? you have 4 entries to dummy, assuming you get the clubs right. You'll know who has the 1 trump, and a full count on ♠ so the picture of the hand should be complete and you can decide if ♥ are worse than 5-2 or if North has both the majors covered then you can squeeze him till he gives up.

I would only ever bid 4♠ if we played Fit Non Jumps. Otherwise 5♦ for me.

Yep, I bid 4♠ too. The x at my next bid is to show pards that I have a real hand eg 3 or 4 loses and also I have some tolerance for defending.

How often will you want to play in a new suit at the 5level in an auction like this? How often will you have a hand that fits and wants to show a slam try with a 1 loser or better sidesuit? These aren't retorical, I don't know. With 1 partner we use new suits as ongoing agreeing openers suit and showing 9 cards in the 2 suits with the suit bid being a 1 loser or better suit. North now knows his Q♦ is a really good card, we'd bid 5nt, showing all 1st round controls and looking for maybe a GS South can now bid 6♣ to show the King. North knows they now have solid red suits and the AK of clubs, at least 12 tricks is available and I think some smart players can extrapalate that 7♦ will provide 13 tricks when south is 4/5 or 3/6 in the reds but maybe only 12 in hearts if he's 4/5 with only 1 spade. I don't know if I can say that I'd bid 7♦ though, I suspect I'd bid 6♦ to ask if partner had anymore to say, in his shoes I'd bid the grand as I've a singleton ♠ opposite the ace (whoops) and would expect that he can ruff 1 for the extra trick. 7h -1 and probably 30 minutes of system chat after the session :-)

I will pass first time, I'd consider opening a wk minors but the concentration of values is too rich. I would pass again as partner may not have much and -420 is better than 500 or 800 which seems possible. If I knew my opponents and thought that they were 50% chance to bid 5♠ then I'd bid on but against randoms I'll pass.

I agree with this he's inviting game but not forcing, how else do you invite game and compete to 3h) He could have bid 3c, but maybe game relies on you having a double fit and so mentioning his 5 card suit along the way helps you co-operate. It also puts you in a good spot when they keep bidding clubs. You'll know if you should bid on or double if they bid again.

Is partner forced to bid 3♠ with every opening hand that has 3 spades? Would you accept a pass if he held a frisky 11 count with what appears to be non working heart card/s? Why would you pass 4♥ as west though? Partner opened 1♣ supported your spades and you have a stiff ♥ and the A♣, plus The K♦ is another good card. 3♥ looks like a pre-emptive raise so if partner is missing the AQ it is highly likely that righty (south) has the Ace as he overcalled. Pards either has a wk NT hand or he has an unbalanced hand of some kind with 8+ black cards - so we'd have a double fit. We could have a double fit v the wk NT hand too. Passing isn't forcing here (IMO) so we could be selling out, I am so much better than I could be for a 1♠ bid, yes my trumps are poor but everything else about the hand says to me bid the game.

For me west 100% he's been very reluctant to bid game and I'm not sure why? He has a 10 count 4 trumps and a void in openers suit opposite partners 1 level overcall. I'm not sure why he's bidding 3♣ I'd bid 4♦ (1 loser suit 9+ cards in ♠+♦ with at least 3♠) this is both lead directional (if we whack 5♣) and allowing partner to compete on if we have a good doublefit (ie when the Law gets higher) Having bid 3♣ I'd still bid over 3NT 4♠ is probably the simplest but if 4♦ would show a suit having already agreed ♠ ... Probably too confusing so I'd probably just bid game.

West should bid 4♠ IMO, he has a 9 count plus a stiff ♥ which should be game opposite enough opening hands tha can bid 3♠ to make it worthwhile.

I open 1♠, swap the ♠ & ♥ around and I'd be tempted to open 4.

I would bid 7nt. They'll know I have both red aces and if they have lots of the pips they may choose a passive lead so as not to give away anything hoping that the side suits are breaking badly and that my 13th trick disappears. Yes they could lead a ♣ but I think in 7♠ a club lead is slightly higher than 7NT. Also it picks up an imp when right ,and avoids the tiny chance of a club ruff at trick 1. Edit I do like gnashers reason for 7♠ though and wish I'd have thought of that.

Then I wouldn't splinter! I'd just bid 1♠, hey a 4-4 fit might play better than the 5-4 one! But I also get more room to find out about partners hand. Another way there - 1h 1s 2c 2d* (4th suit GF) 2s 3h** (set trumps not a cue) 4c 4d 4h 4nt If 5c is 0 or 3 then 5c 5d+ (You have Q♥) 6d++ 6h (Yes + 2nd ♦ control ie no K♠ or K♣) If 5d is 0 or 3 then I think you have a tough choice, he's 3514 with 3 keycards, A♣ A♦ & either A or K♥ and enough to cue over 3♥ so not a washout. I'd bid it but with fingers crossed.

Playing 4 card suit openings it could go 1h -1nt 2d* 3d** * 1 round force **8-10 4+D (we use 2♠ as a wk bid with ♦) If 5c is a splinter looking for 6 south has the goods IMO. However if it's voidwood you play then North has to bid 4♦ to get south to cue, over 4♥ North can then wheel out keycard, hearing 1 he bids 6♦.

Not only am I bidding 4♣ but I reckon I'm kicking again if he signs off in 4♥.

I don't disagree with his last post :-)

Oh to be 24 again :-(

I shouldn't have said negative double, was a poor use of the term. I should have said that I play it as a "values, it's our hand but I don't have a clear cut action", double. Not A penalty double but if you want to I can cope. Whereas the definition of a take out double is, I do not want to play in this contract, please bid something else. Now that can be converted into a penalty but you need some reason, you fear a misfit, you have trump tricks, your hand is defensive not offensive ie few quick tricks. This hand IMO is not a penalty pass, thus I bid 5♥

Sometimes if i just count to ten (or 13) life is very simple.

The OP said that X was T/O, now I don't play that at this level, however I don't have a penalty pass (it's close) but I do have a 5 card major. Now if the OP had said it was a negative double I'd pass.

How do you get back to Norths hand enough times? you win 3♠ ruff a ♠ A♣ Ruff a ♣ and If you play a trump and ruff another black card, now what? Can you get another ruff in before they lead a trump? If you don't play a trump, what is your exit? If a Diamond, cant they win, lead a trump and then if they are good they can have the hand with 3 trumps lead a third trump and you now have 4 losers again

What did they do after winning the club?

Maybe I'm better to overtake and ♥ and lead the T♣ and if covered I can set up a club and if not I can try to ruff the hand out.