wanoff

I always open 1m unless touching.

4NT. If in doubt, bid.

All things being equal, I'd lead a diamond - but they're not, so I'd lead a spade. Responder has denied a major, opener has between 2 and 4 spades and with you holding the 108♦, a diamond hardly looks safe. Agree you don't offer up the 8♦ on the opening lead - partner might hold say, J9 doubleton.

Also Kxxx,QJxx,Qx,xxx but these are all piddling chances compared with drawing trumps.

That's not a problem but RHO returning a diamond might be.

I think he was right first time. You're not likely to play the Q from Q9 in case partner is A10x. From QJ97, Q or J might have looked like AQ or AJ doubleton.

Just how far should we take this ? This is a hand from the TolleQ where muggins went for a large penalty.........At white, pass from partner, 2♣ and you hold ♠J10xxx ♥xxx ♦xxx ♣Qx

I've no idea whether its the small heart or the K♣. A computer program might give us the the answer, but until then my gut feeling is for the latter. At pairs, which I don't play so much, I think you're supposed to match the room, so that'd be a heart.

Sorry, I didn't see the first double.

Get real - both kings are likely to be with the doubler. I'll finesse both queens and hope they can't play a second trump.

I'll win the Q♦, cash A♠, go over to A♣ and finesse 9♠. If this loses I'm probably ok. If W only had 10x, he could well be endplayed, but if he had another diamond, these can be established. If West had the last trump (unlikely), I could test diamonds and if they're breaking badly, resort to the club finesse through East. If this fails, W may be endplayed to give the 10th trick. If 9♠ wins, I can take at least one more diamond, ruff 2 clubs in dummy and make 4 trumps in hand.

Fortunately I had the back of a fag packet available and Gnashers line looks far better. You can reduce the problem to just considering trumps and clubs. This chance with your line is trumps 4-1 (W) or 3-2 (Q right) with clubs 4-3 ..about 8.5% + 21%. But the chance a la Gnasher is QxxC and trumps 3-2 or QxxxC and trumps 3-2 (Q right)... about 27% + 12%. Both lines have other chances. Note, once the QC didn't fall and the JS was finessed, the 4th club is ruffed high. The 4252 bit lost me, as the alternative line covers this (though I'd play for trumps 3-2)

You've almost answered your own question. Being booked for a 67-75% score most of the time, it can't be right to take a less than 50/50 shot to only slightly improve this score, whilst risking the lot. Less than 50/50 because some Wests would prefer to lead from QS or JS than from KC. Only slight improvement to your score because as noted before, normal play will result in 11 tricks anyway about 37% of the time.

I would say it's standard over 2NT and Baron, but I'm not sure over 1NT. We do if partner remembers :) In this case we're a bit fixed but presumably this isn't min so I'll also try 3C.

Win, KS, ruff a club high and play the trump, making if trumps are 3-2. Presumably trumps were 4-1. If with East you're ok if D finesse works and the 3 red winners stand up. If West had the 4, you'd be ok if he also had Kxxx diamonds (or longer). ie finesse, ruff a diamond, KH (it does W no good to ruff or pitch the winning diamond), ruff last diamond.

I'd like to know though. Fwiw I play 3♦/3♠ as if there had been no intervention, 3♣strong/forcing 1 round and 2NT is just competing with one of these 3. Double is any other strong hand.

1.To check for 5M does not require much space so logical to use 3♣ for this. You won't be giving any more info away than using 2♣. 2.Space is required to show the 'n' types of hand behind a 2♣ - 2♦ - 2♠ relay. 3.Playing weak nt I'll keep 2♣ - 2♦ - 2♥ as garbage.

Easy one. Against experts or rabbits, you play for the drop. There's the vacant spaces thingy and if trumps are 2-2, 4♥ may well be down.

You're still very suitable. Partner knows you have a club control but not that lot. I bid 4♠

Madness it might be, but you could just take a plus.

He might not break with ♥KQx so worth a try with 4♣. But if 3♥ agreed clubs then I'd bid 3♠ to hopefully indicate the diamond shortage.

I would say not offensive at all, more a statement of fact. And certainly no more offensive than the EBU calling you a 'two'. I'm living proof that the 'rabbits' will get over it as my BBO ID was coined many years ago(by others) when I went through an unlucky spell as declarer.

Does this mean an invite as per Dake's suggestion. Currently 4♣ is a 2524 slam try but this could be shown by 1♥-2♣-3NT. My view is that this type of fragment is really a substitute splinter and not particularly showing values in the fragment suit. So you might be xxx/x, KQx/x or even say Qx/x in the 2 suits. To extrapolate this, why not be radical and on this hand, fragment to show one of the singletons and then cuebid the other at your next turn.

We know diamonds are not 3-1 so cash AD and play for 2-2 or West having all 4.

imp scoring [hv=pc=n&n=sqhaj8532d6cajt73&d=n&v=n&b=5&a=1hp2cp]133|200[/hv] This was modern Acol with 2♣ showing 9+ HCP and a 2♦ rebid is F1. If you play 3♦ or 3♠ as a splinter, how should you play; 4♣,4♦,4♠. Unfortunately you've agreed to play 3♦/♠ as fragments so what now ?