SteveMoe

Transfer responses to Polish Club are Mid Chart. To Precision Club they are GCC.

Hmmmm...Suit Play suggests that low to the Q and low ducking offer exactly the same success percentage - 53.1304% for 4 tricks (i. e. two losers) Looks like extra information about distribution or Hand strength (any bidding?) would help tilt the decision one way or the other. We need more detail when decisions are this close. If we have no more information from the bidding or play we're left with a guess.

The game bidders got it right. The ♣ slam is only 26.5% (Chance of taking 6 tricks in ♣s. The ♥ slam is half that. Marshall Miles advised bid all slams no worse than a finesse. We need a finesse plus more in ♣. I am surprised no one opened North 2♣ given a 3-loser. I think Edgar K. advocated that approach. I guess we like reversing more...

Try: 1♦-3♠Splinter Raise 4♦Minorwood - 5♣ 2 with 7♦

I hate making a NT overcall with 15 round, but 1/3 of this hand is in their suit (so doubling seems wrong). Some would pass and they might be right this time, but I am allergic to inaction, even red vs white.

2N to ask trump length, shape and strength.

2N to ask trump length, shape and strength.

I'd rebid 2♥ as Gonzalo and others say. If partner rebids: - 2♠ I pass - 2N or 3♣ I rebid 3♦ - 3♦ gets raised to 4♦ - 3♠ I'll raise to 4♠ - 3N will play. - 4♣ or 4♦ I rebid 4♥ - 4♥ plays - 4♠ I'll bid 5♦(control, accepting ♠)

You haven't mentioned whether this is MPs, IMPs or Board a Match. It might matter. The double got you off to a good start. In IMPs, my preference is to count on partner for one trick. (This might also come from ♥ length in a weak suit). I rebid 6♠ (partner chose not to introduce ♥ freely). With a 2-loser I'd bid 5♠ (what I rate to make) in MPs and BAM, expecting partner to move with a reachable cover card.

Here's an alternative view - Support doubles apply at the level of 2♥ or below. (Over 2♠ we would be forcing partner to the 3-level with only a 7-card fit - an ANTI-LAW decision). When responder shows 5 or more cards, opener can freely raise on 3 pieces. e.g. 1♣-(1♥)-1♠-(2♥), 1♦-(1♠)-2♥-(2♠) When responder only promises 4, but might have 5 or more, then the double is Support.1♣-(1♦)-1M-(2♦) a double is support as 1M can be only 4 cards. Also 1♦-(1♠)-Double-(2♣), now opener's double is Support for ♥ implied by the negative double. So if opener can raise on 3 card support, what does the double mean? 1) it should show at most a tolerance and likely a poor fit for responder's suit. 2) it should show 3 cards in opponent's suit (H10x or better preferred). 3) it denies a biddable suit for the 3-level (i.e. not strong 5-5, not 6+). 4) it shows extra strength for previous bidding, enough to suggest penalties if partner has the right hand (strength or trumps suggesting opponents are in a 7-card fit). Examples for your given auction might be: ♠xx ♥KJx ♦KQx ♣AJ10xx (maximum balanced hand if playing 15-17 HCP 1N opening bids. Playing weak NT this double implies a 15-17 HCP hand.) or perhaps ♠x ♥KJx ♦KQJx ♣AKxxx or similar heavy unbalanced hands. These doubles are Optional Takeout or DSIP (Do something intelligent, partner) and are more frequent and lucrative than (ancient) penalty doubles: ♠xx ♥KQ10x ♦A ♣AK10xxx - when opponents bid and raise it's unlikely we'll hold 4 top cards in their 8-9+ card fit. The idea is to increase the frequency we can manage +200 or 300 or more on what's otherwise a part score hand.

East! But South should double. Whether you collect 620 or 500 is up to North.

I think there is value in playing 2-range splinters. Here's a useful link: http://bridgewinners.com/article/view/fred-gitelman-advice-4-splinters/ 10-12 and 13-15 seem very workable. I would play as you do, but it's always good to ask.

Yes

A partner got me playing 2♣ Drury and 2♦ constructive M raise (Instead of 2-way, reverse, fit). Opener's 2♦ asks trump length. You choice how to show 3 vs 4 card support. This frees the 2M raise to be a 4-6 HCP 3-card nuisance bid (or a 4-card constructive raise if you prefer). Drury is good 9 - 11 and the 2♦ constructive raise is 7-bad 9.

Kuhchung has it right. One thing we've done with success with new-to-bridge people is to introduce them to Mini-Bridge. It gets people playing right away. hey also learn to use the Milton Work count. Dealer simply announces HCP then each in turn. Player with highest HCP is declarer. Dummy is revealed and the player can decide whether to contract for a partial, game slam or grand slam before play starts. LHO then leads, etc.......This approach avoids many details that confuse, and taps people's desire for immediate fun and for learning by doing. Then folks are motivated to learn play basics, 9finesses, combinations, counting, suit splits). Bidding follows later. Suggest you look for the mini-bridge UK site for details.... Much depends on the learning style for each individual.

Pass. Would want 9+ to bid freely here. Partner will double again with a hand safe enough for us to play a 3-level contract. Double in this position is Penalty, implying an opening hand with the wrong pattern for a Double or overcall (holding 4+ ♠). 2N cannot be forward going (Double instead). It should be Lebensohl (or scramble if you prefer). A good way to differentiate good 3 level advances (direct bids) from bad ones.

I'd see pass as the least misleading call, followed by 1♦. ("Partner has asked me to bid a suit so I will bid one" - is the only justification for 1♦). 1NT is out of the question on values. Partner and opener have at least 28 HCP between them. It is unlikely opener will sit for either a pass or 1♦ response. I like Mel C.'s idea - if partner has shown opening values (TO Double qualifies) then add H+N+L (H=# honors A-10, N=# cards in their suit, L=level of the doubled bid) .GTE. 9, then pass is a viable option. I'm even more likely to pas with 9's, 8's and 7's...Here we have 3+5+1=9. I like pass because I don't want partner leading ♦. If partner has a strong overcall (5-carder?), we should still land on our feet if I pass. I do not see a difference here with IMPs or MPs.

Easy 1♠. Double here shows exactly 4=4 Majors. Will give partner choice of Major games.

I would expect 3!S to be a form of false preference showing 2 cards, brought on by the GF ♥ control bid. 3♠ would show the inability to bid 3N and to rebid either minor at the 4-level (denying 6+4 and 5=5). 2=2=5=4 is what partner should expect. With 1=3=5=4 and weak ♥ I'd rebid 4♦ the least lie. With ♥Qxx in 1=3=5=4 I might let Marshall Miles inspire and try 3N.

1♣(16+) - 1♠(8+; 5+cards) 1N(Beta) - 3♣ (7 Controls) !! 7N

...would try a pedestrian 6♣ here (pattern bid, alternative place to play). This might tempt partner to bid 6♦ with the Ace on the way to 6♥. In any event, partner will expect 7-5 or 6-6 and make a good decision for us.

Not necessarily - these type of hands (where power hand needs to find one or 2 specific assets) are tailor-made for Italian Asking Bids.

An opening 3♥ bid typically shows 7 losers at this vulnerability. (Think Rule 2-3-4). What works here is no wasted values in ♠ in responder's hand, and favorable position of missing non ♠ honors. So, responder appears to have 4 cover cards for opener, if everything is right. Something I play with some partners is opener can (not must) double 3♠ to show just this kind of hand - extreme shortness and 2 potential defensive tricks. A max so to speak. Says I want us to bid 4♥ unless partner wants to defend 3♠ doubled. This is not without risk. However inaction by opener's partner suggest they might not find 4♠.

6♣ Keep them from finding which of 3 suits to interfere with. Partner might still move with {cl}Q and a King or 2. Precision with asking bids makes these hands easy to get right - again assuming opponents stay quiet (they won't).

Would open 3♠ at equal (NV) vulnerability (and listen carefully to Rule of 2-3-4 advocates who would insist on opening 4), and 4♠ at favorable vulnerability. Give them the last guess. By passing you let them exchange information they would otherwise be without.