SteveMoe

Doesn't 4N find out what we want to know? Is partner likely to preempt on QJ10xxxxx and out in 2nd seat - the one place we need to be disciplined?

Hi Kathryn, we run a Newcomers game on Saturday afternoons with coached play and open discussion. Usually 18 boards. We do "Learn Bridge in a Day" and create a mailing list of potential members. These LBIAD folks and all 0-99ers get a weekly newsletter with top performers and new members welcomed. In addition we post rank changes to the web monthly (or when there is a change). Here is a link to the CBA Unit 124 Newsletters . We don't preload new member information into ACBL score yet - we do that the first time they play. We do use an e-mail blaster program so we can send 500 to 1000 e-mails at a time. We update the e-mail list with ACBL Membership reports and can filter on 0-20, 0-99, and so on. We are considering but have not implemented updating MP totals by individual so we can further target players by rank/experience. Our biggest need is finding a membership chair to handle and personalize communication and ensure connection and membership continuity.

4♥-Double is generally played as takeout.

In addition to what FM75 says, we treat all ambiguous suit bids as nonexistent. Wonderbids never happened. We simply bid naturally over the interference, adjusting the double and q-bid for level above 2♠. So, 1♣ - 1♠(Wonder or Crash)-2♠ is natural and GF.

Let's see where 3♥ takes this auction.

Kathryn, There's a good discussion in a parallel post about the merits of Multi on the BBOF. Is the Muliti 2D worth it?. Like everything else the nuggets are buried but worth looking for. Playing M2D and dealing with their defense is the topic of this post by Kit Woolsey on BridgeWinners: Inferential Shortness The approved ACBL defenses are good to know too: ACBL Defense to M2D. I like option 2. Seems that there's a lot of tailoring about what M2D does and does not cover: Weak 2{Hearts] & Weak 2{spades] appear common. Strong vairiants might include one or more of these: Strong Balanced Hand [range varies] Strong Acol Minor suit hand (8.5+ winners) Strong 4441 hand Good Luck!

Mel Colchamiro has published on this theme. Mel's "Rule of 6+2" applies. # Card in longest 2 suits = 10 minus number of LTC losers = 7 Pass if 1 or less, bid if 2 or more = 3 --> Bid 2♠. I would not consider showing both majors on this hand.

Good start. Any ♦Qx plus ♣AQ/Ax/Axx onside lets us use ♥QJ to develop what we need in ♣. ♦entry not critical.

I would reply 1N. 10 losers and 6 HCP do not measure up to 8-9 losers and 7-9 HCP for a constructive simple raise.

I don't want to be in this slam. If your opponents are sound, the absence of a ♥ lead suggests the suit is not placed well & the ♦8 is a passive lead. Even if the ♥ finesse works, we still need to find one of the 2 remaining 4-3 suits breaking well. Rough calculation says two 4-3 splits is 13% while .5(.36+.36(.64)) = 41%

After starting 1♥ it would seem the right continuation after the 3♠ bid is for North to bid 4♦, not 4♥. South can forego RKB and bid 5♣. North holding the ♠Q will know all values are working and bid 6♥ - knowing that any club losers will go away on long ♦. South rates to have 3 or fewer minor cards. After starting 1♠ the auction would look something like: 1♠ - 1N 3♥ - 4♦ 5♣ - 6♥ The key is RKB does not help South learn about North's ♠ values.

I'd use Michaels if available. 5=6 and 5-losers. Partner might like ♠

5♥ Trusting double fit will bring in 12 tricks if pard can stop ♦.

Pass in standard methods. 2♦ Wilkosz if available. Passing in 2nd seat allows competing easily later.

South should invite not force in ♦ - not enough opposite 12 HCP balanced opening.

3N - agreeing with above posts.... 8.5 tricks and a ♦ lead all but certain. Best shot at a winning score.

4♥. This 7 loser hand opposite partner's opener will net 10 tricks too often to not bid game.

Agreeing with above posters - no force. However I would expect a balanced 10-11, not the hand shown. Ugly.

Double - Cards. Tolerance for partner's suit, 2 high cards in their suit, no clear sense 5m can work. After partner's GF we own the deck. I cannot be sure we can make 4NT. Besides without discussion partner might take 4N as RKB for ♥.

Following Chris, if playing obvious switch then low. Also if playing attitude first, low. I want a shot at scoring my trump 9.

Stephen, I've seen 2♥ played two ways: 1) Natural. 4 cards (rebidding ♥ shows 5+). Some imply extra values (slammish) some don't. 2) 4SF as mike777 suggests. I've always treated this as partnership agreement. My experience suggests Hardy devotees are more likely to use 1). My sample size is small. BBOF folks seem to favor 2). I agree with mike777, my next bid is 3♦

Q 4♣ then Last Train 4♥ describes this hand well.

Check out Larry Cohen's attempt to create a portable 2/1 approach for those starting out: LC Standard Truth in advertising - Larry himself advocates learning Precision from the start, but you need some committed partners because Precision tends not to be as portable as 2/1.

Would seem that 2♠ - X - Pass - 3♠ Pass - 4♦ gets this aimed right...

5♥/5♥ 5♣ risks painting a control card we don't have.