SteveMoe

Agree - this game does not belong to the timid.

100% to West, surely...

Nope See Taming the Weak NT Part 1 Taming the Weak NT Part 2

Play small. Partner will play a suit preference card (assuming length) to your Q next. If partner does play the Ace, two things are true: They'll know you held a doubleton, and 2) You need to have a conversation about what attitude signals mean.

I'd offer 2N as well, with a touch of pessimism. AQxxxx in ♥ is not a good feature. I'd hope that LHO's values in the minors are finessable.

...Adding that 2♣ could be on as few as 8 working HCP with 2 4-card majors if you play it is forcing to a fit at the 3 level. If advancer has an opening hand, then they are short in ♦ and hold ♣, otherwise they would have doubled directly. 3♥ invites game with a minimum opener. I am not aware of anyone playing 2♣ as natural in this auction.

With Nigel. East owes 4♦ over 4♣, the ♣AKJx not withstanding. 1♥ could be on a few as xxx Qxxx xx Q/Kxxx. Holding 4 Controls, we owe partner a control bid under game. The "free" 4♦ unlocks the potential of partner's hand. Moral - always make the bid partner wants to hear. Would add that AKxx is not a horrible holding opposite a splinter - It is better than KQ/KJ/QJ - x(x). You offer partner a discard (or 2) that might mean making slam.

Would seem to support that the jump to 3♠ show a 5-card suit. Why waste the space?

Finding a 5-3 fit in opener's major is more important and I expect more frequent than finding 2-2 opposite with no stop. Any sim data to help understand relative frequency? I suspect that 2-2 will make some sizeable pct of the time as the opening lead has to be right.

3♣ as a generic GF works well here to give partner a chance to define which major they hold. Jumping to 3♠ is right when partner holds ♠ but could be inconvenient when partner holds ♥ and no ♣ stop (or ♥ & ♣ and no ♦ fit).

This hand is too strong for a 15-17 1NT opening bid. 7 Controls and 15 HCP, no Q's - all point to 1♦ then 3♦. 1NT will make finding a ♦ slam difficult. Opening 1NT on 6223 shapes with a 6-card minor is old hat.

Modest builds on Phil's thoughts - Agree this hand not worth the initial double. Lacks about a useful K. I'd expect that partner's 1st double strongly implies/communicates 4 ♠ cards. The 5♣ bid now suggests 5-cards, likely 6. I think AKxx x KQx AKxxx or AQxx x Kx AKQxxx are distinct possibilities - partner was warned off 4♠ by our (inappropriate) double. Note, partner would double a second time but our double interfered with better communication. Having the canonical difference be a 4-card ♠ holding makes sense.

Yes, i suppose the 4m bid could be flexible enough to do that, but really that's a narrow window (see Phil's point). If i have a hand that can make game only in ♣ then we both know what bid I should use. If I need to find a magic 5-3 fit in a balanced hand to make 3♣ and 3N, 4M don't make, I'll take my lumps. The upside is the ability to show control(s) for M.

Frances, I plead guilty for use of stronger words than suitable here. Perhaps sub-optimal is a better choice. Playing 4m as natural after partner has shown a very strong hand with 9+ cards in the Majors fails if it is an attempt to play 4m. So a very weak hand with very long m shoudl pass or give a false preference to ♠ at the 3-level. This scores better at MP and BAM, and might even earn an IMP at IMPs. Not stopping in 4m only loses in the rare circumstance where 3M/OM, 4M/OM and 5m cannot be made. That's a pretty steep parlay. Nay, the value (expected yield) for having this be a cue bid for OM is too great compared to the yield from successfully stopping in 4m. I do agree that 4m then 6m is appealing, but that hand would hardly start with a (forcing) 1NT response. Regards, Steve

Pass shows I lack a 5th ♠.

Suggestion to play suspect 2=(32/3)=5/6

Check out Lisa and why at: http://www.bridgeguys.com/pdf/lisa_neil_timm.pdf also http://bridgewinners.com/article/view/bart-modified/ With a weak hand (5-7 HCP) bidding to the 3-level through a forcing 1N should show invitational values. Weak hands use WJS directly. Gazilli focuses on opener's hand, making responder's job easier: http://bridgewinners.com/article/view/gazzilli-an-introduction/

1 Might be 1♠ - 1N(Force) 2♦ - 3♣Inv 3♠(extras) - 3N/4♣ reaching either the NT game or possibl y 5♣ 2 Might be: 1♠ - 1N(Force) 2♦ - 3♣Inv 4♣ (bidding out shape). There are some gadgets that might help (from simple to complex): 1) the simplest is using an immediate jump to show 9= to 12- HCP (invitational values) and a 6 card+ suit. I do that with one partner. Better than WJS IMNO (never wrongsides the hand) 2) LISA or BART 3) Gazilli Good Luck!

Lot's of very good suggestions on this thread already! Would add: Kantar's Take All Your Chances Bridge Master 2000 software Then practice counting winners, losers (fast & slow), entries, and trumps. Count stoppers in their suits (affects how many times you can safely lose the lead). Focus on making your contract - overtricks can wait for now... Find the least risky choice to develop the tricks you need. Combine Chances (see Kantar and "Stayin' Alive").Identify when you need more information and play accordingly. Make a plan A. Make a Plan B. Keep track of all information from the bidding (bids and their absence). Keep track of cards (each trick). Use "show outs" to guide your estimate of opponent's shape. Then remember to go with the odds. Even a tiny chance is better than no chance at all. With repetition this will all become second nature.

Double is either a v. strong balanced hand or a 3-suit takeout. Partner will leave in with most hands without enough shape to expect the 5-level is safe. 4N is 2P2P. As for the given hand, it is a poor penalty double if opener is short in ♦. It is also too weak to act if you switch the ♠ and ♥. I woudl pass and hope to set them. We will never get rich waiting for a trump stack when good opponents open 4 bids. Better to have 3 suits or much extra in a balanced hand (better frequency and more penalties).

4♣ agrees ♥ and shows a control in ♣. Senseless to be natural or offer to play after partner's J/S showing both Majors. More senseless to be weak with length (not right to show a new suit a the 4-level). With bad non-fitting hands, 3♠ is always available as a false preference.

South holds 6 losers and 5 controls opposite a partner showing slam interest and a ♥ control (no mention of last train...). Partner's ♥s are either void or Ax, if the opponents are to be believed. Partner must have the ♠ nuts and perhaps one or two minor suit honors. Trust your assessment and bid 6♠. Points Schmoints.

South holds 6 losers and 5 controls opposite a partner showing slam interest and a ♥ control (no mention of last train...). Partner's ♥s are either void or Ax, if the opponents are to be believed. Partner must have the ♠ nuts and perhaps one or two minor suit honors. Trust your assessment and bid 6♠. Points Schmoints.

While 3=1=(45) is possible, double of a second suit is penalty oriented (optional or not). Would expect the second double with 3=1=(45) must be on better strength than a mere opening hand. It is not an attempt to get to a minor suit because a pass would communicate that hand. So, yes, penalty.

Opposite Weak NT, this is a scramble denying BoP and a 5-card suit elsewhere. Any 2 bid shows weakness (less than BoP) and 5-cards. Pass is forcing to 2♠. Opposite Strong NT, we play systems on so this is stayman.