SteveMoe

Assuming there are no bidding errors (I know, I know): 1♠ could very well be 4=4 majors and 2♥ is a simple 3-card limit raise. The first Double is takeout, the second is penalty. Suspect intervenor to have 5=1=(43) or similar with 2 cards better than opening bid. 3♣ might be the old treatment that one passes first with strength and bids later. 3♠ says good suit and possibly exposing a psyche by opener. Cannot see a hand with enough ♣ to bid at 3-level that woudl ever pass the XX. Indeed with inv+ values and ♣ in 4th seat, perhaps a 2♥ cuebid can alert partner to the hoax XX.

Generally OK to pass when holding these values and shape with ♠. Can always get back in with ease. As others say, Pass then 2♦ is a great description of this hand. Would consider 2♠ only in 3rd position after 2 passes. 1♠ in 1, 2 and 4.

This comes down to communication (and agreement) with partner. I prefer to make these bids very specific - set trump and communicate that we have a specific number of winners in our hand. Over their weak twos, stronger hands start with double. Simple overcalls show a better hand than a minimum opener. A single jump shows a one-suiter with roughly 2 Kings better than opening (your range here). 3x Jumps to game over their preempts without hearing from partner 1) set trump unilaterally, and 2) asks one specific question - how many outside winners (and losers in their suit) do you have? That is 4♠ and 5♦ in 1 and 2 above show 9 and 10 tricks exactly. With 2 winners, partner stays put in 4♠ (counting 11 tricks) but might bid 6♦ with the right controls. We assume they have a 9-trump fit and bid accordingly. Example 3 should also show a specific number of tricks. Here partner shows at least invitational values so opener assumes 3 cover cards and bids accordingly. 5♣ in this context is certainly NOT forward going. Change the auction to 1♣-(1♠)-P-(3♠)-5♣ goes to the number of tricks/strength. Context - these auctions can show: a) Opening 5♣ == our rule of 234 preempt b) 2♣ then jump to 5♣ == asks partner to bid 6 or 7, one step for each ♣AK held. c) 1♣ then jump to 3♣ == typically 15-17/8 and reasonable suit d) 1♣ then jump to 4♣ == Slam try - strength and sets trump (one loser opposite singleton) no interest in NT. Not trying to play 4m - bad bridge. e) 1♣ then jump to 5♣ == No NT interest and great shape, with exactly 10 tricks in hand or 11 tricks based on partner's response. The 3♠ raise (assume partner passed and did not bid 2♥) eliminates option c). With NT interest opener can double (see BoP/cue bid double), so 5♣ here has to be 10 tricks opposite passed partner and 11 tricks opposite bidding partner. Bypassing the double here strongly indicates ODR so high that defending is not a consideration.

♥KJxxx is bare minimum, but would enjoy the 10 too. With ♥KQ, I would be tempted to rebid 4♥. 2♠ is ambiguous on this auction. Since we have described our shape (and approximate purity), partner can help place the contract. I do not consider 3♥ forcing if partner has a poorly fitting hand with no cover cards. Would expect a 4♥ rebid to show a 3-loser and a 3♣ rebid to be patterning out, but a general force if that's what we need.

Yep - must have been past my bedtime! :blink: My proposed line is garbage...

Tricky. If you eliminate ♦ first then you have to use both ♥J10 as entries to play on ♠. But that leaves you badly placed if ♠ are 4-2 as you cannot ruff your 4th ♠. Instead draw trumps in 2 and play one ♦ to dummy, and finesse in ♠. If West returns a ♦, you can now safely eliminate the suit and return to dummy with a trump for the second ♠ finesse. If you lose to an offside ♠KQ check to see if ♠ break 3-3. if not, ruff the 4th and take the ♣ finesse. The avoidance play and the 74% finesse in ♠ are a better be than eliminating ♦ immediately.

2♣, no second thought. Double deserves partner's jump or insistence on a ♥ contract. Not worries that I might be understating this hand's values because I will get at least one chance to bid again. This auction isn't dying soon.

1♣(16+) - 1♥(8-11, not 5+♠) 1♠ - 2♠ 3♣ - 3♥ 4♦ - 4♠ -OR- 2♣ - 2♦ 2N(22-23) - 3♣(Puppet) 3♠ - 4♥ both leading to: 4N(1430) - 5♣(1 Key) 5♦(♠Q?) - 5♥(Yes with ♥K) 6♣(♣Control?)- 6♥(2nd Round) 7♠ Possible opener chooses 6N instead of 7♠, so responder has to infer that ♥ extras are worth raise to 7♠.

2♥. If I double now and they do not bid one, we might land on our feet, missing a ♥ contract only when they are 5-3. If I double now and they advance to 2♠, i am poorly placed to rebid. A new suit shows a much stronger hand. I would have to be content doubling again, fully expecting to land in a minor when ♥ might be right. Doubling a 3♠ advance when it rolls back around to me gives partner less good information about the true nature of my hand. If I call 2♥ now, I can deal with either 2 or 3♠ by doubling. My "perfect" shape overcomes a certain lightness in strength for the second double. If I pass now, I might be able to back in, but then haven't really got partner's attention nor confidence. Now I am too big for the bidding that ensues. Partner won't expect such a good hand. S/he might also consider a sequence like: (1♠) - P - (3♠) - P (P) - DBL a torture sequence. If I couldn't double 1♠, what am I doing doubling 3♠ with shortness. Too narrow a window for this approach to work.

Isn't this situation made for the "Cue Bid" double? How else can we ask partner for a positional stopper? If partner bid's 4♥ and not 3N, we follow with 5♦.

We play rebidding 2♣ shows 9(+) cards in the minors either way. With 2 or 3=5 we make some other call. Even so, I would tend to pass in seats 1 and 2. Seat 3, well..

Intriguing...

3♥ is enough for now. 4♥ would be a 4-loser (♣A instead of ♣J). Intend to double their 3♠ but will pass 4♠.

Yes, we can assume 17. At these colors the cost of a doubled contract does not look good. We can also assume South is short in ♦ and North short in ♥.

♥J lead. However I bid 3♥ earlier.

Can't see why South didn't bid 3♠ at their second turn. North rates to have 2-4 cards there, not to mention 0/1 ♦.

3♠ is misguided at this vulnerability. East has 9 losers, no shortness and 7 cards in their 2 suits. They haven't found a fit yet. No indicator other than we own 9 trumps says bid to the 3 level. Since we do not know how many total trumps there are when they haven't found a(n implied) fit, the 2 level is plenty. For those not liking a 1♠ overcall, you will be missing too many opportunities if you always pass here.

No rule bars your choice. Judgment, maybe.

Pass seems pretty obvious to me. Partner failed to act with short ♥s. So partner rates to be weak, at best about 9 HCP or so. RHO rates to have 14+ HCP And 3+ ♥s. RHOs raise if pre-emptive means partner failed to act with the best hand at the table - not happening.

No fear here. Yes, poor shape. However partner must have an opening hand (my ♠ are too good). They have to beat us by 3 to make my bid bad. That's not happening. Partner's ♥ values and my ♣ values are not well placed to defeat their game. Their guess.

4♠. Give them the last guess.

For sure, 3♥ asks the 1♥ bidder to raise to game with a max within range (0-8) or good hand or some unexpressed extras. Should be a 5-loser with 4-card support or better. I too like 2♥ not 3♥ by the doubler. Would not fault a pass (this 7-loser is a max pass).

If 1N is 12-14, then south has a double not a 2♠ call. If west passes, so will north, a forcing pass showing balance of power but denying a 1 or 2-suited hand that could invite or force to game. Assuming East rescues, South can simply rebid a minimum number of ♠ to show a good hand. North has a constructive plus raise. I suspect game would be reached. Check out: http://bridgewinners.com/article/view/taming-the-weak-notrump-part-1/ And part 2 too.

Good with this, but you left out >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Before 2♣.

THIS! The races: 3♠ - 4♦ 4♠(0-3) - 5♣(♦Q?) 5N(Yes and ♣K) - 6♦ Bidding less than 3♣ at our 2nd turn is a gross underbid with this 4-loser.