SteveMoe

Over 1♦, 2♣ can be sufficiently disruptive that it's worth doing with 5 good ♣ cards and 8-10 HCP at fav vul only. Over 1M this is less useful (Double can show the other major clearly). In direct seat (partner yet to bid) I prefer 6+ cards and 11+ HCP. If I have only 5 I will have an opening had with a good side 4-card suit (preferably a major). However if we play Equal Level Conversion, the need for overcalling on 5 cards is diminished (for♦). As others point out, intervening on a weak suit or a 5-card suit in a weak hand can lead to major penalties and bad scores. On 5332 shapes with 10+ HCP I strongly prefer a takeout double if they bid my doubleton. 1NT is good if I am near range. If my minor is AKQxx I can show what I really hold. 2m is better "full valued" because opponents can outbid us at level. The OC then marks assets for counting declarers. Ouch. If I have 6+ cards, then LoTT decisions are much clearer in competitive auctions.

None 1♥ ♣ later if necessary With Marlowe here. Adding: Match Points - n. pl. A form of duplicate bridge for pairs where ♣ don't exist ♦ fading fast about to lose ♥ if we're not careful. Apologies to EK.

With a pinch of optimism: 1♦ - (1♠) - 2♠ - P 3♣ - (P) - 4♣ - (P) 4♥ - (P) - 4♠* - (P) 5N - (P) - 6♣ - AP Notes: 2♠ is ♦ LR or better. Opener expected to show NT stopper if have one. 4♣ is both a game force and a second suit, strongly suggesting 9+ cards in the minors and an unbalanced hand. 4♠ is "last Train" 5N Pick a Slam This slam seems no worse than a ♥ finesse. Yes, I am ignoring the worst possible minor suit break cases. Like I said, a pinch of optimism. Would expect 5♣+1 to be worth 60+%, no?

Pass - responsibility transfer. Lose the zoology. Let's play bridge.

If you open in first or second seat then it would help if partner expects a hand this light. Otherwise you might be in game with only 23 HCP and worse: two relatively balanced hands. I would open this playing Precision or any 2/1 style where partner has full values for a game force. In the long run, open. Light initial actions have proven to be a winning approach. Just build the rest of your system to handle this.

Unequivocally penalty. Why didn't I double one round ago if I wanted to take out? Double now, confident that partner will remove to a suit if high ODR in an otherwise weak hand. I like these colors.

Would play this to mean weak ♠, but accepting the invite. If responder has no ♠ stopper this asks to play in the safe minor at the 4 or 5 level. 1N...3N-4M means partner found not one but two M cards mixed in with ther m suit of the same color and wants to play in the safer 4M game. Time to call in the relief pitcher.

Pass. Partner has passed twice and my hand hasn't gotten better as a result.

1♥-2♣ 2♦-3♥ sets trumps and requests control bidding toward slam.

Best chance seems to be to play ♣ from West in order to duck a ♣ to North, and not South.

2♥ sets trumps. See Ken Rexford's book on modern control bidding. Therefore 3♣ is a control bid (1st or 2nd round). If you prefer the 2♠ rebid to wait, then consider rebidding 3♠ instead.

I like 1N - (P) - 2♥ - (P) 2♠ - (P) - 4♣* - (P) 4♦ - (P) - 4♥ - (P) 4♠ - (P) - 5♦ - (P) 6♠ *=splinter. Wouldn't try to find ♦ as trumps. Swans always play best in the long suit. If splinters are not available to you, then rebuilding a forcing 3♦ after the Jacoby transfer to 2♠ can finish in several ways. What I'd expect is: 3♥ - (P) - 3♠ - (P) 4♣ - (P) - 4♦ - (P) 4♠ - (P) - 5♣ - (P) 5♦ - (P) - 5N* - (P) 6♦ - (P) - 6♠ - AP

If you favor Bergen "5-5" jumps to 3 level responses to 1NT you will play 2!s as invitational with 4 cards. Otherwise there are several options as noted by others. The 3 OM rebid has become an all purpose slam try in M. I like to hide splinter raises in this bid.

4♠ then DBL, assuming partner pulls if they do not have at least 2 winners. I've been wrong before.

Would handle this with Kokish 2♥ then 2NT. Expect to play in 3NT. In one precision partnership we play 1♣ - 2♠ as some 4441, 19+ HCP. We'd reach 5 ♣ and lose the 2 obvious tricks.

3♣ is fine. After your 3♥, south has a clear 4♦ call. You can mention 4♠ and south rebids 5♦ confirming the void. 5♥ would now show the ♥K. 5♠ the ♠K. Now your 6♣ might encourage partner to bid 7.

This is a responsive double, just as if the auction went 1♥ - 1♠ - 2♥.

The problem at the 5-level all but disappears if you overcall 2 ♣ and prepare to double 4♠. Now we involve partner in the final decision.

Partner is limited to about 9 HCP, likely less. RHO has no more than 6 Major suit cards. That means partner and RHO have 15+ major cards. I'm figuring an even-ish split. A Major lead might strike gold, but partner's length and strength is under opener's. I'll settle for a good old fashioned 4th ♣. These are the kinds of hands where I can almost hear a gremlin saying "RHO is 5=3=3=2".

While it's true that a 1♠ over call can be on air, North has an almost opening hand. Opposite a LR+ cue bid by advancer, North should double (Balance of Power Partner). Whether this is a Forcing pass or not is a matter for agreement. I tend to side with Robson & Segal that we don't have forcing passes in 4♠ over 4♥ decisions unless we are in a clear GF. That, we are not. Of course if you have the agreement that passes over their preempts are forcing, when we are in a LR+ auction and you believe West is preempting, then have at it! Holding ♠xxx is not so bad here as RHO(West) rates to have 7 and partner 0-2. The real question is should South take out to 4♠. South might imagine that North is some 5=1=34 or 5=2=33 or 5=0=4=4 all of which have plays for game if overcaller's honors are all working (no ♥ wastage). Game seems a reasonable shot. 10 tricks in ♠ seems easier than 7 tricks in ♥.

2♥ for me too. We migth still be in a misfit. However LHO might have only 3 ♥ cards, and partner could have 4.

The first question is what is 1NT? If strong NT, then 2N is either an invitation to game (not so common anymore) or Lebensohl, depending on your agreements. If weak NT, then 2N shows a strong 2-suiter. See: http://bridgewinners.com/article/view/taming-the-weak-notrump-part-1/ and http://bridgewinners.com/article/view/taming-the-weak-notrump-part-2/ The answer does not change if the 2♥ bid is natural or a transfer. What changes is which two suits are likely behind the two-suited 2N advance in their weak NT auction. The transfer by responder has not yet limited their hand. The natural 2♥ bid did limit their hand.

Hi Vampyr - the ACBL Defense Database is at: http://www.acbl.org/tournaments_page/charts-rules-and-regulations/tournament-specific-regulations/defense-database/ The page discusses the need for prior approval of a suggested defense and how to get that approval - i understand it is not a fast process. Note that methods may be suitable only for extended play, any team play, and short matches. For example there are two published defenses for Multi-2♦. You can agree with partner ahead of time which one of the two to use. Then you are allowed to refer to the written defense at any time during the bidding or play. The Competitions & Conventions Committee is at: http://www.acbl.org/about-acbl/administration/competition-and-conventions-committee/ You'll find information how to contact them. The ACBL Convention Chart: http://web2.acbl.org/documentLibrary/play/Convention-Chart.pdf ACBL Alert Chart: http://web2.acbl.org/documentLibrary/play/AlertChart.pdf

Wouldn't worry about abuse. Frequency not high either. For defense see: http://bridgewinners.com/forums/read/intermediate-forum/defenses-to-flannery/ for options.

Alternatively: 1♣ - 1♦ <7 HCP 2♥ - 3♥ xxxx in ♥ 3♠ - 4♣ 3rd round ♠ control 4♦ - 4N 2nd round ♦ control 5♣ - 5N 1st round ♣ control 7♥