PhilKing

Trick 6 is probably slightly contingent on tricks 3-5 - I expect East to give count!

The point is he is a weak client. He doubled because it was his turn and he has something in clubs. Lefty has seen it all before and is not going to put too much faith in the double, but he is not bidding 5♣ for a laugh - he expects to get out for 300. If he has got me, it is going to be a spectacular egg-on-face extravaganza, but I have been there too many times before to be embarrassed.

The bad sponsor doubled. It's difficult to come up with a sensible hand for 5♣: ♠Qxx ♥- ♦xxxx ♣KQxxxx(KJxxxx) without giving the sponsor a joke double.

I have to say that's a pretty lame reply.

I think West has a void heart - I just do not believe the 5♣ bid otherwise. Anyway, I survive some scenarios where he has one heart by the following: tricks 3-5 - AK and another ♠, ruffing small. trick 6 - run the ♦9 I expect East to win and play a third club: 7 - ruff 8 - ruff a spade with the ♥7 9 and 10 - play winning diamonds 11 to 13 - pain for East, who is caught in an almighty trump coup. East has: ♠Jxxx ♥QTxx ♦Kx ♣AJx or similar.

In before somebody mentions the Doctors ...

But he probably won't have AKxx either, so why is this relevant? And please show layouts on which a competent East will switch.

A lot players won't lead from a non-sequential four-card minor ever on this auction, so I don't see how this is relevant. And from AKxx, were one to force me to lead the suit, I would lead high.

No, no, yes, nat prob 18-19 bal.

I would have bid 3NT over 3♣. As bid, I have no idea what to do, because I do not know the form of scoring. BTW, I agree with 1♥, but would not recommend it for players who cannot handle competition. 2NT keeps it simple.

Say it's 3NT and dummy has two. The reason for playing the jack from QJT is to cater for partner holding A9xxx. Declarer wins the king and partner gets in without us being able to Smith. From partner's POV, continuing low can't cost, since declarer either has KQT or KTx. Had we played the ten, partner has the losing option of playing us for JTx and an entry.

I don't disagree with 6♣ necessarily - it depends on whether we play 4NT as rolling.

See above.

DNE without agreement. I have played all of the following: 1. Splinter 2. Two-suiter, invitational 3. Two-suiter, forcing My preference is for 2. Although it has the lowest frequency, it has the highest utility, since the other hands can be handled in other ways.

It may come as a surprise to some people, but hands like this are not about the pure odds (which are pretty close anyway). On the occasions when East has Ax or Kx or clubs and West has the diamond ace, it is pretty unlikely that East will work out that a diamond switch is necessary. After all, a club return is needed if West has a top heart rather than the diamond ace. I have not seen the newinbridge article or the hand, but it seems to me that if you put up the queen, you are looking at the big picture, but not in the right way. Playing low is much better imo. Edit: having just seen the hand, I wonder if the opening lead was slow (which Meck would pick up on, for sure). I'm not sure I agree with the reasoning speculated on by the analyst at all.

THe database is not really big enough for this kind of thing yet. :(

I try 2♦, which I play as a one round force, generally two places to play. If it is uncontested, I will remove 2♠ to 3♣, showing clubs and hearts, invitational, and raise 2♥ to three. This may work poorly if pard is 4441, but we were never buying it two if that is the limit. The hand has a lot of potential in other scenarios, particularly when they have psyched, so i am willing to push a little. And if it is contested, this is the only clear way to let partner know I am shapely.

This thread is going to become legendary.

I wouldn't say it makes me happy, but I'm not going to gear my methods to cater for strong one-suiters with no stop in their suit and shortage in the other major.

(2♠)-3♠ for me. Or double then 3♠ if an immediate 3♠ shows a two-suiter.

3♥ is just weak, and not necessarily long hearts. It could be based on a 4414 zero count as far as I can see. Partner has shown a good hand with 4 hearts and longer diamonds, and we are simply bidding the obvious.

Why do you keep making non-standard systemic suggestions in the N and B section? Were 3♠ an option, OP would have mentioned it.

2.8

All of West's calls were immaculate. All the other players made calls that were either inferior or inept.

On potential dynamite hands it pays to overbid and hope for the best, imo. On that basis, my experience (and the experience of seeing what happened to others) strongly leans towards the overbid of 2♠ and keeping my fingers crossed.