PhilKing

Win and play another spade. Seems odd that he played a trump at all, but whatever - he likes to feel his way through the first few tricks. I'm happy to draw trumps, but I do not expect him to play a second trump himself, since I'm bound to have given something away.

Your pot odds for slam are good, since 5♠ will only be one off when partner's spade is an x (or making if West is 5-7). 5♦ gets you to a good slam when pard has x AKJTxxx Qxxx A. And partner knows you can't have AKxxx, so he will usually only bid slam with the queen. Anyway, partner has jumped to 2♥, I have 100% of my values in diamonds, and I have a hand worth a raise to 3♥, so the objection seems ill-founded. Since slam has play, it is pretty clear that a 2♥ reopening does not come close to showing the hand. I have probably looked at more of these five-over-five and six-over-five type hands than anybody since I got my database fully functional, and it really is vital to show the potential double fit and then just keep bidding when one comes to light.

3♦ - fnj after not overcalling. I think double should be penalties (eg a 4144 decent hand) but my rules have it as take-out. But I prefer a 4♥ overcall and then North bids 5♦ over 4♠. South now has "the nuts".

"Don't fight the spade suit."

1. The method chosen should not take you past 3NT unless you have extreme distribution, so jumping to 4m with a max and a singleton is about the worst possible. 2. The method should not give away information prematurely, since partner may just want to invite without tipping off your entire shape. 3. Subsequent auctions need to differentiate between game and slam exploration accurately. To start with, a range of 5-11 is nuts. You might do OK in a local club game where noone can defend against weak twos, but it is a big leak. It is popular now to split the range - a roughly 8-11 range opens 2M with weaker hands going through a trash multi 2♦. Over an "8-11" 2♠, it can go as follows: 2NT = game relay, spade fit and game try or looking for best strain without fit 3♣ = slam relay. Guarantees at least Qx♠. Continuations are not included here, but we just tend to relay for shortage then either cue or bid RKCB. Differentiating responders hand-types clears up potential ambiguities later in the auction. After 2♠-2NT: 3♣ = nothing much to say. Then: .......3♦ = further relay (3♥=6322 3♠/NT/4♣ = stepped shortages) .......3♥ = nat GF .......3♠ = nat inv 3♦ = 4♦, decent side suit, else just bid 3♣ 3♥ = 4♥, decent side suit, else just bid 3♣ 3♠ = 4♣, decent side suit, else just bid 3♣ 3NT = 4♣, absolute max, decent side suit, else just bid 3♣ 4♣ = 6♠, 5♣, with extreme shape the range is 7-9 etc The point is, the only hands that don't bid 3♣ are the unusual ones. This way, we rarely give up irrelevant information, but we can still ask for shortage if we want, but only by forcing to game - the cost of telling them partner's shape all the time on invitational hands is just too high. Sure, the system is not perfect - we can't find out about heart shortage without blowing past 3NT, but that's the price of temporary concealment (I could fit it in if I wanted).

3NT. Anything more is a rookie error.

Sick bump.

I assume I am being a bit thick, because they would frown upon your partner passing your overcall with a 14 count even in Eastfolk.

I like your reasoning - well done!

With 6-5 you have two valid routes (unless treating as 6-4) - HCCH HCHC. The first is weak. With 5-5 you have one.

It's irritating to have to start each board from a different polarity, but it's the best I could do. 64 boards is the max for one pbn file on their site. Oh bother! Just noticed they have a "rotate hand with dealer position" feature now. Feel free to do a larger manual sim though ...

I confess I would just bid 4♠.

With five good hearts, 2♥ is pretty normal. I would suggest that with 2524 all three minimum bids are possible, with texture dictating which. Having said that, 2♥ then 3♣ over 2NT or 4♣ over 3NT shows 6-5.

If that is what you needed for game, then 2NT was an overbid.

Because it is not really feasible to set up a sim that deals adequately with competition, I generated 64 hands on Playbridge where partner's hand is consistent with the auction but the opponent's hands are random. Board that don't conform are then ignored. Opener was set at 12+-17. I did a separate test to verify that 11 was "impossible" given the auction so far: [Deal 1 "N:A7532.K943.Q9.K4 Q964.AQ.K5.AQT76 KT.JT752.8762.J9 J8.86.AJT43.8532"] [Deal 2"E:93.K43.J53.KT854 KT.JT752.8762.J9 J742.Q.AKQT94.Q2 AQ865.A986..A763"] [Deal 3"S:KT.JT752.8762.J9 82.KQ8.JT3.AT543 AJ9543.A963.5.K2 Q76.4.AKQ94.Q876"] [Deal 4"W:Q862.A64.KJ53.A5 AJ973.KQ93.A.K83 54.8.QT94.QT7642 KT.JT752.8762.J9"] [Deal 5"N:AQ864.A984.AK4.3 97.KQ.JT53.K8642 KT.JT752.8762.J9 J532.63.Q9.AQT75"] [Deal 6"E:J83.Q8.AT543.K87 KT.JT752.8762.J9 Q54.K6.KJ9.QT543 A9762.A943.Q.A62"] [Deal 7"S:KT.JT752.8762.J9 5.Q94.AQ4.KQ8765 J9732.AK863.K.A4 AQ864..JT953.T32"] [Deal 8"W:A63.8.AKJT5.7632 QJ842.AKQ94.Q.Q4 975.63.943.AKT85 KT.JT752.8762.J9"] [Deal 9"N:Q9542.AK64.Q.Q53 J83.8.AKT94.K872 KT.JT752.8762.J9 A76.Q93.J53.AT64"] [Deal 10"E:QJ7.Q84.AQJ4.A54 KT.JT752.8762.J9 93.3.T53.KQT8763 A86542.AK96.K9.2"] [Deal 11"S:KT.JT752.8762.J9 Q6542.K6.954.KT8 AJ987.Q984.KJ.Q7 3.A3.AQT3.A65432"] [Deal 12"W:93.A3.95.QT76542 A8754.K984.AQT.K QJ62.Q6.KJ43.A83 KT.JT752.8762.J9"] [Deal 13"N:AJ964.K864.A3.86 832.Q3.KQ95.AK73 KT.JT752.8762.J9 Q75.A9.JT4.QT542"] [Deal 14"E:765.K64.AT.QT654 KT.JT752.8762.J9 982.Q.KJ9543.K82 AQJ43.A983.Q.A73"] [Deal 15"S:KT.JT752.8762.J9 94.A8.AQT95.AQ64 AQ87652.KQ63.J.T J3.94.K43.K87532"] [Deal 16"W:A9.K93.94.QT8654 Q6532.A864.KT.K3 J874.Q.AQJ53.A72 KT.JT752.8762.J9"] [Deal 17"N:Q9764.AQ84.A3.A7 J532.K63.K94.QT3 KT.JT752.8762.J9 A8.9.QJT5.K86542"] [Deal 18"E:65.AQ64.5.AQ8765 KT.JT752.8762.J9 QJ73..AKJ943.T42 A9842.K983.QT.K3"] [Deal 19"S:KT.JT752.8762.J9 9653.Q86.A4.KQT2 AJ842.AK93.93.A6 Q7.4.KQJT5.87543"] [Deal 20"W:543.AK.KJ3.AT653 AQJ97.Q9843..K84 862.6.AQT954.Q72 KT.JT752.8762.J9"] [Deal 21"N:AQ8764.AQ8643..A J952.K9.KJT54.T3 KT.JT752.8762.J9 3..AQ93.KQ876542"] [Deal 22"E:8642.Q.Q94.86542 KT.JT752.8762.J9 75.AK9.AKT5.KQ73 AQJ93.8643.J3.AT"] [Deal 23"S:KT.JT752.8762.J9 AJ94.6.AJT54.KQ5 Q8732.AKQ4.Q9.T6 65.983.K3.A87432"] [Deal 24"W:9643.Q96.Q93.A62 AQJ75.AK83.54.87 82.4.AKJT.KQT543 KT.JT752.8762.J9"] [Deal 25"N:AQJ653.Q943.Q.K8 972.AK6.KJ54.Q63 KT.JT752.8762.J9 84.8.AT93.AT7542"] [Deal 26"E:93.K84.AJT5.KT72 KT.JT752.8762.J9 7642.3.KQ93.A543 AQJ85.AQ96.4.Q86"] [Deal 27"S:KT.JT752.8762.J9 63.K96.AKQJ9.KT3 A8754.AQ43.54.A4 QJ92.8.T3.Q87652"] [Deal 28"W:QJ2.K.KQ53.AK632 A9875.A643.A4.54 643.Q98.JT9.QT87 KT.JT752.8762.J9"] [Deal 29"N:A8754.AKQ8.T.A63 QJ6.93.AKQJ9.874 KT.JT752.8762.J9 932.64.543.KQT52"] [Deal 30"E:986.K43.95.A8532 KT.JT752.8762.J9 A72..AKQJT.QT764 QJ543.AQ986.43.K"] [Deal 31"S:KT.JT752.8762.J9 Q874.A643.T.A764 A9532.KQ98.4.KT3 J6..AKQJ953.Q852"] [Deal 32"W:964.Q84.KJ94.T82 QJ532.A963.A.Q75 A87.K.QT53.AK643 KT.JT752.8762.J9"] [Deal 33"N:AQ6542.AK43.9.Q8 J83.Q.KJ543.AT76 KT.JT752.8762.J9 97.986.AQT.K5432"] [Deal 34"E:J872.63.J9.K6543 KT.JT752.8762.J9 Q6.K4.AKQT3.AT82 A9543.AQ98.54.Q7"] [Deal 35"S:KT.JT752.8762.J9 94.83.QT54.87654 AQ753.KQ64.3.QT3 J862.A9.AKJ9.AK2"] [Deal 36"W:AJ962.A6.KJT.T76 Q8543.KQ83.A94.K 7.94.Q53.AQ85432 KT.JT752.8762.J9"] [Deal 37"N:A7643.K986..AK43 9852.4.AKQ9.Q876 KT.JT752.8762.J9 QJ.AQ3.JT543.T52"] [Deal 38"E:A86.643.QJ5.QT65 KT.JT752.8762.J9 Q93.K.T943.AK432 J7542.AQ98.AK.87"] [Deal 39"S:KT.JT752.8762.J9 753.4.KQ.AKT8542 AJ864.AK96.AT3.3 Q92.Q83.J954.Q76"] [Deal 40"W:43..KT43.AKQ6542 AJ962.A963.A9.73 Q875.KQ84.QJ5.T8 KT.JT752.8762.J9"] [Deal 41"N:A9762.KQ643.K4.3 J4.A8.AT95.Q8764 KT.JT752.8762.J9 Q853.9.QJ3.AKT52"] [Deal 42"E:A754.98.AT95.532 KT.JT752.8762.J9 98.K4.K3.AKQT864 QJ632.AQ63.QJ4.7"] [Deal 43"S:KT.JT752.8762.J9 A4.K.AJ543.A8432 QJ8732.AQ63.Q.KQ 965.984.KT9.T765"] [Deal 44"W:32.AK.Q953.A7543 AQJ985.8643.AT.K 764.Q9.KJ4.QT862 KT.JT752.8762.J9"] [Deal 45"N:QJ986.AKQ9.J.QT3 2.643.AK9543.K62 KT.JT752.8762.J9 A7543.8.QT.A8754"] [Deal 46"E:QJ52.K.T9.AT8765 KT.JT752.8762.J9 83.94.AQJ543.K43 A9764.AQ863.K.Q2"] [Deal 47"S:KT.JT752.8762.J9 A954.Q3.AQ9.T643 QJ7632.AK86.T.KQ 8.94.KJ543.A8752"] [Deal 48"W:64.AQ.K3.KQT8752 AQJ53.8643.AJ9.3 9872.K9.QT54.A64 KT.JT752.8762.J9"] [Deal 49"N:AJ753.AQ864.T5.Q .93.K943.KT87653 KT.JT752.8762.J9 Q98642.K.AQJ.A42"] [Deal 50"E:864.K8.QT3.87532 KT.JT752.8762.J9 A32.A9.AKJ954.Q6 QJ975.Q643..AKT4"] [Deal 51"S:KT.JT752.8762.J9 53.983.K4.AQT652 A8764.AQ64.AQT.4 QJ92.K.J953.K873"] [Deal 52"W:874.6.KQ4.QT8632 QJ9532.KQ43.A3.K A6.A98.JT95.A754 KT.JT752.8762.J9"] [Deal 53"N:A9865.K863..AK87 742.A.AKJT953.T4 KT.JT752.8762.J9 QJ3.Q94.Q4.Q6532"] [Deal 54"E:92.64.AQ3.KQT854 KT.JT752.8762.J9 A85.K9.KJT9.7632 QJ7643.AQ83.54.A"] [Deal 55"S:KT.JT752.8762.J9 QJ76.83.QT.AK653 A9853.AQ96.AJ.T4 42.K4.K9543.Q872"] [Deal 56"W:972.A84.QJ3.T852 QJ865.KQ963.A4.A A43..KT95.KQ7643 KT.JT752.8762.J9"] [Deal 57"N:J9875.AK96.A5.Q2 A42.Q84.3.KT6543 KT.JT752.8762.J9 Q63.3.KQJT94.A87"] [Deal 58"E:95.9.AQJ953.AKQ3 KT.JT752.8762.J9 A742.Q4.T.T87642 QJ863.AK863.K4.5"] [Deal 59"S:KT.JT752.8762.J9 84.3.KQ3.AQ87542 AQ976.AQ86.J94.6 J532.K94.AT5.KT3"] [Deal 60"W:97.K.QJ43.AT8742 AJ642.9864.K9.KQ Q853.AQ3.AT5.653 KT.JT752.8762.J9"] [Deal 61"N:86543.AKQ84.K.65 Q.93.JT954.T8432 KT.JT752.8762.J9 AJ972.6.AQ3.AKQ7"] [Deal 62"E:J9.Q.AJ54.KQT864 KT.JT752.8762.J9 Q652.94.KQ93.753 A8743.AK863.T.A2"] [Deal 63"S:KT.JT752.8762.J9 72.Q3.QT95.K8762 AJ984.AK94.J4.T3 Q653.86.AK3.AQ54"] [Deal 64"W:873.AQ8.AJT5.K73 AQ542.K963.94.A4 J96.4.KQ3.QT8652 KT.JT752.8762.J9"] Below are the boards where the opponent's very likely pass throughout, with the result from raising on the right. False preference would not get the job done on 6 and 47.Passing is hopeless. Raising led to a minus score twice but won a bushel of imps. The Bayesian inference that partner was almost certainly suitable proved to be strong. [Deal 5"N:AQ864.A984.AK4.3 97.KQ.JT53.K8642 KT.JT752.8762.J9 J532.63.Q9.AQT75"]4h+1 [Deal 6"E:J83.Q8.AT543.K87 KT.JT752.8762.J9 Q54.K6.KJ9.QT543 A9762.A943.Q.A62"]4h [Deal 13"N:AJ964.K864.A3.86 832.Q3.KQ95.AK73 KT.JT752.8762.J9 Q75.A9.JT4.QT542"]3h [Deal 19"S:KT.JT752.8762.J9 9653.Q86.A4.KQT2 AJ842.AK93.93.A6 Q7.4.KQJT5.87543"]4h+1 [Deal 26"E:93.K84.AJT5.KT72 KT.JT752.8762.J9 7642.3.KQ93.A543 AQJ85.AQ96.4.Q86"]4h-1 [Deal 33"N:AQ6542.AK43.9.Q8 J83.Q.KJ543.AT76 KT.JT752.8762.J9 97.986.AQT.K5432"]4h [Deal 38"E:A86.643.QJ5.QT65 KT.JT752.8762.J9 Q93.K.T943.AK432 J7542.AQ98.AK.87"]4h [Deal 47"S:KT.JT752.8762.J9 A954.Q3.AQ9.T643 QJ7632.AK86.T.KQ 8.94.KJ543.A8752"]4h-1 Below are the boards where competition was reasonably likely, but not certain. Make of them what you will. [Deal 9"N:Q9542.AK64.Q.Q53 J83.8.AKT94.K872 KT.JT752.8762.J9 A76.Q93.J53.AT64"]3h-1 [Deal 14"E:765.K64.AT.QT654 KT.JT752.8762.J9 982.Q.KJ9543.K82 AQJ43.A983.Q.A73"]4h [Deal 16"W:A9.K93.94.QT8654 Q6532.A864.KT.K3 J874.Q.AQJ53.A72 KT.JT752.8762.J9"]3h-2 [Deal 17"N:Q9764.AQ84.A3.A7 J532.K63.K94.QT3 KT.JT752.8762.J9 A8.9.QJT5.K86542"]4h-1 [Deal 25"N:AQJ653.Q943.Q.K8 972.AK6.KJ54.Q63 KT.JT752.8762.J9 84.8.AT93.AT7542"]4h-1 [Deal 29"N:A8754.AKQ8.T.A63 QJ6.93.AKQJ9.874 KT.JT752.8762.J9 932.64.543.KQT52"]4h+2 [Deal 37"N:A7643.K986..AK43 9852.4.AKQ9.Q876 KT.JT752.8762.J9 QJ.AQ3.JT543.T52"]4h [Deal 63"S:KT.JT752.8762.J9 72.Q3.QT95.K8762 AJ984.AK94.J4.T3 Q653.86.AK3.AQ54"]3h

That's not strictly true. I give up a 3♣ response, which now shows specifically a game try in partner's major. This frees up 2NT as a GF relay, over which more accurate definition can be obtained.

Has your sim accounted for the opponent's silence?

I would double with no feeling of pain on your example hand. Admittedly some sequences become less defined than after a forcing 3♥, but it seems OK (or rather, there are worse problems for my methods).

I couldn't, because I don't play 3♥ as forcing.

Even if you believe 10) is stronger than the hand under discussion, there is a Bayesian inference that the latter will perform better. The opponent's silence makes it more likely that partner is strong AND suitable, and the weaker he is, the greater the chance he has a singleton in diamonds, whereas on 10), the clubs will often be facing a shortage and the opponent's silence is less indicative of partner holding extras. As to the hands on which the invitation was accepted, that tells us nothing we did not already know about most top players.

4♠

I would pass throughout. Prebalancing in this auction rarely works that well. A second double would be particularly insane.

From the database, these were all 3♥ raises at at least one table. "Both" means both players had the same start and raised to 3♥: 1) K4.9763.KQ6.J864 Both. Vincent went on to 4♥ with AQJT9.AT42.J9.T2 and went for 1400. 2) K.K43.A85432.753 One. Gotard raised to 3♥. Versace passed in a Gazzilli context. Opener held QJT43.Q652.K7.AQ 3) T9.J753.AT86.AJ6 One. Opener went on to 4♥ with: Q8654.AQ92.K74.Q 4) T5.AQ53.Q8753.T5 Both. Easy game reached opposite: AQJ86.KJT87.2.K8 5) T.J85.AT954.AT42 One. Nickell scored a goal opposite: AJ632.A963.K2.K6, when 4♥ made on a crossruff. 6) J9.QJ954.JT95.Q5 One of one (Jansma). Opener bid 4♥ with K8532.AK83.43.A6. 7) 62.KJ32.QJ93.A83. One of one. Versace raised to 3♥ (Gazzilli partnership). Opener bid 4♥ with AQ843.AT85.7.QJ5. 8) J6.KQ65.862.K832 One. Wolff raised straight to 4♥. Opener held AK872.AJ87.QJ9.5. 9) K3.J654.AJ72.872 Both (Waterlow an Hallberg). Opener bid 4♥ with QJT75.KQ97.6.AK6. 10) 6.K985.J62.KT842 One of one (Burn). Sandqvist went on to 4♥ with K9752.AQT4.K94.J. 11) A76.T653.KT.Q743 One of one (P Hackett). Waterlow bid 4♥ with KJ984.AK42.Q.AJT. A few of the actions above were dubious, to say the least, and I would value hands six and ten as being significanlty weaker than the hand under discussion and would pass on both.

Surely the document is some sort of April Fool's joke. I particularly liked the section on revokes.

My database is not set up that way - it is basically a text/pbn file where I can search for any auction. I was thinking of making a second version using the methods Ben suggested to make an Excel version, but it may be beyond me.