cargobeep

If you don't play penalty doubles of 1NT, you WILL get slaughtered. I'll on occasion start opening 12-14 HCP NTs, and you'll be left guessing whether to take it out. I'll even snooker you with my 6-card ♠ suit if I feel like it in 1NTxx. Not a workable system in my opinion. I would not condemn partner for passing or going to 2♦. With at least 21 HCP and the lead, the opponents ARE likely to go down. If partner did have a maximum, things could get very ugly for N/S

^ Because if the cards are not in your favor, you can either A: Play the Spades and go down 1. B: Try the other suits and risk going down 2 or more. The decision at IMPS is obvious, but the decision at MPS is not quite as obvious.

When I meant early on, I meant third trick, not halfway through the hand! <_< Yes, your play will work, but it's extremely obvious. And also highly unlikely, given that East would need to have passed a hand with 7+ diamonds AND a void.

^ Cashing the A♦ early on is as far as I know is useless. Give me a layout where it's superior or else shush. Basically, this hand is autopilot. You either always fail or you always win.

^ Example hands please where your play is superior.

^ Your line doesn't work. In fact, with the several lines I've tested double-dummy, you're either 1) screwed after playing the K♠ (the pitches are all extremely obvious, no way to make a mistake). 2) able to simply cash your high cards until either the J♣ or J♥ falls, which as far as I know, will on any makeable layout. This is likely since the 2D/3D preempt never happened. Some layouts do require a squeeze, but those are pretty well automatic on this hand I think it's time to see the original hand.

5H is lunacy.

Lead low and hope they can't cash 9 off the top.

Need more information to make an informed decision. Mainly: 1) What got thrown off? 2) Is this IMPS or MPS?

Is this poll a joke?

^ But it's not standard. So seems to me it's a bit of a blip in the SAYC train. <_<

^ Is that standard? Because I'm having trouble finding anything about this

^ Well then O wise one, what do you suggest? You can try Blackwood, but even with 2 Aces, you're still more or less guessing if 6x will make. And with one Ace, you don't have a clue what to do next. The only thing making 4S natural wins is if S is psyching or the distribution in Spades is at least 6-6. And if it was 6-6, why would E need/want to consult partner?

[hv=pc=n&s=skjt983h765d9cqt3&w=sa42ha92d86543c82&n=s76hjt843dt72cj76&e=sq5hkqdakqjcak954&d=s&v=b&b=7&a=2sppdp3dp4sppp]399|300[/hv]

[hv=pc=n&s=sjt98742hkdj5ca82&n=sk53hqj863dt7cj65&d=n&v=b&b=13&a=pp1sd2s3d4sppp]266|200[/hv] SAYC/IMPS. Do you agree with the bidding by N/S? Was 4S a good call?

[hv=pc=n&s=sathjt987dq98cq54&n=s9852hadakjt65ca9&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=pp1dp]266|200[/hv] SAYC/IMPS/ALL NV. Opponents are fairly weak.

Weirdest Convention I've seen at the table..that would have to be "no reverses" <_< What are you supposed to do for slam bidding? Just go 6 and hope you get lucky?

[hv=d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1dp1sp2sp3d]133|100[/hv]

3NT just seems like a loser to me. Can we really have all of the 3 suits stopped? I'd just go 2♥ -> 2♠ -> 4♠

2♣ seems best. 1♦ could easily be passed out, and 4♠ could easily make. Even 3NT could work if partner's looking for hearts. Double dummy says 4♠ can be made on as little as an A♣ and 4 low spades, even if trumps are 4-1 and we can't finesse. 3NT would be down 2 opposite a Yarborough, but with a few HCP, we got points. A bidder's game.

Interesting to note the topic below this one, with the very similiar title :) I think 2♠ is probably best. Second best I would think is 1NT. Why do we want to be in 2♣ with a potential 6-card trump suit?

With AK♠ A♥ Q♦ That leaves East with maximum of 7 more points (small psych) or a minimum of 5 more points (small psych). The possiblities are 1. KQ♣ - Club shift guarantees contract goes down one, Heart shift is down two 2. AK♣ - Hearts is best - declarer may duck the A♥ 3. AQ♣ - irrelevant play 4. K♥A♣ - doesn't matter 5. K♥K♣ - club shift wins 6. A♣K♣ - club shift wins So if we remove the plays that are inconsistent with the play or irrelevant, we get KQ♣ AK♣ K♥K♣ Either one could in theory be correct...unfortunately partner doesn't have J of spades, so any of the options could fit the opening range.

S's play is not consistent with that however. If S had AK♥, what would be the point of the unblock with diamonds 4-4? So declarer has A♥.

[hv=pc=n&s=shdakqt9865432ckq]133|100[/hv] Matchpoints, both vulnerable. 2 of diamonds cut off. Both teams are playing SAYC. What do you do?

How it is calculated? How does it change your strategy?