vang

what do you by mean "valid claims"? if claim is rejected, just get your tricks

on first, i pass (unhappy). second choice 4C on second, i pass (happy). i don't want to risk 6 and loose AK of clubs from lead. maybe partner already won the board...

there is an increased chance for both partner and LHO to have a fit (with you) ;-)

if your double is penalty (by agreement), why not just answer "PENALTY" and avoid all those gimmicks on what is standard and what not...

agree with rogerclee about Hardy's books. imo, Lawrence does a better job describing 2/1. another option is Marshall Miles with "Modern constructive bidding".

# It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. ~Aristotle (not directed to anyone, just found it interesting ;-)

agree with 65 and agree with 5♣ (cue an Ace in face of a 65 hand)

i voted 3♣ since for me splinter doesn't show a void. i hope i can catchup later with diamond shortage. 4♦ eat too much space for a hand who has more than one feature to show

H_KARLUK, please note that most people on this forum know how to use google and wikipedia.

my choice is also 1♠ (or Raptor if available)

a better conclusion: when you can cash two fast tricks against opponents slam, it's a good thing to do it ;-)

unclear to me what is best. i'm using bubrotka (check http://www.geocities.com/daniel_neill_2001...2005webpage.htm ) just reading about variant C ("natural" -- odwyrtka) in the same document. seems interesting

thanks for your answers. i also thought a small diamond is mandatory. unfortunately, spade was the killing lead (part has ♠K and ♣A). i was quite frustrated by this but now i feel better since many players seems to agree that diamond is a better lead.

[hv=d=e&v=n&s=sq98xxxhjdktxxcxx]133|100|Scoring: MP 1♥ - 2♠ - 4♣ - p 4♠ - p - 6♥[/hv] You are in South and overcalled 2♠. Soon after, you have to lead. 4♣ was suit + fit.

what do you mean by "excited"? i won't bid 6D with zero cover cards and i can't pass 4H, so i feel excited and bid 5D...

sorry for the late answer... but since you have a solution but you don't provide it, here is one: i'm using the software from here: http://www.df7cb.de/bridge/ (linviewer)

I hope you'll post the full hands later showing 3NT was ok on those specific boards and proving everyone else except you should "get straightjacket and sedatives ASAP" ;-)

i want your oppinion about this system: 1C = polish club style but including 2C hands (19+ any or 11-14 balanced or 11-18 with clubs) 1d/h/s = natural 11-18 1NT=15-17 2x = misc preempts after 1C, answer and developments are very polish club like (1C - 1x - 2D relay etc), except 1C - 1M - 2C shows clubs with 11-17 (i guess...). apparently, the system is playable: http://www.ecatsbridge.com/documents/files...rek-smirnov.pdf

same here (Linux - Debian with Iceweasel (Firefox) ). sometimes i an login but i get Connection lost in a couple of seconds. imho, it has nothing to do with firewall, since i have windows machines behind the same firewall (and they works).

that would be a huge improvment in bidding. imagine you'll be able to bid "4NT blackwood" and "4NT quantitative" or even "4NT takeout" ;-)

nice article, Califdude! was it published in Bridge World 1950? ;-)

just claim ;-)

as someone who recently started to play Polish Club with one partner, i want to say that the big problem is not the alert or explanation of 1C opening or 1D response. those are quite easy. but there are lots of special sequences which are usually not explained. for example, the simple 1♣ - 1♠ - 2♥. i guess for most Polish players, this is "natural", it shows hearts. for someone used with SAYC or similar systems, it's quite strange, it shows 5 (FIVE) plus hearts, 18+ HCP and GF. Polish Club is a good system and players serious about bridge will gain studying it a little bit. but otoh, Polish Club players should be aware of those sequences which are "natural" but very different in SAYC world and alert and explain properly. : one other example from my experience: 1♣ - 1M - 2♦ explained as "relay". insuficient. it's not "relay", it is (at very least) "ART GF, 18+HCP, 3+ fit in M, ask description".

strong one suited minor. if partner wish, can easily convert to penalty.

as Gerben explains, inverted minor raises are off in competition.