PhilG007

1[spades,as a 'feeler' bid to see if there is any life opposite,is the correct choice. If partner responds( glory hallelujah),the sky's the limit... :)

A top player actually misplayed this hand. He took the A♥ at trick one then played a club to his king. He then led another heart. The opponents won then led trumps,not only denying declarer his heart ruff but also cutting him off from the A♣ Declarer then had to lose 2 tricks in each red suit. He,at least,had the grace to apologise to his partner. It gives you encouragement to know that even the best in the game are human and sometimes falter. Even the legendary golfer,Jack Nicklaus,sometimes missed a two foot putt(!) ;)

How many times as declarer have you bid to 3 NT only to find one suit is open to the winds? The opponents don't lead the suit and you run for home.Then listen with interest to the defenders post mortem. Would you not fitly call that luck(?)Then again,you have bid to a small slam missing two Aces but they are both in separate hands and you manage to discard the losers in one of the opposing Ace suits..wouldn't you consider yourself 'lucky' to have made the contract when others,not so'lucky'have gone down?

The weak 2 can come in many guises. I've seen it opened on xxxxxx with 5 points. What the bidder seems to have forgotten is the bid has a double purpose a) to suggest it as a possible trump suit b) to suggest a lead for partner if opponents buy the contract. I certainly wouldn't encourage a lead holding the garbage above.. <_<

Has to be 1♠ This is what they teach you in the bridge school as a beginner..open with your longest and strongest suit...

Being a chess player,I can only half agree to the above statement.While chess is,primerally a game of skill,there have been more than one occasion where luck also played its part. A great chess player of the early 20th Century ,U.S.Champion Frank J. Marshall,won many games he should have lost. They became known as "swindles". Indeed,so often did a "Marshall swindle" occur,it gradually became part of the chess lexicon...

All my instincts tell me to pass. Until your partner bids the suit,the bare K♦ is worthless trick wise but may be a ruffing value if a major suit fit can be found. On hands like this,the wise course of action is to bide your time and await developments...you can always come into the bidding again later if the signs are propitious(!)

Most definitely do NOT double. Firstly,the opponents have bid confidently to their slam unopposed Secondly,don't allow yourself to be seduced by your two Aces. No pair in their senses will bid a slam unless it's there or just about there. I have had many bitter experiences and red faces about doubling slams with two Aces only to find declarer/dummy with a void in one of the Ace suits. To add insult to injury the opponents sometimes redoubled. Grit your teeth and pass. Let sleeping dogs lie(!)

Why open 1♠(?!) It's well known that with equal length in the black suits,clubs rank above spades for bidding purposes. So 1[clubs is the correct choice...

You are in 4♠non vul with these hands:- ♠7 ♥A4 ♦QJ10875 ♣AJ43 ♠AKQJ1092 ♥862 ♦93 ♣K The Q♥is led Play the play.

In the same way,there is no'screening mechanism' in place to prevent anti-talents from passing themselves off as "Experts" or "World Class" on their profiles(!) And its soooo soul destroying when their fakery is exposed. Maybe it's these charlatans you should be dodging,methinks(!) "He is a modest little man,with a lot to be modest about" -Winston Churchill

When a conventional bid is doubled,logic says it shows a natural holding in the suit. In the same way the double of a Blackwood response eg 4NT-5♥-X would show a heart suit and is also lead directing.

Since 2♣ is Stayman and conventional,the double has to show a club suit and is lead directing. The doubler probably has a hand like [spades Jxx ♥Qxx ♦x ♣ AQJ10xx

4♥ Nothing ventured,nothing gained. On the assumption that partner has opened on a decent suit,I have side suit tricks in ♠ and ♦ If partner has the A♣ a ruffing value in that suit.

At least I was big enough to admit I was in error. Do I get Brownie points for that(?!) And FYI I do attend BIL classes...as a mentor(!)

Unquestionably,it's got to be 10♠ West seemed disappointed with the 2♥response.He's denied holding five ♠otherwise he would have asked for a transfer to the suit. Leading ♥ is not to be advised as it would be leading into declarer's suit. And leading from the minor suit honors is more than likely to give away a trick.

Yes,you are right,I stand corrected on that. It IS allowed in ACBL events but no responses,not even Stayman, are permitted..

There has been an increasing tendency in the past decade for partnerships to open 1NT with 10-12 hcps regardless of the vulnerability. It has proved to be a highly controversial tactic with the ACBL banning it in tournaments under their auspices. Debates have raged over the years as to the MNT's merits and demerits. So it poses the question,is the Mini No Trump all it's cracked up to be? Is it good or bad,black or white,hero or villain? Over to you, fellow players....

There is a case for opening pre-empts with only 5 cards,but the philosophy is the shorter the suit,the stronger it has to be. The example hand you gave is,IMHO,too weak for a 3 level pre-empt. Exchange one of the low ♠ for the 10♠and it just qualifies for 3 level pre-empt..but it's still full of risk.... As with all matters pertaining to laws and ethics,partner must be equally deceived as well as the opponents...

Is bridge a game of luck or skill...or both (?)

I would pray....and then bid 6♠

Of course he is....but he chose instead to bid 3♥asking for a transfer to♠ You shouldn't be second guessing partner..just do what you've been asked,go with the flow, and leave the next bid(if any)to 'pard'

For the present,you should just bid 3 ♠]as requested. Partner could have a yarborough with 5+ rag spades and is asking for a takeout. Make the minimum bid and leave the decision to go further to partner. Bid your own hand,not your partners <_<

The opponents can accept or refuse an undo request...I've found it's common courtesy to accept.. after all "do as you would be done by." Incidently,I find the 'undo' option unique...it would never be allowed in a 'real life' tournament(!) ;)

You must play off ♠AK and hope the Q falls. You've already lost one trick and thus have been forced to put all your eggs in one basket. It's a case of now or never...all or nothing...do or die.... The old bridge adage about "8 ever 9 never" is perfectly sound. If the Q ♠doesn't drop...too bad. The operation was successful...but the patient died :rolleyes: