PhilG007

Sorry,but 3NT is the best spot. And while 3♦could be construed as "fishing" for a club stop,the real nature of the bid is you're showing a second biddable suit and asking p for preference. You've shown 5-5 in the red suits and partner hasn't supported either of them but has shown he has the unbid suit ♣ guarded. The contract should rest here,to go further on tempts fate.

They who choose to ignore the danger signs cannot then complain about the disaster when it happens(!) :)

South's double is ludicrous. He should bid 5♣ there and then. If he does so,the opponents will be hard put to find their♠fit

6-3-3-2 is not "semi-balanced" at all. It is fundamentally "unbalanced" Much like the reasoning behind some of the postings here on this thread.(!) <_< And to go into NTs on such a distribution is to enter Tiger Country.

But what if you don't have 3♣ check-back in your "toolkit"? What then?

I would bid 3♥ You know there is at least a 5-3 fit in the suit so it's vital to establish this asap. Yes the ♠ are good but you don't yet know if partner can support them. He could even hold a singleton or have a void. Also,until partner rebids,you don know whether you will end up in a part score,a game or a slam. My advice is act on what you know rather than what you don't know.

Partner has doubled 4♥for penalties and partner,however suspect,must be trusted. If it backfires,you have the satisfaction of bawling him out for his 'ridiculous' bid. The correct action is to pass and leave the double in. To remove the double is to effectively send the message,"I saw your double partner,but you're a liar and I don't trust you"

Sorry to disappoint you(actually I'm not) but you haven't "cleared" anything.. If two suits are mentioned and partner then bids NT's,I expect a guard or at least a partial guard in the unbid suits. "Any fool can criticise,condemn and complain...and most fools do" -Benjamin Franklin

I'm sorry,but I fundamentally do not agree with your dissertation. I know there are forcing NTs but,Blackwood aside,they are a matter of partnership agreement. And what about the sequence 1NT-4NT? Are you saying 4NT is forcing? If so,you need to go back to the bridge classroom.(!) :(

I see you're a hero....hero's usually end up in one place...a place with headstones(!) ;)

So you would overcall 1NT eh? Then LHO doubles(penalties) and it's passed round to you.....your play!

I have 3 types of hands that are my bête noir 1. Hands with bad trump splits 2. Hands where all finesses fail. 3 Hands that are total misfits

Let's not forget that not all 2♣ openers need 23 points In the example hand if South could rebid 3♣,it is game forcing and North must reply...even after a 2♦ response

He who fears the bad trump split should give up bridge(!) ;)

But then what would be the point of having a discussion board,Vampyr(?) :(

I would bid 3NT without any hesitation. The long clubs are an asset 3NT is simple,direct and doesn't tell the opposition what to lead (!) ;)

If you provided a hand for West,I could have given a reply. Without seeing the cards,I couldn't give an honest answer. :( :(

IMHO the South hand is just too strong for a simple 1♣ South should open 2♣ Even though West's 3♠ is annoying North now knows there is a strong hand opposite him(something he wouldn't have known if South had only opened a timid 1♣) This gives him the go ahead to bid his strong hearts,4♥ When South hears that,he hesitates no longer and bids Blackwood for Aces and Kings Learning North holds 1 Ace and 2 Kings South bids 7♥ without further ado

Stayman can be a two edged sword. It should never be used thoughtlessly. The "Staymanner" should be prepared for any response partner makes. From the bidding p has shown a 4 card major but,cruicially, he has not denied holding4♠ Holding 4♠ only p would bid 2♠thereby denying holding 4♥ The correct bid is bid 2NT if not holding 4 spades and 3♠ inviting game in the suit if the "Staymanner" has 10+ points.

As partner has not yet bid and the bidding is below game level,I would take any double as for takeout unless there was partnership agreement otherwise. So double is the correct bid. If p is strong in♥ he can pass for penalties.

Why go into NTs when a trump fit has been found????? The singleton club is an asset in a trump contract as a ruffing value and a liability in NTs.

I prefer to take the opinion of JF who was a World Class player when he was alive. ;)

And 2NT is not forcing,no NT bid ever is. It is highly invitational.But they are limit bids.

The 2NT rebid is horrendous It promised cover in the black suits yet, in the example hand,it shows the Clubs are threadbare. If partner bids 3NT assuming the clubs are guarded and a club is led,you will have some explaining to do(!) Correct action is to bid 3D showing a solid 6card plus suit. Of course,if you're a gambler and a speculator,you could always open 3NT instead of 1D (!) :D