biggerclub

I open a minor, LHO WJOs a MAJ. What's partner to do? Here are our possible goals, in no particular order: 1) Pass discretely; (PASS means I have a bad hand) 2) Find the right strain; (bid a new suit with hands of varying strength) 3) Collect a juicy penalty; (PASS suggests partner re-open with a x) 4) Compete for a part score in partner's suit; (raise has a wide range) 5) Compete for a part score in a new suit; (3 level bids competitive) 6) Suggest game in NT; (2NT = 10-11/12 with 2 stops) 7) Force to game; (3 level bids forcing) 8) Force to game, explore slam; (ditto or cue bid at the 3 level) 9) Pre-empt the pre-empt (not likely) How do the meanings change is Partner if a passed hand? I don't know what the answers are . . . and before partner and I agree, I thought I would ask, what should they be? Off the top of my head I like . . . PASS . . . demands that partner reopen, usually with a x. 2 level is competitive only, 3 level GF. 2NT as LEB/relay/weak competitive hands (??? will this work??). Raising partner to 3 level is competitive only.

Partner thought her bid was forcing (new suit by responder). She had a 3 card ♥ suit and was trying to manufacture a forcing bid. I didn't know, but I did know that 2♣ would have been at least a one round force. Oh well, it was not the only bidding misunderstanding of the day, nor even the worst.

Bill Root ("Bridge Conventions Complete") labels this auction weak and sign-off. P. 62.

Matchpoints. Club Game. I open 1♦. Partner responds 1♠. I rebid 1NT. Partner's second bid is 2♥. We play NMF. Can I pass: [hv=pc=n&s=sa42ha853dkq86c75]133|100[/hv] I am a bit embarrassed to be asking this question as I don't consider myself a beginner or a novice. But I think this is a beginner/novice question.

For those who suggested Gazzilli or Meckstroth Adjunct: I am also not really seeing how this helps with hands that want to show two suits and indicate that the higher ranking suit is longer than previously shown. Our hand, for example. With the Meckstroth Adjunct, the auction would go (opponent's passing throughout): 1♠-1NT-2NT-3♣(denying support for Opener's MAJ)-3♥(second suit, may have 6 (or even 7) in first suit)-3NT/4♥-4♠ . . . and again, I need to make a good decision (which I didn't do under the old system and have no more reason to do so now) on my 3rd or 4th turn. With Gazzilli, I dunno -- seems like I get a chance to show my 3♥s at the 3 level and if partner wants to show 6♠s he likewise can get it in at the 3 level but this may require some extra gadgets. 1♠-1NT-2♣(relay)-2♦relay accepted-2NT (showing ♥s -- I guess, at least in the system I am looking at) - 3♣(asking for more info about distribution) - now I am not sure which takes priority 3♦ (showing the fragment) or 3♠ (showing the 6th ♠). My likely call over either is 3NT and if partner bids 4♠ over that, I can pass (even though I should pass anyway on the original auction).

Another argument for 1 forcing ♣.

I did open a fairly similar hand in 4th seat at the Long Beach regional . . . successfully garnering a plus in 3♣ all PASS. However, I had a few cards in each major (if memory serves) along with solid clubs, so I must have been short in ♦s, not spades. Partner had an A and a well placed K along with a worthless J. In this hand, I can't imagine who passed with spades and an 11+ count, but as previously noted if it was partner we are a misfit. I don't think opening leads to a plus score all that often. I pass this one.

A♦. If E throws a Major, play on that suit. If E throw her ♣, duck a ♣ to W and W's club return squeezes E in the Majors.

Agreed. N to lead gives up a ♥ and then takes the last 6.

I was referring to an opening 4♦. B-)

Pass is definitely a LA. You never win when Partner hesitates. Well I did once. I passed a 4-3-3-3 AK, A hand as dealer (don't ask me why, it's the first time in my life). Partner opens in 3rd seat, 1♠. RHO bids 2♥, I bid 3♥, LHO bids 4♥. Partner tanks . . . and PASSes. RHO PASSes. I insta-double. Director is called. All PASS. I made the apparantly compelling argument that I am always going to double a 4 level contract with 3 defensive tricks opposite a partner who opens, even in 3rd seat.

Why aren't you yelling at him/her for bidding NT twice with a void in your suit? The actual hand points out another benefit to 4♦. It will STOP partner from bidding 3NT. lol.

Opener held: ♠AQJ832; ♥AKQJ; ♦543; ♣ --. 3NT does not do any better than the -50 we got in 5♥. 4♠s makes (by pitching a ♦ on the A♣). 4♥ makes because the ♦ ruff shortens the long hand. I feel like I should try to cooperate with partner who is probably showing 10 cards in the majors with his jump to 3♥ and a raise to 4♥ would be best. I definitely would have done that with Qxx rather than Txx. Here are all 4 hands: [hv=pc=n&s=s5ht63dkq987caj94&w=st6h842dajt6cqt83&n=saqj832hakqjd543c&e=sk974h975d2ck7652&d=n&v=e&b=9&a=1sp1np3hp3np4sp5hppp]399|300[/hv]

Can you point me to the other thread, please? Thanks in advance.

Partner dealt and opened. My question is really a bit more general and thank you for answering it by referring to Gazzilli. When opener holds a game forcing 6-4 hand, it seems like too much space is taken up by the 1x - 1N - 3y - anything - 4x sequence. I get the basic concept of the 2 way 2♣ bid, but I don't really see how Opener clairifies that 2♣ was minimum and natural.

You hold: x, Txx, KQ9xx, AJxx . . . although this is mostly irrelevant. Mostly. Opponents pass throughout. Partner opens 1♠. You call 1NT. Partner emerges with 3♥. 3NT or 4♥ (or something else)? As it turns out, Partner is 6-4 with the advertised strength and the auction proceeded, 1♠-1NT-3♥-3NT-4♠-5♥- All PASS . . . which was 1 level too high. A few questions here. Is 4♥ better than 3NT on the second bid? Should Responder just PASS 4♠? This seems to create a problem for me approximately once every 3-4 sessions so there has to be some (black letter) solution/rule to handle these big 6-4 hands when Responder starts 1NT. HELP!

See Blackwood's Play of the Hand Watson's Play of the Hand Bridge Encyclopedia section on card combinations.

Was asked today how to make this 6♠ contract on a diamond lead. [hv=pc=n&s=skqt432hk32dk93ca&w=s75ht876d5ct98753&n=sa86hqj9dat64cq42&e=sj9ha54dqj872ckj6]399|300|West leads her singleton diamond.[/hv]

Were you void in ♥s? Defense should not be horrible with a ♥ lead. Especially if x'er holds the 9 or better.

Leaving it to OPPs to voluntarily bring up the question creates all kinds of UI and active ethical issues. IMO "How many clubs does 2♣ promise?" "Oh, really? How many is it usually?"

It has happened to me at a recent regional. (by happened to me, I mean the opponent called the director and then asked to step away from the table to discuss her complaint with the director)

You can call the director. When the director arrives, you can request to leave the table for a sidebar. You can explain the situation away from partner's hearing. I think that there's a fair chance that partner's pass is binding on the partnership despite the failure to alert . . . that partner had a duty to protect himself . . . without assistance. Nevertheless, there is a method to involve the director without alerting partner.

Why is PASS such a difficult bid to make? If you get doubled, then a new suit is not forcing. Otherwise it's a misfit. The best idea is to stop bidding. Immediately. If not sooner. Quit fantasizing that there is a better fit somewhere.

Once opener passes, it seems clear that 2♠ is not forcing. Or else Opener unilaterally went off-system. Now, are you asking because the answer you get will affect your call? If not, it seems that the only reason to ask is to back up the auction and give partner a chance to do something over 2♠. And that is not allowed. Unless you are asking in part to humiliate (some people say educate) the opponents. Which doesn't seem to be something that the Laws should sanction either.

My comment about keeping the auction open was directed to those times that GIB opens 1♥ (or more generally 1 anything). Yes, of course, over 2♣, we are forced to keep the auction open with the possible exception of systems that employ double negatives, either in 1 bid (as in 2♥), or in 2 (as in cheaper minor). I do not know who is merely expert on GIB ranges (as you are, apparently) and who has some authority for programming GIB. So I was making a suggestion to the latter group that 22 might be a better cut-off than 23. I do know that GIB uses cheaper minor for double negative so it would seem that it could easily handle a 22HCP lower limit to the range.