msjennifer

Sirs, the South hand is too strong as played in Spades for a very conservative bid of 2S. IN fact most will try 4S . It is not clear if the pair plays Drury(or reverse Drury for that matter).If they do then a conclusion can be drawn that the responders hand is a preemptive distributional hand with long spades.He is not making any of the other sub 4S bid even taking into account that the 1S bid is a third hand bid and the 4th hand has Passed.If I believe in my partner's preemptive bid in such circumstances I shall apply the LTC here.Passing 4S is indeed timid with ONLY FOUR LOSERS and shows the pessimistic approach of NORTH and is very strange.Anyone in North seat will take some action towards a slam.With no information available on the table I shall take responder to have a Eight losers hand and as per LTC jump to SIX spades There is nothing wrong with a 4S response by South and I, personally, consider it a 100% crime to pass on part of NORTH.Of course it is easy to construct hands ,after seeing all 26 cards ,where 6S may go down as well as where even 7S will be cold for that matter.One has to remember on the table that both opponents are passed hands and so there is no reason to pre empt, And if partner thinks that we can make 9 tricks ,by say a bid of 3S, against a third hand opening then the given hand certainly deserves to investigate a grand and lacking these a direct SIX spade bid.THANKS.Sorry for giving a long explanation but ,personally, I feel it is desirable in this particular case.

Sir, You are absolutely RIGHT..As said, we do not like to preempt a non passed partner AT THIS VULNERABILITY in the second seat.Our restrictions are not applicable at all in the 3rd and 4th seat. It is somewhat comparable to our 4C and 4D openings which are a transfer to 4H and 4S resp. using the formula 0-1-2 as per the vulnerability.They enable the responder to use the next step bid to find out outside controls.Our 4H/S openings are as per the formula 1-2-3.This certainly deprives us of the pre emptive 4C./D bids ., But then there is hardly ever the opportunity for those bids.THANKS for your constructive comments

Sir. Asper the auction the agreed suit is CLUBS .Keeping this in mind the 5H bid, which is the next step after 5D asks for the CLUB QUEEN.The earlier bids are self explanatory. THANKS

Sir, I humbly wish to point out fhat the requirements which we have set are worthy enough for consideration for others too.We open the hand mentioned by you TWO AND not THREE hearts .GOOD LUCK to all those who open 3H on what WE consider a rubbish bid with the given vulnerability AND THAT TOO IN SECOND SEAT.THANKS.

Sir, The level which the players give in their profile are not reliable .I have seen numerous real experts who describe their level as NOVICE(probably they mean NO VOICE) or Beginners. On the other hand those who call themselves Experts do not know even the elementary gadgets and conventions.An expert is supposed to know at least the basic openings of ALL the systems commonly in use as he has to draw conclusions from the bids made but also WHICH THEY DO NOT MAKE EVEN THOUGH AVAILABLE AS OPTIONS.AN extreme example is of a one who called HIMSELF WORLD CLASS failed to reach an easy to bid and also make SIX SPADES to play in 3NT when his LHO on lead led a small club from K73.( drawing the conclusion from the bidding )His partner had AQJ64 and they cashed first five tricks.He was also IMPUDENT enough to call the director who of coursed pooh pohed him and asked to get on .My humble and polite suggestion is to play in FREE competitive Pairs event and invite preferably any one who has registered during the last three lock down months.They are more amenable.THANKS,

Sir, I cannot decide as the requirements for a 3H opening in 2ND Seat at the given vulnerability have not been defined .Our definition is not more than Five losers since we are preempting partner, who is a non passed hand, Since my hand is giving three quickest covers ((SA AND HAQ) the losing count is 5-3=2.So i am certainly going to bid 5H which should be an easy make.THANKS

SIRS, I am very thankful to all of you for your replies on this rather uncommon hand.Personally if I held the South cards I ,a "precision" oriented one, would bid the same way upto 2H and if partner rebid 2NT i would certainly pause.(1)Partner having denied a two card support for S and ((2)who could have passed 2H with a poor fit hand and 3cards in hearts MAY AND MAY ONLY possibly hold a hand where she does not have a GOOD diamond suit and has a totally non fit hand but with possibly a club 4 card suit ,a non Gf hand and unable to define the final contract in which case a correction (albeit with the given conditions) to a NON FORCING 3D would not be misrepresenting my hand.THANKS to all once again..

Sir , pardon me but one may not ask in this fashion.One may request the director to READ OUT FROM THE RULE BOOK and any director has to carry the rule book ,or get it whenever asked for ,and satisfy the player who asked for the same.If the player considers the ruling unfair then he is free to appeal it to the Appeals Committee. I, personally, always show the STOP card to LHO BEFORE I ALERT to make any conventional OPENING bid of 2 or more . Doing so certainly does not lower one's dignity in any manner.THANKS

Sir, Returning the D9 and not the smallest even on seeing the singleton DJ in dummy was not wise at all.Partner did not start with a diamond lead and so ,leave alone his pause, must be quite shaky. At this point the D9 could possibly have relieved the pressure on partner.At this level it is not difficult to visualise a throw-in endplay coming if one withholds the HQ.Win and return the diamond.(long lost 9). Thanks.

Madam,/Sir, i, too ,would agree that considering the misfits a 2NT bid is a better bid.In fact,(I was a kibitzer),when I asked why she bid 3C here is her reply. "it may be right or wrong but the 2D bid is not forcing to game but only upto 3 of a suit or 2NT.Any NEW suit bid at 3 level (which may not necessarily be the 4th suit ) by either is a GF." As also she wanted to find out a game in one of the minors or 3NT after she hears what opener bids over 3C which was the only GF bid left.Indeed all the members in that club agreed with the bidding that far.. 3NT had no chance on the natural heart /spade lead with a spade/heart shift.I ,therefore, am interested in finding out a better auction (1)at the table and (2)double dummy on seeing the 26 cards.THANKS.Sorry for the typing mistakes.

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Sir, This is a problem to be discussed and agreed upon by your partnership.There is no commonly available known method for the situation.But if indeed you desire a four card support then why not use Stayman ? Do you need a super acceptance for the suit you have to go via a transfer.You will have to be a super Chef if you want to make a well baked cake and make partner eat it.Cake shops are closed,

Yes .Indeed!! I too was kibitzing as I do everyday. The double squeeze was missed.Of course it was not a straight forward play.If indeed East holds the SK and Jxx in diamonds the squeeze fails when a finesse would work.It will be interesting to work out the probabilities of these combinations .Only a mathematician may tell us and I know a certain senior lady who has done doctorate and ask her to guide us..One usually finds a deal or two in every session highlighting aspects of bidding also and I do snap them up on my phone.THANKS

If indeed the opener wishes to play in a D/S game or any other game for that matter he would open 2♣ as I have already pointed out.He also can bid game over any response by partner over 2♠.The jump at TWO level is no no longer forcing to game these days.(If the responder has made a courtesy response with 4/5HCP since 1♦ in this case as also 1♣ in some other hand may be a prepared opening bid.).As for your last sentence I have already said the same in my opening sentence.Responder is free to bid game if he has USEFUL HCP like Ace of hearts/S/C.Lastly frankly speaking (Only some may agree)I shall with a regular partner ALWAYS open this hand ,with NINE winners and only Three losers,2C and certainly not 1D.

Sir, Many?most would not respond 1♥ and just pass. 1) A 1♥ response is alright with one extra card making it a six card suit. 2) The bidding would be 1♦-1♥-2♠(one round force)-2NT-3♦ Non forcing-PASS. 3)Indeed if opener wished to play in a ♦/♠ game he would open NOT 1♦ BUT 2♣ 4) IN THE GIVEN SEQUENCE the 3♣ bid in our methods would show a 4054 strong hand.However the 3♣ bid is a dangerous bid unless previously discussed and may easily be misinterpreted.(the responder could argue that he could have bid 2C himself). 5)In our methods and which is likely followed by many the opener never artificially bids (in the given hand) the so assumed 4th suit.Only the responder uses the 4th suit forcing bid- 6)i In the given sequence the 3♣ bid is not desirable and a 3♦ bid more appropriate. THANKS.

SIRS Looks like they already had more than ONE FOR THE ROAD.

Sir,2C is certainly the least confusing and most natural response as you state.There cant be two opinions on this.We were always told that responder responds UP THE LINE.Not to forget some hands where the 2C response may be made even on a 3 card club suit if and when lacking any other available descriptive response and also in the event the responder JUDICIOUSLY chooses to take control of the auction.Thanks.

Sir,beg your pardon but only one club ruff is enough as 1S+6D+6H =13. And if diamonds break 4-0 one is free to curse one's bad luck.And as you correctly pointed perhaps no slam may make but its all too easy when one sees all 26 cards.Thanks.

Sir, you have overlooked that West will open the bidding 1H.? And East shall very conveniently open 1NT.You assume that opponents with 10 carder clubs AND 8 Spades will have balanced hands between them and just keep quiet. Perhaps, it is also TOO easy to miss the very good contract of 7D.Is not life on the table easy when one knows both hands?

Sir, TOO EASY or is it? Well, depends upon your armoury of system and Gadgets.So many ways. ( mikeh has already given one line). Personally, I shall never open 1NT with the EAST hand with TWO suits wide open.Thanks.

Sir,it is the Eightth trick which hurts him.So a progressive is necessary.

SIR Agreed. An expert West will lead a small heart from HJx fully aware of E with Kx- KQxxxx-xxxx-x possibility.(so that E can discard all hearts and has no problem of what to discard on the last club.) possibility in .a grand slam contract.The problem has occurred as he led the J and not the small one.

Sir. Quite simply it boils down to what to discard from dummy on the last club fully expecting a 4/1 break in D.If one says that one has to decide from the trepidations ,if any, of either opponent it will not be far off.Perhaps only a mathematician will tell the percentages wherein East will hold SK AND ALSO FOUR cards in diamonds.(without which there can not be a progressive squeeze) .One has to consider the mentality of either of them.In a grand slam if W is an Expert indeed he will lead a small one from HJx well aware of the squeeze possibilities since there is no harm in doing so. If the opponents are genuine World class then I ,personally, shall take West to hold 4 Diamonds and the SK since that is the only hope.A novice will simply cash out to find diamomds breaking 3/2 and say TOO MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.

SIR Before answering the query posed by OP directly, one would ask oneself 'Would I make any bid with the given hand if RHO had passed over 1H overcall by partner".One has the answer to the present query then and there only.This goes unless the 1H overcall has been agreed as unconditionally forcing for one round. if indeed it is so, then good luck to that system and agreement.

Sir, In fact this in a nutshell has summed up the right approach to intervention over 1NT opening. I fully agree with you .In fact, the scheme explained by the OP is to say humbly is a discarded old concept.As my Grandfather would observe this was the scheme in perhaps the Culbertson days way way before the Lebensohl and Rubensohl gadgets came into existence more than 50 YRS .back (and remain the much much better schemes.).I,politely,suggest the OP to kindly go through these and decide after the pros and cons of all.THANKS