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What do you understand from this bid 1♦ (3♥) D (P) 4♥ (P) 5♣ (P) 5♠ (P) 5NT I was the responder what do you think i had ?

I honestly dont understand the problem with 3H, dont understand why ppl think this is against the law of total trick. If i understood larry's book, he doesnt ignore vulnarability, the bid must have some correlation with vul, now wouldnt you bid 4H when non vul vs vul ? yes so would i , then how come the law bid stay the same with the opposite vul ? Imo this is 3H by the law of total tricks, and also show a good hand since im not competing just because i love getting -200.

I pass

How can you all bid 4H at this vul ????? Are you bidding 6 on favorite vul ? :angry: I bid 3H.

I just want to add that this isnt such a big disaster, you have 25 hcp balance with no fit and playing 1nt, sure its not it the your best contract ever but iv seen 3nt go down with more, if i look only at our hands id probelby be happy we stopper low.

Im with you too, but im guessing the bidding wasnt the same at other tables, and the opponenents found their way into the bidding which gave the needed clue to the working line.

Many play 2♣ as NF, so as a result of this, Dbl followed by a suit is at least forcing for 1 round. However, if you don't play negative freebids, then this would rather be NF (but what is pass followed by some ♣s?). First of all if someone didnt say he play NFB we should assume he isnt or atleast ask him, but this guy actually said he doesnt play nfb, he said an imidiate 2c would have been forcing to 1 round.

Mc is polish club like system, that use both 2c and 1nt to show weak hands, there are top players who use this system when they are non vul (or atleast non vul vs vul) while changing the 1nt and 2c to be the stronger version while vul. The idea is the more vul they are and less we are the better it is for us to have our 1nt and 2c weaker to prempt them, and not less important when they are vul our 1c is less vulnarable to their inferences. An example of such pair are the bulgarian rumen kalin, also boochi dubin played like that before they decided to play strong 2c.

btw there are double dummy lines other then the one given. How bout ur best line(not double dummy) ? is it making ?

Double dummy its easy, but i would go down at the table since the double dummy isnt the right play imo.

Im surprise to there isnt a simple consensus here. This bid is your way to show a hand not strong enough for imidiate 2c, so its oviously not forcing.

I'll explain myself. Planing is good, but even before a plan , there is the default plan, the basic plan, the one plan/algorithm that i would teach any begginer. 1. Do i need to ruff losers in the short trump hand ? If the answer is yes, ruff and go to step 2. If the answer is no go to step 2 2. Draw trumps. You didnt follow this basic plan, this should only happend if you had an alternative plan, if you dont then just follow the basic one.

4S is bad it doesnt make even if partner has AKQJXX XXX XXX X 3NT could make, so i might bid 2nt to ask and bid game if partner show a godo suit, however i think this is right only non vul at imps, at any other situation ill just bid 3sp premptively.

Its almost impossible to reach 4-4 minor fit after you announced a 5-3 major fit, the best way is when you have slam ideas dont support the 5 card with your 3 before you checked for a 4-4 fit. for example last weak a good player held a strong 4324 hand, the bidding went 1h-1s 2c-2d(4st) 2h-3c this show club support and is GF+ 3d-3h 4H-4nt 5H-6C They made 6c while 6H go down. A side point, i was a little surprise to see that both of them knew the ace asking was about club not heart, after thinking about it it was clear to me too.

Why ?

It's right, but not sufficient I think. 'Cause sometimes 2♥X is less profitable than 3NT or even 2NT. Good argument. Those believe this 2N is natural should ask themselve what immediate 2N should be. Also when things go wrong 2H makes is much worse then 2nt-1.

1S (D) RD is this forcing to 2sp ? If the answer is yes then this is forcing 1S (D) RD (P) P (1NT) Is it still forcing if 1S was third hand ? P (P) 1S (D) RD 1nt ? Anyway mp third hand not vul vs vul is it crazy to open 1S with this hand? [hv=s=saq84ha72d74c7532]133|100|[/hv] (partner doubled 1nt and they made it.)

I changed my mind twice, now my final decision, even though i believe a good player has enough ressons to play A of club on the first trick anyway, i still dont see anyone leading Qx of club here, so ill go with small. edited: im not going to change my post , just want to say leading QX when you hold the A of trump isnt such a bad idea as might sound from my post.

I also dont like scrambling when the the other suit is shorter then partner suit, it should be vs versa. Maybe 2nt can be played as a non forcing scrambling, just show hand with too good potential to pass but no clear bid, doesnt show stoper but partner can pass it if he has a bal hand, it might be least evil playing 2nt undoubled.

All of us want to say something. When the chat is quite we all respect it, we think before talk, say only smart things, but when you see the chat is flooded you might as well join the crowed.

Both your examples are classic cases but the resson they are classic isnt your rule, the resson his we cant have a game, on the initial problem we could have a game if partner is strong.

IF im not mistaken the finnese will work for Kxxx onside as well.

I dont think your line makes LHO has Kxxx.

Hi, are you saying 3nt here promises 6+♣ ? thx :P most play 3nt to show a long minor suit, with no such suit and 18-19 hcp you bid 2nt. I think its usually show 7 can suit and weaker hand, like 15 hcp, but this can be good here (i picked 3c but maybe 3nt is better).

Quoting dr Phil,"how's that working for you?" :D Does it help? Do you think you eventually will lose the problem? Does the problem seem less now? Or do you find there are still one or two you have to blacklist "every" day? :P I dont think it can solve the problem, not even make a signifisent change, but i still do that, i wont play ppl i dont like. I already said i dont think there is a global solution to this problem, the solution is local , try to play more with ppl you know.