Endymion77

If you play Negative Free Bids (so 2♦ is not forcing), all forcing hands without heart support start with a double. So you have to double and then bid diamonds.

Weak, 4s/6+m, to play

5134/5143/5125/5152/5044, invitational (not strong enough to bid 3m) This is game forcing, natural

duplicate

Here's how I usually play them but might not be standard (2C always shows invitational hand at least): 1H - 1S - 1N - 2S To play 1H - 1S - 1N - 3S Invitational, 6+ spades 1H - 1S - 1N - 2C (checkback) 2m 3S Sets trump, demands cuebid 1H - 1S - 1N - 2C (checkback) 2m 2S Invitational with an unbalanced hand, does NOT promise more than 5 spades

Exclusion RKCB for clubs with a diamond void?

Throw a heart from dummy and ruff in hand, play for ♠K on. If you have just one option against normal defense, but the defense gives you another option, you should generally reject it, especially against good players.

If you play support X's, I think this is a clear support double situation. If you don't play support doubles, it makes sense to show a strong NT hand with a double as ggwhiz suggested. Otherwise how can you show that hand? Rebidding 2NT might be uncomfortable when opp showed 2 suits and his partner would be on the lead.

I think I bid 5♣ and try to make it

I like this suggestion, plus it lets the "unknown" hand always be declarer.

3♣ is fine, no other option really without some specific agreements about forcing shape/controls-asking bids in response to Michaels (you can for example play that 4♣ asks partner for his singleton in this sequence, or even better 2NT as an artifical inv+ relay that asks for shape first and then the next relay asks for number of controls). Partner's 3♠ over the double should show a weak 6/5 hand. If 4♦ is a cuebid agreeing spades as trump I like it, then partner's 4♥ should also promise a club control so you just go rkcb for spades.

So he not only miscounted the trump but also didn't notice the first opp showed out? He probably wanted to endplay you. :D

The above post is very good.

With 11 trumps, don't finesse the Queen

It's Fourth Suit Forcing, not spades. Why would you have a heated argument over a conventional sequence?

3♦ is fine, 1♠ might work on occasion, but I would probably pass. I really don't like the Qxx in clubs.

And I was wondering why both problems were the same :)

Yes maybe he doesn't have a stopper but if he misunderstood my penalty double, he should have a stopper? Otherwise why wouldn't he sit with Jxxx spades? I was actually wondering if I want to play in spades (and have a way to play in spades) at the table. Also, what would be the meaning of 3♣ here after the initial redouble - is it forcing? I raised to 2NT finally and we went off in 3NT.

I prefer it to 3♠ because it gives opener the option to pass with a dead minimum with singleton spade, and show 2 spade cards by bidding 3♠ otherwise. But I don't really object to 3♠, the suit is reasonably good to play against singleton. I wouldn't really consider any other option at MPs, we've already invited and without a known fit we don't have enough to force game.

Play a spade to the A to see if trump aren't 5-0, everyone follows?

Playing with strangers on BBO can sometimes put you in really weird spots. Maybe not a very interesting hand but I did think for quite some time in this spot: [hv=pc=n&s=st985hjt2dakj5ca3&w=sakq3h76d83cqj964&n=s7hq93dt7642ct752&e=sj642hak854dq9ck8&d=n&v=n&b=5&a=p1hdrpp1sdp1np]399|300[/hv] 1♥ = 11-15, 5+ hearts XX = 9+, tends to deny heart fit So you're sitting West, and it's your turn after this sequence (some might disagree with the initial redouble, but it's forced by the system). You doubled 1♠ to suggest a penalty (some might disagree again, but they're vulnerable) and partner bid 1NT (probably misunderstood your double) so you're basically sure he has Jxxx or so in spades. Something weird is going on. What do you do now?

3♥ looks pretty obvious at MPs here - even though it's not forcing partner would rarely pass unless he has a real minimum with singleton spade. You can also just bid 4♠ and hope trumps to break well.

Why would thinking suggest spades, and not a diamond, club or heart lead?

> I'm more interested in the general case you occasionally see, someone opening 1♠ in third with a spade doubleton and 4 HCP. This usually doesn't work, plus 4 hcp is a bit too much - I prefer 0-2 (no A, K or major suit Q) and a (semi) balanced hand with 2/2, 2/3 or 3/3 in the majors. But when I do it I always seem to find partner with a limit raise in spades and they either bid to their 630 anyway or we give up 1400. So I've stopped doing it. Mostly.

> What's the chance that partner is missing just 1 and looking for the grand? Small but existing > That 5♦ makes and 4N does not? Substantial, if partner has a singleton in spades and we're off 2 aces. Do you think they would make a vulnerable 2♠ overcall with a J high suit, or partner would bid rkcb with 2 or 3 small spades? That's unlikely, so partner probably has a singleton. Yes, we didn't hear from RHO but they're vulnerable and it's possible LHO overcalled 2S on AJ 7-th and RHO didn't want to raise with 3 small spades and a balanced hand. Also, I don't pass forcing bids.