lowerline

I have been playing multi for years. I never opened it with two aces and I never responded 2♠ with spades longer than hearts...

I think the bidding should start 1♣-1♠-2♥. If I have to bury a suit, I do it with a minor never with a major... Then it depends on your agreements after a reverse. I play Lebensohl, so I can bid a forcing 3♣. 1♣-1♠ 2♥-3♣ 3♦-3♠(1) 3nt-4♥(2) 4nt-5♥(3) 6♣ (1) 3♦ could just be asking for a stopper, which you don't have. (2) After 3nt you know 3♦ was a value-based control-showing bid (♦A or K). I think 4♥ now shows stronger slam interest than 4♣. (3) 2 keycards without the queen One red suit queen is enough to bid the grand. I cannot find out. Steven

I would have bid 1♥ with the North hand (it's only 15hcp and ♣QJ isn't that great). I think I prefer the double to be penalty here iso takeout. But if takeout is the agreement North should have bid 3♥ to show his hand. Steven

I think a 14hcp 5332 needs honour concentration in the 5crd suit, intermediates and not too many quacks before I upgrade it to a 15-17 1nt opening. As already mentioned by others, there are other considerations when the 5crd suit is a major. Steven

LHO wins with the T. Cashes the ♣J to see his partner discard the ♠2 (which is a signal for diamonds). Then he continues with the ♥8 for the 9, J and your Q. Now you again. Steven

After the unopposed bidding 1♦-1♠-1nt and a ♣Q lead it is up to you: Dummy: ♠Q8xx ♥9x ♦QJx ♣K8xx Hand: ♠KJ ♥AQxx ♦A8xx ♣97x You go up with the king (agree?). RHO wins the ace and switches to a low heart. Steven

Play low in dummy and win the ace. You cannot make an extra trick by putting in the Q or J, but you take your best chance for only one diamond loser. Steven

2nt is used as "invite opposite either major"... Yes, it would be nice to invite and still play on the 2-level when declined, but most of the time you cannot. I don't think making an exception here is worth the memory strain. Steven

1♥-2♦ 2♥-3♦ 4♦-4nt 5♣-6♦ p

1♣-1♥ 2♦-2♠ 3♣-3♠ 4♥-p

Assuming no intervention by EW: p-1♦ 1♥-1♠ 2♦-3♦ 3♥-4♥ p

I would start with Stayman and sell this hand as 6-4. Steven

I always wondered whether 3rd/low and 3rd/5th were the same... Around here (Europe) 3rd/5th is very popular and as far as I can tell most people lead 5th from a 6crd suit (which I think is wrong...). Regarding 2nd/4th I think there are two interpretations: (1) leading low from even: 2nd from two/three and 4th from four/five (2) leading 4th from length wanting the suit returned & leading 2nd from length wanting a switch. In the second case you also lead low from honour-third but high from three small. Steven

I prefer 2♣ with this hand. But a hand that is strong enough for 3♣ is also strong enough for 2♥ IMHO. So yes, 3♣ denies 4 hearts. Steven

2/1 is very different from 1/1 even when it is not GF... 1H-1S 1nt-2H 6-9 doubleton if playing CBS, 10-11 3crd otherwise 1H-1S 1nt-3H 10-11 4S3H if playing CBS, GF+ 3crd otherwise 1H-1S 2m-2H 6-9 doubleton 1H-1S 2m-3H 10-11 3crd 1M-2x 2y-2M Hx or better if playing 2/1, any xx possible and 10-11 otherwise 1M-2x 2y-3M(jump) 3crd, GF+ even when not playing 2/1 1M-2x 2M-3M 10-11 3crd when not playing 2/1, GF otherwise but 2crd or 3crd depending on style 1M-2x xy-3M(non-jump) 2crd possible, always GF Jump to 4M when 3M would have been GF is a picture bid 1H-1S 2m-4SF any-3H GF+ (minimal GF would have jumped to 4H on previous round) 1M-2x 2y-4SF any-3M doubleton COG (2/1, then 4SF, then support must show doubt IMHO) Steven

System on doesn't make sense because partner will pass with 5+hcp most of the time. With less than 5hcp partner can bid a 5crd suit other than clubs (2♦/♥/♠) and 2♣ otherwise. Over 2♣ doubler passes with 4+ clubs or bids a suit of his own. Of course, if pass forces redouble or redouble forces 2♣ you can afford to pass with a weak hand without a 5crd suit. Steven

I assume that 2♠ is inv+ with diamond support and that 4♥ and 4♠ are control-showing bids. Is redouble showing first round control in spades? If all my assumptions are correct, the bid that doesn't make sense is 5♣... Responder should have signed off in 5♦ instead. Steven

To me opener has shown two places to play (6-4 because 5-5 bids 2♣ iso double). With the example hand I'd bid 3♥. Steven

Double would not have occurred to me... I would have bid 3♥ raised to 4 by partner. Not sure if I will win it though... Steven

Agree. I prefer the ♦9 when I'm not leading hearts. Steven

I consider this an above average 14, but not good enough to open it 1nt. I don't have rules for opening 1nt on 14, but looking back, I think I always had a good 5crd suit. I also upgrade some 17 counts (opening 1m and rebidding 2nt). There are so many situations where judgement is applied... What is there to disclose? Should I put on my CC I have other ways to evaluate my hand than counting points? Steven

I could not bid 5♣ over 4nt because that would have been an accept of the slamtry. Our agreement is to open a 15-17 1nt. Doing it with 14 was a judgement call. Partner knows that I do that sometimes (in fact I did a few boards before). Steven

I had the other hand. With the ♠J or the ♥J 4nt would have made, only the ♦J makes no difference. Any of those jacks would have made 6♣ a better contract as well. For the post-mortem I rather go down in 6♣ than in 4nt... Steven

Example: I opened a 15-17 1nt with ♠Ax♥T9x♦K9x♣AQJxx. Partner responded Stayman and over my 2♦ response he bid 4nt with ♠Qx♥AKQx♦Qx♣KTxxx. Down one on a spade lead. Post-mortem: Partner blamed me for opening 1nt with only 14. I blamed him for not bidding 3♣ over 2♦ so we would have reached 6♣ (that wins played in his hand). Who is resulting here? Steven

This is my suggestion: Open all balanced hands without a 5crd suit (unless clubs) outside your 1nt range with 1♣. Add to this all 5♦332 above your 1nt range and all 4441 without singleton ♣.Then your 1♦ opening guarantees a 5crd suit, unless precisely 4-4-4-1. Balanced 5332 is only possible when below the 1nt range.The 1M openings can still be 5332 when outside the 1nt range. Use Gazzilli to help out when above the 1nt range. I believe this distributes the hand patterns nicely over the 1-level openings, whether you choose to play transfers after 1♣ or not... Steven