ayebee

A useful rule of thumb for suit overcalls is the SQOT (suit quality overcall test) Add number of cards in suit (minimum 5) to number of honours in suit to get the level to which you can bid. e.g KQ543 5 card suit + 2 honours SQOT = 7 so a safe 1 level overcall KQ1053 or KQ6543 have sQOT = 8 so are suitable for a 2 level overcall Vulnerable or in the "sandwich" situation as here I'd want fairly decent honours - J109876 satisifies SQOT for a two level overcall but I wouldn't advise it in this situation

Three clubs is clearly to play showing a minimum opener with clubs. Responder has already fully bid hid hand with 2NT and should not bid again. In particular why bid 3NT when partner by implication doesn't fancy 2NT opposite a balanced 11 count. It follows that if opener is strong then he could have found a stronger bid - either a new suit or a raise to 3NT.

My partner and play something similar - a trial bid such as 3c in the sequence you give shows a weak 4 card suit say Q1043 and asks for help in avoiding losers in that suit. I would expect partner to raise to game or show additional controls with for example KJx or Ax or a singleton i.e 1 loser in the suit, sign off in 3H/S with 3 small and with Axx or Kxx consider the overall hand. After this sequence I don't think it is a good idea to lead the suit on the opening lead. It seems likely that a "poison suit" layout exists where whichever side opens up the suit will concede an extra trick. If responder has raised to game then if you think he is likely to have a shortage then a trump lead is indicated to reduce dummy's ruffs. Our system is slightly different in that we would play 3D in that sequence as confirming help in clubs plus a control in diamonds

Many players (in the UK at least) play that in that sequence 4NT agrees hearts as the suit for the purposes of the RKCB enquiry only i.e the king of hearts is the 5th keycard and that a return to the Blackwood instigators original suit is to play. Playing ordinary Blackwood rather than RKCB it doesn't matter what trumps is - rather than agreeing responder's suit it simply means that opener know what trumps should be. However with a pick up partner I would prefer to find an unambiguous bid - yet another reason why the precipitous 4NT bid is ill chosen.

Perhaps the question is why you want 1♠ to be forcing here? 1♠ seems to be a sound contract as you seem to have 4 losers off the top in any black suit contract and will lose 6 tricks on a diamond lead against 3NT (unless east has 7 and no side entry).

Double. Warns partner of a misfit and intending to bid 3NT over 3S Nothing is guaranteed to be right here. The pre-empt is very effective. Pass is out of the question at pairs. Defending 3♦ is sure to be a poor score at pairs - if you can beat it by enough to score better than a part score in hearts or clubs then you could make game. 3♥ is incorrect playing 4 card majors. If partner has a good enough heart suit he will bid again. 4♣ describes the hand accurately but bypasses 3NT which is probably the right contract if partner has a strong NT type hand.

In order of preference 5♦ It is likely to make and hoping that partner will bid a slam holding a couple of aces and keep quiet otherwise. Also it pre-empts opps possible major suit slam or sacrifice. 3NT is very risky - attractive at pairs but less so at other forms of scoring as if it makes then so probably will 5♦. A black suit lead may see you lose the first 5 tricks and a heart lead knocking out your entry may mean you cannot run your diamonds. 1♦ is correct but a little tame for the hand. With this sort of distribution its quite likely that opps have something in one of the majors. Opening at the one level may allow them to get in. I especially don't like this playing 5 card majors either - how many times do you rebid the suit to convince partner you have nine?! 2♣ mis-describes the essentially pre-emptive nature of the hand although it just about qualifies as a strong hand. OK if you can trust partner to respect your sign off in 5♦ and not get over excited. (No I don't like that 6NT bid). Also it's still low enough for OPPs to come in with a good major suit.

Perhaps the real question here should be "Should I have made a very unusual bid without first discussing it's meaning with my partner?" You don't give the full hands but I'd be surprised if a clearer option was't available.

I don't think it is necessary to invoke cheating here - my partner and I would probably bid the same as E/W at MP pairs. West's overcall is a bit thin but it satisfies the SQOT test (suit quality length + no of honours = level at which you can overcall) and may help partner to lead hearts. Easts raise is automatic - with a known 11 card fit 4H is probably a good sacrifice if it doesn't make.

At match point pairs if you don't go -790 occasionally you're not doubling enough. From South's view lacking a good fit game seems to be a stretch and holding 3 defensive tricks opposite partners opening and rebid in spades, 4 hearts looks doomed. Having said that, I don't like South's 2♠ which suggests extra values not sub minimum and bid on an awful suit when partner has pretty much already denied 4 spades. 3♣ is better but how about pass at this point which by inference is minimum with a good diamond suit. yes I know 2♣ is forcing but after interference S can bid again so a free bid should show extra values 50% N 50% unlucky

You don't mention what system you're playing but as you're based in England and from the auction I'm guessing Acol with 4 card majors. On that basis 3♠ shows a solid spade suit and not that much outside. As partner's 2♥ normally shows 5 the it also denies 3 hearts. If partner bids 4H knowing what you have then you need to trust that bid and not correct to 4♠ To bid that your partner needs solid hearts and no more than one spade. I trust he will learn form the experience

No bid is perfect here but 2♥ is clearly best. partner may take you for 4 hearts but you can always correct to spades. regular acol players should be aware that a reverse must sometimes be made on a three card feature and recognise the situation. It also allows partner to bid 3NT confidently with 4 spades and a stop in clubs. 3♦ suggests a solid suit with less outside - an underbid that is likely to lead to a missed game. 3♠ seems to be an unpopular choice but I rate it better than 3D. The high cards make up for the lack of a 4th spade. 2NT describes the strength accurately but wastes bidding space and mis-describes the shape of the hand. What do you do if partner raises to 3NT Worst case scenario - partner has ♠AJxxx ♥AJx ♦ Qx ♣xxx and raises to 3NT. I make that one off on a club lead where 6♠ and 6♦ romp home. When I hear partner's response I am thinking 4S if partner has 5 or 3NT if he has a club stop - either way 2♥ gets you there

Hard cases make bad law. This hand is not easy with standard acol but beware of changing your system to fit this hand. You may create more problems that you solve. Face it, this is not a good 14 count. the king of spades very likely won't pull it's weight and deduct another point for the club bus tickets and you have a hand barely strong enough for a 12-14 opener let alone a rebid showing 15-17 points. Open 1NT and partner is highly likely to take out into spades - worst case with nil points and a suit similar to your clubs. Open 1c and then what? You really don't want to revid such an anemic suit. You are happy if partner responds 1D or 2C but over 1H raising to 2H is likely to get you too high as partner will assume you have four. Over 1S 1NT is an overbid. Play of a no trump contract will be difficult as spades will be blocked. 2c is feeble and may lead to a missed game if partner is strong. The best feature of your hand is the diamond suit so if you bid at all why not bid it. If you lose the auction at least partner knows what to lead. You intend to rebid clubs to show the essentially two suited nature of the hand. Granted you risk playing in a 4-2 fit in diamonds as partner will take you for 5-5 or 5-4 but at least you will have the top honours. But have you considered passing?. Game is likely to be out of reach unless partner has an opening hand. You know that spades split badly if the opposition bid them and your short suited honours look more defensive than offensive.

Most important here is to agree with your partner what the bid means! How can he judge accurately the risk of a sacrifice if he thinks you're 5-5 and you're 5-4 or 4-5 For me though the hand looks better suited to defence with the spade A and the lack of top honours in both minor suits. On the other hand if you don't go down a bundle occasionally you're not competing agressively enough, so clarify your agreements, stop blaming each other and move on.

Pass. Note the flatness of the hand and the lack of a 4th heart normally promised by a double (unless you are strong enough to bid an other suit) Worse the opps are bidding the boss suit. The hand seems more suited to defense than offence so a clear pass especially vulnerable, though it's more tempting at favourable vulnerability. When EW have a spade fit all you will do by bidding is place the O/S high cards for declarer. Partnership understanding is key here - partner should know that you may be fixed for a bid with a flat hand and come in if he possibly can. 1S-P-1NT/2D-2H or from North may go a bundle occasionally but hits the jackpot here and also when EW are best in 3NT provided a heart lead isnt found.