MickyB

Auto-double for me. We can easily be making game or taking a penalty, the upside is just way bigger than the downside. I generally think max passed hands should be aggressive where reasonable to take a bit of pressure off partner.

If oppo bid 5H then it's likely partner will get to make a decision before we do. I doubt he'll expect this handtype and will be terribly placed to judge. Limited openings don't just reduce the chance of slam on this sort of hand, they also free up partner's double to mean "I'd like to compete to 5S".

In isolation, you'd play to the ten on the second round in that suit, because that picks up AJxx onside as well as Jxx onside, but sometimes you know RHO doesn't have a singleton so that layout isn't relevant. I've not seen the original thread to comment on the assertion made there, but it is generally good technique for RHO to duck. Let us instead assume that you need to take only two tricks in the suit, but that you need to do so without losing two tricks. Perhaps you are in a suit contract with no shortage of trumps and no need for the pitches. If the defence follow low in tempo, you have a straight choice between Axx/Jx and Jxx/Ax. If the defender takes the ace on the first round, there are four possibilities - He has AJx or longer - what you do now is irrelevant He has stiff ace He has AJ tight He has Ax or longer If we knew that RHO would always duck with the last of these, we would play for the drop on the next round, because AJ tight is more likely than stiff ace. [say we have 8 cards in the suit - we assume LHO has the three small ones and RHO has the ace - there are now 12 unknown cards in RHO's hand and 10 unknown cards in LHO's hand, so it is 12:10 that RHO has the jack. This logic is known as "vacant spaces"]. However, in practice you will usually finesse on the next round, because it only needs RHO to play to play the ace from Ax a very small proportion of the time in order to swing the odds.

Ah, the diagram says you were vul.

Bobby's 2nd point disappears if compared with 1H:2C, 2S not showing extras.

I played this a few times and just played 2C as asking for four hearts. 2C then 2M was 5+card INV.

I'm not sure I agree with "majority", but it's certainly not uncommon. While I wouldn't expect to see it at the YC, there are a lot of clubs with generally low-standard play in London as well, I'd be surprised if you frequented them but I've been surprised before!

I know that Flannery-hating is going out of fashion, but really I don't see what problem it is trying to solve*. 1H:1N, 2C on 2 cards is normally fine unless responder is 3154, whereas 1S:1N, 2C on three cards is problematic more frequently - 1543, 1453, 1552, 0553 may all finish in 6-card fits. Some point to nice 2/1 auctions after a 2m response holding 4S4m, but now people are doing that even without Flannery, and playing 1H;2m, 2S as not showing extras. Retaining 2S as showing extras is nice I guess but it's nothing to get excited about. Contrary to popular opinion, if you are playing Flannery you should really be playing KI as well. Bidding 1H-P-1N frequently and 1H-P-1S infrequently is inefficient, just like rarely bidding 1C-P-1D playing Walsh instead of Transfer Walsh. It's better for 1S to show 0-4 spades, now 1N = 3+diamonds, 2C = natural 3+cards, 2D = 11-13 or 17+ with hearts, 2H = 14-16, 2S = reverse. * Actually, I did decide that Flannery would be useful if playing 1M:2X as natural, showing either good preference or GF, as it meant 1H:2m, 2H denied four spades, and 4S2H 5-10 could ignore the spades and show good or bad preference as appropriate, but I rather doubt that is relevant to anyone else.

I'd pass then dbl playing my methods [short diamond, so no advantage in bidding for the lead]. Not sure about playing standard, might well be tempted to bid my AKQxx at my first turn even though I tend to be fairly solid with my 1m openings...I'd certainly pass on the next round now.

I am surprised J+J play/played MUD as well, I know Jason dislikes 4th+2nd vs suits. I am inclined to agree - count-based methods [including 3rd+low] vs suits make MUD irrelevant, while top from xxx playing 4th or attitude vs NT is a no-brainer, at least until you are dealt 9xx.

I started off with 1S:2C, 2H showing extras, but that left some hands very poorly catered to. After 1S:1N, 2C [1N forcing, 2C = clubs/weak NT/some 16-18 hands], 1354 5-7 would play 2S on the 5-1 fit, and 1453 would be playing in either 2S on a 5-1 or 3C on a 4-3. Obviously 6D4H with responder would land up a level higher too, and we'd basically lose the option to respond 2C with 5-5 in the reds when appropriate [iMPs - minimum responding hand or poor hearts]. I don't think we as badly placed after 1S:2C, 2H as you make out so I think it's worth it. I'm not sure I like responding 1NT really. 2N [as opposed to 3D or 3N] when partner has 11-12 flat sounds horrible, especially from my side, and I'm not sure 1S:1N, 2H:2N is great either. 2N GF gets 3C [5413/5404] from partner, what are your thoughts on the best game now?

This is the same deal as http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/topic/58025-thats-my-suit/. My teammate led a low club. While the defence of diamond to the jack, club underlead to the king, diamond to the queen looked unlikely, he wondered afterwards if the club king would have been a better lead.

Partner held KJxxx xx AQTx xx, the board was flat in 6S-2, despite a 2S [spades+minor] opening in the other room. 5S makes.

Partner had pushed the boat out a little with K9x JT97xx xxx Q opposite your AQJx AQx Qxx Kxx, so 4H lost the first four tricks but 3NT makes with Kx heart in the slot.

My teammate bid and went for 800 against 420, finding QJ tight diamond in the dummy. My instinct was to pass but given that x xxxx xxxx KJxx is a cold game I thought it was worth posting.

I passed quickly at the table, it felt clear...then I saw the action had got around to partner, and I started having doubts! Couldn't they have been in a 6-4 fit or something and now he needs to save? Thankfully he divined to pass.

In what positions are we behind standard methods and/or responding a forcing NT with 1S:1N, 2C:2D as ART? I can't see many. We don't respond 2C on 5D4C 8-11 because 1NT allows us to find a fit in either minor.

Yup ok, I'll add that to OP

Thanks :) Ok, partner accepts the invite with 3NT. Are you done?

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[hv=pc=n&s=st975hakqj5dcat85&d=n&v=b&b=13&a=1s2d]133|200|What's your plan? We open quite light [most 10-counts].[/hv]

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