MickyB

[hv=pc=n&w=sqt853ha8d972ca63&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1n(15-17)p2dp2hpp]133|200|IMPs[/hv]

Odd - I was fairly sure that the standard meaning for 2H then 3H was GF with 5-5 in the majors :rolleyes:

Yeah I thought about this when I read Fred's Impossible 2♠ post. Seems reasonable, but as I play 1M:1N as to play opposite a weak NT it's not for me.

My powers of pressing the GIB button indicate that a diamond lead ducked round beats it too.

I'd open 3♠. 1♠ is fine.

2♥

Playing standard methods, nothing but 3♠ would occur to me.

1♦ leads to better constructive auctions. 1♥ leads to better tactical auctions when you can raise 1NT to 3NT directly. Simply playing transfers with 1C:1D, 1H showing C+D unbal gets you the best of both worlds.

West should bid 3♦, not 3♥, which will usually be a balanced hand. The rest of the auction was fine.

I have spoken to a player who was at the table, and understand that the player designated "South" in the OP had made several such remarks that were perceived as aggressive by East-West but humourous by North. The comment in the OP just happened to be the last one made before the TD was called. East was upset by South and by the TD's handling of the situation; it was after this that he walked out, but he was persuaded to return, at least partly by West. This is not intended to be a full account of events.

Agree that the conversation as reported puts East in a poor light; However, this isn't the full story, and I am not sure that the part of the conversation reported above is accurate.

The auction needs correcting on the second hand. The auction on the third hand is correct. On the first, I passed throughout as North. I was worried that 5♦, even on the second round, might be interpreted as pass-or-correct. I think I was affected slightly by a disaster on the board before, I was loathed to risk another misunderstanding. Anyway, not the best adverts for the method. Our oppo in the previous match were using Gnasher's defence, but the bid didn't come up at all.

Did 1♠ show five cards? If so, North definitely has to do more. If not, North rates to have a better hand for his 4♠ bid, and South should make a move IMO.

Not quite sure where I'd get to with my methods. 1S:2D 2N:3H 3N:4N 6H looks possible - with 2N showing a single-suiter that is worth a GF opposite the weak type for 2D [4+D, exactly 2S, 9-10] But yes, it's a tricky auction for standard methods. The hand came up in partnership bidding and the auction was 1S:2D, 2N:3N, P. If neither hand jumps to 3N to show extras I don't think you get there.

[hv=pc=n&s=saq5432haj2dq2ck2&n=s6hkqt3dak543ca43]133|200|South deals, bid these hands playing 2/1.[/hv]

FYP.

Fair enough. How would you have bid? I almost presented it as a bidding problem, but with oppo at unfavourable, and no attractive alternative, I thought pass then pass looked fairly clear. Talking of unusual scores - on another board it crossed my mind, after our side had passed for the first few rounds of the auction, to save for 1100 against 1620, but instead I chose a cowardly pass.

By "upvote", I of course mean "yes".

Ty, fixed.

[hv=pc=n&s=sj9863hq6dkq76ck8&d=n&v=e&b=3&a=1h1sppdppp]133|200|Your lead. Five-card majors, light, wide-ranging openings. Edit: If you disagree with the [lack of] bidding, please state how you would have approached the hand. 2NT on the first round would have been a good four-card raise.[/hv]

We played it this weekend, but not versus Gnasher, that match is next weekend. It came up three times in eighty boards but there weren't any interesting competitive decisions [on two, oppo correctly passed throughout; on the other, the hand over the preempt had a balanced 27-count].

Yeah it's basically MP, except there are only two tables and you'll hopefully have a reasonable idea how your teammates will play.

With this much, I agree.

Larue?

I haven't put a great deal of thought into it, but it looks reasonable. While the double may be hard to untangle in competition, it at least avoids the label of "woefully inadequate", unlike any defence to the method that I have considered so far.