apollo1201

Paying an entry fee doesn’t mean one should try to bid sth other than pass at every opportunity. What the hell was he thinking on the 1st round with a meager 10 HCP, no suit or his own, unlimited opener and responder, who on top of that had bid each his longer suits. Rescued by the 1S bid, and warned by your 1st pass of no real desire to enter the auction, he nevertheless bids again a suit opps have advertised holding, gets X and plays there. I think all bids (except the 1st pass) mean I want a new partner but didn’t want to hurt you saying it as plainly. Anyway with your hand I’d have bid C before presuming partner had the blacks.

I’ve done it once with no stopper (but a bit better than here, Jxx, making a blockage, or partner turning up with sth useful to make a stopper, more possible), and once with a sg K. Both worked, not that it means it will always work. But it was an adrenaline boost when I had put the 3NT card on the table, and half surprised to see pass pass pass and no X. Here, if opener can have sth like Q to 6th, it is even more tempting. And you have more emotions with 3NT than passing 3 (or 4) H if partner bids that over the X.

+1 (for all you said)

GF does just mean we are not stopping below, it doesn’t mean we ll make it I completely agree that I might go down in game - like a horrible 3NT when partner opened a shapely reverse 64 hand (or 55) But I didn’t pay my entry fees to play a partial score on this one😁😁😁

A clear 2C, GF. There could be a case to bid 3C, 6+, invitational, at pairs, had we not a 4-cd H suit. But 1NT does not make justice to the hand. We won’t be able to catch up, partner will not guess we have 12 HCP, 2 aces, honors working together… Sure, the S void is not an asset so I won’t push unless partner gets excited.

Our splinter is usually 2 « useful » cards (a trop trump plus a side ace or king or 5 low trumps plus an ace and a king, rarely 2 aces) Here the concentration of values in C make the hand too strong and I’d probably bid 2C followed by a S splinter if partner plainly repeats their suit. They will expect 54 the other way round but one often has to make with what one has!

FOR ME A SPLINTER IS NOT STRONG SO NO SLAM x JTxxx Kxxx AQx

A1 - with such a dead min I stick to H, rebidding them as the most discouraging call if partner cues; bidding S then H if forced by partner suggests that I’d have freely competed and tried to introduce both suits should opps bid 2m, but it is a question of agreement with partner and has pros and cons (how to distinguish 5-7 from 0-4 vs finding the best strain with hopeless hands) A2 - those 8-10 44 hands can cue and bid 3M over 2M from partner, not displaying much than this (sometimes leads to pushy contracts, but in the right strain😁) A3 and 4 - cue and I’ll bid game over 2M from partner (maybe 4D with 55? But space consuming while slam is not a remote possibility) A5 - 1H, placing the card on the table with a confident look 😅 B1 - is 2NT allowed otherwise partner should have a back up plan B2 and 3 - H first, may have S (see a former thread), but I wonder when do you open 1NT

Bridge is already a difficult game playing 2 against 2. But 1 against 3… Partner let you down in the bidding. X should mean I have some values to help your balanced or semi-balanced 15+, thereafter finding a partial in S is then much easier. Going to 4S is a bit pushy and makes thanks to the dbl finesse and perfect honor matching. 2S by you on the 2nd round is not that awful, especially playing facing a zombie. But partner also let you down during the play. When in with the HA, they should play the S 10 and play their trumps when opps pull to indicate D strength. But here the minors were irrelevant, opps having nothing in D and KQJ in C. The only thing to do is not play S and back, blowing one trick each time.

The textbook reopening X Not sure if your 1H promised 5+ or 4+ Not sure if your pard with 3-cd support will always X (even holding a lousy hand like Kxxx Qxx Qx KQxx, or if X promises some more elegant hand Axxx KJx x KQxxx or Axx Kxx xx AQJxx) But in all cases, you don’t want to sell out at 2D by opps, yet, you can’t bid anything natural That is precisely what X means

Bridge is already a difficult game playing 2 against 2. But 1 against 3…

Using a neg X in the 1D-(2C) sequence strongly implies that you can handle « all » answers, especially when you are at most invitational. That is why, although less preemptive than a 2M overcall, it is harder to defend, after all, 2 major strains are now possible. In those cases you should strive to have one of the following type of hands, where a back-up is available in case partner (as always😇😇) picks the wrong M: - 44 M at least, or 43 M if partner handles well the 43 fits - a 5-cd S suit that you can try to rebid in a NF way over 2D or 2H (but with 5H it is too risky if partner bids 2S) - have D support (4 cards) - if partner has no M, they have at least 4D - have a C stop to bid 2N Without backup, it is often better to pass with weak-ish (8-10) hands, as GF hands will just cue bid or bid 3NT if not interested by partner’s rebid. Those weakish hands will often have some C length which makes a reopening by partner more likely. For instance, a 9-count 4234 should pass in tempo. But 3523, 5233 or 4243 can try something. Here, you had 11 and no points in C so passing 2C was hard even without proper back up. But that could be the winning call, opps go down while you struggle in a 43 fit at the 2 or 3 level if you say sth other than pass, when partner cant reopen. For this reason, passing 2H could be the winning call as well, but there is probably more to gain than to lose going back to 3D: it could be a safer spot with a real fit, partner might correct to S with their 4432 hand, or less likely bid 3NT. 2S suggesting 5-cd and less points, and 3C with insufficient values, or 2NT w/o stopper and wrong siding the hand are not for me. A former poster (Nigel, RIP) used to rank so I’ll pay a homage to him, ranking: 3D 10 Pass 7 3C 5 (at IMPs) 2S 4 2NT 1

Impressive! Thanks ^^

You know partner can’t / won’t pass this. Your chances are to pass and score a few under ticks, or balance with 2NT, more or less this strength at this position, but usually less S. Partner’s initial pass is quite revealing. You know their hand is short in S, and with 10-11 HCP, which you’ll need for 3NT, they might have tried a TOX with a 3-suited hand, probably converted by you, or bid a long suit should they have one. Actually, if you bid (2NT or worse, X), it is likely you (or partner) will end up in a bad contract. It looks like the declaring side on this deal will be in a lousy spot. And currently, opps are sitting right there. Don’t fancy taking their place. So I’d pass (ready to apologize if I turned down 7 IMPs or so). Sometimes, not bidding is more dangerous than bidding, but I don’t think it is the case here. Of course, if opps routinely open a 5-cd suit weak 2 and partner can have an average balanced hand, you’ll be favorite for 3NT and won’t get rich scoring NV under tricks when in the other room it went pass pass pass 1NT 3NT or some other sequence starting with 1S.

-9 XX 😱😱 Although -8 XX has more than likely happened several times over an undiscussed multi, 2D - X - XX all pass, with XX pick your M for one, and I want to play 2D XX for the other

I once read a top expert pair played 7SX minus a lot (maybe 8 or 9) after a brillant and imaginative bid…that only the player who committed it got right around the table. Opps were bidding high, and were already at a the small slam in H. The pair had competed in a minor and 7m would be a cheap save against 6H. However, that could push them to 7H making and the only lead to defeat the slam was S where the player was void, while his partner was on lead. The « brilliancy » of the 6S bid over 6H was to indicate the killing lead against 7H, should opps bid the grand slam, while « en route » to the save in 7m that the player was going to bid anyway. Opps duly bid 7H, contemplating the SA, but the player’s partner bid over to 7S, thinking of a double fit. 7SX became the final contract, and worse, the player had to play it🤣🤣🤣 I am sure other readers will recall the deal. Not sure it is a record (teammates of mine both scored 6HX making in one line and 6SX making in the other, in a match I wasn’t playing, but we’re obviously not pros!).

How many cards does freely mentioning the S in Acol promise? If 6, 2S is fine, and you can support C later if need be or if partner doesn’t look interested. If it promises 5 only, bidding 3C might tell partner even more about your hand (if it could be a strong NT hand with 44 blacks, oh well… but I’m really unfamiliar with 4 cM). In all cases, if you think partner is balanced and has 2-cd support for S, you should retreat to 4S. In all cases, I believe the 3H cue-bid is a bit excessive with your hand, yes the shape is powerful, but the overall strength is not that high - should be GF and you don’t have enough facing a 2/1 Acol-style

X can also elicit a 3NT call from partner with say Ax or Kx, 6 D to KQJ and probably a side goodie on the side.

You need to agree wether 2C is GF or not. For strong 1-suiters, it means game minus 1 trick. For « almost » GF, (1 trick less than 2C), you have to either open at 1 level and oblige a lighter answer from responder, should their hand produce game facing this type of hand, or use a 2-meaning 2C, with 2H/S answers meaning I’ d pass a non-GF 2M rebid, while 2D is a GF relay. Each has pros and cons, better aggressivity freeing 2M openings, a bit less precise auctions for slam, and multi pros and cons (easier to overcall with H, responder not sure of the M if opponent overcalls 3m, but often right sides the hand, obliges opponents to X with balanced hands not sure where they’ll end up, etc.).

Green vs red, with this hand structure and features, you are closer to 4S than to a weak 2. The 4-cd H would prevent a lot to open were you 6-4, but with the 7th S… In all cases, to answer your question, it is *not* a multi - unless one of the options is 7-4 majors, less than opening values

Playing 5CM, I was told to try to show the 4m suit if it is not too weak. Here KQxx are plenty enough. Not playing 4CM, I don’t know how you show a 5th heart in a balanced hand, as I presume, 1NT will be 15-17 with 4. Does this mean 5M332 need to be opened 1NT when in range? Or 1NT means weak w/ 5 or strong w/4 and partner has some kind of complex check back? So I’d prefer to show 9 of my cards instead of « 5 maybe 6 »

I silenciously thank partner for giving me the lead and pushing them 1 level higher while putting the C3 on the table

There is less pressure to open slightly below system hands with S that can overcall easier than H, e.g., should opps bid the other major. At least, this one has good honors working together and nice intermediaries. I play 5CM / strong NT so can’t really asses the implications on the follow up sequence - showing the 5th S, why we didn’t open 1NT with a 5332, etc.

Depends a lot on the auction. Sometimes you discover that only when dummy tables their hand, like 1NT-3NT :) More seriously, a repeated 4SF after one hand denied the stopper often means « can you cooperate a bit, pls, with a half stopper? » The repeater of the 4SF probably has one half stopper themselves, and just want to be sure the 1st 5 tricks are not cashed by the defense after the lead, or maybe they have Axx and fear it won’t be enough, therefore right siding the contract into partner’s hoped Qx. Something like 1D - 1H 1S - 2C* 2D - 3C* By not fitting 2H, and not bidding 2NT, partner almost denied a C stop (with a 6-4 hand and Kx C, it is indeed better to rebid D, then bid NT). The 3C bid is now help me a bit, please. As if I had a strong 2-suiter, I’d have bid 3C and not 2C before. It is now an « easy » bid of 3NT then with KJxx x (or xx) AKxxx Jxx (or Qx) The harder « stopper » to discover is actually xxx facing xxx, as with this holding in a suit, the alternative game contract of 5m is doomed, and 3NT is the only realistic possibility (4-3 split, blockage…).

D is definitely a good lead… against other contracts or other auctions! And no, the 9 is not the head or a sequence, it only applies to honors. So unless you lead top of 5 small, the lead is strange.