apollo1201

Hi Simon. Good reasoning. If you X, the hand is not strong enough with this soft texture to bid D next. Most likely you are to respect partner’s decision and only move if they make a positive bid. If they respond 1H, pass, if they respond 1S, maybe 2S, if they bid 1NT easy 3NT. Of course if LHO supports C and partner remains silent, you are worth another X. If you bid 1D, you’ll X what comes next (2 or 3C) but Xing first is probably more flexible in the sense you’ll most often judge better based on what will happen next than if you bid 1D. And partner also probably.

Put a small S with the CQ! More seriously, even if partner will « prefer » H over S with equal length, the suit disparity is such (100 honor in H plus a 6th card, and yes partner may have S honors but they will be useful in a H contract too) that you have to bid H now and advise later what to do depending on opps and partner’s next bids. Whether you bid 1, 2, 3 or 4 is a matter of style and partner’s tolerance.

Easy 4H. Almost too good for that. Even easier after the overcall. I witnessed a pair play in a 1-1 fit at 4H after a 1S opening, one thought was is a splinter, the other thought it was natural...

Playing with an average player as described by the OP, that is what I would do, X then some number of S. As regards the 2H cue, I was told a few yrs ago to use it for a TOX so 3-suited hand kind of. Now I think Michaels is more common, as you can always X if 2H is balanced out to you. Or stay away from the auction if responder continues the bidding with inv or GF (in that case you are probably happy not to have reminded every1 that you had 13 cards the round earlier). N might have given you a nasty guess by jumping to 4H if that in his partnership just means I want to play it from my side. With no desire to go above game. To protect the 2K and honor the nice shape and honors’in long suits, in an IMP context.

Mikeh’s comments are always full of good sense and wisdom. I’ve always thought, when Xing, esp with borderline hands, that you need a decent (or safe enough) spot to land on if partner (as always) doesn’t bid what you want. Here, we might end up in some 5-1 fits, or go down in a 5-2 fit, at an unsafe level when opps were not making anything. Bidding isn’t over yet: trust partner to act with the right shape or strength, and you might be able to (pre)balance 2H if the bidding stops low enough.

Vulnerabilities and type of scoring might influence choices, but clearly, a 3H forcing bid is a clear overstatement if the hand. X is okay on a short term, but if partner doesn’t bid H over that, you’ve likely endplayed yourself in a shaky contract (3m by partner or 3NT by you). Bidding 3H over partner’s 3m would show a good-ish 6-cd suit and about 10 points, so it is also out of the question. You can more easily survive after a pass, for if partner Xes, 4H and 2SX are realistic options. If partner bids a minor (guaranteeing 6D or often 55), you can decide to play it there or take your chances at 3NT, this DJ needs to be useful and entries management will probably be tricky. But partner didn’t pass so his hand shouldn’t be too minimal. Not sure though of what 3H could mean over 3m but it looks like a weak hand with long H and a strong desire not to play in partner’s suit(s). Sth like Qxxx QJxxxxx x x or xxxx KT9xxx x xx. As with a better hand, partner will assume you’d have Xed the round before. Forgetting this exact type of hand😉

The suit « stuck » to the repeated minor is called (where I live) 3rd suit forcing. So 2H does not promise H necessarily and is not GF. Can be done with 9+ (opener can still have 16-17 in this sequence, 1(34)5 or 6-cd suit not good enough to jump on). When you agree to this: - then 3C has to be natural-ish, GF, 5+S, C stopped or real suit - weak hands with 54M pass or play reverse Flannery as suggested

[quote name='KingCovert' timestamp='1594681828' post=' players that bid No-Trump on hands like this clearly need to develop that skill further. Probably no more than those who jump on a worthless doubleton in a suit partner only promised 5, I guess.

2NT (or 3NT) will be played only when partner deems it is a good contract, and he will clearly be in a better position to judge if I tell him straight away what I have (2 S, 2 or 3 H, 2 to 4 or sometimes 5 bad D, and C stopped, with a prime 10 up to a lousy 12-count). If we belong in a suit, partner will elaborate his hand. Persisting with 3NT could be right on some hands but clearly not this one. I don’t know how you can catch up’after a pass.

😅 Is it Mr Blackwood also who said it each time his convention was wrongfully used he had won $1, he’d be millionnaire?

Reminds me of a story somewhere (can’t remember where, dunno if truth or myth, but quite funny). A good and famous player / teacher / author playing with a sponsor in a big tournament. The sponsor says « whenever I bid 4C, it is Gerber, period ». They move to a table and the professional opens 3C. His LHO overcalls 3 in a major and the sponsor bids 4C. Alert. RHO asks « alert? » and the pro mumbles something like « erber ». RHO asks again sorry I didn’t understand. The pro blemishes / turns red and properly articulates « Gerber ». The RHO was actually Mister Gerber himself!

Actually, you seem to play multi better than your opps :) X is fine un strength but some might have preferred not to have 4S for this action. Otherwise, you pass but then if the auction comes back at 3H, you face a tough choice (is the hand worth a TOX as the 3-level with a dubious HQ and an off-shape that won’t enjoy a 4C reply from partner). So X is probably a better anticipation. S’s bid is incredible, but your partner showed good judgment with her X, she might then over 3D bid 3S (that can’t be natural after the X, so clearly a stopper and needing H stop for 3NT where you would neverously end up). With a « normal » S, you probably end up in 4HX (up to -3) or 5D (making or +1) if partner bids 4NT for minors.

I might go for 800 sometimes but 5 nice H and an opening hand is an okay overcall. This one is easier than the other.

Red, with JTx H and a (slightly doubtful) doubleton Q, I quickly discarded 1S. Green, I’d be much more tempted.

Transferring then a mild slam try would not really show where we want partner to have points, and would probably be a slightly heavier (and less distributional) hand (6322 and 12-14 or so, I guess). Partner will punt in the dark. 4H splinter could be a good idea if we had a low H and the C or DA instead. At least it says go if you have a miracle hand opposite, no H wastage, reasonable support for S, good honors in the minors. But experts have extensively said what they thought about splintering in a blank ace. And again, I fear the hand is a little too weak. The C suit is a bit weak to consider playing there. We need excellent support from partner, AKxx or AJxxx at least. Maybe the 2NT GF relay after the transfer rather than natural balanced invite (that was discussed in a recent thread) could help. If we bid 3C and partner bids 3S, we are probably not driving to slam anyway. Over a 3D or 3H denying the S fit, we also shut up with 4S. If partner bids 4C, well, tricky things start, I’ve told LHO what to lead and if I propose now 4S to play, why all this hassle. At MPs, I’d immediately transfer to game. The more I think, the best it seems now as well.

Hi Maris. As the others pointed out, 2D here is not a preemptive bid as there is no jump. It is a « simple » overcall. Most players play that this overcall at the 2-level is rather constructive. Something like a 6-cd suit and 10 HCPs or more. Especially vulnerable. 3D would be here the weak preempt, after a 1M opening. Requires a good 7-cd suit and almost nothing elsewhere. NV, it would be hard to resist the temptation with the given hand. Vulnerable it is a bit more dangerous especially with the « flat » distribution. But with 64 minors I would not criticize the bid, though, and would probably do it too.

Unless you play that 2C followed by 3H is this kind of hand (7-cd, 8 playing tricks, ie a bit stronger or longer than 1H followed by 3H rebid, or a bit less in HCP than a « strong 2 »), it is probably better to open 1H.

Hi and welcome You can « safely » pass as it is almost sure now partner has a strong hand and might get too excited. Opps could balance so the battle is not over yet. If the auction was 1D partner and pass, 1S *could* really be considered as now it is LHO who could be strong. Or RHO maybe with a flat 14HCP unable to make a take out X due to a likely insufficient number of S. So some sub minimal hands might stretch to respond especially NV despite not having the minimum required. It prevents opps from an easy, low-level and almost risk-free enter in the auction, and if you get overboard, (undoubled) undertricks are not expensive. A small singleton or void in partner’s minor suit (that could be 3 or 4-cd long) could also push to respond by fear of being left there to play with better alternative contracts. Generally speaking, your min 1S could be 6HCP with 4-cds (in case partner has 19-20, as 21+ HCP hands are more rarely opened at the 1-level, you can consider partner has 19 at most 95% of the times, so you have to cater for that case where a combined 25 HCP between your 2 hands is reached), and maybe 5 HCP with 5-cds (KQxxx and out is a min but normal response). Of course if your hand is Jxxx Qxx Jxx Qxx, that makes 6 but you’re nowhere near game even facing 19 so that is an easy pass. As regards 2S, if weak, it is often played as a hand a bit weaker than an opening weak 2 (maybe sth like 3-8), but it is a matter of partnership agreement. Also, for a passed hand, 2S could be used to show 5+S, 4+D and invitational values. Again a matter of partnership agreement. Absent agreements with partner, 2S is a dangerous thing to bid.

Hi and welcome to the forum. A general advice I’d give you is if you can make several bids, one nat and one artificial, prefer the natural one. Also, if you already know strain and level (unless very exceptional hand from partner), go for it asap without telling your life to opponents. Otherwise, take your time to describe and explore. Ok that is 2 general pcs of advice, and not 1😉 Here, as the others pointed out, your assessment of your hand as an invite w/ 4-cds is too pessimistic: - 10 HCP concentrated so honors working together in your long suits - powerful distribution 6421: shortage in opponents suit and establishable side-suit So you know you are committing to game. Your ambitions are not necessarily limited to game as some nice fitting hands from partner might be enough to make slam a good bet or successfully bid 5H making over a potential 5D save from opps. Now that we’ve ruled out 3 and 4H, what could be left: - 3D cue bid (GF, fit, but not really more precise, often a heavy raise with balanced shape...but not always) - 4D splinter if you play this convention (basically a nice hand with game strength and a shortage, that can produce slam if the hands match) - 2S to show at least 10 HCP or so, and a real suit (and you’ll be able to fit H or splinter later if partner for instance bids 2NT, and then you can proudly table dummy with the feeling of having done the job) - others but they require special agreements while the cue bid and the splinter are fairly « standard » So 2S planning to fit H at the next round is probably a good way to convey your hand.

If 1S promised just 4, I would be too weak to X. Barely enough to X over 2H. Now I know partner has 5, given she’ll know I can stretch around 1 level, 3S shows a non-min 2S. I’d prefer to have 4 cds and a little more HCP (14), but 3 and the sg will make it. One has to do with their cards.

IMPs, green against red, after 2 passes you have the nice following collection that you open 1C (strong NT, 5cM context): QTx Axx x AKQJxx LHO bids 3D and partner Xes, for majors. RHO passes but now what. 3NT hoping for a blockage or a stopper in partner’s hand given the pass of RHO (but they are red, and after seeing their partner pass, LHO could have a bit more strength but 6-cd only)? 4D hoping partner has a 5-cd M (she will often be 54 but not necessarily)? 5C? Actually partner was 6412 so we lost 2 IMPs after my lousy 5C bid when they made the same 11 tricks in 4S. RHO had passed with Axxx D and a side goodie but had they bid, it would have been easier (X).

You have to convey your game invitational hand and the 5th H as you have (it seems) promised only 4 so far. You are red, they are green, so playing 2DX shouldn’t be your first goal. If you play X as value showing w/o clear bidding and transformable by partner should they have 3 good or 4 trumps, that is correct. If your X is pure penalties, maybe a cue bid will allow discover sth. The unfortunate thing being that if you end up in a number of H, partner’s stopper unless it is the A is probably going to be finessed on the opening lead then ruffed given you have 3 and RHO repeated his D despite knowing a strong NT hand with a stopper behind him. At the end maybe 2NT inv. or 3NT (the strong suit and the CQ compensate the 8 HCP only) are best. Only goes down because they can freely run 5S but resulting for resulting, E would likely lead a D. 4H also needs inspired defense (underlead S to ruff twice).

It seems my friend doesn’t have too much elaborated methods. Opener bids « naturally » a 4 or 5-cd « acceptable » (as regards honors) minor suit over 2NT when not fitted for the M. Responder bids 4m if he’s pleased or cues if that wasn’t his weak spot still targeting 3NT, or bids 4M with 6-cd as a small slam try (I guess opener who in that case only has a M doubleton rarely goes on). If opener bids 3M to confirm the fit, well, responder will know what to do (hopefully). I guess you can probably imagine a 3C relay structure where responder develops his hand. 6M and 4m maybe if you are after a slam that might play better in a 44, but otherwise just bid 4M I guess.

A friend of mine plays indeed that, where 2N is a GF relay, often with 5M 4m and 31, and not sure of strain. Opener is due to show M fit as a priority, or aim for 3NT by bidding it with appropriate stoppers or cueing them. I think responder can be 5422 but a bad m suit, or have 6M and no m with slam invitational as well but I am not too sure how this gets distinguished later. 3m rebid shows GF, 5M and 5m. It warns opener that 3NT is not the priority. Opener has to show M fit first but is welcome to give a m fit and go past 3NT. 5422 with concentrated values and a slam potential might also bid 3m. The method basically releases opener from the stress of what to do with a fair hand and a good m fit over a more nebulous 3m rebid. It helps distinguishing hands like AQxxx x KJxxx xx from AQxxx x Jxxx Kxx You cant really punt 3NT with that (well, scientifically...😉), but dont dream either of playing an 11-trick game.

I’ve seen « worse » by humans. Suit contact, K lead, dummy hits with Txx and i have small doubleton. RHO overtakes the K to return J, that LHO in turn obertakes with Q. I looked quite puzzled when it went small, 10, small and discard. I guess RHO was afraid his partner would fear a Bath coup if he ducked (but with T in dummy it is thoughtless) while LHO thought this unblocking would guarantee 3 tricks by a ruff. Same...