apollo1201

I think at the end you tend to leak a bit less info (provided you don’t use Stayman with balanced invites w/o majors). Take for instance: 1NT - 3C! -> 12-14 bal / do you have a 5cM 3D! - 3S! -> no / do you have 4H 3NT -> no Opening leader knows nothing about opener’s hand. Versus in normal Stayman when the answer is 2S and now we know H in dummy and S in opener’s hand. I would restrict the use to when you think 4M might play better, like if you have a small doubleton or very concentrated values in 2 suits e.g Axx xx KQxx KJxx or xxx AQ AQxxx xxx. But with only a 3cM and no strong feeling about playing NT, I’d just bid 3NT. Also if I want to show a minor because I’m strong or have a side singleton, I wouldn’t use 3C but 2C.

I X: values, no great fit for D, will gladly accept all intelligent actions partner will do (pass, 4S or 5D most of the times) knowing I have more than just 13 nondescript cards. But I would accept that my partner passes the hand. However, if partner’s 2D overcall can be unsound, pass especially at these vulnerabilities becomes quite clear. Over 2NT, minors, I would try 5C but we’ll probably lose 3 major tricks. Or 2 but partner then has xx A KQxx AJxxx and we were cashing 2C against 4H. In all cases, it proves that both contracts can make or be very close to, which implies bidding is not a too expensive insurance at IMPs (still 6, though). Last, over a TOX, I fear X would deny 4 spades so I’d bid 4S but wouldn’t be surprised to struggle a lot facing a 31(54). If partner pulls an X to 5m, then they probably have the hand to justify that, but 4S when they have 4 is probably easier. And if they pass the X, we won’t get too rich while 4S could be a reasonable shot. What is the expert treatment of a re-X on that bidding?

In 2/1, which I am not familiar with, a bid at the 3 level shows extras, or not, depending on the school. In that case m, rebidding 2M is a waiting or promises 6+ cards. But as your partner tabled 11HCPs, his 2D was not GF. When such bid is not GF, and promises a rebid (so 11+ roughly), and even more where it doesn’t promise one (e.g. English ACOL iirc when I played there, 9 HCPs and a decent suit could be ok), going to the 3 level definitely has to promise extras (16+) and therefore becomes GF. The reason for that is you are elevating the level quite high, not sure yet to have a fit, while potentially facing a rather moderately strong hand opposite. A 5422 of 14HCPs is definitely not as strong enough, even with a nice hand like: xx AQT9x Qx KQJx Not sure what Acol rebid is as I’ve left the UK too long ago, but in French or US std you’d have to rebid your H and await what partner will say (probably 2NT with their hand, on which you will raise to 3NT and pray).

Thanks. I was indeed thinking of it as Drury. I used a ! to suggest it was conventional but I can see you use *. Is there an « official » sign for conventional bids?

Actually not that much especially after the start you suggest P 1S 2C! 3C natural and slammish otherwise why tell your life to opps who will be defending the hand After that, E gets really excited and can bid 4C to show enthusiasm about that and the double fit. After routine cues of 4D (to know abit more about the H situation) and 4H, opener can bid 6C himself, as partner can’t have been excited with all points in the reds and without at least SK or CQ.

Atrocious bidding, atrocious play, atrocious result.

Aren’t fit jumps supposed to be NF? Then it is insufficient as partner could leave me there.

Less followed and national trains are almost ok. But metro lines and buses in Paris are still partially working. Should be over in 4-wks time, I hope.

Yeah, sorry, I typed in an overcrowded (due to strikes) Parisian bus and my desire for space probably led me to think I could be both after opener and responder. Now more seriously I can’t X now, and can’t bid C so pass. Which really emphasizes I should have done something earlier. After all, I have a good lead (just the CJ from p sees me making 6 tricks on my own quite often).

I thought that over a weak NT, X was a penalty-ish top of their range (or more) bid, balanced if min. Isn’t it what I have? In any case, now that responder showed a weak hand with short C’s, I believe we should act, but too bad we didn’t do it earlier, partner might have given signs of life or some kind of cooperation.

Hello. I don’t play spiral as I never (oh, well, once a year maybe) raise w/ 3. However, like any game try bids, I would suggest that the X can be « forgotten » and bid as if opponent had passed (maybe a bit more cautiously). And XX maybe is I want to compete to 3M but only if you have 4 cds? If opponents steal some more space, an available bid between the overcall and 3M becomes a game try (not showing or asking anything special in the suit as there might only be one bid available, eg you have S and they overcall 3D, only 3H is available) and X is penalty. If there is no available bid (eg you have H and they overcall 3D), then X is your only game try.

This time a nice IMP pick-up from our Thursday victory [hv=pc=n&s=s7hq84dkq74cakj74&n=saj6hajt3da953cq5&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1n]266|200[/hv] How do you bid unopposed...it would be an advocate for 3M as (31)(54) but we don't play that :ph34r: Things turned out a bit differently however, when E bid 2♣, majors, and then Xed the 3♣ from partner (I had imagined a 2NT transfer followed by 3♦ next would start doing the job, fearing an intellectual bid of 3♠ would be confusing). Was it a good plan, are there good agreements on this overcall? The rest of our auction went XX (at least she'll know I have points), 3♠from W, partner silent on that then 4♦ me, 5♦ her. Having bid and made 3 slams in a row just before that deal, with a partner visibly not overenthusiastic so far on how the bidding evolved, and with E making so much noise with what looks like a 10 HCP at max hand, I feared bad breaks and passed. W led his singleton H and had T9xxx♣ and JTxx♦. I made 3 top trumps, a ♣ and a ♠ ruff on which W had to follow, 4♣ and 2 major Aces. The other room got lost in the bidding and played in a partial.

Seems I have an isolated view here but I don’t like 2C with xxx (the worst holding possible, especially if partner has a fit as we are now facing some likely losers here), and N jumping with a suit headed by AT. I have to admit I played very little Acol, and a long time ago too (internship in the UK!) but over 2C, IIRW, 2D is forcing and could be a better anticipation before rebidding S. The only reason I’d bid 2C is that if we won’t do controls anyway, at least it could avoid them leading C. But it is a deliberate psychological bid. Here, I’d just describe my values with 2H (hey, now partner will like his HQ and will bid 7 more comfortably). I don’t understand the risk that partner fits me and insists in H, I can always correct back to S. But going back to the OP on how to guide a novice player to improve, bidding, I’d say: - try to anticipate follow-ups of bids, what will please you or not, what you need to discover and how - practice with partner on difficult hands and analyze them - be on the same wavelength with partner on what is forcing or not - include basic needs (eg controls and one forcing raise at least) in your arsenal but avoid « fancy » stuff that you can’t masterize that will blur you more than help you (or that you will want to use just to use it but w/o the appropriate hand)

Teams, rather serious opponents with sound bidding [hv=pc=n&s=saj985ha3dj9763ca&n=skh85dakt852cqj95&d=w&v=b&b=4&a=3h]266|200[/hv] Can you reach 7♦? My partner chose to pass as N, then raise my 3♠ balance to 4... with trumps breaking 5-2, it wasn't a success... Is a 4♦ overcall reasonable with her hand (6-4, good suits, but red and a little light in HCPs given the stiff K)? Should I balance w/ something else (4♥ seems a bit extreme, 3NT ok for the stopper but where are my tricks coming from, X and gulp over ♣ bid by partner)? FWIW, in the otehr room S made a TOX and after his partner jumped to 5♦, for reasons only known to himself, passed. Luckily, 740 is on the "good" side of the IMP limit :lol: ...but we nevertheless ended up winning 88-45 :) I guess 4♦ over 3♠ should be forcing, and 4NT over that to play, so we cue 4♥, 4♠, and now 4NT and "en route !".

Are you a relative of bridgepali?

I’m a pretty aggressive re opener but the red color does not excite me. On 1 make my HQ the SQ and it is quite obvious, or lower W bid to 2 and I’d do it as well but here it is a bit tough. On 2 it is an unexciting 10 count w/o S, and we probably are not missing something. Or if we did have a narrow with all working well dbl dummy 3NT, we’ll probably be collecting several hundreds as a small compensation (or a gain vs +150).

I’m a pretty aggressive re opener but the red color does not excite me. On 1 make my HQ the SQ and it is quite obvious, or lower W bid to 2 and I’d do it as well but here it is a bit tough. On 2 it is an unexciting 10 count w/o S, and we probably are not missing something. Or if we did have a narrow with all working well dbl dummy 3NT, we’ll probably be collecting several hundreds as a small compensation (or a gain vs +150).

The least we can say is that S is very timid. Probably half of the S’opened, and the raise to 3H is not good bridge, unless partner is used to open any 5-cd suit with 4HCP at green.

FWIW, I play that economical FSF promises a rebid (so a full round force) and is forcing to 2NT (so if partner bids 2NT, we are committed to game). I think, though, that I only stopped twice before game (once in 2NT and once in a 4-3 S fit after a 1m-1H-1S-2om-2H-2S with sth like AQx Kxxx Qxx xxx). A FSF which is a « reverse » is GF. Rather easy to play (a bit shaky sometimes and I’ve played 3NT with 23 HCP a few times), but erases some of the drawbacks of the non-GF (opener jumping w/ 14) while allows some more flexibility in some awkward hands that the unconditionally GF creates.

Thanks for your comments. I vaguely toyed with the idea of bidding 3NT (LHO might block them on the lead, or not lead them, or I find partner with the stiff Q with Jx on my right) and pass (likely -1). I felt H might not play well with dummy tapped, but also felt 4C was an underbid while 5 an overbid. When red at IMPs... Partner had stretched to find a X with Axxxx Axx xx KQx Needless to say, 5C was not a success when they started with D AKJ and an uppercut. It would have been lay down with a small D turned into a C. However, 5C went better than 4SX on the other room 🤣

IMPs, red vs. green LHO opens and bids 3D, partner Xes for T/O and RHO passes while you have: xx KQx Txx A9xxx OK, it is a nice 9 HCP hand, but what now?

I’d be less worried in bidding 7 if my green opponents had the possibility to save at 8D🤣

Thanks for sharing!

Red there could be a case for punting game given the excellent suit and side A in a team context. In a strong NT world, the bidding would have gone 1m-1S-1NT and now you are a very maximum 3S invite. The m partner opened would not even help considering you have xx or xxx and partner suit could be anything from xxx to AKxxx. Green, there is less downside at missing game so 3S could be better. But partner will not have a lot of clues on how to decide exempt his HCP and maybe a 3rd trump if he has the right doubleton. Interested in a sim facing a 2-3 S, 2-4 H, 2-5 C/D of 12-14.

Clearly a bad result because of lack of discussion. Anyway, even I discussed, X is clearly a TOX. Normal continuation will have S show a slightly positive hand with H and lead to 4H. N could have tried a heavyish 2NT overcall, which after a Stayman would also lead to 4H.