apollo1201

Upgrading the HCP requires just a bit more than just a 5-cd suit. The texture of the suits and honor concentration / quality are important elements as well. Finally, vulnerability, positional tenaces and rebids over partner’s call also need to be taken into consideration. In all cases, if your suit is a minor, you need to make your decision quickly. If it is a major, you can survive not revealing at once your (15-17 balanced) range. But a good enough suit (eg 2 top honors out of 3 plus the 10 or 9, or 3 out of 5) plus no downgrade factor (eg KQ or QJ doubleton) would often see me upgrade the HCP count. I’ve also opened some dull 4333 quacky 18-counts with a strong NT.

Lacking some shape (more majors) to X with an unexciting 8-count. Partner would have acted with some thing to say, even a 4-cd major if his likely lack of D or of the other major prevented her to X. More likely result is we’ll play 2 or 3 something in a 4-3 fit. Or reinstate opps into their major fit or any NT scoring better than C. 1D with Q to 5 is not so appealing. Although we could buy out at 2D if opener bids 1NT. I’m an easy « balancer » but I think I’ll (reluctantly) pass this one after those considerations. But I wouldn’t be surprised X or 1D worked out better. Ans wouldn’t hold it against p if she doesn’t pass.

Totally agree. The way I play splinters is slam if you fit well my hand. So not a strong hand but game going with main critical info to convey to partner is the shortness. Here, facing the splinter, opener has mixed feelings. 3 Aces, a nice side-suit and only 2 wasted points, but a minimal fit. I’d probably give a last try with 4H, and respect partner’s decision or a last last try of 5C over 4S the days I’m in great shape and playing skill.

Yes, only with a disciplined partner who won’t get unreasonably to the 3-level. And contrary to others, I am passing partner’s 1NT rebid. She could easily have a few H. And rebidding 2C is going to land me in a precarious 2S in 5-2 with the main suit headed by the 8.

Transfer then auto splinter. Can’t do less, but can’t do more with so little. I really need no wasted D points (except the A maybe to park a H loser) and good working honors. With only 2 to 4-cd majors opposite, S should play better than H. From my side, though🤣

Is it so clear that the (balancing) X of 3NT says I have a S honor? Usually the X of a cue-bid says that (so partner can safely lead the suit). Reading other persons’ comments, they don’t seem to play this and more sth like pls find my suit and lead it (a suit bid or implied by dummy usually).

Same for me then S to J a bit later probably. But in the replay only, because partner is playing 2S currently.

That is why I said I am not sure X conveys « lead S » but rather « find my suit ». I guess there is no consensus here on what use is best for X.

Maybe this (sry it is in French) and the introduction of Argine (CQ name on French decks) will help in some months? http://dl.goto-games.com/Presse/BBO-Funbridge/CP_BBO-Funbridge.pdf

4H in 43 with the long trump hand tapped / overruffed doesn’t seem a piece of cake. And 5m is still a long way where we might not even have a fit. 3NT should have decent chances unless a timid W with AKQJTx contented himself with 2S, or if partner is void and E has Hx and W knows to underlead rather than try an honor from his inner or upper sequence (not sure X conveys this message, and if it is Jx or Tx, I am on the good way). If I pass, most likely outcome is 300 or 100 for us (5 or 6 trumps plus a side trick). Not enough! And saying something leaves the door open for partner to bid again if she haves « the rest » (although in that case, the 3NT bid will make her fear I have lost values in S).

In an unopposed audition I would open a weak 2H and partner would bid 4 to make. It is probably on the edge given how the remaining HCP are divided but it is IMP. Even at MP many players will bid game I think.

How come so many pairs end up in so high level with a misfitting combined 21 count? Even when partner shows some not too minimal values by making a free 1S call (which is normal btw, you are not passing a 7-count with 5 cards in the boss suit), 2H is clearly an overbid (especially since you could X the cue bid to confirm a real and good suit), and you probably couldn’t stop North GIB from then (and in that case, 2S was probably a reasonable choice as you could be 3415, but 2NT is probably a better call). A more normal auction would likely end up in 3C (or 3D if E likes his hand, although he shouldn’t, with a wasted CK and xxx fit for partner’s D). The fact that a contract makes DD (with 3 finesses working, a 33 break plus some guessing or very good table presence) doesn’t mean you should be in it.

Best bid of the year and best explanation of the year combo for S!

I open 1NT everyday there is « Y » in the day. Well, unless I play weak NT🤣 No reason to treat it like 14 and rebid 1NT after 1C. All other actions after opening 1C would be mild to gross distortions of the hand.

I guess play went C to A, C to K, SK to A, HA ruffed, draw trumps and surrender 2D tricks, making 9. What Jxx to lead from?

Bidding and cardplay (a forcing defense should put W in trouble as he doesn’t seem to be able to set up his C in due time after ruffling from the start) were probably as disastrous. Or was it a misunderstanding, N thinking t/o and S thinking penalty? More seriously, you have to agree on how to deal with interventions on your 2C artificial strong opening. You can play that: - pass = nothing to say, weak usually - a suit = natural 5+ cards, « presentable » suit, positive hand (maybe 5+ HCPs) - X = values, usually balanced or semi-bal w/o stopper - NT = values w/ stopper, balanced or semi-bal - cue = a bit more values (8-ish at least), 3-suited (4441, 5431 with lousy suit...) to help opener visualize slam potential before a further preeempt by 4th hand to speak Here, N, having an ace and 2 jacks, is in the positive territory and X is ok despite the unattractive shape. As S, now. After the X, game seems likely and you need 3 down in 2SX to outscore that game. Unless opps is used to stick his neck in the auction with a non-descript 5332 headed by SKQ, we are no where close -3 at the moment. Furthermore, slam could be on as partner is not limited (although we likely have 2 balanced shapes and will need more than just 5 or 6 HCPs from partner such as DA and KQC to risk slam). Anyway, having said that, it seems that leaving the X will often lead us to a smaller score than bidding on. End of the aucution could be 3H-4H or 2NT-3NT with N signing off ASA he can.

I shouldn’t have read this after breakfast...but still wondering which bid between S and W is the most 🤢 😉

I was fearing some kind of weak freakish 56 or 65 with maybe 10 or 11 HCPs eg AKS and KJC. With the « normal opening » hand you give, are you not supposed to let partner X 2D if so they want? Of course if 3C is constructive, I’d try 3NT hoping the lead won’t be 4th best from QT 5th in D with small singleton in dummy!

Stephen (as often) pretty much says it all. Xer: pls partner pick a suit XXer: beware guys or there will be blood Advancer who passes: thanks p, pick it yourself as I am ok with all you will bid, I don’t know which suit you have 4 or 3 so you better choose Advancer who bids: that is were I want to play and I think that nasty XXer will penalize us if you try sth else; of course, only 13 cards are required (i.e. 0 HCPs) as we are in the process of escaping to try find our best contract at the lowest possible level In all cases, given the overall strength expressed by opponents, competing to 3S at red was out of the question. 2S is risky even facing a partner with 4-cds with 15 not so great (but not so horrible) points, but is tempting to try push opps (but magic 200 could hit).

The 50-points deck? More seriously I guess that partner’s 3C is really distributional and is aimed at preventing me from Xing 2 sth from opps. The fact that op says XX is 9+ probably makes my pass non forcing, so I have to act. With a good fit but no really top cards (KQ H are probably worthless for p), 4C should be enough. I really don’t see where I would find 9 tricks in NT. And I’m not doubling yet (4H I will). And obviously if the above analysis is wrong and W is having fun with a very odd way of bidding, and partner has more strength, she will add the 5th or suggest 4S with 6 and JT will be a good catch. So it seems 4C covers most cases in this contested auction.

Textbook action is to checkback or whatever method you use. But danger in 4H is a 4-1 split, creating trump losers while making 9 tricks in NT are ok. The danger in 3NT could be the S (especially if the NT rebid denies 4 spades too, in which case, the likelihood of a 5-3 H increases), that I would ruff to stop opponents cashing winners in 4H. Over a strong NT opening, I’d just use Stayman to find a 5-4 fit, or get reassured about S. Even if partner denies 4S, he can still have Qxx or Kxx. So I’ll just put the H6 below my « other » D’s when tabling dummy at 3NT😉

Uneasy situation, as we have just enough to reopen, but after 2 passes, the 4S bidder could be quite strong. If we were to do sth, X is more flexible than 4NT, as we can still play 4SX, while 4NT unilaterally forces us to undertake an 11-trick contract, which is a bit ambitious facing a passed partner. Over X, she should only bid 5 something (or 4NT) with real hopes of making (good honor structure, some distribution) or an extremely distributional (weak) hand as a « save » (500 vs 420 is not a big disaster at IMPs). She will pass in’most cases, and my A AK are the strength I advertised (please don’t lead H!). Anyway we won’t get extremely rich (100 vs. 50, 300 vs. 100). But I’ll try X anyway. Maybe I just turned -420 into -590, but it is better than -800🤣

It is pairs, so with this « moderately strong » hand, we can’t just go beyond 3NT and risk a bottom. Furthermore, it seems 4C is just forcing to slam (when all suits are controlled). And despite our good hand, we are a bit light for this action (we could do it w/ the HK). On the contrary, we definitely want to play game. 3C is then a grossly insufficient bid that we would make with a K less. So 1S is the only call we can make.

I’d be slamming and go beyond 3NT facing a strong NT. But facing a weak NT with wasted D values,S wide open, it is wiser to pass and avoid the 5C= bottom. I would do the same at IMPs even.

Universe 1: seems risky to bid given opp’s « misfit » (overcaller probably has extra length so they might be fitted) and overall strength (vulnerable 2-level overcall and 10-12 roughly for advancer) Universe 2: they have a fit, so we have one, I have good distribution to say the least and good honors on top of that, so bid!