apollo1201

Playing inverted minors, it is an easy 2C hoping to follow at some stage with a quantitative NT bid to emphasize on the flat shape of the hand. Obviously if partner show some kind of unbalanced hand we’ll know where to land. Absent inverted minor raises, it seems we’re bound to some 4SF sequence followed by a club fit and hope for the best. In all cases, the hand is not good enough to drive alone to slam.

Pass without a 2nd thought. Partner probably has some almost solid H suit and a few spades as well otherwise that would make too much for opponents. Some kind of 47xx (with 46 or 57 he’d probably make another call unless extremely weak S vs. H), where clearly H will play better than my minors. And a level lower. And not Xed yet. Yes, the sight of dummy will be a disappointment to partner, but that’s not an excuse to try not to be dummy.

Could you please spoil a bit more by giving opener’s hand? As I (obviously) don’t know how to look’for the records of that match! Thx😃

<joke> No, they were playing 4D game forcing, so W’s pass is forcing and suggests some offense, hence 5D 🤣 </joke>

Suits breaking 4-2 is more common than 3-3. However, now you know West can follow 3 times, the a priori 4-2 split odds have to be revised: it can only be 4W+2E and not 2W+4E. And 3-3 is more likely than J 4th in W’s hand and low doubleton to E. The same principle says for the Q to play the drop w/ 9 cards (the famous nine never). But in both cases, finesse is only slightly inferior in terms of odds of success. Other information on opponents’ hands (bidding, known lengths or shortages in other suits) might make you decide to play differently.

Interesting comments, thanks all. And sorry Helen for the not too readable format. Seems that there is no real obvious meaning on what the « responsive (or any proper qualification adjective) » X should be. Points with no clear cut action is probably best facing reasonable opponents. Playing against ppl who would repeat with Q6th, probably penalty is a better use 🤣

MPs, all red, bidding starts on your right (5cM, kinda SAYC) 1H - - X 2H ? KQx Jxx AQx 8xxx What is X at that stage? Fearing it is for penalties, I bid 2S and ended up playing there in a 3-3 fit (should make seeing 4 hands, but -1 when nothing broke properly, trumps 52, clubs 41, diamonds 42). My partner had Axx Qx KTxx KQTx Bad luck or...how to deal with this? Lots of C (and D sometimes) partials for 9-10 tricks. Thanks!

Hi, a few suggestions, not necessary compatible with other tools you use... I hope you would find useful tips. Minor one-suiters Texas 3S for C and 4C for D. Either very weak and long (wants to play 5m and concludes) or slammish. Opener if not fitted goes back to NT, otherwise rectifies / names a promising suit in his hand to help responder assess the « matching » of the hands. Minor 2 suiters 55 names C for Texas. If opener agrees C, then fine and D can be forgotten. If opener bids 3NT, 4D is nat, 55, slammish. Very weak freaks (65 or 55) can bid 5C direct, pass or correct. Very rare (but used it once haha!). 5422 just forget. 5431 you can name your major Singleton at the 4 level but you sacrifice your 2NT-4M meaning... Major + min You have to agree that opener only rectifies major Texas if fitted. Otherwise he bids 3NT. Then you can naturally introduce your minor. If opener is fitted, fine, otherwise he’ll persist with 4NT. So you need to have slam aspirations. Same if major is 4-cd only. You start with Stayman and if opener doesn’t bid your suit, 4m is natural, slammish, no fit for opener’s M. Slam tries for opener’s M go through naming the other M after opener (4H on 3S, not too economical though, 3S on 3H, easier to cue bid). Locking a suit / BW All sequences above clearly say if a fit exist. 4NT is then BW if a fit exists. Otherwise it is quantitative if responder bids that.

Trying to look serious (but deeply terrified inside) 4S

What about starting (if W is disciplined and doesn’t want to blast) with 1NT-3S (54 minors w/ singleton S) ? now E has a top top hand... Then probably 4D-5D I’m min, 6D f*** you 😉! Or 5C-6D if you are more confident😊

+1

I would also add better be 5332 w/ club doubleton. Jumping consumes a lot of Space, partner strenght is not limited, so hiding a potential fit will not help partner to move or not above 3NT.

Am I the only one to believe that after the atrocious 2S bis, S with 2 Aces and Kx facing the supposedly semi-sufficient suit of partner should just fit and let things go from there? Even 7S make.

Let me reassure you, I was also nervous😰... especially with an inexperienced partner. Her jump to 4H almost finished me and I breathed some relief when it wasn't Xed. But after seeing her masterizing the play for 11 tricks😱

Many who play "feature relay" show a side A or K at the 3 level if the hand is not minimum, and a shortage at the 4 level. 3 of the major is for minimal hands. This relay is used for hands who want to investigate game or slam ig opener has a good (and fitting) hand. Othe relays exist too. And even "feature relay" can have different follow-ups too. Mr Ace will probably explain better than I do :)

Begginer's luck😊

Thanks for your comments, as you had guessed I had Xed (thinking my initial pass made it clear I didn't have a powerhouse). My inexperienced partner had paid due respect to the stop sign, but she never plays in tempo as she needs more time to think. RHO had raised concerns about my reopening after partner's "hesitation". Especially after I tabled dummy. I really thought, though, it was a bit aggressive but quite ok (I tend to reopen easily). Facing a real hestitation from a more experienced partner, I'd have passed as I knew the X was not cut clear. Partner had something close to Kx(x) ATxxx Kx(x) Axx and passed initially (I think it is quite clear to pass), but now jumped to 4H and wrapped up 11 tricks after guessing everything right incl. picking up the trumps that split J - Qxx. Other table +200 when teammates commited the same preempt red 2nd hand with KJ 7th and 2 queens. No TD called finally when opps learnt about my partner's status and her funny comment "your take-out double is weak". But I still wanted to check... Nice year-end to all!

IMPs, all red, you deal and pass the following collection (system kindof SAYC+ with 12HCP opening) AJ9x K9xx JTx Qx LHO preempts 3C, passed back to you. pass 3C pass pass ? I'm asking for a sanity check and will explain why later. So pass or X ? Yeah, I know Qx C are not the best assets of the hands...so I didn't ask what you think of 3NT bid :D

Thanks all for your comments. On the reflection, X is more a MP than IMP move, although green is not too dreadful (but red no way). To give a bit more "table feelin", LHO and RHO are two friendly grannies that should be trusted to have their 10-card fit (RHO was almost bouncing on her chair and Ininterpreted that as she was happy to preempt me and would have a textbook hand for that). I too considered the risk of acting vs leaving them quiet but I also thought they would bid 1 more for the road like others pointed out. So I ventured a X (planning to pass 5C undoubled that can't cost more than 550, and running if Xed). Partner turned out with an ugly 54 minors hand and the unexpected singleton HA, bid 4NT and I ended up in 5DX for -1 but I still can't figure out how I was allowed not to lose a single S trick (should be -2 with AQD sitting behind me in a very heavy HCP hand with 3 small S who proved right not bidding 5). Team members were allowed to play in 4H making.

IMPs, all green, bidding goes 1H pass 4H (preemptive w/ long trumps and less than 9 HCPs), was I so crazy to act / was I too disciplined to pass (I won't give you straight away what happenned😉) with: AKxx xx K8xxxx x PM coming soon!

I also thought about that but when I open a 4-cd suit in 3rd, I have 12 HCPs at most, so I obviously pass 2M.

Hi XENO. I think the play clearly depends on'what you think the field will be playing, as the DA lead and switch clearly warned you of a likely singleton. If you think the hand can be a pass out (or if you think most could be in 4S), then you clearly have to try to avoid suffering 2 ruffs and limit your losses, maybe offering the SK to west, by playing SA and another. If you think the field will play in 2/3S, then it is a toss...

Is it the K of C and the J of D? No. Then pass, poor suits, we don't know yet who has points (do we really want p to bid 5m "to make" if LHO is broke), and opps may well belong in a partscore. Or, despite the fact that my honors could create surprises to RHO in H or LHO in S contracts, the indication of my shape might help them. Partner could be pleased that they find their major fit unopposed. In the unlikely event it goes 2H pass pass then of course I'll come in.

The funny part now. I bid 6H but after reading all your comments, the FP is probably the best way (as after what partner should have, it should be forcing as it is our hand). At least most of you are driving to slam. I get the obvious S lead. Partner (sweet her!) did turn out with 4❤️ but not the ones I had imagined, and a bit less HCPs. But she didn't want to be stolen by the 3S bid she said: K J87x Kxxx Qxxx Urgh...but an ok slam at IMPs if she had a more likely hand containing A or K of H instead of the unexpected SK. Anyway, for some reasons only known to himself, RHO with KTxx trumps "falsecarded" with the K when I called a small trump from dummy. And crashed it with LHO's bare ace.

In an IMP game, red vs green, you deal yourself a nice collection that you open at the lowest possible bid (1C), but nasty oppenents are quick enough ensuring that your next bid, if any, will be pretty much higer: 1C - 3S - X* - 4S ? * should have 4+H and a good 11 after this start Ax Q9xx Ax AKTxx What now? The PM (and laughters) soon, promised!