ochinko

Even though I play standard strong NT (15-17) I would very much like it to be 12-14 in 4th seat after 3 passes because of it preemptive value. This is the safest position for a weak NT, so one shouldn't bother to vary it with the vulnerabilities or the scoring form. For the balancing NT Mike Lawrence suggests that balancing with NT over 1M should be stronger than the one over 1m, so I would say 12-15 and 11-14. You are also not required to have a stopper in the opening suit.

I would think a 3NT rebid shows a weaker hand than 2NT but with a better suit. Something like Kx xx Ax AKQxxxx If I am not mistaken I learned this from Francis Hinden in a similar thread here in the forums, but I am not sure if my example matches hers.

When there is a 4:4 fit LTC tends to be very precise. I play simple bridge, so my rebid shows: 2♥ - 7-8 losers 3♥ - 6 4♥ - 5 So I bid 4♥ with this hand, and splinter with AQxx KQxx AQxx x which is only a point stronger, but actually one trick better. I believe this style allows partner to easily assess our slam potential. Edit: For sake of completeness, I'd bid 3♥ with AQxx KJxx QJxx K

There is potentially an additional problem. Some TD's tend to share their black lists with each other, and one could find themselves banned from more than one tourney after arguing with a TD.

With both extra length and less than half the strength partner would expect me to have, I am definitely pulling to 3♥. It could be wrong, of course, but I believe it has better chances in the long run.

Given that we have 6 losers, and a good fit (as ♥ is my strongest suit, plus 4:4 is better than 5:3, etc.) the hand would be worth a 3♥ rebid. East tried to preempt us, but it is good news for me that we probably have no values lost in my shortest suit, so even though 4♥ is not certain, I have a good feeling about being pushed there.

I guess a month ago I wouldn't have passed this hand the second time. Most of the time I search for any reason to upgrade a hand, but almost never to devalue one. It so happened that i just finished Mike Lawrence's book Hand Evaluation. We were the only pair (from 6 tables) that let the opps play, and consequently we were the only to score a plus. I posted the hand here because I wanted to know whether the decision to pass was just a lucky guess, or I really have learned something. Here is the full deal: [hv=d=n&v=b&n=s63hqj10864d984c108&w=s5ha532dkj763ca75&e=sj10842hk97d5ck963&s=sakq97hdaq102cqj42]399|300|Scoring: MP[/hv] Btw, I would double 1♠ with West's hand, but he picked 2♦ for some reason.

MP, both vul You're dealt AKQ97 - AQ102 QJ42 In third position after two passes you open 1♠. LHO overcalls 2♦, two passes follow, and it's your turn again.

I voted for transfer and pass, but the hand deserves an invitation at IMPs. If the red Queen was part of a 4 cards suit instead of a three I would feel more comfortable with an invitation. There's no way to inquire how many wasted values partner has in clubs, but I think chance for making a game would be on our side given that I have 7(8?) losers, and partner would have 6 or 7.

IMO Low ♦ = 10, ♥ = 8, ♣ = 3. ♠ = 1 Partner has a ♥ surprise for opponents but that will not always mean that he wants the suit led. I just that hope he has something like ♠xxx ♥KQTx ♦Kx ♣Txxx What system do you play where a 1♦ opening guarantees six diamonds? Even if your partner's opening promises four of them (which is not standard) you double expecting your partner to lead a suit where opps have more cards in there line than you have in yours? I don't get this. Your partner opens 1♦ with ♦xxxx, and you confidently double with ♦Kx?

Partner looks like having four hearts with one, hopefully two, tricks there but I don't think leading a heart will find the setting trick. Spades are out as partner failed to make a 1♠ overcall. My diamonds are not solid enough to know which one of them to lead. This leaves ♣K as my only option. If ♥8 was the right card I can still lead it after regaining the lead. Nothing is lost as I am not able to lead ♥ twice anyway.

Imps, None vul, Expert opps, RHO is a star player. Partner deals and passes, you hold: ♠ 10953 ♥ K73 ♦ K652 ♣ A10 You both pass all the way. The bidding from opps goes: 1♣ - 2♣* 2NT - 3NT * - inverted minors What do you lead?

Pass in 1/2 position, 2♥ in 3rd. The heart suit is not solid, and I don't have 2 defensive tricks. If opps end up in 3NT or 4♠ I'm not sure whether a ♥ lead from partner would be best. It's not about the points or even the distribution. I would open 1♥ with this distribution if my hand was x AQxxxx Axxx xx

With the same strength and distribution I'd bid 2♦ if my majors were weaker, but as they both contain 2 high cards, I like 1♦ more. Double is not a consideration.

I give. South has exactly what he had promised - 4 diamonds, 16 hcp including 3 jacks. He doesn't look to me to have anything extra. Where did the 6♦ come from? Yes, you're quite right - South doesn't have extras. The thing is that NS play MSS not as a search for better game, but as a slam try, which meant that 5♦ was more of an invite than a sign off. So you could say that both of them were a bit optimistic. Still, the slam is makeable if you guess the trump right. However, East doubled confidently holding ♦Ax, jumped with the Ace the first time, and when declarer tried a finesse, ♦Q turned out to be in West. :(

1) always 2) most of the times 3) some times

I see that your interest in the thread is still alive, so here is a follow-up :P [hv=d=s&n=sa107hd98643ca8642&s=sk52haj74dkj72ckj]133|200|Scoring: IMP 1NT - 2♠* 3♦ - 3♥ 3NT - 5♦ 6♦ * - MSS[/hv] Do you approve of the bidding, and how comfortable do you feel playing that slam?

IMPs. Your partner opens with 1NT (15-17) and this is your hand: ♠ A 10 7 ♥ ♦ 9 8 6 4 3 ♣ A 8 6 4 2 Assume that you play minor suit Stayman, so with opps silent the bidding goes 1NT - 2♠* 3♦** - ? ** 4 or 5 diamonds, no 4 clubs You can cue bid or sign off, but unfortunately you don't have the means to inquire which high cards partner has in diamonds. What would you like the final contract to be?

Hmm, if you're not going to learn from the best, what other points of reference remain? The only thing that could improve Ben's statistics is to group the openers into systems like strong clubs where 1M is limited to 15 pts, and those like SAYC, 2/1, Acol, etc. where it could be 19. It is easier for strong clubbers to open lightly.

MP, Both vuln, RHO deals (1♠) - Pass - (1NT) - Pass (2♠) - Pass - (Pass) - Dbl (Pass) - ? Is it still for t/o if partner didn't move the first time? If you need to look at your hand in order to answer this, here it is: ♠ A 9 7 ♥ 9 8 7 ♦ 8 6 4 3 ♣ 10 7 3

♥A, ♦K. I am trying to unblock the diamonds, and possibly to avoid being squeezed in the minors. This also removes an entry to declarer's hand. Can't be that bad of a defense even though I am the only one to try it so far :lol:

The only thing partner has is spades - at least 6 of them, probably 7 when the rebid is at the 3rd level. I bid 4♠ - I may be at the top of my bid in regards to HCP but the poor support of partner's suit makes the slam chances minuscule at best. KQxxxxx xx x xxx is what I expect partner to have, and any other bid goes down more than one. If partner is better than that the bidding will continue, so nothing is lost.

I preempt with this hand when no one is vulnerable. At favorable I would preempt even if you substitute ♣K with a ♣x. Vulnerable I don't preempt at the third level with a 6 card suit. Same strategy at MP.

Transfer, then invite with 2NT. My spades are not great but I routinely upgrade 8 points to 9 when having a 5 cards suit with an honor.

Pass. I like my shape for doubling but don't like the points distribution. If I could move my points in spades towards the minors, I'd happily double.