alok c

Lowering of taxes for Goods meant for export & increasing import tariff if it is feasible at all under current WTO is a measure for protectionism.Other countries can take legitimate counter measures e.g anti dumping duties,high import tariff,export subsidies,high income tax of such importers,dual taxation on overseas office,artificial devaluation of currency(what China did earlier) etc.It is a very complex issue having a very wide ramification which can not be described by a single brush stroke.History teaches that protectionism always fails in the long run. Now for VAT(Value added tax)-In gist,it is a progressive taxing system compared to old sales tax.It is generally having different slabs for different types of goods &services.Essential goods(both natural & artificial) which generally have less or no value addition in different stages of completion attract lowest VAT on both counts(lowest slab,least value addition per stage).Luxury goods on the other hand attract highest VAT.VAT also eliminate different sales tax in different constituent states thereby bringing uniformity in pricing across the country.This is the broad outline, lots of other details are involved.

Really!!!

3♥.

Bidding implies South is 4-4-4-1 with 17-24 pts,West's 4S bid was pretty bad having so many losers in his own hand opposite a passed hand,what he was trying to achieve is not understood.Equally bad was East's bidding,either he should bid 5♣ to sacrifice in previous round or bid 5♣ now to minimise the damage.

You have described your hand adequately,17-18 pts generally provide around 4Q.T, let partner decide whether he can provide some.

Imo 1)♣A 2)♥Q if they take rest is easy 9 tricks 2)♥Q they duck 3)♣ruff 4)♦A 5)♣ruff 6)♦K 7)♣ruff 8)♥K,they will yield atleast 2 more tricks

As others said,these types of problems do not have general solutions,these are basically deal specific,play specific.

♥J & win or lose,finesse next time with ♥8.It wins against West KQ10x , K/Q 10x & KQ10.It loses against West 10x.

May be 1)Splinter or limit raise(long pause-thinking) 2)Rdble(short pause-temptation)

Between 4-4 & 5-4 fits,it is always desirable to go for 5-4 fits particularly when you have ruffing interest in your hand so that you do'nt lose trump control.For the cited hand, imo, it is ideal for splinter but do whatever your partnership agreement dictates.

I cautioned you people earlier :)

1.No 2.Yes 3.No 4.Yes 5.Yes

Pass.

As West not explored further before slam bidding,i expect him to have a two suiter hand with a void & taking a chance not to expose his weakness.If that is so,judging by South's hand it should be ♦ & ♥ with ♠ void in West hand.

Ditto as eagles123.

Treasury Bond comes under the purview of sovereign guarantee.It's viability depends upon so many factors e.g stature of the country in the world,stature of economy,GDP,fiscal deficit,current a/c deficit,ratio of total loan to GDP,ratio of external loan to GDP,stability of the country etc.It is a very complecated excercise.Considering above factors(there are many others),US T-bond will be preferred destination for all countries in forciable future unless some adverse action is taken & the economy takes a nose dive.

Either you have not gone thru his posts carefully or you are being deliberately obtuse.To him all the world's maladies are synonymous with third world over population.If it is not bigotry & tolling, what it is?It is a typical behaviour of a zealot blaming others for their own ills.Also winning friend is important but more important is to call a spade a spade.

You are trying in vain.It is well neigh impossible to drill any sense to such bigot & troll.

If your hand is not highly distributional i.e no singleton/not more than one doubleton,it is more beneficial to indicate your range in opening bidding.True,sometime you may miss a major suit fit(5-3) but on balance it will be much more advantageous.

Actually the auction makes little sense,as Mr Ace says.Is the system 2/1 with 5c major? Is weaker than pass is below opening hand?If so then East may be 17ish with ♠ suit & some♦.Now whatever West bid (3nt?) is a gamble.Pass.

What a rant!(ref post 2920) Particularly interesting was equating all problems of the world to the third worlds overpopulation(though all present day problems of the world have their roots in the so called first world).

That way the contract will always be defeated as you can't get 2nd entry to East till 4th ♦ is played to cash ♥ but you will lose 5th ♦ trick.Best way was West to play ♣ at trick 2 & take ♦ return by A & play another ♣(as the cards lie but unseen there is a chance of losing a trick to 3 carder ♦Q with South).

Your bid is over the top.As, 1.If your partner is 4-4M then your LHO probably is holding 5 carder♦ 2.If your partner is having ♦suit still he requires atleast AJ♦+ a)♠K,♥K,assorted Qs &Js or b) two suiter hand as trick source.Former will be coming under NT category which he has not bid & latter is pure speculation on your part. Double or 5♦ are the calls.

4♦ splinter is super accept( 4+ carder)& partner is showing slam interest( otherwise he would bid 4H),you are missing 2As;any A in North's hand will propel you to slam.4nt asking is required from South's instead of 4♥.

deleted-double post.