ArcLight

>So I would bid 5NT over 3S, "pick a slam". I would interpret 5NT as the Grand Slam Force asking about trump quality, not unreasonably opposite a 2NT opener. Usually Pick a slam is used when there are 2 suits shown and supported. With a pick up pard I think 5NT may lea dto confusion. >Back to the general principles in the OP, it is common to give a blackwood response to a quantitative 4NT if you are accepting the slam try, "just in case" there are two missing aces, but pass with a minimum. Is that really the case? Or is it that most people misunderstand 4NT and assume its Blackwood. A common response is looking for another suit for slam. Hence 5 Clubs asking about a Club Slam. Afterall, a 2NT opener may have a powerful undisclosed suit. In any case this is another chance to go wrong with a pick up pard. I would be careful making assumptions about "common" responses. I've seen some unfortunate results.

One more advantage of 3NT vs 4 of a major - the opening lead may be from a suit headed by the ace, allowing declarers King to make. Against a suit contract you would not see that lead. (The opening lead may give away a trick you would not get against a suit contract)

IMPS - SAYC pard opens 1♦ RHO Doubles for take out whats your bid, holding ♠ Q 9 5 4 3 ♥ void ♦ Q 6 4 2 ♣ x x x x

>I was looking for some 'star' players who are Polish. Maybe try asking some of the Polish Stars the BBO nics of the others. Tell them you want to kibitz them. Also, try looking at who the stars play with. Maybe there are more stars.

The count is nowhere near recitified. I think the Spade finesse is needed. That brings you up to 11 tricks. If Spades split 3-3 you are home. If they split 4-2 or worse you need the heart finesse to recify the count so you can hopefully squeeze whoever (hopefully) has 4 long Spades and Clubs. Test clubs by cashing Ace. 4-0 split discovered. Spade finesse - see result of spade split Heart finesse - (cash A) 3 Dimes - discard club At this point whoever holds spades and clubs is squeezed. 3 dimes, 3 hearts, 3 spades, 1 club played N has S: x C: K x S has C: Q x x

>I agree with Frances's comments. I would add, however, that the 2♠ reverse may show either a powerful (one round force) hand with 4♠ and longer ♦ or a 5-6 type of hand: ie. 5♠ and longer ♦, in which case the high card strngth required for the bid diminishes but that loss is offset by the increased playing strength of the extreme two-suiter. Opener confirms the 5-6 hand by rebidding ♠ at his next turn. Mike, Roughly how much weaker may a 6-5 hand be that a 5-4 to Reverese? How many HCP or points or losers or whatever you use?

>Isn't this second pass forcing by definition? A preempt has been raised by a passed hand creates a force our way. Phil, Is this the common expert method? Am I understanding this correctly? What if the passed hand has a max passed hand, with a good fit. 2♠ - bid - 3♠ - pard may have a good hand, and you may have a dog. Will pard really double on his own? (forcing pass)

I don't know how widepsread this is, but I have heard of people hiring pros to help them win colored (gold esp)MP so they can attain "master" status. To me thats a complete waste of money. If you don't earn something on your own merit, you haven't won anything and are just deluding yourself. Why list ones ACBL Master status on ones profile? Either put Advanced or Expert.

I was playing with a pick up pard, no way was I going to trust pass as forcing. (have you ever had forcing passes passed with "Advanced" PU pards? I have) I DBL, and lead a trump. Unfortunately dummy had the EXACT combination of cards for 4 Clubs DBL to make. Stiff heart, Ace of spades, etc. ;) Pard had the kind of hand that would not have "bid one more", they would have DBL

>The solution isn't that hard to spot; if you TRUST your opponent's carding here, although it has a DD feel. TRUST Justins carding? Mr. tricky himself!!! I wouldn't trust him if I saw the card in his hand. After some more thought - Justin was covering the Spade lead to Dummy. Of course he will play the 10 or 9. I think it doesnt matter, provided RHO has 2-3 Spades. With more you can't ruff out the honor. With 5 Spades to the AK and 2 hearts, I think RHO might open 1 Spade, not 1NT. Ruff out Josh's honor on the 3rd round.

Phil, I edited my original post at the bottom> How is that? RHO has 4 Dimes, 3 spades, 2 hearts, 4 Clubs. So you can ruff out the Spade honor. Entries to Dummy are: Club K and both hearts

(heart 10 or 8) "(Ate)Eat your Heart out" "Harten me" " I'd like to end play RHO (Josh). But even if hearts are 2-1 I cant eliminate dimes (unless they help!) If we play the trump K and they do help us by playing a dime, we still need RHO to have just 2 Clubs, because with a 3rd they will have 4 winners. That means RHO has 9 cards in ♠ and ♦. Ruff the 2nd Dime. Pull trumps (they were 2-1) Club to K in Dummy and ruff last Dime. Cash Ace of Clubs Spade to Q endplaying RHO. If RHO gives a ruff and discard the entry is the heart 10. (Naturally we saved a low heart.) Actually, if the Ace and Jack fall on trick one, both the 10 and 8 are entries. An alternative line is to run the Spade 8, hoping Justin has both the 9 and 10 and doesn't cover. I think the first line is more likely. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- After Seeing Phils additional post 1. A♦ 2. ♠7 to Q (LHO played the 10 (udca)) 3. Low ♦, ruffed 4. K♥ to A (J falls on left) 5. ♥exit...... I am thinking to ruff out the other Spade honor. The Spade 10 = Odd # of Spades, hope it 5. Lead a spade and duck, letting RHOs other honor beat air. Now use your heart 8 or 10 as an entry. If RHO does have 3 - duck any way, you have 2 heart entries = the 8 and 10 and can enter once pulliong trump, ruff a spade, then enter again for teh Club discard

All 52 Cards by Miles Marshall Acording to the book jacket it was a classic in the early 60's. Compared to todays Bridge books on Deductive reasoning I don't think its stood the test of time. It has some good tidbits here and there, but overall I don't think it anything special. It's more advanced than "How to Read Your opponents Cards" so intermediates may not get much out of it. Advanced players maye consider it average, lets say C+ (by todays standards). Maybe 40 years ago when there were no books on the subject it would be considered very good. Inferences at Bridgeby Miles Marshall This is more advanced than most Bridge books on deduction. Not just the subjects, but the hands are complex (various squeezes). The book broadly covers a range of topics, with around 35 quiz hands. Some interesting material where the reader is given a hand and the bidding and should choose an opening lead. Also hands where you must figure out whats going on based on a few tricks and the bidding. There is a long chapter on defense where you need to visualize the unseen hands and make assumptions. There are also Marshall Miles ideas on bidding and signaling which not everyone will agree with. Overall I thought it worthwhile (I rate it a ;), but not as good as some of the better books on Deductive reasoning (ex. Dormer on Deduction). I recommend this book after you have read several others first.

What was the bidding? I assume South opened 1 Spade? Might West overcall 2♦ with ♦KQxxxx - (I'd like to know what the x's are in the hands and played by East!) and some of ♠K, ♥K and or Q? Unless the Spade King is stiff. If West has both heart honors with 6 Dimes, I think they would venture a 2 Dime bid. If ♦ are 5-3 then its cold, even if West has the guarded ♠K and both ♥ honors. Duck the heart lead and waht can west do? Win and be end played. So 6-2 is the problem hand. You need to make the ♦J if 6-2 The situation that Arend mentions requires: 4-0 or 3-1 Spades with K with East (better than 25% because West has fewer vacant spaces that east because of the♦ length) And west needs both heart honors - less than 25% because of the Dime length Thats around 7%? (maybe I'm off and its 10%?) Compared to the chance of the 1st round spade finesse losing (<50% because of wests Dime length) and both heart honors with West? Around 13%? (maybe a bit more 16%?) I'll play Spade Ace and Queen. I'm still ok if East has one or more heart honor

Red on Red LHO Pard RHO You p 1♠ 2♥ 2NT p 3NT 4♣ ??? You hold: ♠ x x x ♥ A Q J x ♦K 7 6 5 ♣T 2 Double? 4♠? Pass?

Dave, If you use a 2♣ response to 1♠ as BOTH a GF AND a weak 6 card invitational hand, you may get burned on some auctions. Pard will think you have more than you do and may bid too high. Or if the opps compete (not unlikely since your side doesnt have 24+ HCP) pard may misjudge and penalty double them (making), or may bid on assuming you have more and go down.

We have 16 HCP they have 24. RHO has ~16, LHO~8. LHO knows this, and didnt led a trump to cut down ruffs. Either he's void and made a Zia double and theer si a 5-0 trump break, or LHO has the trump Q, LHO didn't lead Spades so he probably has an unsupported Ace. Thats 6 of his ~8 HCP, maybe a Spade J or Q also, given his length, maybe. Also, from the lead of a low♥ indiating an honor maybe LHO has the Jack. That may be all his HCP. Spades are 5-3 and hearts are 3-5 With 4 hearts LHO would bid Stayman. LHO is 5=3=(3/2 or 2/3) RHO is 3=5=(3/2 or 2/3) The lead was fortuitous. Im thinking of a dummy reversal. Entries to hand to finesse in trumps are a problem! Can't pull trumps now, as we need to run ♦ and don't want to get tapped in other suits in dummy. Lead some ♦ maybe they ruff with a long trump. After Dimes are gone, place A K of trumps. Play for West to have a Doubleton Q of trumps. LHO has AJxxx Jxx xxx Qx RHO has the rest

>Because one of the most interesting things about bridge is different bidding methods. One of the worst things about bridge is the plethora of systems and gadgets. It detracts from the game, the card play, and the deductive reasoning. You can't draw as many inferences from an unfamiliar system, thus giving those players using it an unfair advantage. I don't care about the pros, I am talking about Bridge in general. I don't find it "fun" to have to study and learn about lots of systems and gadgets, and have the users of those systems not tell me the inferences from the bids. In my experience, if I ask DETAILED questiosn about what types of hands a bid denies, the opponents get annoyed. Neither of us has fun. >Events where all the players are obliged to play SAYC are fine for beginners and restricted players, I find it amusing when people think they are good because they use many systems and gadgets. Are all you "good" players really experts? Is your Defense, and card play technique really THAT good? > but these guys have dozens of world championships between them and I want to see them play bridge in all its glory - including interesting system stuff. You should have the opportunity to watch what you want to see. No one should prevent you. I for one don't enjoy it. It was my impression thats what the Buffet Cup was about, using simples, less varied systems. There are PLENTY of high level competitions where all systems are used, whats wrong with ONE that is restricted? Some of the most interesting bidding decisions I've seen are in Terence Reeses out datyed books on bidding, that are entirely natural. Thos edecisions don't come up as much now with all the gadgets. It doesn't mean our judgment is better though. I think Bridge would be just as interesting if players used one generic bidding system. I wouldn't care which one. Then I would learn it, and concentrate of the card play and bidding judgment. For those who don't like this, there are many other venues to play "open" bridge. But pelase don't think that just because you use many systems you are a good player. Maybe some of your "success" is playing against players who are unfamiliar with your systems. It might not be YOU who is good, just the advantage you are getting form an unfamiliar system. :(

>Yes, luckily pairs can play their own system. Not allowing that would be outrageous to say the least. Why? I thought the whole point of the Buffet Cup was to have simpler and fewer systems. Hence the American card and European card. I didn't know pairs could deviate from that.

1♥ - 1♠ 2♣ - 3♣ What does Responders hand show? -10-11 points? - 6+ points - at least 8 good points? I was reading "The Bidders Bible" by Frank Stewart and he said traditionally the 3♣ bid shoewed 10-11 points. I wasn't aware of that, I thought it was more judgment oriented.

Are there any good books on IMP strategy? Such as: Winning Swiss Team tactics in Bridge - Feldheim, Harold Team Tactics in Bridge - Jago, Willie Rate your team play - Zaluski, Edward

I must be overlooking something - I don't see how the hearts will produce 4 tricks over 70% of the time. You make 4 hearts on all: 5-1 splits with a stiff jack (2.5%?) 4-2 splits with jack in the 2 card hand (1/3 of 48% = 16%) Whats left is 3-3 (36%) vs 2-4 with RHO having 4 (half of 48% = 24%) Play for the drop at that point 36+16+3 = 55%? Or is the way to look at it the ratio between 36 and 24 3:2 = 60% 19% chance of making 4 after 2 cards, + (1 - .19 = 81% * 60%) = 48% 48 + 19 = 67%

How to Play Card Combinations by Mike Lawrence. I first read it over 2 years ago, when I had been playing Bridge for all of 3 months. I thought it was ok back then. I liked it much more the second time. The book focuses on how to play some common card combinations. This isn't a book about safety plays. Rather its about how to make your contract and how to play some combination so as to provide an extra trick. A x x opposite J 9 x A x opposite Q T The reader is presented with the bidding and the declarers and dummies hands. As the hand is played, you are asked questions about card placement based on the cards played, how they are played, and the bidding. Excellent book for Intermediates. I also found it amusing with some dry quips here and there about pards bidding or the opponents.

>I do not want to punish partner for making an aggressive call... partners should be encouraged to bid 2♦ here without promising a good hand: xx xxxx QJxxx Kx is ample... and he need not be (quite) that good at this heat: xx xxxx QJxx KJx... again, I would not want my partners passing 1♠ on that hand, nv, altho it could work out ok. Now the question becomes "what does pards bid mean to you". I'm not disputing your statement, but it affects how we respond. Do most partnerships respond in this way?

LHO doesn't have 3 card ♥ support, so pard has at least 4. If they have a 4-3 ♠fit, pard has 2 spades. If LHO has 5 spades pard has 1. I think thats likely since LHO is short in hearts and presumably Diamonds. Our TO DBL only promises 3♦, so pard should probably have 5 to make a free bid. Pard has room for 2 Clubs. Or 3 if LHO has 5 spades. Could pard have 6♦? Would he make a weak 2 with a 4 card major? If the opps are in a 4-3 fit, you may have 2 Spade tricks, on the other hand, you want to cash spades so the opps can't us ethem to ruff separately. Unfortunatly pards heart length is under RHOs. -110 may be a lot worse than -100. I'll bid 3♦ with no assurances. Maybe they go to teh 3 level with ♦ shortness No way do I DBL 2♠.