beautyleg

Even a beginner will suggest 4nt asking ......

The opener had 18hcp (within which some players would have opened 1NT). The Michael user must have some hcp, 10 for example, so that he could buy a safer contract (spades would be on 2-level and minors would be on 3-level). Assuming east had 7hcp, he dare bid spades when the bidding level had jumped to 4. So how could north have？His hand was most probably weak(5-hcp) but distributed in some degree (at least you had gotten 5+support in trumps by preemptive 4H). You were likely to have 2tricks on minors, one in KQ and one in AK (be careful of the meaning of Michael). But you had 1trick at most on hearts because they had a singleton at least and you needed HA on your p (if that your p had no honor cards in spades). 4S would much probably be made. So how about 5H？Your hand was strong enough to hold 3suits except spades. You would be apt to lose 1 on diamonds, 2 on spades and 1(ace) on hearts. However, we still have no idea of the distribution of clubs but it would led to the result at a key point, maybe 4S= or 4S-1 and 5Hx-2 or 5Hx-3. Hope you were lucky to have a satisfied result.

Of course the declare must try to lose his diamond loser on clubs of dummy. The contract would still go down with unbalanced trump fit and CK in 2+cards on east. But the main problem is the slam try of dummy. Is 18hcp+weak usually good for slam？

The contract should be NT not 5S when you two were stopped everywhere. Selfish bidding is no good and never appreciated. Bridge is a cooperative game.

The first double was acceptable(3+support on all the other suits) although it's not a full take-out one. Nonetheless, 1NT came to be a selfish and awful bid because north had no stopper in diamonds but 3strong support(AKJ) on your suit. The penalty double to 3D is another awful bid. He thought AKAKA meaned 5tricks without considering singletons. [removed]

Is it hard to read comments so one should read again and again？My opinion was the full opener and pass to 3H(if the full opener had been passed). What 4C meaned was not vital because their hand was a opener+weak. You said some tables made 4H but I can say even 10hcp make slams in goulash. Meaningful？Do you know 25+points for a 4-level？It's seldom favorable to find a higher contract whether it would be 4H or 4C. Please do not live in scores(you thought they should not miss 4H by afterthought). The process of bids and play is the most important. And then distribution leads to the results.

Providing that you are still at the seat now. The first double shows 2-D and 3+support in all the other suit and 9-11points. The second double must show a void and 11points due to 3-level. Pass is usually not a good bid because at least one of opps must be distributed. It's to say opps may beat you by their distribution. You can do nothing but bid 3H to trust your p. However, your p couldn't pass 11hcp and a void first. And the second double on 3-level is never a good bid because opps have dominated the process. [removed]

What 4C meaned was not vital at all. They all had no idea they had been on a high level of bidding due to passed 1C and 3H. North would still probably get down even with 9trumps at a lower level. They could obviously not figure out how good 4C or 4H would because they would go on to find north didn't deserve having 4+clubs(so 10+trumps). Most of them just prefer 6cards of clubs to doubleton in hearts.

When passing first with 11hcp and a void, you are no expert to ask the question in this level of discussion. What's more, you passed first because you thought your hand was no good for score and then you felt like trying a contract when you two were both "vulnerable"? You obviously had no idea of what you were bidding.

Did those who refused to open 1C know the meaning of "honor card point" and "point"？It's the basic concept all beginners should know very well of bidding, please. And 3H had showed 7cards so you had 9trumps. Those who broasted of how good 4C would be really thought 6cards were much better than 9cards？I am extremely confused that whether it's for intermediate and advanced discussion.

Your hand with 11hcp can be opened because you have one more trump than general 5cards. And then you would avoid the hard decision due to 1H responce of your partner. Your best bid should be pass, obviously, because you didn't know how many hcp and points you had and the distribution. A good player should be conservative on bidding when he knows little of all the hand.