oldem

The aggressiveness was meant to belong to South for his "double". He knew that East's response of 1NT showed limited strength; he expected his side could have had up to 17~18 HCPs; and that his holding of ♠KJ3 behind the ♠ bidder could be valuable. He could have bidden 2♥ himself but this was too misleading. Therefore, he just "doubled" and waited for the best.

Sorry for the mistake of not posting the board diagram. [hv=pc=n&s=skj3hjt943dq8c874&w=sqthkq8dt9762cak3&n=sa864h7652dacj962&e=s9752hadkj543cqt5&d=e&v=e&b=6&a=pp1dp1sd1n2h3d3hppp]399|300[/hv]

The board was played at 14 tables: at 13 tables, all EW pairs "routinely" landed at 3NT by W, making an extra trick for a score of 630 points; the only difference was at our table with N playing 3♥, non doubled, for a score of -100 points. Note that even being doubled for a score of -300, we still got the top board.

As South, I was surprised to hear three consecutive PASS bids. West's opening lead was the ♠Q which was covered by his partner's singleton ♠K to my ♠A, establishing Dummy's ♠ suit. I cashed the ♣A and continued with another ♣ to E's ♣K. Now, East cashed the ♥A. If East shifted to ♦, then we would have been set, but lucky enough that East continued with the ♥K which I ruffed, and thus making the contract for a 13+ IMPs. [hv=pc=n&s=sa53h5d4cat876432&w=sq9h97642dak82cq9&n=sjt87642hj83d75c5&e=skhakqtdqjt963ckj&d=e&v=0&b=14&a=1d5cppp]399|300[/hv]

Few hours ago, I happened to play the following hand as East. With 3NTXX made for 12.5 IMPs, I thought we were the top. But, to my surprise, after checking other tables, I found that we were only second top, for there was a 4HxS-5 for 14.2 IMPs for another EW pair! [hv=pc=n&s=s7654haqj96dtcq96&w=sqj92hk432dkqj7c8&n=st83htd9653cat743&e=sakh875da842ckj52&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=1np2cd2d3c3dp3ndrppp]399|300[/hv]

If that makes no sense to you, then just forget about it! Remember I already wrote there were 7 other 4♥ contracts, some of them followed your line of bidding, and then, died off at 4♥! You think that 3♥ is forcing, but it seems that many other only think it as invitational.

Just a few days ago, we had an interesting board.[hv=pc=n&s=s965ht63dakj762c5&w=saqt73haqj7d5ck92&n=sj84h85dqt8cjt873&e=sk2hk942d943caq64&d=s&v=e&b=3&a=p1sp2c2d2hp4hp4np5dp6hppp]399|300[/hv] I was West. When I heard partner' response of 2♣ to my 1♠ opening, showing 10+ HCPs and a biddable ♣ suit, I knew we must have game. When I showed my second suit by bidding 2♥, partner jumped straight to 4♥, FAST ARRIVAL, showing an opening value in support of ♥, my only problem was to check for Aces. Therefore, when I heard the response of 5♦ to my Blackwood 4NT, showing 1 ace, I went straight to 6♥. Well, I thought the above should have been a routine bidding sequence. But to my surprise, there were 16 tables, but only 2 reached 6♥. We were second top, since we had to yield a trick to the ♦A at the very opening lead! As the cards lie, without a ♦ opening lead, we can make 13 tricks. The top pair had such luck to make 13 tricks thanks to a ♣ opening lead!!! I was curious to see how such opening lead could have been made. And, to my second surprise, their bidding sequence was even more of a FAST ARRIVAL: they did not give their opponents a chance to interfere by the following.[hv=d=s&v=e&b=3&a=p1sp3np6hppp]133|100[/hv] My third surprise is East's response of 3NT, and my fourth surprise is West's straight jump to 6♥. For your information, there were 7 other 4♥ contracts (2 making 7, 4 making 6, and 1 making 4), 3 3NT contracts (2 making 4, 1 set by down 2), and 1 6NTx (down 2), 1 3♠ contract (making 6), 2 3♥ contracts (1 making 5, 1 making 4).

It's clear that opponents' 4♠ is a sacrifice. I don't think a Double for penalty of 500 or 800 points will do any justice to your hand. Even your bid of 5♥ upon opponents' sacrifice of 4♠ is still not satisfactory. Your partnership can have a small slam or even a grand slam in ♥ if partner has the right cards. What he needs for a small slam is 7 HCPs in ♥, and a grand slam if, lucky enough, he also holds the ♠A. Therefore, my plan is as follows: 1. Upon E's 2♠, cue-bid 3♠ showing a good support for his ♥ and forcing to game; 2. Upon W's 4♠, if partner is lucky enough to hold both major suit aces and the ♥K (11 HCPs), or even if he holds only 1 major suit ace and the trump K, he can use RKCB 4NT to ask for your holding. 3. Now, you can bid 5♠ to show 5 key cards, including the trump Q, and let your partner decide the final contract: 6H or 7H.

Thanks all for so many readings, comments,... I think it's time to close this discussion here. The variety in your discussion, your interpretation of the bidding, etc., proves that it's really difficult to correctly guess what the bidding really means. Although contract bridge bidding is becoming more and more sophisticated, but still, there is much room for guessing, for misunderstanding, even for self-righteously interpreting. For your information, I will show the full board and the result taken from the traveller. All the players' names will not be disclosed. [hv=pc=n&s=sj87ha7d986cakqj3&w=st9632hj98dqt3c84&n=sakqhkq654da2c765&e=s54ht32dkj754ct92&d=e&v=b&b=10&a=p1cp2hp4np5cp5np6hp7nppp]399|300[/hv] There were 15 tables: 2 pairs playing 7NT (including our pair) for 14.4 imps; 1 pair, 7♥ for 13.9 imps; 1 pair, 6♣, 1 pair, 6♥, both for 6.9 imps; 8 pairs, 3NT for -2.9 imps; and last, 3 pairs, 3♥ for -10.9 imps.

I did not "know an awful lot more about my first-time partner's style", I only "interpreted" the meaning of his bidding as such, and it appeared that my interpretation was sound! That's all. Well, there can be many interpretations, and if you are lucky to guess correctly, you can see a better result. For your information, I checked the traveller, and this is what I found for the board we are talking about. There were 15 tables playing it: 2 succeeded in bidding and playing 7NT (including our pair) with score of 14.4 imps, 1 7♥ with 12.9 imps, 1 6♣ and 1 6♥ with 6.9 imps, 8 3NT with -2.9 imps, and 3 3♥ with -10.9 imps. This result proves that you are quite right in showing so many interpretations of the bidding. Cheers!

If North's holding is as shown, then will he reverse? The reason being: He knows for sure that his partnership must reach game, and he wants to create a "forcing" situation hoping his partner's second suit be ♥. A jump to 3♣ is not forcing. I also wonder how South can see 13 tricks in NT just by hearing the reverse? (In fact, as the cards lie, NS has in combination 17 sure tricks!!!). [hv=pc=n&s=saq752hkdakq86cq6&n=skjhqjt9d4cakj983]133|200[/hv]

Take the jump shift as a big hand of 17+ HCPs with a nearly solid ♥ suit. What is the criteria for it? It can't be Q-high 5-cards. Since you hold the ♥A, you can be sure that your partner has both the ♥K, the ♥Q, and probably the ♥J as well. This accounts for only 13-14 HCPs, if you take the 5♣ response to your 4NT asking as showing 3 key cards. Then where will be the other necessary 3-4 plus HCPs? The response of 6♥ to your 5NT asking shows 2 K's which can be either ♥K and ♠K or ♥K and ♦K. Still, you can expect your partner to hold 1 more Q or J somewhere to make up the necessary 17+ HCPs.

For the case at stake, it seems to me there is no difference whether it is 0 & 3 or 0 & 4. I only need to know that my partner holds the other 2 aces and the ♥K.

How about if your partner's holding is something like this:♠A ♥AKQxxxxxx ♦Axx ♣-- and the opening lead is not ♣?

As South, you hold the following hand with the bidding as shown. The response of 5♣ is assumed to mean: 0 or 4 key cards (first-time partner!) [hv=pc=n&s=sj87ha7d987cakqj3&d=e&v=0&b=14&a=p1cp2hp4np5cp5np6hp]133|200[/hv]