Double !

Since this Topic asks if one "is a true Bergener?", how many out there are familiar with or have played Bergen's minor suit raise structure? How many play Bromad? DHL

Thou shalt not blindly apply the Law on 5332 hands. 8 or 9 losers. 3 Spades on hand 1 seems good. The second hand is more difficult to assess. If I feel pushy i would bid 4S at imps as it's approximately a 7-loser hand, but otherwise I might just invite. IMO, the 5th spade makes the hand one loser too good for a mixed raise. Change either hand to 5431 distro and I'm bidding 4. DHL

I see.. So your recommendation is adversive conditioning and induced anxiety. Got it. Does it matter whether or not it's Coke or Pepsi? DHL

look again post said that opener rebid 3D over 2S, 2NT, or 3C. DHL

I stick with my original premise. I initially responded 2 diamonds. Over 2H I shall bid 2NT (forcing in 2/1) over 3D I shall bid 3S. I'm liking my initial 2D response more and more: starting to look like a 30 hcp deck for this hand. Is partner now bidding 3NT? DHL

4H is practical but unlikely to help P if the opps bid 4S unless P's spades are good enough to double. 4C is the bid i would make with some partners, but.. The bid that i would really like to be able to make (or invent) but am not sure how it would be interpreted is 3 spades to show the shortness. However, my concern is that most people would expect a lot more for this bid....so, 4C for me if playing the convention. DHL

I make whatever bid we agree shows hearts and then double 5D. If they make, oh well. lol, BTW Was this was the hand involved in anotherthread that asked the question of what to bid holding xx, xx, QJT8th,x after 1C (strong, artif) - 1H - ? DHL

i just saw the whole hand. i question partner making a takeout double with 5-4 in majors: i would overcall with that hand (or michaels cue if permitted to do so with 5-4). On this particular hand, an overcall would have made life a little easier on responder. C'est la vie: one hand proves nothing nice problem hand jb :-) DHL

a silly question, but i'll ask it just the same: If partner doubled 1D (template distribution = 4414), why am I not leading a major suit. Partner asked for majors. I am not crazy about under-leading from Axx with such a hand, but leading low from QTx could be reasonable. (To be honest, right or wrong, i would have led a low spade.) In fact, leading a low diamond on this auction just about announces your hand as being 3343. Declarer might ask self why the opps led my partner's suit, and likely come up with a reasonably accurate answer. To address the question that was asked, I would play an encouraging card and not unblock. DHL

I, too, like an initial 3-club response (or 2NT if that is 4-card support limit+ raise): 3C shows where your values are. But, a question. What would an immediate 3 diamond response have shown? Would be perfect if it showed an invitational splinter. DHL

Han, forgive me but i humbly disagree with you. whom are you pre-empting? the opps? or partner? do you want to be playing this hand in 5D opposite a default balanced 16-18(19) hcp 1C opener? or when partner has a black 1 or 2-suiter? You do not currently have a bid in the system to show this type of hand, and you don't know anything about the 1C opener's hand other that 16+ hcp (or 15+ if not balanced). Without agreement, I would prefer a 4D bid to 5D. At least this permits opener to convert to 4S with a very strong spade hand, or to pass 4D with a black 2-suiter or a balanced hand. Hopefully partner can cover 4 of your 7 losers, but I wouldn't guarantee it. The only other option, as I see it, is to pass (0-4) and then start to bid diamonds. This might be a more prudent action even playing negative free bids because of your lack of controls. And it warns opener if the opps push more in hearts. You might still have the opportunity of backing in with a diamond bid. But give partner a chance, if possible, to clarify the 1C bid. What would one have responded initially if rho had passed 1C? (Just another consideration). Should a simple overcall (not even in the master suit) so significantly alter one's response structure? Maybe one might wish to revisit the structure of responses. DHL

OMG I am about to disagree with you all, but I currently feel strongly that one should respond 2 diamonds. If this hand belongs in clubs, partner will bid them. I believe in bidding where my values are located. If one responds 2C, in a close slam investigation, opener is likely to assume that some of your values are in your first bid suit. In addition, i now have no rebid problems should partner rebid 2H or 2S: I can either take a preference to spades or rebid a forcing 2NT despite my strong club stopper, and see what 3rd bid partner makes. All of the above assumes that one is playing 2/1GF. If not playing 2/1 and if playing that an initial 2NT response is forcing, then I might select a different initial action. DHL

the only option to opening 1H and rebidding 2D is to open 1D and jump-reverse if the partnership is playing such a sequence as showing a minimum 5-6 (per Karen Walker's series of articles in acbl bulletin a while ago). However, most people I know play the jump-reverse as an invitational splinter, so.............specialized conventions or treatments are nice when they come up. If you pass initially, the bidding might be too high to feel comfortable about backing in with some 2-suited bid, especially after the opps have had a chance to share information. I'm becoming more inclined to try to fire the first shot. And the hand has more than 26 zars if one wishes to evaluate it that way. (or about 6 losers) The aces (as opposed to Ks & Qs) also make me more inclined to open this hand. DHL

because the majority of players that I know (admittedly, a limited sample) just do not bypass a 4-card spade suit at the 1-level. You'll never convince partner later on that you had 4 spades. DHL

There is no answer to this question. It is totally partner-dependent. If playing with one of my female partners, I might just send partner a heart ♥ or two, make some comment about having senior moments (being over 50 does have it's advantages), and announce that rally caps are now in place. And we usually forge some level of a come-back! Actually, this is a partnership issue that should be dealt with prior to playing in a serious, high-level game. Both members of the partnership need to have mutual faith and respect, a previously determined agreement that what is done is done, we can't change it, and to just move on. Next board, please. And continue to play your game and not push in an effort to get the lost points back. The need that both partners understand that mutual respect continues, even after a disaster, is really very important and can not be understated. And you know what? It just might happen that the opps later screw up or that you win those points back by good bidding or play a few boards later. I will only suggest that one should re-assess one's expectations and priorities if one is prone to becoming overly upset or to engaging in poorly modulated behaviors after such misfortune. DHL p.s.: I like the idea of a coke. Please make mine Diet Coke. Very often such errors are due to lapses in sustained attention/ concentration (or also, in my case, of memory).

hmm I used to play u/u, but I think I like Roland's methods. Have to think about this. BTW: a number of years ago I read a 2-part article about a method of handling Michael's cue bids that had the name "Martel" associated with it. If someone is familiar with this approach, I would appreciate if that person might present/ explain the convention (hint-hint). TIA, DHL

I would rebid a simple 2♣. I have a minimum 6-4 hand that is not suitable for NT play. I do not consider passing 1NT (or rebidding 2D) to be advisable. Admittedly, I could wind up playing in a 6-1 fit when we have a 5-3 fit in diamonds (a price for playing walsh). If partner has a good 10-11 per your system, there is nothing to stop P from taking a third bid. Describe your hand. I am curious: what other rebid were you considering? DHL

3♣ There is a reason why good/bad 2NT was created. There were also reasons why big club or diamond systems were created. This is classic case in point. DHL

very interesting hand i thought that i would be in the vast minority by selecting a false preference to 2S. There is one additional reason for bidding that, I don't believe, has been mentioned. Opener might take a 3rd bid, unlikely as it might be. What would you do with 5440 and a little more than a minimum after the 1NT bidder bids 2S/2H? DHL

If the partnership is playing both Jacoby and Texas transfers, then there is an important difference in the types of hands being shown(at least as the people who I know in the states play it.) An immediate Texas transfer of 4D is either not slam invitational or is the prelude to slam investigation (often used to then make 4NT RKC). A transfer such as 2D followed by a raise to game is played by most people I know as a mild slam try. If you judged your hand as being worth a mild slam try, then I am OK with the 3D bid. If you didn't judge your hand as being worth at least a mild slam try, then you might have been better served by initially bidding 4D (assuming that this is a transfer). IF you valued your hand as being worth a slam try, then I don't have a problem with a 3S bid: it warns partner to disregard any wasted honors in spades and you can still have time to bid 4H. (note: I am not suggesting whether or not the hand is worth a slam try, only suggesting a method for differentiating a game bid from a slam try given the current auction.) There is an old maxim: "when in doubt, bid what you think you can make". DHL

I suspect that you got a good board just for bidding 7C. If so, Well Done! Anyone for getting to 7NT on this hand? Only needs 3-2 diamond break. DHL

i agree partner had a chance to show something in the majors at the 1-level, and didn't do so. 3♣ for me, especially if playing G/B2NT DHL

FYI: According to Friday's NY Times: Dorothy Hayden Truscott passed away last Tuesday, July 4. I knew that she had been ill for a couple of years (at least). She was 80 years old. I didn't know her personally although I had seen her at local tournaments on several occasions several years ago. Yet, I have this empty feeling inside........... My sincerest condolences and prayers to her friends and family. DHL :-(

Fit jumps are standard in competition, aren't they? I assume that you don't play your ujs and ojs in competition. :( I absolutely agree with Gerben that we should consider the 1H bid an opening, not an overcall. I'd also bid 4C. No, Fit jumps are not standard although likely gaining in popularity. Many people still play weak jump-shifts in competition (so 3S would be a splinter in support of hearts). If playing fit jumps, then some number of clubs might be a reasonable bid. 3♠ as a splinter would probably help partner better judge the combined ODR on this occasion. DHL

This problem is much more difficult if not playing disciplined weak 2 bids. If playing disciplined weak 2 bids, there would seem to be a good argument for passing 2S. Otherwise, if you bid, the hand is committed to 3NT or 4C. 3NT will need an entry to dummy along with a successful club finesse (assuming opener doesn't have the magical club-King). My partners always seem to have that perfect hand or card when I choose the conservative option, and never have it when I take the more optimistic route. A nice hand if one happens to be playing McCabe Adjunct, you can play 3C, but it doesn't resolve the issue of whether or not to just bash and bid 3NT. At matchpoints, I suspect I would pass 2S. DHL