miamijd

a) is certainly std in the USA. "Nearly always" is right. 1s will never show 5+ spades (then you would bid 1s), but on rare occasions it might be only 3 if you have a decent hand and no other bid. For example: 1c (1h) ?? AKx xxx Kxxx xxx Here, X seems like the best of a bunch of bad choices. Cheers, mike

First issue: either X or 2c could work out well. Advantages of X: You find your major suit fit, which is necessary to beat the opponents' likely diamond fit Advantages of 2c: If RHO has a hand that has to make a negative double, you are likely in good shape (either partner has diamonds or else partner might be able to raise to 3c, in which case the opponents are apt to wind up in a 4-3 major fit at the three level with half the strength) If RHO bids 2d and it comes back around to you, you'll have an easy X. If you X first and it goes 2d back to you, you'll have to X again, which really doesn't show your hand quite as well. I think X is slightly better in the long run. Note that if your clubs and spades were reversed, you should bid 1s, not X. The same is true if you hold 4513. Bid 1h; don't X (unless your h are just awful). Partner's 1s call: Ought to show a minimum responding hand (5-9 or so). With a horrible hand, partner should pass. 2d rebid after X: Yes, this ought to be more or less a game force. If you have 18-19 and partner has 6 or so, that ought to make game. 2c rebid after X: Yes, this still shows the big hand with a focus on clubs. You aren't strong enough for this, and your clubs aren't good enough. 2c here should also be a game force, because 18 + a minimum responding hand should be enough for game. If you can't find a fit or a d stop, I think you can stop in 4c. How many spades does partner have? He guarantees 4. No, he would not make a "responsive double" with 4. First, if you play responsive doubles in this sequence, that would show spades and clubs. Partner might not have clubs. Second, if you play responsive X here, consider switching. It's too easy for the opponents to make psychic 1h bids if you can't smoke them out with a X that shows hearts. What should you do at this point? You're a bit stuck, I think. If partner has five decent spades and the Jc, you have a game. If partner has Qxxx xx KQxx xxx, you have diddly squat. I think I would compromise between a 2d bid (which is an overbid, given that the Qh is likely useless) and pass, which is a decided underbid, and bid a somewhat strange-looking 2s. Partner's hand is limited to a narrow range, and he'll tend to go forward with 5+ spades but be cautious with only 4 (obviously, the more spades, the more offense). What happened at the table?

Slam isn't fragile. It is hopeless, and will be with most limit raises partner could have on this bidding.

A few comments (may duplicate those of others): 1. 2c overcall is awful. X seems obvious here. 2. 3h (if played as a limit raise) isn't bad at all. It describes the hand. Jumping to 4h is awful; you could easily miss a slam. 3c is fine if played as a limit raise, but if partner bids 3h, you should pass. 3 small clubs are lousy given the overcall. 3. 4NT is terrible. To make slam, you'll need to find partner with (1) As, (2) Kh, and (3) a stiff diamond and five hearts or Kx in diamonds and four hearts (partner won't have KQd along with the As and Kh). Not likely at all. Go quietly with 4h; a 3s or 4d cue-bid is pointless and may get you too high. Indeed, partner could have something like xx KJxxx KQJx xx, where even 5h won't make.

Partner has a 2s call, not a 1s call. You then have an easy 3nt bid (but good luck making it). Over partner's actual 1s bid, I would probably content myself with 2NT. Yes, it's a slight underbid, but you are void in partner's suit, and he is probably very short in yours.

You can pass or you can bid 1s. Neither is sinful, and either one could work out. Personally, I would bid 1s on this hand, because if you don't, the opponents are likely to find a heart fit, and the next time you get a chance to bid, the auction could be at the 3 or 4 level. Could a 1s bid work out poorly? Sure. If partner has a strong 2416 hand or something similar, your side will end up overboard, maybe badly overboard, and maybe doubled. But on balance the potential gains ought to greatly outweigh the potential losses. As for "trust," you are expected to use your judgment in the bidding, not to slavishly follow rules like a GIB bot. Happy playing, Mike

As there are a myriad of ways one could agree to play 4th seat bids of the opponents' suit(s), let's assume you have no agreement and want to play "standard expert." Let's start with the direct bid of 2 of responder's suit. Here in the USA, that is played as natural (no matter what the suit is). The overcaller will generally have at least a good 6-card suit and an opening hand. Now for the direct bid of 2 of the opener's suit. If the suit is a major, then the bid is two-suited, with the other major and a minor. Thus: 1H pass 1NT 2H 2H shows spades and a minor. A bid of 2 of opener's minor is a bit more complicated. It depends on (a) what responder bid and (b) whether you play sandwich NT. If responder bid 1NT or 2c, a bid of 2c or 2d will typically show majors. In the former case, a 1c-1nt or 1d-1NT auction often suggests that the opponents have a fair the suit, as partner is apt to be quite short). In the latter case, the opponents have a game-forcing (or almost) auction, so if you want to step in, better to have a distributional hand (and 2D, as opposed to 2NT, gives partner the chance to pick a major at the 2-level). If responder bid 1d, 1h, or 1s, however, then it depends on whether you play sandwich NT. If you do, then you have an easy, low-level way to show the other two suits, so a bid of opener's minor should be natural. If you don't, however, then without prior discussion, a bid of opener's minor is generally played as Michaels. I hope that helps. Mike

If E-W are good players, you have nothing to go on. W isn't going to cover the Jh knowing it's a stiff. Nor will he cover the Qc with AJT in dummy (better to have QTxx in hand and AJx in dummy; then West has more of a problem). East isn't going to make a silly lead-directing X holding K empty fourth or fifth. For those of you that do this sort of thing, please note that it helps declarer more than it helps your partner. This hand is a great example of that. From a pure "make the contract" standpoint, the best play is Qc overtaking with the Ace and then hook the heart. The Kc is more likely to be stiff than the Kh is to be stiff or doubleton. But the additional benefit is tiny and not worth risking 3 IMPs for an extra undertrick. From an "expected IMP return" perspective, it appears that the the normal play would be Ah and ruff a heart (once a year H will be 7-2 with K doubleton) and if nothing wonderful happens, then hook the club. Sometimes it really is a guess :) Good luck, mike

As others have noted, vul at IMPs (or for that matter, even NV at IMPs) this isn't close. You bid game and hope it will make. At MPs, I would still bid game, but it's a closer call, especially if your partner opens the occasional 14 count. You also have to remember that, especially at top levels, contracts make more often than they rate to on paper. World-class players typically play the eyeballs out of the cards most of the time as declarer. Defending the first few tricks, however (which is where most of the key decisions usually come), is often a guess where even the best players frequently go wrong.