HeartA

I am against the majority here. I would dbl first if I were sitting West. Those 17 hcp were too good (controls in every suit, only disadvantage is spades not strong enough) to make simply 2S overcall. East could raise, but he has too many to worry: wasted HKQ, North might balance with diamonds or decided bid game because of shortness in spades (in another thread, a lot of you agreed to pass with 5-1-5-2 and balance with 4S after rho opens 3H).

I wouldn't dbl. I can't see a single sure defensive trick from my hand. I can't be sure that my pd could take 4 sure tricks either. As Todd said, to dbl 3C, you need 6 defensive tricks, that is 2 tricks per suit outside ♣. I wouldn't be that optimistic.

There are a few advantages if I overcall with 2♦. 1) pd may have ♦ support and ♠ stopper(s) and some cards (not necessarily honors) in ♣ so that we have an easy 9 (or 10 tricks) for 3NT. you don't need that much from pd to make 3N. 2) opps have ♦ Axx and Jxx, and both of them might think they don't enough stoppers to play 3NT and end up 5-2 or 4-3 fit major games and went down. Or they want to try NT, and pd leads DT, DJ on dummy. and suddenly 3N was in danger. To prevent you from get an entry to cash diamonds, they finesse the wrong side and you got entry (via H) anyway. 3) opps have ♦ Axxx and Jx (or Ax opposite Jxxx) they were unwilling to dble you for penalty though you get down 2. 4) ...

I don't remember how many people agreed and how many people did not. But at least I disagree with "that a shortage is the only requirement for a re opening X".

Of course pd can bid on if he has extra.

I would overcall 3S at the first round.

To wait for pd's reopening dbl is not an option for me. With minimum opening hand, I don't think opener should dbl even with shortness in ♥. What if (over half of) the strength you have were split into your opp's hand? I don't like the idea that opener has to make a reopening dbl as long as he is short in opp's suit even if he has minimum. I would dbl myself. Partner could pass with a balanced hand, since I didn't cue-bid my hand is (close to) flat as well. As Ben wrote, if he bid 4C, then I would try club slam by cue-bidding 4H.

1M-2N: 3X = shortness 3N = no shortness, extra 3M = no shortness, minimum 4M = no shortness, solid trumps 4X = (good) 5-card suit

Winstonm, You didn't read the original post carefully. Ben said that "1C was polish". East-West was not playing 2/1 or sayc or the like.

In my standard, ♠4 ♥A743 ♦AK5 ♣AJ863 certainly qualifies for GF (after 1C opening and 1H response from pd).

I think 3H was normal. When in training session with my real-life friend, I told him that raised to 2 with 13-15 points (including distributional points), to 3 with 16-18, to 4 with 19-21, cue-bid at 4-level (or bid opening suit at 4-level) with strong 2-suiter (one of them is pd's suit, of course). West has 13 VERY good hcp, good 5-card clubs, and 3 distributional points. It qualifies 3H raise.

At this high level, I tend to be more conservative than aggressive. Pass is my choice.

That's what I was going to say. I know 3S could be misleading, but that's my choice. Without special agreements, 1S rebid by North could be misleading, too. What if South has 4-card S (4-4 or 4-5 majors)? And 3D guarantees 3-card support for pd's major? It doesn't sound right to me. I even don't want to add this treatment with a regular partner.

K98 A10xx You need three tricks. I usually cash AK. But today, in a team match, I decided to play it differently and my 3N went down.

This problem is too trivial to be a problem. It's clearly South's fault.

It is not forcing and I would pass.

It depends on the nature of the match. If we are losing, I would bid 3S to gamble 3N. Otherwise, I would overcall 3C. dbl is not my choice.

I would bid 5D.

2D could be dangerous, but I will bid anyway, unless red to white.

Agree with Flame. I would bid 3N after North's 2H (reverse).

I am usually conservative on leading (from) Ace. HJ would be my choice.

Agree with Justin.

Fred, While I agree with most you said, I respectfully disagree with one thing. Some players could be very good though they might not be known in the bridge world. One major reason is that they have their own professions and don't have the chance to play that much, to find a good partner, to become famous.

So if you play small toward the dummy and LHO plays the 10, you cover with the J and RHO wins, what are you going to do next? Assuming this happens are you sure you can make it in all of the cases you mention? Fred Gitelman Bridge Base Inc. www.bridgebase.com Assume best defense. When I play small toward dummy, I would play J back if I don't see 10. West also knows this line, he would play 10 with 10x to give South a headache. While with QT (KT), West will also play 10. I don't have a clear answer. Fred, are you suggesting that to cash Ace is better?

Oops, we post almost simultaneouly. Actually, to cash Ace first covers 4 cases: East holds stiff K or Q, or either side has KQ doubleton. While to play small toward dummy first covers West with stiff T or Tx (Tx has two cases, since we have two small cards outside) and KT and QT. To play small toward dummy is slightly better.