dsLawsd

It sounds like North has invitational clubs and hearts- but we need to see their convention card. If E-W are quite good defenders, then the spade K makes sense because it creates a tempo no matter who has the Ace. This is on the assumption that partner has around 11 points including 3 or 4 spades. After the K holds I make the apparently natural switch to a highest heart. Perhaps we can tangle declarer's entries in case a squeeze is in the offing?

All good discussion. I think it depends on the skill levels of the opponents and the field. Good players will defeat the contract so I take Woolsey's advice to take a plus score. Against bad players do what your running score dictates. The pause really should be mandatory at trick one- but we soon know who the bad actors are. The Director can be called if there should have been an alert and damage has been caused. But without more I let the result stand. Regards. (2 clubs would not be an alert in ACBL unless something special in the understanding)

The main problem I have with cue raises of a minor opening bid is that it takes up a LOT of space which might force the auction too high or hinder the exploration for NT. It looks like Zia uses 2♠ as a limit raise with or without competition (never natural) but I cannot tell from their convention card alone if there are exceptions. It will be helpful to have a firm partnership agreement as to what size and shape is being shown.

Hard to say as guessing is involved- but one sequence would be to bid 4♦ and then pass over 4♥ once it is seen that the heart queen is a valuable, working card opposite the expected 6-4 hand.

You need to be able to combine chances to come up with exact odds. Then it becomes a matter of how much to risk given the stakes. Two good books on this are 1) By Kelsey Glauert I forget the exact title as I loaned it out, the 2) By Jeff Rubens "Expert Bridge Simplified". Both available at The Bridge World website. I would love to see the actual or approximate hand.

I think 2♦ because of suit quality and strength if playing strong jump shifts. Grant Baze is really the main source of Soloway jumps shifts which came later: his notes show this with follow-ups. 2♣really should show 5 pieces unless solid. If no strong jump available there is no reason not to just bid 1♦ to start thus saving space. Other systems with XYZ would not apply in the Walsh context.

Hindsight is 20/20 of course, but how could the lead of a low heart ever hurt given that you hope pard has either the J or A? If the A your side usually will take the first five tricks. That naturally assumes that we hold a quick enough entry to get in and cash all our tricks... A very interesting hand.

While I did not play XYZ before I am a convert now. Some of the recent months of the D22 Forum bidding quiz are most useful- it is online now. The extra advantage of using a 2♣ relay to 2♦ for invite type hands has convinced me. I agree with all or parts of several comments above. Most important is to now set a trump suit (or NT) so that space remains to explore slam below game. With extra values one or the other partner can then take needed control or cue. Without XYZ I believe the partnership agreement should be GF to avoid confusion as usually it will be bid absent a horrible misfit. Nice question and discussion!

I like 8 points the majors and prefer to play 1♥-2♥ showing about 10+ in my suits. Over 1♠ 2♠ even better. But that changes depending on the event and whether partner is a passed hand or not. But sometimes lite makes sense especially at matchpoints. Need to consider the partnership preferences and temperaments.

We know 6♥ is cold most of the time- but other contracts are possible. I mostly agree with Cyberyeti: but here is a thought. At matchpoints I choose 3♠ only because sometimes the opponents then get to the WRONG slam. In essence bidding 3 sounds stronger so that might keep them out of 7 when they belong and also might tip them away from NT 2when that is better. And, of course partner can hear the auction and might take a smart action. At rubber there is no sure call- any bid above 4 might give them more $$$ by pushing them up potentially forcing me to sac. So it will involve table feel - I feel poorer already...

Leading a diamond spot that serves also as an alarm clock lead seems like the best chance given that a club ruff will not necessarily beat the contract as declarer will find the trumps. The opposition strength as players/partners would influence me here quite a bit since the auction suggests bidding 6 with a void a little bit. But I choose a diamond for fear the trick will go away on something. Partner did NOT double for a club lead which he might have on a "theory". An excellent match point question. Of course the UI horror show messes up everything as now the opening leader has to figure out what logical alternatives there might be. EWWW

Playing an updated 2/1 card in the 1990's in a Western (Walsh) style 3♥ showed a weakish 5-5 major hand. It has become more fashionable to use bids at the 3 level over 15-17 NTs to show shortness with no 5 card major because the frequency of use seems to favor this idea. They would transfer to spades and then decide how to follow. I have many expert pairs convention cards so I am going to research their methods. At IMPs it seems worth an invite vul. At matchpoints I would only go after a super-accept, but then I usually play only teams.

Having a partnership agreement no matter what it is seems important. The one thing we know is that partner has no strong interest in the majors else they would double. They either hold 2 stoppers or the Axx in diamonds so they can shut out the preempt suit in most cases. Perhaps 4♣ asks for 3 card major fit and 4♦ ace asking? 4♥/♠ might show a 2 suithand with slam interest. 4 NT could be used as saying I am interested in a Club slam... A good situation to run simulations on the computer to see the possible results. again most of the time it is best to pass and stay out of partner's way without another game strain being available,,,

I have not given this thought because usually you pass. But Texas seems possible or use 4♣ or 4♦to ask aces or exclusion asking. Could 4♥/4♠ show two suited slam interest?? I suspect most hands in this category come up with too low a frequency to think about it. Great question!

This might merit a question to "Ruling the Game" in the ACBL Bulletin. I am a Certified Club Director and cannot be sure either. But, since 2♣ is a Convention that does Not show a suit yet I think the Partnership is required to have an agreement as to the meaning of calls including the double. Since there are multiple possible meanings the Opponents are entitled to know how you play it. And fess up here that you have not discussed it. But then make one immediately! Probably here no damage or adjustment- but an apology to the opponents seems like the right thing to do to smooth things over as an ACtive Ethics sort of situation. Playing conventions always has an added burden to the users. Glad to hear about this as it is very interesting.

In the first example, there is a dubious club stopper, so do something else. In the second case, both suits are well stopped (although hearts is in the wrong place) with 17 high. It still seems like the opponents have not yet found a fit and you may know more what to do after the next bid. This may also depend upon the strength of the opponents, their system, and your partnership system. 1 NT would have the information across at the 1 level- but is the hand really best with such poor minor suits?/

Sabine agrees with my 2 NT then- except that I don't want to play this system at all pard- please let's do something better including defining 2♣ more rationally. Some choices include using Aces Scientific, using 2♦ as something with 2♥ as a second negative (and Kokish or Birthright as ways to distinguish hearts and balanced 23+). And I have seen many pairs do well by bidding controls. And though I hate 2 NT bids, it does put us in the slam zone and partner can bid naturally without fear on the next round knowing that I did not have a singleton in hand. Some pairs do not use 2♣ enough by not counting extra length enough because of nebulous responses in use. Edgar Kaplan in the K-S system has some pretty good ideas to consider also of course.

Welcome back. I agree with Cyberyeti but in a non long term partnership I think I would double then bid 4♠. Any time dummy holds just the JT of clubs I have close to a make in my hands- go go. Too much rubber bridge in my background to bid less as with a nice hand (never happens) partner can look for more.

My misread- since otherwise there is no real problem: either you are an overbidder or an underbidder? But I appreciate your sarcasm. This is a Bizarro world right? DAVE ###

If Drury was available that failure points to passing: the plus score principle. On the plus side the trump holding looks good- partner might be short in the reds or have combining cards if not. So- I would look at who I am playing against to finally decide.

Even playing lebensohl this hand is no picnic at IMPS. We do know that partner has hearts and a probable minor suit fit, or has 5 hearts or has a sure spade stopper. Even if partner has Jxx or T9xx we have a likely game. Therefore the money bid seems to be 3NT. On an unlucky day we are down 3. But with our holding the ♠Q there is a very good chance that the spade suit will be blocked or that one will not be led. Also, if East has 5-5 distribution we hold cards over them. Its just bridge...

Two potential stops in hearts with a hand just a bit light to try game. But with 5 or 6 poorish clubs as a "safe out" seems about right on values.

Doesn't this question need to have data about the players at the table to sort it out? With all those controls the North hand could try 2♥ and then over 2NT guess. An enlightened South might bid 3♦ or even self-splinter for clubs. But playing for money it is hard to get to 7. So take the vul small slam bonus and run? Great problem hand!

Take the money and run- claim fast and play more hands and you will come out ahead without taxing partner(s). Not that I want to be in slam at most forms of scoring unless only a top will do with the state of our score...

I think this depends somewhat on partner's skill set. A double would lead partner to lead our likely best suit or to compete as appropriate. Matchpoints requires a 1♠ overcall for reasons of how high to compete. I voted for a double at IMPs but it may be correct to pass depending on partner.