keylime

I look at my control count when deciding about a strong club - if on six I likely upgrade to a 1C. With balanced hands, 14-16 NT, with the 1C-1x-1NT being 17-19.

I'm all in for it - will even attempt to bring my pard to it.

Just read that Jeff Meckstroth has eclipsed Paul Soloway for the highest number of masterpoints earned in ACBL competition. The number is staggering: 65,566.69. The question now becomes - can he break 100,000?

With the defense I use against Multi, it does not quality for a "better Multi" call.

I've been skiing twice in my life. The first was in northern California during my Air Force days. The bunny hill, was the largest hill I had ever been on. The trees and I said hello about a half a dozen times. The second and last time, was as a thank you gift from a bridge student. We went to the location where the '88 Olympic alpine events were held near Lake Louise at Nakiska in the Kananaskis. After doing the morning lesson, my legs were so shot that I couldn't get into the chair lift to come down the slopes. I have never, ever, been as sore, as the day after that. I hurt for literally three weeks nonstop. Flying home from Calgary to Nanaimo was torture - so much so that I nearly considered having them wheel me off the plane. I found muscles I never knew existed, not even during my days in the military where I was in special operations. Since I've lost 85 pounds from my time up north, I am thinking about learning how to ski again, and getting physically prepped for it.

I just realized, this was not about the folk group Bread....

I play a symmetric type of CAB responses: Step 1: none Step 2: King Step 3: Ace Step 4: Void Step 5: Singleton Step 6: AK/AQ

From a pure performance standpoint, it is noticeably quicker, especially in Safari for Windows.

2♥. Important to show suits immediately because that is the nature of your hand, suit oriented.

1NT, xfer to clubs. If not, 2C.

We don't relay after 1C-1D due to 1) rebidding frequent 4 card majors and 2) trying to get into our best fit quickly.

I bid what I think we can make. 5♣. (i.e. it maybe a 3 or 5 hand).

I confess at the table I might trot out 3♠ just because of the lack of bids here.

I think locating distribution first, then cuebidding (I use denial cuebidding) prevents RKC issues. I think Larry and I have used RKC once. Maybe twice. We don't get ourselves into trouble much.

I like the 2♠ overcall myself; the hand is bound to be splitting badly.

Strong club here. If I hit pard with a positive, it'll likely be in a major.

I open. Like they are going to balance at the three level here...<famous last words>

4NT. Doubling gets your into a deserved 4-2 spade fit.

I happily open 1S here. What I do suspect myself is that in this auction you may stop at 5♠: Auction 1: 1S - 2NT 3NT (balanced extras) - 4C 4D - 4S 5C - 5H 5S all pass Auction 2: 1S - 2C 2NT - 3S 4NT - 5H 5S all pass With Larry and I, we would not be in slam either missing a control and the QS.

The 1♣ opening is prone to aggressive preemption. Let's say it goes: (1♣) 1NT* (three suited takeout of clubs) ? On many hands that if opened 1M, there would be a comfortable raise and you know a lot more about the hand. Instead 4th seat here is going to bid 'em up and you miss your 5M suit fit (Obviously, the extension of (1C) 2H ? as well). I'd also weaken the 1NT opening as well and instead, play more constructive openings. The 1C - 1D sequence being either or doesn't allow for logical diamond invites, and is also weak against preemption. It may also serve you since it's canape to play an art 2C GF over 1 bids.

Larry and I overcall 4 card majors relatively frequently as long as they are around the area of KJ9x or better. However I tend to overcall more than he does.

4♣ by me. We're bidding to the five level and want to steer the defense.

Larry and I use 1S as 0-3♠ or GF in spades and 1H-1NT as 4+♠, but we also play four card majors.

I've been watching Defying Gravity on Hulu myself lately. (yes I am still living). :lol:

1♠ with me (unless with Larry, then XX to show spades), and not even close. We have a clear bid with lead direction (let's say they play 2m XX, wouldn't you want a spade lead to pump a heart through?) You can always double back in to compete with this hand, and since we own the suit, let's bid it.