kgr

...but were I play opps will also compete over 1C-1NT-Pass. My partner prefers then that I have bid 3C and that he knows that I have real Clubs.

2D In my system I would also have started with 2D over 1D. This is multi: weak with 6card M or very good 6cM with not a lot at the side.

Does 4♣ show a better hand then 3♦ and is 3♦ not a better bid then 4♣?

Thanks both for the answers. - I need to learn when it is better to duck a trump then to play from top. Any tips more then welcome :( - After cashing ♥AK I played Spade ruffed by LHO who now played small ♣ and has partner returned a ♦ for LHO's K. - Our team mates at other table returned ♣K iso small ♣ and RHO did not overtake to play the ♦. - It is probably better to continue trump after playing AK then opps have to play twice clubs , 2nd ruffed and LHO should ruff the 1st Spade after this to break communication.

..also if you already discarded? e.g: Holding AT5432, you discarded the 3 and still have AT542 when partner plays to your A. Now you return from T542 the 4?

You play 3rd, 5th leads against trump contracts. Partner leads a suit and you have eg AT432. You take the A. Do you normally return the original 4th best or the original 3rd/5th best? (Is it better to switch to 4th best for return)

[hv=d=s&n=saqjxxxhjtxxdqxcx&s=sktxhakxxdajxxcqx]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] You don't play standard stayman and play 4♥ after bidding: 1NT-2♦ 2NT-4♦ 4♥ (2♦ transfer to ♥, can be a 4 card if limit+ and can be both majors. 2NT is 4-card ♥ and max) LHO start a ♠ that very much looks like a singleton. What is best play? I took this in my hand and played ♥AK and LHO appeared to have started with ♥Q9xx. What is best play after this start?

Yes. It wasn't necessary because ♠'s were 2-2, but that is what you have to do.

[hv=d=n&v=n&n=sqt8hakxxxdjxxcaj&s=skj9xxxhqdkxxckxx]133|200|Scoring: IMP 1H-(2D)-2S 4S-All Pass[/hv] LHO leads a D and you play small in N and RHO takes the Ace and returns D9 that you let run to dummy, but LHO ruffs and return a small H. How do you plan your play?

Thanks all for the answers. - If partner is minimum in HCP then he will not have ♦K or ♦Q, not sure if he would show the singleton with ♦A or ♦J in that case (..not possible here). - I thought I needed better ♠ to bid 1♠ first and then GF in ♥. At least ♠AQTxx - I signed off in 4♥ which clearly wasn't good. Both hans were: [hv=n=sktxhakxxxxdxcajx&s=sajxxxhqxxxdajcxx]133|200|[/hv] Making 7; 1H-2NT 3C-3D 4D-4H All pass 1H=5 card Majors 2NT=4+card H and 10+HCP (no singleton if 10-14) 3C=15-17HCP 3D=asking 4D=singleton D

wouldn't that give the impression that Bridge is very interesting?

[hv=d=n&v=n&s=sajxxxhqxxxdajcxx]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] 1H-2NT! 3C!-3D! 4D!-?? 1H=5 card Majors 2NT=4+card H and 10+HCP (no singleton if 10-14) 3C=15-17HCP 3D=asking 4D=singleton D Do you agree with 2NT or would you first bid 1S? What now; 4S will be taken as 1st/2nd control bid by your partner

It was an after-tournement game and I didn't play with my regular partner, but I have to confess that he almost convinced me of the idea :) Here are both hands: [hv=n=sxxhatxxxdkqxxxcx&s=sxxhkqxdajxxxcqxx]133|200|[/hv] 1D-(2S)-3D-(3S) 4D-(p)-4H-(p) ...5D-All pass

[hv=d=n&v=n&s=sxxhatxxxdkqxxxcx]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] Your partner opens 1D and RHO bids 2S weak. What is you bidding plan? Bidding did go: 1D-(2S)-3D-(3S) 4D-(p)-4H-.. My partner argued that DBL first would deny a 5-card H and 4H did let me the choice between playing 4H and 5D. He didn't mind to bid a non-forcing 3D first. Do you agree that his bidding should logically show a 5-card H because he denied a 4 card by not DBLing first?

Kind of strange question...trying to improve to basis of my defence and declarer play... I read here in other posts that one should work on patern recognition, counting... Now I try to count partner's point when defending: e.g. when declarer has opened 1NT then I count him for 16 HCP +- 1. That gives partner 7 HCP +-1 and when partner shows an Ace I (try to) remember: 3 +-1 left for partner. What is the sequence, as a defender, to work on from here (it will not work all together from the 'start'): - work out/remember declarer's distribution - work out/remember partner's distribution - work out/remember distribution of a suit - .... How are you doing this as declarer? As dummy is it best to relax a bit or would you rather advice to continue the training? Thanks, Koen

Not that I disagree that North should make a negative X, but surely South can make a 3♠ call over 2♥ or 3♥, unless you play that a failure to X absolutely denies 4 spades. Not like it costs anything. I was South and was removed after the hand. I didn't bid 2♠ because I thought it would be a search for 3NT or 5D and didn't feel strong enough for it.... Apparantly the hand is strong enough anyway to go to 5D with a good 2D-partner.

[hv=d=n&v=b&n=sjt87hk75dkj86c75&s=saq63hda9543ckj98]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] P-(p)-1D-(1H) 2D-(2H)-3D-(3H) p-(p)-4D-All pass ...one of both players was removed after this hand. Who do you remove for his bad bidding?

Partner had: KJxx AQxx AJxx xx 6H made easily with Clubs 3-3, but we stopped in 4H.

When you said "2D=Transfer with 4 card if at least limit", I thought you meant that it could not be a good hand with five hearts. If it can, in fact, be either Canape or a 5332 slam try, I think you need to find a way to distinguish between the two hand-types. Why not 4C/D as Canape, with 3S and 3NT showing a 5332 slam try? 4 card H if limit+

Well, there's an 'other' option in the poll. And I'm playing 2/1. :( Thus I voted 'other' and explained why. WTF? No need to wtf Harald :D. It is clear from the poll options that kgr wants to know what you would bid giving the methods he was playing and your 2S bid is not part of it. where do you get that from :)

We also play not-serious 3NT, but not sure my partner thought about that. I'm happy if he knows that 4♦ shows a 2nd round control in ♠. After 1NT-2D-2NT: 3level bids are now splinters, not sure if 3♠ after 3♥ should also be a splinter and if it is better to bid 4♣ (or could 4♣ be a stronger hand without ♠ control; eg: xx=AKxxx=AQx=Kxx?). Something to discuss with my partner.

[hv=d=n&v=n&s=sxhkxxxdkxxcakxxx]133|100|Scoring: MP[/hv] 1NT-2D! 3H!-3S!-(DBl) 4D! 2D=Transfer with 4 card if at least limit 3H=4 card and minimum (15 or 16 bad) 3S= 1st/2nd control 4D=2nd control S, no Club control and 1st/2nd control D. ...You continue above 4H?

You are dealer and bidding starts: 1H-(1S)-2C-(2S) (2C by you partner was forcing.) MP's: Dou you need extra's to bid 3H now? What dou you call with: [hv=d=s&v=n&s=sxhakqxxxdjxxxcqx]133|100|Scoring: MP[/hv]

I play 3rd suit forcing. (I don't know if it is good or bad). A jump to 3♣ would be splinter with ♠-fit. I can't imagine it being good, but I honestly haven't spent much time thinking about it. Presumably 2♣ can be a minimum rebid by opener; I just can't see wanting responder to take another bid with any variety of dead minimums that include club support but not heart support, e.g. 5-1-3-4, 4-1-4-4, 4-1-5-3 etc. 6- or 7-counts. Responder has to bid 2H with any minimum (can have singleton). It is probably right that this is no ideal system, I played around 100 sessions with this partner and we never had this issue till now (2 Probable reasons: opps bid a lot if we are both minimum; We tend to rebid 1NT if possible to avoid this issue)

I play 3rd suit forcing. (I don't know if it is good or bad). A jump to 3♣ would be splinter with ♠-fit.