mayoutu

The book says 3♥/♠ shows weak 7-suit with <8 HCP. It gives an example for 3♠: ♠ Q1098432 ♥ 94 ♦ Q3 ♣ J4. Since slam chance is small, opener usually bids game (stop) or new suit (forcing). For example, after 2♣-3♥: 1) ♠ AK83 ♥ A ♦ AQ83 ♣ KQJ2 2) ♠ AKQJ842 ♥ - ♦ QJ1092 ♣ A With 1), bid 4♥; with 2), bid 3♠. With 8+ HCP and a major with two of AKQ, it suggests 2♥/♠.

Thanks. The advantage of bidding 3♠ may be to shut West. I read a fairly new book on natural bidding system and it says 3♥/♠ shows weak hand with long major, but it might be old fashioned. I don't see it in Bridge World Standard or SAYC.

Is cue bid with King acceptable? If S cues with ♥ and N bids 7 that would be a disaster.

[hv=pc=n&s=skt87542h53djt4c8&w=saqj9hakq87d3ct65&n=sh6dakq85cakqj743&e=s63hjt942d9762c92&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=2cp3s(weak%20long%20spades)p4cp4sp5cppp]399|300[/hv] Do you agree with the bidding? Is it possible to reach 6♦ or 6♣?

If you are the opponents, will you sacrifice? You might think there is a good chance 5m or 6m goes down.

Thanks. What is a typical sequence of a slam try, suppose opponents bid 1♠ and 2♠?

Thanks! Is it a candidate for 3♣ preempt if both vul.?

Thanks! This game was played between friends casually without IMP/vul. and cards were shuffled soon after. I just made the hands on my memory, all high cards should be right positioned. I was W holding 5-3-3-2 with about 12 HCP, and E 6-4-1-2 with 6 HCP? 3♠ was just a make. We don't know what will happen if the final contract is 5 or 6 ♣/♦. Anyway we are not professional players. I will forward you guys' opinions to South. Thanks again!

Thanks for the analysis. I agree South should open 1♣.

North ♠ 102 ♥ K87 ♦ AQJ986 ♣ J3 South ♠ - ♥ J54 ♦ K72 ♣ AK87642 The actual bidding was like South as dealer passed and bid 3♣ after opponents found ♠ fit, which pushed them to 3♠ making. Opponents' clubs are 2-2 and diamond 3-1. My question are: what is the best contract? Is it slam? How can N-S reach the best contract?

I guess so. For problem H, BWS says "opening lead against no trump: (ii) Spot-card leads: fourth-highest; second-highest (but highest of equals) from a weak suit." I chose club to lead, and it should be ♣6 according to BWS. But Panel votes ♣9.

Oh, I didn't notice that. Thanks! I personally feel that short suit invitation is a good choice, because for an unbalanced hand like 5-4-3-1, telling partner the suit with 1 card includes more information than suit with 4 or 3 cards. If partner has no waste value in that suit, likely it doesn't matter how the value is distributed in the other suits.

This problem is from this month's Bridgeworld.com Master Solvers' Club. IMP non vul. ♠AKQ87 ♥6 ♦KJ86 ♣Q92 After 1♠-P-2♠-P, what do you bid? (See problem E) https://www.bridgeworld.com/indexphp.php?page=/pages/msc/mscscoresforlastmonth.html According to panel votes, 3♣ gets 100 points, while 2NT gets 0 point. I don't know why short suit invitation is wrong here, because textbook says it is used for unbalanced hands while long suit invitation is used for balanced hands. Another question: I have participated in MSC for many years, are they really following the BWS? Thanks!

Thanks that really helps!!

Very interesting analysis and reasonable outcome. Thanks Smerriman! BTW, what is a typical hand that 4♠ makes but 4♥ fails?

Thank you for the comments. Yes, if the values are in diamonds, 4♠ is perfect. But from the bidding I guess they are likely in hearts and clubs which seem a misfit.

I use SAYC roughly speaking. 2♠ is forcing. 3♠ after 2♥? I don't know and never used it. I use regular 2♥ opening that includes 6+ hearts and 5-9 HCP for nonvul, 9-12 HCP for vul. Most likely there is Q+ in that suit. I would say 3♣ is natural and describes shape.

What do you bid after partner opens 2♥? [hv=pc=n&s=sakqj952hj4da876c&n=shaq7532dt54cqt75&d=n&v=e&b=9&a=2hp]266|200[/hv] I bid 2♠, and partner responded with 3♣. I bid 4♥ and that ended the auction. [hv=pc=n&s=sakqj952hj4da876c&n=shaq7532dt54cqt75&d=n&v=e&b=9&a=2hp2sp3cp4hppp]266|200[/hv] My partner got a diamond lead, and he made the game. I asked a master, and she said 4♠ is obviously better than 4♥. I am not sure. If North has weak heart suit, it is likely to be useless. My spades can help discard his diamonds or clubs. What do you think? Thanks.

I see. Thanks. After 4♣, how does opener show negative attitude on clubs? If NT is the most likely contract, how to reach natural 4NT? (Or the contract must be in clubs and 5♣ is the minimum.)

Thank you guys for the comments! I heard that (maybe in a different system) 2♠ is minor-Stayman and 2NT/3C is showing a weak hand with long ♣/♦ (requesting a transfer). Actually, I don't have a partner, and I always play with robots at BBO. The problem is that robots have poor bidding systems and poor judgments. But it's very relaxing playing there with no time limit, no tough comments.

I checked SAYC system at BBO which says 3♣ is invitational (6-8 HCP). Is this the popular system that most players are using?

After partner's 1NT opening, how do I express slam interest in club/diamond if I have no 4-major, like a hand 1-2-3-7 with long clubs and 15+ HCP? I see that Stayman can only explore spade/heart slam interest and most likely the responder has 14- HCP. Thanks for your help.