danhputnam

I can understand a player making an unintended bid and not noticing it immediately (perhaps static cling or sticky bidding cards), but with calling a card from dummy, if it's not corrected in a millisecond, how can it not be a lack of concentration? My question would be how long it took to correct.

I do prefer the 2 heart bid as a bust. I despise it when partner refuses to share information, which is what the double negative essentially does. More importantly, though is the 2 diamond bid, which should not deny a strong hand. As often as possible you should let opener complete his compound opening bid. 2 spades is OK with a good 5-card suit and strength, but anything at the three-level should promise 6. 2NT should have both strength and tenaces. And anything other than 2D or a 2H bust bid should promise some slam interest if we find a fit.

Changing agreements is good, but when you were dealt this hand you had to bid within the structure you had. You didn't have a way to show this hand. So now you must guess. The key here is that you know more about partner's hand than you can show about yours, and you have limited ways to learn anything except how many aces he has or whether he has an extra J. I would probably bid 4C and bid 6NT if he has two. I wouldn't strongly consider a diamond contract. And I wouldn't ask partner to decide. Two final things to consider. 1NT-4NT would deny interest in the majors, and luckily you do have an honor in each. If partner is savvy enough to know you have a minor suit oriented hand, 4NT might work out. The other consideration is the field. If it is a strong aggressive field, you're more likely to be punished by bidding short. If it's a weak field, 3NT or 4NT is probably safe.

Two suggestions: 1) Practice your system on BBO, especially if you can find a decent pair of opponents to work with. 2) Discuss with the director how much toning down is needed at the club. The club needs to make the game enjoyable for players of all levels, or else the game dies. They are allowed to bar odd systems and conventions. But the biggest objections come at the one-level, where competition is most likely. There may be few adjustments requested, or perhaps you can offer to print a simple defense to your one-level bids and combine that with a pre-alert. I don't know the atmosphere at your club, but I find that most regular players are willing to deal with simple adjustments (ex. double the transfer bid is stolen bid. Bid their suit as takeout.)

Most low-level doubles of artificial suits are done with strength and length because of the danger of opponents converting your double to penalty. However, they do not generally suggest competing in that suit. The purpose and definition of the double is simply "lead directing" and it is not alertable in acbl as long as it calls for a lead of the doubled suit.

I had a partner who felt the same way. We finally agreed that 2♣-2NT meant three kings and nothing else. :rolleyes:

Using LTC, you get the same 6 loser hand with either 6 hearts and 3 clubs, or with 5-4, assuming you have a fit. But the 6-3 combo is worth a full extra trick since the 6th heart will surely take a trick plus provide extra insurance against a bad split, and another low club is unlikely to create a winner. Also how does South bid his hand if he has the singleton A of spades and the AQx in diamonds? I treat this jump rebid as close to GF. North's Q of hearts plus touching honors in spades makes this an easy 4H contract.

LTC has its flaws. In both 1 and 2, you would have the same points and loser-count if your sixth trump were a heart. Yet the sixth trump is a guaranteed trick. Also a nine card trump suit will draw trump more efficiently than an 8-card suit. The value is about 1/2 trick, not counting the likelihood of ruffs etc. In all three cases you are bidding as if you have the 8-card fit. I'm not talking about LOTT logic. I'm talking about how many tricks you are likely to take.