lenze

Is there any reason West would not cash the ♠ Ace at trick two???

It would NEVER occur to me to open any of these hands in any position.( I'm from the old school). Although I might open the third one 2♠ at favorable vulnerablity

Clubs being 4-0 is no problem, as you have the top 6.

indeed, hes my father :) you'll know he psyches sometimes too......hahaha Indeed he does. I can remember more than one protest back in the 1970's

Jlall wrote Yes, I played bridge in Texas for many years before moiving to Montana in 1994. You wouldn't happen to be related to Hemant, my old friend and occasional partner from 25 years ago, would you?

Yes, Eric that is a possibility. But as Barry Crane once said, don't play me for the perfect hand, as I won't hold it. Also, don't play me for the worst hand, as I won't hold that one either.

Playing in a 10 table club game (MPs) I picked up S – 9 H – 9 D – AK54 C – KQT9762 Partner dealt and opened 2NT(20-21). I had an easy 4C(Gerber) bid. Partner replied 4NT(3 aces) and I had an EASY 7NT call. After the opening lead, partner claimed 14 tricks. Although several other pairs reached 7C, and others reached 6NT, we were the only pair in 7NT. What were they thinking?

For the last year or so, I have played against weak NTs that a double shows a hand I would open a strong (15-17) NT and our systems are on. So partner's 2C is Stayman, and 2D is a transfer, etc. Apart from that, we play 2C as Landy and all other bids as natural. Seems to work.

Just curious!. Who, on my list, would you exclude from the top 200? BTW; To my knowledge, I never had the privilage to play against Meyer Schleiffer

I must admit that I have been out out the tournament world for over 15 years, so I may be ignorant on modern day "Experts". But I did have the chance to play against and with some of the best players ever. (Oswald Jacoby, Jim Jacoby, Barry Crane. Bob Hamman, Bobby Wolf, Dr. Fisher, Mike Passell, Curtis Smith, etc). Never once did I EVER see one these greats psyche.!!

If that wasn't true, I wouldn't be playing :D

When I started this game, over 30 years ago, I, too, was intrigued with psyches. It was fun to get a TOP because we had snookered an opponent. Fortunately, I had some great mentors who taught me that a psyche was a tool of the weak player. One who could not evaluate his hand, bid accurately, or defend or declare well. This does not mean there is no place in the game for a well timed psyche, but to be effective, it must be very rare. Pysching can be fun, but it is generally, not good bridge.

The opponents are entiltled to your PARTNERSHIP understandings. When you bid RKCB in a suit, they are entitled to know what that means. When partner gives his response, they are entitled to the meaning of his response. If you then choose to place the contact in another strain, whether a suit or NT, you are exercising BRIDGE JUDGEMENT. The opponents are NOT entitled to your bridge judgement or the thought process behind it. That is something that must be learned through experience and study. Why do we think we have to baby our opponents?

Is there a difference in asking in one suit and ending in another or asking in a suit and ending in 6NT?

2 spades is the worst bid. West has a perfectly good 2NT call. If East has spades, he will use NMF and the fit will be found. The 2 Spade call implies, better spades, and more diamonds. After a 2NT call, East will sign off (Maybe after NMF) in 3NT

So you hold S – K7643 H – A954 D – 4 C – A83 And open 1 Spade in 2nd seat!! Playing 2/1, partner bids 2D holding S – J85 H – K63 D – KQJ98 C – K4 You will end up in 4S, one trick (at least) too high Or partner might bid 2C with S – A82 H – Q3 D – QJ5 C – KT932 Once again, one trick too high. I am not against a weak opening approach, but it does NOT mesh well with a disciplined 2/1 system I had the honor once to have played with the master, Barry Crane. These hands, were of course opened, but we played Drury in ALL seats. That does not fit in with the 2/1 system I play now.

A disaster for my opponents!! In fourth seat, South, NS VUL, I held S – A H – K3 D – QJ74 C – KT9642 East, in third seat, opened 2 Hearts., I tried three clubs. West doubled, all pass. West led a heart, and partner, bless her heart, tabled. (Yes, I know she could have opened, but our style is very conservative) S – K7643 H – A954 D – 4 C – A83 West, obviously thought her DBL was negative. I made 6 when clubs were 2-2. My question is, if West had passed., how should the auction continue?

South open 3H, i think i have two choices double or 3nt

A hand from our New Year’s Party IMP’s , EW VUL, and playing with a very novice player, I picked up S – Void H – KQT3 D – AJ C – AKQ9743 I was south, and West dealt and opened 3 Spades. Two passes to me. Not wanting a misunderstanding at IMPS, I bid what I thought I could make. (6 Clubs) West led a small heart, and dummy tabled S – Q75 H – A98542 D – T94 C – 6 Fortunately, I did not get a diamond lead, and made six even when clubs broke 4-1 . The problem is that 7 hearts is cold . I, of course, would have bid differently with my regular partner, but I am interested in how you would handle this hand

I suggest down 2!! I do not understand the problem with defending this hand. North is VERY likely to lead the Diamond King. South, looking at Txxx on dummy, can not afford to over take. North will lead a second diamond. With no options left, South will switch. Neither a trump nor heart looks attractive, so a club is the logical choice. Might as well lead the King. When if holds, South will continue to North’s Ace. North will now conclude that if South has the Heart Ace, it can not go away, so he will focus on promoting trump tricks. The lead of the third diamond is automatic. West will ruff, and after South holds up the trump Ace twice, West will be down two. YES, I know that West can get out for down 1 by discarding on the diamond Queen, but NO competent declarer would make that play, as it gives up the chance to make the contract when trumps break 3-2. BTW: As South, I can make 3NT IF I guess the Club suit. I'm not a very good guesser, however.

Back in the late 1970’s, when I thought I was the best bridge player that ever lived, I met a young lady, a novice player. We played together, and I mentored her. In 1980, we married. At the time, we lived in Dallas, and we played regularly in home team games with some of the best players in the world. In these games, she got to be partners with some of these great players. She never had the passion, however, that I had for the game, and after our daughter was born in 1982, she never played again. We also had a son in 1984. I, also, seldom played bridge for many years. After 16 years of marriage, it became obvious that there were things we just didn’t see the same, so we divorced, although we remained friends and the parents of our kids. The kids are now away at college, and recently I was with my ex at a Thanksgiving dinner and decided to ask her to play bridge at the local club. She reluctantly agreed. We played last week, and I introduced her to all as the “mother of my children”. We had a 68% game. One of our local players, with OVER 1000 PMS , yet who cannot execute a simple squeeze came up to congratulate us. She committed that my ex must be a very good player. I couldn’t resist, and replied, “She has forgotten more about this game than you will ever know”. I guess I made another enemy.

You hold S – AK8743 H – J64 D – Void C - 9754 You are in fourth seat. No one vul. RHO opens 1 club, you try 2S DBL by LHO. RHO bids 3D LHO bids 3H, all pass. Partner leads the spade jack. Dummy is S – T965 H – 5 D – AQT8 C – KQJ6 You win the King, and return the spade 8. Partner ruffs with the heart 3, and returns the diamond 8. Declarer plays the Ace, and you ruff. You now play the spade Ace, declarer ruffs with the heart 7, partner over ruffs with the 8. Partner cashes the Diamond King, the Club Ace, and leads a third diamond, which you ruff. You lead a fourth spade, declarer playing the heart 9, and partner over ruffs with the ten. A fourth round of diamonds allows you to score your heart Jack, and another spade allows partner to score their Heart King. Down six. Should someone have doubled??

this hand doest not qualify a strong jump shift, i think. 1c-2h, 2h shows either solid suit or h plus good c fit. You may be correct, techically, but I believe one has to be flexible. If you limit your Strong JS to a solid suit, you will almost never make one. I believe that a strong JS should simply imply slam interest and an idea of where the hand is going. It basically says, partner, describe your hand, play ball with me, and stay out of my auction!! I've been playing this way for over 35 years, and I refuse to change. I could, however, be wrong.

Why does no one not use the simple approach anymore. S- 1C N- 2H S -2NT or 3C N- 3 D S - Whatever N- 4D S - Figure it out!!!!

In case you are interested, this is what i have played for over 20 years After 1 NT Opening 2C = Stayman or slam try in Diamonds Opener bids: · 2D = Denies 4 Hearts. May have four Spades · 2H = 4+ Hearts. Denies 4 Spades · 2S = Both majors · 2NT = No major, 2 Diamonds and 5 + Clubs(minimum) · 3C = No major, 2 Diamonds and 5 + Clubs (maximum) Responder’s re-bids: · After 2 D(Denies 4 Hearts) · 2 H asks for 4 card Spade suit · 2 S = 4+Spades · After 2S , 3 of a minor suit = 4+ and also 4 Spades(slam try), 3 Hearts = slam try in Spades with undisclosed singleton. (Opener bids 3 NT to ask), 3 S is invitational to game, 4 C = RCK in Spades · 2 NT=Minimum w/o Spades · After 2NT, 3 minor is natural 4+ (slam interest) · 3C=maximum with 5+Clubs · 3D=maximum with 5+Diamonds · 3H=maximum with both minors · 3S=maximum with Spades (probably 5) · 3NT=maximum and 3-3-3-4 or 3-3-4-3 · 2 S = slam interest in Diamonds · Opener bids · 2NT = Strong interest in Diamond slam(Hxxx or better) · 3C = Hxx or xxxx in Diamonds · 3D = Hx or xxx in Diamonds · 3H= maximum with both minors · 3S = 5 card suit and no Diamond interest (xx) · 3NT = Balanced hand, no interest (xx) · 2 NT = invitation to 3 NT · 3 C = 4+ Clubs with 4 Hearts (slam interest) · 3 D = 4 + Diamonds with 4 Hearts ( slam interest) · 3 H = 4 Hearts and 5 Spades (Smolen) · 3 S = 4 Spades and 5 Hearts (Smolen) · 3 NT = to play · After 2 H( 4+ Hearts, denies 4 Spades) · 2 S = slam interest in Diamonds · Opener bids · 2NT = Strong interest in Diamond slam(Hxxx or better) · 3C = Hxx or xxxx in Diamonds · 3D = Hx or xxx in Diamonds · 3H= 5 card suit and no Diamond interest (xx) · 3S = maximum with both minors · 3NT = Balanced hand, no interest (xx) · 2 NT = invitational to 3 NT · 3 C = 4+ Clubs and 4 Spades · 3 D = 4 + Diamonds and 4 Spades · 3 H = invitational raise · 3 S = 4 Hearts and an undisclosed singleton with slam interest (Opener bids 3 NT to ask for singleton.) · 3 NT = to play · 4 C = RKC for Hearts · After 2 S (Both majors) · 2 NT = invitational to 3 NT( no major) · 3 C = slam try in Diamonds (usually 6+ Diamonds) · 3 D = relay to 3 Hearts ( 4 C is then RKC Hearts) · 3 H = relay to 3 Spades ( 4 C is then RKC Spades) · 3 NT = to play (probably a 5 card Diamond suit) · After 2 NT( No major, only 2 Diamonds, 5+Clubs and minimum) · 3 C = slam try in Clubs · 3 D = slam interest in Diamonds · 3 H = 4 Hearts and 5 Spades (Smolen) · 3 S = 4 Spades and 5 Hearts (Smolen) · 3 NT = to play · After 3 C(No major, only 2 Diamonds, 5+ Clubs and maximum) · 3 D = slam try in Diamonds · 3 H = 4 Hearts and 5 Spades (Smolen) · 3 S = 4 Spades and 5 Hearts (Smolen) · 3 NT = to play · 4 C = slam try in Clubs After 1 NT Opening · 2 D = transfer to Hearts, or slam try in Clubs · Opener always accepts the transfer with 2 Hs · After the 2 H bid, responder bids · 2 S = forget Hearts, slam try in Clubs · Opener rebids · 2 NT = Good Club support(Hxxx or better) · 3 C = Fair Club support (Hxx or xxxx) · 3 D = Hx or xxx in Clubs · 3 H = 5 card suit, no Club interest (xx) · 3 S = 5 card suit, no Club interest (xx) · 3 NT = Balanced hand, no slam interest (xx) · 2 NT = 5 Hearts, invitational to game · 3 C = 5 Hearts and 4+ Clubs (mild slam interest) · 3 D = 5 Hearts and 4+ Diamonds( mild slam interest) · 3 H = 6+ Hearts and invites game · 3 S = 6+ Hearts and an undisclosed singleton/void(3NT by opener asks) · 3 NT = to play · 4 C = RKC in Hearts NOTE: Any bid but 2 Spades promises 5+ Hearts Other Bids after 1 NT Openings · 2 H = Transfer to Spades · 2 S = Minor suit stayman (or Diamond bust) · 2 NT = Relay to 3 Clubs ( Club bust or 4441 hand) · 3 Minor invites 3 NT · 3 Major = Splinter with 3 cards in other major · 4 C = Straight Gerber · 4 D & 4 H = Texas transfer