AL78

That is a worse situation, I have the same risk of partner bidding diamonds if I double as I did the first time so I guess I have to pass again.

I can see it existing in a 4CM system like Acol where responder might be weak with 5341 shape or similar and they decided playing in the Moysian would be better than leaving 1NT on account of their ruffing potential.

It was not my intention to gang up on you, I misinterpreted when you would bid 4NT and said I would interpret that as Blackwood with an inexperienced partner even if technically it should not be, whether directly over 1D or after I bid 1S.

I play it that way, but I am aware some people play it as forcing to 2NT if it is bid at the two level.

Oh, in that case the same reasoning applies, I would almost certainly take that as RKCB agreeing diamonds. I don't dispute it should be quantitative but in the circles I play, most players will interpret 4NT as Blackwood in all but the most fundamental situations.

Pretty and a good effort from South, and not one I would find at the table but I will commit it to memory and look out for opportunities to try it.

I don't like misdescribing length in a major unless it is unavoidable (e.g. some 4441 hands). There is a risk if I hold honor doubleton or three of them that you will never keep me out of the major at a high level on a poor fit.

Not necessarily. With an inexperienced partner I would take that as RCKB agreeing spades. I appreciate that is not the expert view and it is best to set the trump suit via a forcing method first.

You have bid your hand, pass and let partner decide. Are you playing 4 or 5 card majors? If the latter, does partner always show a spade suit before supporting with three hearts?

My partner is inexperienced and isn't going to find many actions like that in the passoout seat especially if they are aggressive actions. I was asking myself when I posted this why didn't I double on the second round. Maybe getting up early in the morning and doing a full days work shortly before a three hour bridge session addled my brain.

FYI the full deal is here: [hv=pc=n&s=s632ht876dk862c96&w=sa54hkqj4daqt4ck8&n=sjt9ha953d7cjt754&e=skq87h2dj953caq32]399|300[/hv] Three of the other six pairs found 6NT which makes on a finesse.

What do they do with 0-7, 3343 or 2353 and no spade stop?

If you bid 4SF I will bid 3♣ which should show a three suited hand, 4144 or 4054.

Thanks, the only forcing bids that came to mind were FSF or a jump to 4♦ showing slam interest but I hate jumping around with big hands like this.

This is the sort of hand which seems to cause problems for beginners/improvers, holding a big hand when partner has opened and not knowing how to progress the auction because they have a very limited grasp of forcing and non-forcing situations: [hv=pc=n&w=sa54hkqj4daqt4ck8&d=n&v=e&b=9&a=p1dp1hp1sp]133|200[/hv] MPs playing Acol weak NT. My improver partner bid 3♦ which in Acol is invitational. I, holding a 4144 12 count passed and we missed one of the three available small slams. We had a discussion afterwards on how to progress with this hand and I explained the fundamental requirement to keep the auction alive with forcing bids. What do you think is the best way to proceed with the West hand within the limitations of the system? We do FSF as well as cue bidding and RCKB as slam tools.

For reasons I can't think of now (possibly fearing walking into a misfit deal) I failed to double the second time and got punished for it: [hv=pc=n&s=sa5hkj75dt743ck53&w=skt872ht3daj865c7&n=sqj93haq62dcajt62&e=s64h984dkq92cq984&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=pp1sp1np2dppp]399|300[/hv] Getting that down undoubled is pathetic compared to the cold 4♥ our way. As long as I get actions against me that aren't repeated across the field I need to focus more, otherwise I am going to get pushed around in the auction forever. FAIL

I passed, the auction proceeds: [hv=pc=n&n=sqj93haq62dcajt62&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=pp1sp1np2d]133|200[/hv] 1NT is 6-9HCP. Now what?

MPs Acol weak NT vuln against not: ♠QJ93 ♥AQ62 ♦- ♣AJT62 After two passes RHO opens 1♠. What do you call?

Couldn't declarer be 4135 shape so partner played low high from five?

I find this happens at F2F bridge, "well done partner" when all they did was cash nine tricks off the top. It frequently comes from inexperienced players who have no idea why they got a good score, so "well done partner" is a way of complementing their partner, elevating self esteem and improving partnership harmony. I do find it irritating when they say it after I have carved the defense in some way or they made some ridiculous bid or play that happened to work on that lie of the cards, as it comes across as rubbing my nose in it, but whatever. I have had the other side as well, as declarer being complemented with "well done" from partner or an opponent when I didn't do anything beyond fundamental card play, but I got a good score because half the field are doing silly things.

You're welcome to pick on me, I know you are very solid and instructive in your analysis and at a level that is easy to follow. The last couple of sessions have revealed a weakness in bidding strong hands with slam interest which is at least partly my judgement and partly a lack of confidence partner and I are going to be on the same wavelength if the auction is about to go into uncharted waters. I make an inferior bid that partner definitely won't misinterpret rather than a good bid that partner may misinterpret or not know how to respond to it. Definitely something to think about and work on with one or two of my partners.

The type that regularly gets bad results and has expressed some frustration at getting bad results, the type that has admitted to me they play erratically, and the type that manages to stuff me up on at least one board on almost every round I play against her. One of my other partners has said she is difficult to play against because half the time you don't know what she's got. One day she will be bidding on air which will disrupt your auction and you don't find the opportunity to extract a juicy penalty, another day you go for a juicy penalty and she has her bid and then some or her partner comes down with the perfect hand. She also has the habit of giggling at me, firstly when I complement her on her appearance and secondly after she has duffed me up.

Oops, that is my wrist well and truly slapped. After some thought I bid 3♠ to which partner responded 4♦ and then . I bid 5♣ in blind hope partner might raise to slam with a good 2/1 hand but she didn't and we played there: [hv=pc=n&s=s53hj85daq76cqj75&w=sq8ht972dj93ca962&n=sakj9hadkt54ckt43&e=st7642hkq643d82c8&d=n&v=b&b=13&a=1d1h2c3h3sp4dp5cppp]399|300[/hv] Partner made 11 tricks for an average minus. No-one bid slam (I was thinking about it throughout the auction but couldn't come uip with a good path) but 5♦+1 and 3NT+1 at a couple of other tables put a dent in our score.

At the time I thought there was a real possibility I have been endplayed. Leading a red suit looks like giving declarer a free finesse and a trick and the clubs that I can see look suspiciously like a frozen suit. I decided that a club is the least worst option so led my lowest. This was the full layout: [hv=pc=n&s=sqjt642hqd2cq8752&w=s975hj9765da97cat&n=sa3hakt8dkj86ck94&e=sk8h432dqt543cj63&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=pp1dp1sp2hp2np3nppp]399|300[/hv] The clubs were technically frozen and when partner took her ace, that set up four clubs and a hand entry to go with the spades and 3NT+2 for a top to princess giggles. I didn't expect the South hand to be that distributional and hold a ton of winning spades. If there is a way of working out I need to lead a diamond I'd like to understand how. The other scores were 4♠-1, 3♠-1, 3NT-1 and 3♠+1 so our failure to take all our tricks didn't ultimately make any difference, but I am always disappointed when I don't find the best defence regardless of the consequence.

That might be how experts play it but in Acol that sequence is invitational. That is why I started with a SJS because I could forsee problems convincing partner that a doubleton is sufficient support so lets get the primary properties of my hand across quickly.