AL78

The full deal and what happened: [hv=pc=n&s=saq96hq6dak82cq43&w=st753haj85dqj3ca9&n=skj42h93d64ct8762&e=s8hkt742dt975ckj5&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=pp1dppp]399|300[/hv] +50 and a 25% board for EW, three pairs found a heart partscore and several others got more by taking a NS spade contract down more. East thought that West should have doubled. I thought East (my friend) should have bid 1♥ when it came back round to her, but she thought the hand was too weak. I thought of double on the West hand which works great if partner can bid a major, but might suck badly if they bid clubs. Maybe the chances of finding a major fit on the EW cards after a double are better than playing in a hideous club contract going two or more down.

[hv=d=n&v=0&b=1&a=2sdp3cp3d]133|100[/hv] [hv=d=n&v=0&b=1&a=2sd3s4cp4d]133|100[/hv] Wouldn't this show a two suiter strong enough to want to bid, but either suit is too weak to bid directly? Otherwise, how do you ever get into the auction over a weak two with a moderate to strong opening hand a major and 5422 or 5431 with a minor suit singleton, where a few scattered values and a fit opposite gives a fair chance for game?

2NT didn't occur to me with ten cards in two suits, but the "something else" option was added to account for calls I hadn't thought of.

[hv=pc=n&w=st753haj85dqj3ca9&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=pp1d]133|200[/hv] MPs. NS are playing a weak NT. What do you do?

This hand came up with a friend (not playing with me) which induced a bit of discussion. [hv=pc=n&w=skqha9832da8654ca&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=p2s]133|200[/hv] Matchpoints. What do you do here?

I would have overcalled 3♠ (if you wait for the perfect hand, you might as well take SJO over a weak two off your card), but if 2NT was Lebensohl, 3♠ shows a strong hand with a spade suit, so South has an easy raise to 4♠.

I'm guessing what happened is the latter. The point being taking the finesse was an unnecessary risk. The contract is rock solid by rising with the ace (West will not have a void), taking the finesse risks going down on a club ruff when the lead is a singleton.

Were any of the other teams playing some Acol based system? If so, I could see the auction going 1♠ - 2♥, 4♣ - 4♦ then RCKB to check on the heart honors followed by 6♥.

Whatever defence you adopt against a 1NT opening, you will soon pick up a hand where you wish you were playing a different one.

At my club we have a random teams once a month as part of a running club competition (people enter as pairs and are randomly assigned to tables). This problem with RealBridge has affected this competition, not to the extent of booting a team out but if there are an odd number of teams, one team has to sit out each round, and when there only a few teams with five board rounds (which there have been every month so far), each team has to sit out for over 40 minutes. Unfortunately we are stuck with it until we get back into the physical club as we can't have two pairs on standby and BBO cannot do random teams. Having a three way teams match sounds like a great way around the issue, pity RealBridge can't do it.

Bridge might be a bidders game, but there is such a thing as taking things too far. I can see why West doubled but why then raise to 3♦ on an eight loser weak NT hand with crappy shape? I think South should open a weak 2♥ in third seat.

3♣, followed by 4♠ if the opponents bid to 4♥.

I would have interpreted it as strong balanced/semi-balanced, was planning to bid 2NT but has no heart stop or has one and is doubtful it is sufficient. The question is what do I do after that? Going for a penalty looks very tempting, the opponents are notorious for bidding on nothing and I would find it incredible if 2♥X didn't go for several multiples of 100.

I was torn between 1NT and pass, and decided to pass, knowing this could be very right or very wrong. The full deal: [hv=pc=n&s=s963hq73dq853cak7&w=s8hkj84dj942ct853&n=skj54ht965d76cj94&e=saqt72ha2daktcq62&d=s&v=n&b=15&a=ppp1sppp]399|300[/hv] Nine tricks made replicated at the other table. 3NT makes double dummy thanks to a couple of finesses working, and will likely make at the table, especially if the defence try to attack clubs setting up at least one, if not two tricks for declarer. Those who would have responded 1NT would have been raised to game and done well.

My partner has a tendency to be afraid of bidding NT holding something like an ace as a solitary stopper in an opponent's suit. She was concerned I might have little or nothing useful and a NT contract could go badly after the defence knock out her ace and she cannot establish enough tricks before they run their hearts.

Sorry, after three passes partner opens 1♠ and RHO passes.

[hv=pc=n&w=s6432h654dq9ckq72&e=saqha93dakj85ca86&d=n&v=b&b=13&a=p2c2hpp3hp3sp4sppp]266|200[/hv] 2♣ was a strong Acol two in a suit (8 playing trick hand) or 22-23 HCP balanced. I didn't know what to do over 2♥ so decided to pass and let partner clarify her hand. Unfortunately I got endplayed in the bidding. 3♠ was the best thing I could think of, raised to game, three down. We should be in 3NT. This was played on RealBridge and for some reason on this round I couldn't see or hear my RHO and vice versa, so my partner decided to do the explanation of the 3♥ for me (yes I know it is not right, I could have communicated through LHO) and she explained 3♥ as forcing me to bid. I did think of doubling instead of passing, but didn't know how partner would take that and it is not clear where the auction will go. Maybe we need some system after interference of a strong 2 bid like pass = 0-4 HCP, double=5-7 HCP, something else = 8+ HCP. What do you think?

♠8 ♥KJ84 ♦J942 ♣T853 Favourable vulnerability, teams. 5 card majors, strong NT, not 2/1. After three passes partner opens 1♠. Your call?

No. https://www.bridgebum.com/support_double.php

I once made a lead directing overcall of 2♦ on KQTxx and an outside ace at MPs in the same position and promptly got doubled and went for 800 against a slam that no-one in the room bid. I got roasted on rec.games.bridge for the overcall.

My partner doesn't know exclusion and I wasn't sure where the auction would go after 5♦ or whether it would lead to finding out if partner had what I needed for the grand, so just went for it. My decision may have been slightly influenced by the disaster on the previous board.

I was West, random teams. [hv=pc=n&s=sq4hqtdj9642cqt83&w=sakjt632hak985dc4&n=sh6432daq875c9762&e=s9875hj7dkt3cakj5&d=e&v=0&b=14&a=1cp1s2d2s4d7sppp]399|300[/hv] We play support doubles so 2♠ shows four card support. There are probably more scientific ways to invesitgate the grand, but I'd had enough of this crappy nonsense from the opponents so I took a view which for once worked well. 14 imps in, we were the only pair to bid it. Really though, how many bridge players would overcall at the two level on a mediocre five card suit and a six count with both opponents in the bidding? I really wish for once I could whack such opponents for 1100 or more but a good opportunity never seems to arise.

Form of scoring?

I'm not convinced that eight loser North hand is a good 11. My partner and I would end up in 3♠ after South opens 1NT and a Stayman sequence.

I've seen at least one experienced player at my club bid 2/1 with a hand like that as 8+ HCP was considered enough when they learnt to play.