luis

No it's not a psych it's a tactical bid. Everybody will understand 3♦ implies some kind of spade support, you may have a diamond suit or just diamond values.

From a training match yesterday: #1: [hv=d=w&v=b&s=skqjtxhaxxdakxcqx]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] LHO opens 1♥, pass by pd, 1♠ by RHO What do you do ? If you decide to pass opener rebids 2♥ pass pass to you

Do you mean 1♥ - PASS - 2♥ - X ?

With 5 spades and the same range 3♠

No I'm not playing hum because I'm not forced to open I open because I want, I can have 17 with 5 spades or 7 with 4 that is my problem. As long as the CC says that 1M in third can be very light and 4 cards it's fine. Luis

Well if you accept that, how about this? A psyche? AKTx xx xx Txxxx If not, then what about: KQJx xx xx Txxxx Is that a psyche? No they are not, you are free to open light in third specially when it is lead-directing, those are so common that I really wouldn't classify them as psyches. Luis

By definition a psyche is a gross distortion between what your bidding shows and what you have in your hand. If a SAYC 1M opening is 11-21 and 5 cards in spades I would say that 8HCP and 4 cards is not a gross distortion of what you have. In third position NV vs VUL it will be completely normal, for example: AKJx xx xx T9832 Is a "normal" 1♠ opening in third position, I expect any good player to open 1♠ with this hand in third. If the opening was not in third position then it needs to be registered and if that becomes normal for that parnership then they have to pre-alert that they open with very light hands and 4 card majors frequently. So no, it's not a psyche. Luis

I bid 1NT, 4333 hand. I owe pd many jacks from previous overbids so it's time to pay. Luis

2♠ shows exactly 4 spades to me too and about 8+ - 11- Luis

In my third-world ACBL clone TDs are named TD by their abilities to run tournaments without many casualties. No Master points required, no exam, no nothing.

In my wonderful third-world country we are trying to emulate the ACBL procedures. Try to imagine! a third-world version of the ACBL!. We can even make a comedy movie about this. We have mutant tournaments where the rules change in the middle of the tournament. We have "national" tournaments that are not national but "called" national for marketing reasons. We have club tournaments that give you more points that a 2nd place in the national teams event or a qualification for the BB. What else? Senior tournaments where you win "open" points... Mixed tournaments with open points, Ladies tournaments with "ladies-only" points. Points of different colors, red, white, gold, silver, somebody claims to have a green point but I think it's just a rumor. Well it turns out that with the system we have now in place I predict all our players will be "masters" by 2008, you just have to play all the tournaments and you will be there, there is no escape. So I have proposed to make everyone a master by default so only the people interested in bridge and not in a degree will play, but somehow they have refused my proposal. Just love it :-) Luis

We might need to write that book :-) Did your pd ever got slapped in the face from under the screen by an opponent who felt badly in a psychic bid ? :-) Did you ever had to ask the director for "an extra supply of double cards" ? I'm happy your opp is fine

How many times I have witnessed a conversation starting with "I already doubled 4♣ bid 5♣ yourself" I don't know if it works against good or bad players but it just presents them with the option of not bidding 5♣.

With AQx I think the Queen is best. With AQxx it's very gray With AQxxx the ace might catch a singleton King

:D OK Luis but I would prefer shortness in ♣ to bid this ! :D Alain With club shortness the bid wouldn't be "sexy" just "good" :-)

Seems important to play the hand from your side and make the 1NT opener lead so since spades are weaker than hearts I would bid 3♠ before opener can bid 3♣. What 2♦ promises is a matter of your partnership I play constructive vulnerable and destructive NV vs VUL with something "logical" when NV vs NV. Luis

I bid 4♣ so I give opener the option of doubling 4♣ which is usually pointless instead of bidding 5♣ which is probably right (for them). Bidding 4♥ in my view will force them to do the right thing bidding 5♣. 4♣ is interesting as Ritong would say, "Sexy bid" Luis

Try to say things like "I think" or "in my opinion" specially when you are going to post things that doesn't make any sense in 2/1 or Sayc. 3♥ is usually understood as a limited hand with a singleton in hearts and 4 card support for diamonds after 1♠-2♦. The most important thing is that it limits the opener hand, you have to agree with your pd about the range, something typical would be a normal sound opening in the 12-15 range.

Since fourth suit is game forcing bidding 2♠ and then 3♥ is game forcing and strong. Then 3♥ is invitational. Luis

I think 4♠ is clear I have a huge hand now, the heart singleton and the values in the minors have been upgraded in my mind. Luis

I would have bid 2NT instead of 2♠ in the first round. Now if pd wants to invite in spades he can bid 3♥, with some values he can also double 2NT, 3♠ should be weakish in this context just to prevent them from finding a minor suit fit and compete to 4♣. For example I think that something like Jxxx, Jxxx, xx, xxx is a clear 3♠ bid, you want to compete to 3♠, you don't want them to find a 4♦ contract NV and put you in a hard decision at MPs. So it's ean easy pass from me. Luis

We usually lead 4th best from A, K or Q, 2nd best from J, 9 or lower. Of course we are playing spades but what is the logic for the defense. The fact that we have 8xx in diamonds and declarer bid 3♦ means the diamonds are running, he has the K or pd has a doubleton K. Declarer will duck the first spade, which card do you play at trick 1, which card at trick 2 and why? Do you play low and let pd win the 2nd spade or do you have a plan and want to keep the lead? Do you plan to switch if declarer ducks 2 spades? Do you play a third one? What do you think is the most likely scenario and how do you defend? I can't sleep! I can't sleep!

1♠ never promises anything it barely promises some spades. Luis

All my experiences are terrible :-)

I really don't like the 3 small spades, hate that holding. But X anyway.