luis

Pass, I have the majors, I will be able to compete later. I love opening light but this hands doesn't seem to be ok.

The question is: *Assuming defenders can't tell what we have in the trump suit* Is there a position where the 9 from J9xx or K9xx is a mandatory falsecard? Since some players may drop the 9 from 9x and some others may think the 9 from J9xx is a falsecard I think that the correct card when the 9 doesn't appear is either the Q or low. So against weak players I rule out 9x if the 9 doesn't appear and so I play low. Against a strong players if the 9 doesn't appear I rule out J9xx and so I play the Q next. Is this crazy? :-)

Starting with the Ace seems automatic, if you catch the 9, J or K you make 5 tricks out of 7. If the Ace collects air I don't think there's a difference between playing the Q, T or even the 5 at the next turn. Seems to be a guess since the 5-1 layouts and the 3-3 layouts are not important after the Ace has been played we only have to care about the 4-2 layouts and then guess what card is doubleton the K, T or 9 Against the Kx and J9xx you win playing low or the T against Jx and K9xx You win playing the Q or low against 9x and KJxx you win playing the T or the Q Is this a position to apply the principle of restricted talent? If they may drop the 9 with 9x or think they have to falsecard with J9xx ? Mmmmmm

#1: Yes of course :-) A friend of mine has tapes of one of his visits to Europe and threatens guests to see the tape, I need something to counter-attack and a DVD of bridge would be ideal. #2: I don't know.

I open a mundane 1♥, I we'll have a better problem with this hand later in the auction. Monster two suiter? You have no idea, at the club last night my mother (ana) received ♠KJTxxxx ♥AKQxxx ♦- ♣- And I started the bidding with 1♥ :-) too good we were playing a system where she was able to find the spade ace and then bid 7♥. West doubled with two aces with an expression as saying "these poor dudes have no idea" and after the lead he was -2240 in 7♥xx without a single trick played I held Ax, Jxxx, Kxxx, Kxx

Well at the table Ben's line worked, East had 4 hearts, Qxxx of diamonds and a spade doubleton. I suffered a lot in this deal because it's easy to see the squeeze but is also quite esay to see your teammates faces when you tell them that you played a non-existant squeeze with spades 3-3. On paper I choose the squeeze, at the table I didn't because of two reasons: one was that the other declarer was probably going to play for spades 3-3 and the other was that with 4 spades and Axxx of clubs a spade lead was a logical alternative to the club lead. So applied the principle of restricted lead and went down 1. :-) Good approach but wrong principle, this time -again- the principle of restricted talent worked, west just lead 4th from his strongest suit deciding Axxx was stronger that JTxx. Push.

I think this depends on a question that may still be looking for an answer: What kind of influence will the system that you learn as a beginner have in your game? Many will answer: "None since all the stars started learning sayc" but the horrible players also started learning sayc. Imagine the standard in the world was not sayc but another system, it doesn't matter which one, would we have more good players? more bad players or it doesn't matter? I have the theory that it is not the same, but of course there's no way to demonstrate it due to the lack of statistical information. They say in Rome do what Romans do but didn't the Romans end burned?

Success of a pair playing a system is not always a merit of the system, we can conclude that 2/1 is either great or horrible depending on who play the system and the same for the rest of the systems. What you really need is a chemistry between the players and the system for every pair there's one system that will suit them better to maximize their results.

I think Romex is a good structure over 2NT 3c=Romex Stayman 3d=transfer to h 3h=transfer to s 3s=puppet to 3NT to pass or show a one-suited hand with a minor 3n=both minors After 3c 3h=4/5 hearts 3s=5 cards 3n=4-4 majors 3d=may have 4 spades Over 3d, 3h asks for 4 spades and 3s is used as a hand with 5 spades and 4 hearts 3d transfer to h folllowed by 3s shows 5h and 4 spades 3h transfer to spades followed by 4h shows 5-5 Quite simple and covers a lot of hands.

I don't want you guys to make 6s, just determine which is the best line. The result really doesn't matter.

For the ones that asked about the bidding North opened 1 heart and south replied 1NT 6-9 HCP (!?) North jumped to 3NT. For FREE and others: What kind of double squeeze are you playing ? Are you sure that discarding a heart keeps all chances?

[hv=d=s&v=b&n=saq3h72d74caq6543&s=skj965haqt9dakqct]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] South is declarer in 6 spades on a trump lead if you play low from dummy you can win the first trick with the s9. Now which is the best line?

[hv=d=n&v=n&n=sakxhakxxxdajcqtx&s=sqxxxhxxdktxxcxxx]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] You play 3NT as south, West leading a club. After 4 rounds of clubs you discover west held Axxx of clubs and kest KJx. In the fourth club you have to discard a heart from dummy and east discards the spade 7. 1. What do you discard from your hand and why ? 2. Where's the dQ ? 3. How do you plan the play?

I'm not sure about what was the intention of the poster but I can only say that I can't answer without being charged of being rude.

1) 1d 2) Pass

50%, both 4♥ and the dbl are bad.

I think west should bid 1♠ instead of 2♥ it can be useful to disclose a better fit in spades or a double fit hand and it usggest a better lead than a heart to the Jack (!). After bidding 1SP you can bid 2♥ later if you have room. Many times they will be only at 2♣ and you can bid 2♥ completing a very good description of the hand. If they are at 3♣ then you can pass or bid 3♥ depending on the atmosphere.

This is very funny. Both players have a very clear 1NT bid in my opinion. Soth must bid 1NT because he can miss a cold game when pd can't reopen. HAving the values after the opening bid actually is enough to add 2/3 HCP to the general strength of your hand. So pass can't be right unless you think that passing with 20 is good. North has a clear reopening 1NT bid, many times pd can't act over 1c with 14/15 HCP and the protection is mandatory.

[hv=d=e&v=n&n=sxxhaxxdxxcajxxxx&s=saxhkq8xxdaxxckqx]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] East opened 3s. South bid 3NT and North passed. Comments are welcome :-) Luis

Horrible ruling, 4NT is usually cunatitative and 5h denies slam interes so it would be "to play" south has the right to ask with 0 or 12 read the rules. With all my respect TDs that are not experts should ask expert players before deciding what an auction means or saying "obvious".

Contribute to the ecology, use the green card. Luis.

Well.. a tactical 6♥ might but a lot of pressure on your lho. He may take a phanthom sac, or you may make. The problem with 6♥ partner looking at somethiong like AK of ♥ might bid too much, even looking at K of hearts he might bid too much. But I want to probe what good a 5♥ bid does. Doesn't this ask for slam with a ♠ control? Maybe we should take a poll on the meaning of 5♥ here. IF partner has a spade control (say ♠K), that really isn't good for you. Ben I think 5h invites to 6h with a spade control. I want to know what do you do after 4s and some of the possible pd responses: 1: 4NT (what is this?) 2: 5c (do we bid 5d, seems easy, looking for 7? can we be too high?) 3: 5d (do we pass or bid 5h ?) 4: 5h (what now?) 6: 6c (and now?) 7: 6h (and now?)

4s as Ben said a terrible hand but at least I do have a void in spades and I can play in hearts and clubs so I think 4s might help pd more than the other bids. I really don't know what I will do at my next turn.

2♣ without doubts.

Pass, is this a joke?