luis

I'm not italian but you can call me a crazy italian if you want because I really prefer offshape doubles with sound values to shapish doubles with marginal values. KJ JTxx Qxx KQxx I'd never double 1s with that hand but I'll be happy to double 1s with Axxx xx AQx KJxx

1) 2NT, balanced hand. Now if pd is worried about stoppers he can show stoppers with 3x or bid 3N directly without giving away information. I really don't like 2s with 3 cards and a balanced hand. 2) 2s maybe a missprint? Where is the problem?

As long as I can help I'm happy. Now if the diagram is ok there's is something strange on the play. South (me) leads the hK, ruffed with the d2 in dummy. Now dummy leads the spade ace, 8 from pd, declarer discards the h5 and I (south) play the spade 2, a card that I don't have (Q9763). Something wrong with the spade spots?

Well maybe I'm dumb I still don't get it. In the diagram to me south is always at the bottom, so if west (my LHO) opens 1s and pd bids 2h what the hell is 3d with a doubleton ? Sorry If I don't get it :-(

North doesn't bid after East, I think something is wrong :-) I can't understand the bidding.

Fred's advice is excellent but please try not to be ironing :-) It can be dangerous... I have an excercise that resulted for some people who asked me about this: in every hand you play when the hand finishes: - if you are delcarer tell LHO his distribution and ask him if you are right - if you are defending tell pd his distribution and ask him if you are right This makes you count every hand and find out why you miscounted when you err. You then learn by yourself how to count better and make it an habit. Luis

An 11 card suit? Wow, do you have any idea of the odds of an 11 card suit ? I held -once- a 10 card suit and I'm not planning to have another one in my whole life. Diamonds 6-0 are less likely than hearts 5-0 but since the hand was bid wildely and nobody doubled I think that hearts are not 5-0, because the guy with 5 hearts might have doubled on general principles. So there might be a reason to ruff with the hA and draw trumps but it's not an 11 card suit.

Arghhhhhhh, don't remind me of this one.... I had this holding and bravely ducked the Kx... and parnter didn't rise with the JACK on the next round, and that was at matchpoints. Note to Gerardo, can we have an option to post just one suit, so we don't need to show three suit voids like happened above? It would hellp with this thread as more people suggest falsecard situations. I edited quoted post to make it easier to read... ben Gerardo/Someone: A button labeled "one suit" can be perfect for this kind of threads and suit combinations. I'd be happy to edit my previous posts to make them more readable if you can create the "one suit" insert button.

Filtering players by country in the lobby is a nice idea so you can know players from your country that you don't know and make friends, or find someone for a local game, etc. I'd vote that the mentioned filter is very nice but you may not let sort tables by the host country. I'm not sure if you understand what I mean. There's no reason to play only in tables hosted by someone from some specific country.

Some aditional positions (sorry if some of them are too classic) QTx KJx Axx When declarer leads low to play the percentage ten insert the K, some declarers may then play low to the Q thinking you have AK. Of course with AKx play low, the percentage play of the T is losing this time. AQTx J9xx K8xx Declarer leads low towards AQTx, insert the 9, suddenly declarer has the option to cash AQ in dummy to finesse Jxxx in your pd's hand. If you play low declarer without the 9 must play low to the K next and your jack is history. Jxx T9x Kx AQ87x Declarer plays low to the Q, drop the T, now declarer has the option to err flotaing the ten to pin T9 doubleton in your hand. If you don't drop the T the only option for declarer is to cash the Ace. AQT9xx Jxx Kx xx This is a very interesting position, dummy has no entries, declarer leads low to the ten and your pd ducks. Now when declarer leads low again you must play the J as if you had KJx, declarer is likely to err. If you don't play the jack declarer only option is to raise with the Ace.

Ciao Mauro! I'm also starting a new partnership this year using a strong club system, I'll let you know our observations so far since we started with something like you and then evolved. We are bidding 100-200 hands per week and playing 60 boards per week to practice, I'm exhausted but we have a lot of feedback: 1) Our 1c-1d;1N rebid is also 16-19, that's a 4 point range, then use a 1NT opening that is also 4pt range, play 12-15. The 12pt 1NT is very preemptive and it's easy to accept with 14/15 and reject with 12/13 without a terrible analysis with the dreaded middle hand :-). So 1d-1M;1N is exactly 11HCP and you avoid the 11-12 bad 3NT gambles. 2) Over a 1c opening we decided to bid positive responses in transfer. So far this gains more than it loses since making the strong hand declarer is crucial in several hands and when opener has support he has a cheap bid accepting the transfer. We agreed that the 1st two bids by responder are transfers. Please avoid 1c-1N with a balanced hand, NT games MUST be played with the strong hand as declarer to protect weak stoppers from being crossed and to copycat the field (unless you want a lot of random results) 3) We use a power relay after 1c-1d;1h showing 20+ HCP, others are then 16-19 and natural. 1s second negative and others are 4-7 GF and again in transfer. 4) The competitive auctions are more important than the uncontested auctions, so far our "uncontested auctions" chapter has 22 pages and the "contested auctions" chapter has 55 pages. Including forcing pass situations, fit showing jumps, use of artificial 2NT, doubles by opponents, overcalling, defense against two suiters, etc etc. 5) Over 1M openings we use 2/1 game forcing where 2c may not be a real suit if balanced and game forcing. 1NT is semi-forcing allowing opener to pass with a balanced min so we play 1N instead of 2N with a minimum opening and a balanced invitational hand in front. Luis

I played a strong club where the 1d response was either 0-7 negative or 12+ GF, so the other bids showed 8-11 hands. Since a 8-11 hand is quite common we were able to describe points and distribution quickly and so make it less vulnerable to preempts. After 1d when opener had a 19+ hand he would bid 1h and now 1s from responder was either 2nd negative or still 12+ :-) Other rebids were 15-18 and now a relay by responder was a 12+ hand getting control. It was a very good system for us and I was very happy with it.

I did my homework Ben and thought about my favourite falsecarding positions: Some of them: KT8 Axx QJ9 The percentage play is low to the 8 if that loses to the 9 play low to the K next, if the 8 loses to the Q or J finesse the T. So East in this position must take the 8 with the Q and your side wins 3 tricks. If your pd is not perfect take the 8 with the J, not the Q, just in case. xx JTx Ax KQ9xxx When declarer without re-entries leads low to the K drop the J and now declarer has an option, if you don't drop the J his only option is to play pd for Ax. Now he might try the Q to drop your JT doubleton. Q8x Axx J9x KTxx When dummy leads low from K8x or Q8x and you have J9x or J9 insert the J and your 9 might win a trick. Defending against a dummy with a good suit and no side entries second hand hight is usually the right play and can produce some unexpected tricks for your side. AKJxxx Qx Txx xx Declarer leads low towards dummy, if you insert the Q declarer may play you for the singleton Q and duck so he can run the suit next even when your pd has Txxx. Same with Qxx, but more fun. AKQ9xx Jx Txx xx Declarer leads low, play the J if declarer belives that your card is a singleton he should duck if he only needs 4/5 tricks. Variation: AQ9xx xxx JTx Kx Declarer plays the K drop the J and he has a losing finesse option (this is a classic falsecard) tricks

I pass 1s doubled, they are vul and we are not, 200 can be a good result no matter if we have a partscore or game and 500 is always excellent. If pd has the minor suit aces and the hAQ, as an example, we may collect a lot of tricks for a big penalty.

I'm curious about your theory.... In this hand I bid an unimaginative 3s.

No, doesn't look like a good psyche to me. I'd bid 4 diamonds showing 5 cards and put the pressure on east, maybe pd can take a good decision on his next turn.

Take the trick with the dK, draw trumps dropping the cJ. I need to know if clubs are 3-3 or 4-2 to continue but let's assume clubs are 3-3 Now heart to the ace and heart ruff, diamond to the ace and heart ruff. If hearts are not 3-3 and the hKQ doesn't fall I have reached something like: Kxx J T - Ax x Tx Now there're some squeeze chances that may or may not suceed but I think that the play so far is almost forced. Now it depends on who is out of hearts. You can cash the sA and the cT discarding the diamond from dummy in a classic double sqz. Kx J - x x x In the last trump west must unguard spades, you discard the hJ and east is squeezed in spades and diamonds.

I really don't like fit-showing jumps with only 3 trumps, Jxx is even worst. And a 7 card club suit maybe just too much. I think you should have 4 spades and 5/6 clubs for a disciplined FSJ. The void in hearts and the ace outside are also bad for a FSJ.

With Jxx, -, Axx, KJxxxxx I'd bid 2c GF without any hesitation, I have a very nice hand with 7 losers and support for spades, clubs are good, controls in the other suits, what's the problem? With Jxx, -, Qxx, KJxxxxx I'd bid 4s, where are all the hearts ?

Ben, ben, ben I'm not saying this is a convention prepared to forget the convention I'm saying that since the meaning of double/pass can be exchanged without disadvantages then it may be wise to use them in the order in which in case of an accident you are best protected. I remember a Zonal championship where a pair was playing full Romex over 2NT, with 3s as a puppet to 3N and 3N to show a hand with both minors. They agreed to play that 4N after 3N-4x was "I forgot the convention and bid 3N to play" and it showed up not once but twice in the tournament! :-) I know the game is at it best when you and your pd remember everything and never have a missunderstanding but I kind of symphaty with pairs that prepare for accidents and try to minimize the adverse effects.

My vision: I think that this reverse is used to minimize the risk when there is doubt on whether a forcing pass situation was stablished or not. If your pass is discouraging and pd forgets or the situation is not clear then at least you will let them play in a hand where your had a discouraging holding.

After reading your post I'm still in doubt about your opinion on the question that started the thread: what are the merits or problems of playing a pass as discoraging and dbl as encouraging when a forcing pass situation arises? In your auction 1h-pass-2N-4s Opener can encourage pd to bid or discourage him to bid, the usual treatment is to play dbl as discouraging (I want to defend 4sx) and pass as encouraging/doubt. Is there any difference if you play a pass as discouraging (pd I suggest you to dbl) and dbl as encouraging (pls bid on) ?

With my 2004 pd we decided to play Leb over interference after 1NT, we agreed that slow=deny and everything seemed to be fine but we soon realized that most pairs were playing Capp or methods where a 2c or 2d bid show some holdings in the majors. So we decided to review the defense and come up with the following idea presented in this thread for you to comment: (BTW: We play 12-15 NT) Over 2c Capp (One suited hand) Dbl = A club suit inviting to compete to 3c if opener has a fit. 2d,2h,2s = Natural and non forcing. 2N = Invitational with some values in every suit. 3c/3d/3h/3s = Forcing game with that suit 3N = to play Pass = May have some values After pass RHO will usually bid 2d (forced) and LHO pass or correct to his suit then: Dbl = Penalty double 2N = Invitational with stopper 3x = Not forcing Cuebid = Help, game value but no stopper/shortage in their suit 3ST = To play If for some tactical reason RHO passes 2c opener is forced to reopen with a double. Over 2d showing both majors: Dbl = Penalty double in one or both majors 2h = Forcing with clubs 2s = Forcing with diamonds 2n = Invitational with stoppers in the majors 3c/3d = Natural non forcing 3h/3s = Asking for stopper 3N = To play

I think that psyches may be classified and recorded to eventually disclose an implicit agreement that can be illegal even when the players involved don't know that what they know is an illegal agreement. First of all there're "obvious" psyches. Like opening bids in 3rd position NV vrs Vul, and bids NV after 1x-dbl, etc etc etc. I think that psyches that are made in such positions are likely going to be suspected by both the player's pd and the opponents so they are not really a problem. For example after 1m-dbl-1M most pairs play that a double is for penalties to prevent the classic psyche. Definition: "An obvious psyche is one done in a position where a psyche is likely to be expected by your opponents" Other psyches maybe classfied as "smart" psyches and are dangerous if the become an agreement, for example a fake cuebid without a control in the suit being cuebid may lead to a very good result since inocent oponents will lead something else, if your pd is aware of this habit you may have an unfair advantage. Another example is bidding a weak 2 on a void with a 8/9 card suit elsewhere, if you remove a double to a new suit is obvious you psyched so normally you will be safe and your opponents may run into trouble never finding their fit. Definition: "A smart psyche is one that is likely to produce damage in your opponents while your side is fairly safe" Finally there're "random" psyches, random psyches are things like opening 1x on a void or doing things that are very likely to result in a very bad result for your side and/or your opponents. In my opinion, that can be very wrong a parntership with 10 recorded "obvious" psyches is less suspect than a partnership with 2 of the "smart" psyches. So there must be some careful analysis before pointing fingers. Maybe the best way to regulate this delicate topic is to define an acceptable percentage of psyches by type per board and then issue warnings or finally sanctions to pairs that are above the limits.

Diamond to the K and spade finesse. It may be crucial NOT to play a heart to hand in order to take the spade finesse because if the spade finesse loses then East will realize that we have good hearts because nobody would play a heart to the ace with AJx or Axx or AQx. So he will be forced to shift to clubs. If we play a diamond to the K and the spade finesse loses east has a guess between crossing hearts or playing clubs, given that we opened 1 club he will probably play a heart.