luis

2s is horrible but it was east who destroyed the hand. 3s instead of a normal 3d is crazy and 6d is absurd. I can even symphatize with west for bidding 2s since his pd was surely a monster from an horror movie.

I think I have an easy 3c bid.

I refuse to answer questions where an opening hand starts with a pass. Another perfect 5431 hand with 7 losers and 5 controls is passed. Your pd should use whatever you have agreed for hands where you decide to pass an opening bid.

Personally I don't like the new software. Text formatting was easier using the old software and the box showing the last 5 posts was what I used most to see if something interesting that I may want to read and comment appears. I only needed to refresh the home page for that, now I have to use an "assistant" that opens a horrible popup and then I really don't know how can I see things that are NEW for my session. Then close the popup, the browser is reloaded, it's really a complete disaster. What was wrong with the old software? You were able to post/read/comment, etc? What else would you want in this phorum ? If there's a chance to go back to the old software it has my vote, if not I think I will just have to disappear :-(

Hand1: West North East South - 1h 1s pass 2c pass 2s pass 3c pass pass pass Hand2 West North East South - pass 1d pass 1s dbl 3d pass 3nt pass pass pass (How do you make this look nice on this horrible software?)

Maybe you can try the following follow-up to a Jacoby 2N: 3c = A minimum opening (stablishes a game force if 2N can be INV) 3d = 15-18 (relay can ask for shortage, 3N=no) 3OM = 19+, some shortness 3M = Sub-minimum (rejects invitations) 3N = 19-21 balanced 4x = Two suiters

I am all for trying for game, but this hand is not the one to place so much emphasis on hearts with a 3H bid on QJxxx. I think the right bid is 2NT, competiting for the part-score first, game second. You have the unbalanced hand and if you pass with this very good distribution, you place too much pressure on partner to balance with what might be a 3-3-4-3 hand and some scattered values. OBAR anyone??? Ben 3h looks wrong but I like the bid. I agree 2NT is a better bid but I just think 3h will be the winner imp-wise in the long term.

EIther you take the risk and double or you don't and bid 6 clubs as you did. It's a gut feeling.

Well, only bid 2NT if you and your partner have agreed upon it, of course. In which csse it can not be misunderstood. :-) So Luis, if you had the option of 2NT (good/bad) would you still pass (assuming no chance for misunderstanding)? Yes, I would still pass because with 3-3 in the minors pd will likely pull to 3d and we are risking a serious accident for no reason.

Pass 2NT is likely to be misunderstood. Double is not an option with a heart doubleton. 3c will lead you to the wrong minor suit contract maybe doubled for a nasty accident. Sometimes they play 2 spades. Pass.

Am I crazy or the auction is insane? Pd passed 1sx for penalties and they rescue to 2s ? Mmmmmmmh.............

I'd bid just 3h. If pd can't raise 3h to 4h I don't think we can make a game. Sure 5c might make on some layouts but that would be very very strange.

RKCB in spades, any other option is insane.

Not bidding 3NT directly maybe for one of two reasons: a) Mild slam try if pd has a diamond filler and good controls :) Suggests 5d as good alternative of 3NT, with an unprotected suit pd is expected to go to 5d, this usually shows a 7321 hand with 2 honors in diamonds and one honor on the side.

I bid 5d

I'm afraid I disagree with this analysis while teaching rules is good for beginners teaching good bridge should be first. If you don't open SOMETHING on the east hand you will have a competitive problem. At least that is what I think. If you want to open a light 1s good, if you want to open an offshaped strong 2s so it be but open something.

#1: Pass, vulnerable 2h can be a disaster on a trump lead, where are we going to put the 4 spades? #2: 2c because I don't want to play 1 diamond #3: 4c let's see what happens. The real problem will be on my next bid, now 4c is very easy.

To me this is an automatic double at any form of scoring. Specially when pd is a passed hand you are just letting him know that you have values and 3+ cards in the remaining suits so he can fight for the partscore to the proper level if he has a suit.

For a 10/12 NT even better Peter, you have an advantage over a traditional NT structure since you can bid 2c/2d signoff and opener can compete to 3m if they bid a major, other will have to defend 2M even with an 8/9 fit in a minor. I only play this at IMPs, at MPs I copycat the field playing even SAYC if needed whenever I think my partnership can outplay the declarer play or defense of most pairs. But I think it can work well at MPs too I played this a couple of times and worked very wel.

It really depends on distribution, intermediates, etc. With a 5 card suit you can bid 2x and if opener super-accepts go to game knowint that the hand fits well, that's one approach. With balanced hands our agreement was to bid game with 12+. With 10-11 and a five card suit we bid 2x and if pd super-accepts go to game. The general rule is that if you want to invite and you don't have a clear need for something in pd hand then you'd better bid game.

This will get a lot of posts, so I'd like to introduce a structure I used with a lot of success when playing a weak NT. It is based on the fact that when you open a 12-14 NT slams are not very common so focusing in playing the best partscore and best game without providing much information is a good strategy even when this costs a little on slamish hands. The second conclusion is that inviations usually cost imps, bidding game directly is better in the long term. So: 2c = to play (yes, you can play 2c when you open 1N!) 2d = to play (yes, you can play 2d when you open 1N!) 2h = to play 2s = to play Over 2x responses with a maximum and fit (4 cards) opener can super accept. 2N = Game forcing with a 5 card major (now opener bids 3h with 3 cards and responder corrects to 3N with 5s or bids 4h with 5 cards, opener is always declarer) 3c = Game forcing 5/4 or 4/5 in the majors. (now opener bids 4M with 4 cards, or the first 3 card major, same as before) 3d = Game forcing 4/4 in the majors 3h = Game forcing with 4 spades 3s = Game forcing with 4 hearts 3N = to play. Slamish hands start with 2N,3c,3d, 3h or 3s and then continue. Advantages: + You can play 2c and 2d, I've won a lot of imps with 2d making when 1N has no play. + You don't give any information away + Opener always plays the hand + Very very preemptive, sometimes your game forcing bid is based on distribution and they can have a game without a way to enter the auction safely + 100% easy to remember, no accidents with this structure. Disadvantages: - Slam bidding is damaged - Some 3NTs can go down with a minor suit game available

East has no 2S bid imo, but a 1S opening and showing minimal all the way. West is a totaly different case. It's a 4th hand, you're minimal (not even 13 hcp), you have no clear rebid and you don't have majors. The rule of 15 was developped for such cases. If you're minimal, the HCP are distributed evenly, so you or your opponents are going to play for a part score. If you don't have a major and no clear rebid, you'd better pass (like this case) because it's more likely your opponents have the majors together, AND your partner wont be able to judge correctly weither to go to 3-level or not. So with this in mind, you need the spades the most, because that's the highest suit to be able to play at 2-level in a partscore. Ops will need to bid at 3-level to take your part score from you, while you can always bid at the same level they do. => Rule of 15: count HCP + number of Spades and open if you have at least 15. I'm not saying this way will always win, but if it wins more than it loses, it's a good method (similar to dont from 44+, you lose some, but win a lot more). Free I must say I agree 100% with you free. Being this the B/I forum Person's rule (AKA rule of 15) is a very valuable tool to know if you have to open or not in 4th hand. For more advanced players it's not a rule but a tool.

Agreed, opening the south hand in third position or the north hand in first position is only ok if you are a lunatic like me. The important lessons for B/I players are opening East 1s or 2s or something and not opening west's hand.

Interesting I'd have opened North, East AND South hands :-) North: In 1st position with 11 a 1c opening is ok to me. I can accept passing but if you would have opened with 12, just do it with 11, opening before your opponents is important. East: If you don't open the East hand you have a bridge problem. You may like 1s or 2s, doesn't matter to me but you can't just pass that hand. I'd have opened 1s. South: Third position, a light 1d may be nice for lead directing purposes. But this is just a 3rd seat "I will bid something" thing. Interesting most players opened the only hand that doesn't have to open and passed with the hands that should have opened :-)

I think you make 7 without the cK here..... Now some comments: If pd want to asks for Aces and then Kings why does he splinter in clubs before ? What kind of hand may need the cK for 7 and does not make 7 without it?