Evies Dad

While I fully understand what you are saying, I think one would have to be in an astonishingly high level field to be pre-sacrificing against a slam like that. South may well contribute zero tricks to partner's endeavours - although JTx is good insurance against a total disaster.

Thanks for the replies. My concern with E bidding an immediate 4H is the suit quality and the doubleton spade and the vul. OTOH, opposite a partner opening a 15-17 NT, E has a hand I would bid to 4H with - and a strong NT is the hand I am placing partner with, and I can tolerate 5C if I have guessed wrong. It might go wrong, partner might be 3145, but otherwise pretty much must have either 2 hearts or 6 clubs. They certainly can't be 4144 ! I'm going to quote something from the Robson and Segal book that pertains to East's decision. (from the chapter on t/o double after an overcall - there is an example of 1D-(3S) and holding both unbid suits - i.e. the hand type E doesn't hold in the above) In this case E has no problem at all should partner reopen - they want to play 4H. Conversely they don't want to X and have partner bid 5D. I think where this potentially falls down is Cyber's point about the opps bidding 4S. I think that on most days 4H by E will work out best. Keeps open slam options and also better positions the partnership should S extend the preempt, with only a small tail of disastrous outcomes.

Assume EW play Weak NT. [hv=pc=n&s=sjt5h9763dkjt9c53&w=sahaqda732caq8642&n=skq97632hjd85cj97&e=s84hkt8542dq64ckt&d=s&v=b&b=7&a=p1c3spp]399|300[/hv] How suitable is West for reopening with each of X 3NT 4C 4D Should East just take the punt to 4H is also a reasonable thing to consider. If so, what would the slower route of X by East and rebid of 4H show ?

Partner has made a minimum bid in the first available suit. Might be 3343 or some other undesirable shape. I assume X then cue is GF, so 4H it is. Will probably make opposite something like xxx xxxx xxxx xx

As someone who reads without pronouncing the words in my head I would not equate Q and cue. What would non English speakers make of it ? Just feels lazy to me.

I've downloaded and had a play. Looks useful once I worked out "Ctrl -"

Greetings. Currently I keep a simple record of the result of hands played in order to get a feel for how my system is performing long term. I will pre-categorise the hand - e.g. we opened 1NT, we overcalled 2H, we didn't overcall their 1NT - at the time I make the record. This is very basic and doesn't allow me to go back and add in new hand attributes that I might want to see the effects of. What I'd like to do is start creating a database of hands played that I can run queries against - return all hands where we opened 1NT with 11 hcp. This would probably be PBN or xml hand formats. Does anyone have suggestions on the best way of storing such records so that I don't need to completely reinvent the wheel ?

Didn't 3H create the force?

I voted for forcing since 2C would normally suggest a hand with a rebid. So opener has more than minimum with Diamonds

2C could be 6cs with a certain range, since it can't be 2/1. In which case 2NT shows a strong bal hand that wants to play 3NT opposite whatever the max range of 2C is.

Mikeh You appear not to catet for any (42)(52) shapes as 1NT. Also what are your follow ups after 1N. 2D 2S. Shows 4+ hearts, denies spades Thanks

Thanks Stephen. I will work through and see if that fills most of the holes.

In this reverse sequence where we define responders 2NT as weak 1C-1S-2H-2NT How does opener show extra strength with longer clubs ? --- And in these cases where opener has 2NT available after the weak bid 1C-1H-2D-2S 1C-1S-2D-2H Is the 2NT rebid forcing ? How would you bid a hand with extra strength but insufficient values in the 4th suit - e.g. you hold xx Qx AKQx AKQxx --- Does anyone combine Ingberman principles with what might be termed fast/slow aspects of Lebensohl. i.e. where responder makes an unexpected rebid other than weak sign-off (bidding slowly), then do you incorporate that distinction into the understandings ? TIA

1C-1NT is rather unusual and precise. Any rebid by opener other than 2C has to be considered in that light.

Assuming you don't have 2 heart losers. That isn't negligible.

Isn't making 5C unimportant here? The main concern is not to let them make 4S vul. You are betting some contract down 1 or 2 against the likelihood that 4S makes. Once in a while pard raises to 6C and it makes anyway. Swap the other two hands around and what is the least worst outcome?

Wouldn't West have to ruff the 3rd spade in that scenario, and then you win last two tricks. West could ruff low to try to avoid this. But then you can draw another round of trumps and continue as before, I think.

East won with J. Seems little reason for W to rise from Q8x, and from T8x it can only force declarer to play for 3-3 split. So must be something at the table.

3172 there is an automatic squeeze against E (1417). After 4s 2c 3d he can't hold 4h and last c. Edit - oops are in wrong hand. The hard part is deciding what E has along with his 4h. If E has 4h and a shape that can't be squeezed then the only line available is hoping W has singleton 6/8H. That is still 40% as a last resort. Is there a line when W holds 2173 ?

Wouldn't East be more likely to have 4 h. Eliminate clubs, draw trumps and run 9H if West is deemed to hold a singleton.

2C, only because you want to play in H if you have a fit.

2C, only because you want to play in H if you have a fit.

b

Ah. So keeping QC as an entry to test one round of Diamonds first is an improvement. Forces E to transfer heart cover back to West. I couldn't work that out.

I can come up with one simple plan. E.g.Hearts 5-2 to West. If E has 5 clubs neither defender can retain 3 diamonds after AH, QC, cash Spades, heart to the K, cash top clubs. Hearts 4-3 is more things to consider. Will get back to you.