karlson

Seems like we need a poll for the east hand? Without one, pass clearly seems like a logical alternative (though I would bid) so I would roll it back to 3h= (3h+1 seems too generous, I think the defense is not very hard).

I pass, I don't like our chances of making much of anything.

I would double 3h as south.

This is the inference that escaped me actually. I thought that it wasn't clear what was going on in clubs, and if declarer had a slightly different version of Rainer's proposed hand, say ♠Kx ♥A9xxx ♦Kx ♣Q843, I needed to continue hearts. This hand is from Kelsey's Killing Defense at Bridge, except he gives partner's hand, and you need to come up with the falsecard of the ♣T, followed by a heart switch. He says something like "partner will reflect upon the missing 2 and 3 of clubs and probably reach the right conclusion." It seemed to me far from clear that partner would do such a thing, as a heart continuation could also be right. Thanks for pointing out the error. By the way, it was in no way meant as a knock on the book even if the explanation did turn out to be slightly wrong. Kelsey is easily my favorite author.

The squeeze works. It's kind of a funny hand, as the defense doesn't quite have time to break up the squeeze as well as lead trumps. I think quiddity's line will not work unless lefty has a doubleton diamond (from the ruff high comment, maybe you though two rounds have been played already though?) since otherwise he can just keep a diamond and stiff the ♥A.

Not obvious actually. It could be that bidding hearts will work well to let partner judge if they save. But at least as likely what partner really needs to know if they save is the spade support. I'm not pulling double to 5s if 5dx comes back to me regardless of what I bid now, so I'll feel a lot more comfortable if I've shown spades than if I've shown hearts. I'm not too worried about the constructive aspects. If partner can make a slam opposite this junk, he's likely to move over 4s anyway.

[hv=d=n&v=n&n=saq3hj4dqjt973ck6&w=s8742hq83d82cj975&e=shdc&s=shdc]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv] The opponents bid 1♦-1♥-2♦-2n-3n ♣5-K-A-4 ♣T-8-7-6 ♥7-5-Q-4 You're up. Standard carding, 4th best leads.

[hv=d=s&v=n&n=saxhxxdj9xxcktxxx&s=skqjtxxxhkxxdxcax]133|200|Scoring: IMP 1♠-x-xx-3♦ 4♠-ppp[/hv] Lefty cashes the ♦A and switches to a trump.

[hv=d=w&v=n&n=skxxh9xdakjxcqjxx&s=sa9xhaxxdxxxxca8x]133|200|Scoring: IMP 2♥-x-3♥-3n ppp[/hv] Lead is the ♥J. Righty overtakes with the Q and, assuming you duck, continues with a small heart. If you duck again, lefty will switch to the ♠J.

I think it's spades. Is partner supposed to bid 4h with KQJxxx xx xx Kxx? Is he not supposed to double?

Perhaps this is obvious, but I'd like to assure you that besides being completely wrong about the rules/laws, your opponent sounds like a total jerk.

I once had a line in my system notes about opener's rebids that said "we pretend 0445 does not exist". 1♣ and 2♣ for me this time, but I don't really feel stronly about it, I think 1♦ and 2♣ is fine.

I agree with everyone about the standard interpretation. But there's also the sequence 2n-3h 3s-6s It seems that one of these should be a grand try, and I have to admit it seems slightly more intuitive for the 5n sequence to be the grand try with spades (analagous to transfer and then 4n).

Man. Even when I win, I lose.

♠ x ♥Kx ♦AJxxx ♣KQxxx p - 1d 1s - 2c 3d - ? White at imps, feel free to mention at what point your choice will change.

Unless I'm missing something, they still get the ♦A if the drop fails.

Sure looks like declarer started with x AT98x AQJx QJx. If that's the position I need to hop and play another spade for -2. The club spots would help -- but I think if partner has Hxx, we're getting -2 no matter what I do.

I wouldn't rebid 3♦ on the north hand with so much outside my suits, so I get to 3n. Life's tough.

Seems like east might have cashed out if he didn't think he had a trump trick. I'll hook. I don't see how they're making 4♠ (unless hearts are 1-5 or something), so the difference between -500 and -800 might not matter much.

Obviously it depends on the opponents, but I've never seen anyone bid 1s here with 4324, but I've definitely seen people pass 1c on a 5-count. I'm not sure what inference can be taken from the lead other than that the opponents are not very good. I can't picture any hand for lefty that I would ever lead the ♦A from.

I'm not sure quiddity. Your line will also fail if righty started with ♥Axxx, for instance, no? I'm also not sure if I understand what it is that you're trying to cater to by leading a fourth round of clubs early. Going back to your first post This isn't really true, if he has ♥Ax you can overruff once, and force him to ruff air the second time. It seems you're trying to get a full count on the hand, but I think you've made it much more difficult than necessary.

I'd pass and then bid 2♥ when 2♣ came back around.

Actually, it occurs to me that we're both going down if righty is 2-2 in the reds without the ♥A. I don't really see what to do about this yet.

I don't really see what kind of trouble they're going to be in on the run of the hearts. Righty will just pitch as many diamonds as he wants, and don't forget that we have to make two pitches from our hand, and we have no entry to dummy. I'll just win the third heart and try to drop the spade, surviving if it's Qxx on my right.

I felt silly getting this wrong at the table. [hv=d=s&v=n&n=sjt8xhxxxdajxcqxx&s=sq9xxxhxdkqxxcaxx]133|200|Scoring: MP Lefty overcalls your 1s with 1n, and when partner competes to 3 over 3, you take the push to 4 over 4. 1s - 1N - 2s - x p - 3h - 3s - 4h 4s - x - ppp[/hv] They lead a high diamond spot.