Blofeld

I like Fluffy's auction quite a lot more than Free's. The 5♦ bid won't tell you about the ♥Q, but it will let partner make a decision based on the fact that you have a diamond void. With at most a 12 count outside of ♦s if lacking the ♥Q and ♥A you'll rest in 5♥.

6♦ feels 'obvious'. Sure, it might go down, but I'm happy being in it opposite one of the possible hands and unhappy not being in it opposite the other.

I'm going to pass. If we're missing game this should be going off, and I'm worried that bidding will turn a positive into a negative, or a small negative into a big negative.

I'm with Han and Phil here. In particular having 2♦ as a good 3-card raise after the double is very helpful. Not giving up fit-jumps unless the alternative is giving up takeout doubles.

I would certainly expect 4♠ to be natural unless the opening promised 5. On the actual hand I'm bidding 4NT. I don't really know where we want to play, so I'll let partner help decide. Wouldn't really occur to me that 4NT could be keycard on this auction ... we're way too cramped. Edit: I like Han's suggestion that 5♦ more strongly suggests slam than 4NT does, but can't quite bring myself to bid it.

I agree with Arend: double is the obvious bid, but it's wrong because we're not happy if partner sits for it. There are a few options available if you're going to slam-force, and without some detailed agreements it's not clear which should show what. But I think I rather like Arend's 5NT bid (might not have thought of it myself, I suspect I'd try 6♣)

Torn between a ♠ and a ♦. Think I go with a diamond in the end - has a couple of different ways to win.

1st one I think I'll bid 4NT and pull 5m to 5♠. Tempted to just bid 6♠. 2nd one I'll bid 5♣. Is this a trick question?

[hv=d=s&v=b&s=skj7432h8dj97543c]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] This came up in a team match. Your options are: Pass 1♠. Roughly rule-of-20, but I'm guessing someone will go for it anyway ;) 2♦, weak 2 in either major, fairly aggressive. 2♠, weak with 5♠ and 4+ minor 3♠ etc. What's your plan (if any) for the later auction? What do you do if playing Frelling 2s (as the other table were)?

I'm reasonably happy opening this 1♠ or passing. 2♠ is disgusting.

It is, isn't it?

I agree with kfgauss' analysis.

Is it? I don't have any figures to hand, but I would think that: - a general 5431 shape is quite a lot more common than a 4441 shape (about 6 times as common as a first approximation). - there are 24 possible (5431) hand patterns and only 4 (4441)s. (this is where my factor of 6 above comes from) - any particular 4441, say 4=4=1=4, is slightly more common than any 5431, say 4=3=1=5.

The normal way to do that is to bid 4NT and pull partner's 5♣ bid to 5♦.

Agree with Arend. I don't expect them to sit for 4♥x, and I'm not happy doubling them when they run.

1. 4NT: I expect to make 5 of a minor, and partner may raise to 6 on some appropriate hands. Against that, I don't expect to get very rich in 4♥. 2. Pass

Happy with the auction so far. 6♣ now. I've shown 5 cards there and I've got a great 6. Second choice is to say that this isn't a slam force and bid 5♣.

3♦ 1♣. Too much chance that we belong in 4♠ for me to preempt now, and I don't like having to come in later at these colours if I pass. 3♣. Now that partner's passed I'm not too worried about losing the spades.

The problem with this is that unless someone doubles, you never get to bid 2NT and then 3♣. At best you can bid 2NT and then pass 3♣ ... which doesn't work very well as an auction showing a strong hand.

xx AKQJ KQ QJxxx is about the only hand I can construct for partner where 4♣ has no realistic play, and then there's a decent chance partner would have rebid 2NT. I would like to know the difference between an immediate 4♣ and leb then 4♣, though.

It certainly doesn't show 4-5 clubs! Partner has shown 5+ clubs. On minimum hands I'd often expect this bid to be made with 3 clubs, and sometimes with 2 (e.g. 4342 shape).

To my mind, your bidding is fine.

People shouldn't be asking for undos just because they think another lead would be better after they've seen dummy. So requiring partner's acceptance is ludicrous. You feel damaged because your partner asked for an undo and you thought that the original lead would have been better. But your partner should only ask in the case of a misclick, in which case you certainly shouldn't get any say in whether or not it can be changed.

With such a good fit I can't bring myself to lebensohl into 3♣. But I think GFing is a little rich, mostly because I'm worried about landing in 6♣ when we should be in 5. So I'll try the immediate invitational 4♣, and be glad that we have this option.

I'll join Richard as well -- I really don't like distorting shape, but this seems the hand for it.