Douglas43

It's a question of least-worst, but pass implies some values and 1S doesn't, so if West bids again we could get into more trouble from the pass

I would if playing 15-17. It's got three 10s and the spade suit is four of top five cards.

There would be a lot of people playing in 3-0 fits?

It's a risk you take with upgrades and to a lesser extent downgrades (and I do upgrade and downgrade fairly freely)

Good point. I think 4♥ without cue-bidding showed a minimum, so responder should be thinking, what are my prospects of making six opposite a suitable 20 count? Despite the 11 count and fit, they are not that great. Ax, AQxx, AQJ, QJxx would do, but it needs opener to have three great diamonds, only two spades to allow a useful discard on the fourth diamond, and a 3-2 trump break.

A 1♠ opening will often get a 1NT response and I think no trumps will usually play better from my hand. But if partner is 4-4 majors opening 1♣ may miss a spade fit after 1♣ - 1♥ - 2NT (18-19) unless the partnership plays a checkback over 2NT as well (I don't). And at this vulnerability the opponents may be about to bounce us in a red suit. Hence I would probably open 1♠ and be prepared to risk 2NT or 3NT being the wrong way up.

Just to add to that, in a robot tournament in fourth seat, none vul, l I just passed a 1-3-4-5 hand with 13 hcp. It's a bit of a top or bottom strategy because most people would bid. 94% on the board as there is a 5-5 spade fit.

I agree with EricK. I would only open in fourth where my hcp plus number of spades equalled 15 or more, and would pass this one out. Think this is known as a Pearson count?

Announcing certainly works well on basic calls like 1NT range and transfers, where it is required by the E****** Bridge Union

I agree with the others, it's more likely that you'll want a takeout double than penalties under the bidder. And partner is still there lurking with ♥KJ9x...in my dreams

Can't help re Firefox, but as a stopgap, in my browser hitting ctrl and + keys enlarges the page

Noting that this is in the novice or beginner forum, I think the advice to play 5NT as "pick a slam" is good. Alternatively as smerriman says 1NT-2♥-2♠-4NT means "I have five spades, a fairly balanced hand (usually 5-3-3-2) and want to be in a slam if you have 17 points or a good 16." I'm assuming that with four trumps, opener would break the transfer. As they haven't broken the transfer, bidding no trumps makes sense. I'd rebid 4NT on a balanced 17.

It would still be nice if the EBU, SBU, WBU, NIBU and ideally CBAI could agree a common approach across the British Isles. At least until the Isle of Man declares independence

I like mw's point about hands which are specifically 1-4-5-3. Responder has denied four cards in either major, so you have at least 7 cards in the minors. At pairs I'd be drawn like a moth to a flame by the lure of no-trumps (and worried that the opps will wake up to their nine-card spade fit), but vulnerable at IMPs I might give it a try as two of a minor is likely to be safer than 1NT. (BTW, referencing Mycroft, the point about responder showing four card majors applies in a four card major system like Acol too)

Hi Rocket19, yes, just relax and enjoy the game. Over-thinking abut the opponents can be a distraction from playing your own best game. And do carry on posting, the forums are useful and friendly. Good tip from Steve2005 about unilaterally becoming world-class. I might try it myself. It's the only way I'll ever get there!

Pass from me too. Even the maximum cited by Winstonm is far from being a great game contract. Significant chance of Jxxx offside too, given the opening bid and the lack of a raise from responder.

I also would have led a small heart. I have been recommending to my bridge-playing friends the book "Golf is not a game of perfect". You won't be surprised to hear that it is not a book about bridge. But it is relevant to bridge. We have to accept that situations equivalent to the ball taking a bad bounce off the fairway into the rough will happen. Next time I'll still lead a small heart, and maybe that time partner will have J10x.

This was a question about Standard American. Isn't 3NT just a strong balanced hand in StanAm?

Sorry, you are right, it's love all

I would settle for 4♠ on that, as ♠AQxx and out is enough for game, but needs plenty of work for slam? If 4=5=2=2 got above 20hcp, I might open 2NT.

As David says partnership style matters. I have typically been a 2♦ bidder on hands like South's when not vulnerable, but my regular partner prefers a decent 6-card suit to give us a better shot at running the suit (or a really good hand). That has led to some good 3NT contracts. The main thing though is to have a style and stick to it. And you were a bit unlucky. If South has a heart less, or North has a club less, or clubs break and you can avoid a third club loser, -500 is all you concede.

Very close. Partner has bid 2♠ vulnerable so should have serious spades. At most we have two spade tricks. If partner has AK and the suit is 6-3-2-2 and the doubleton is on my right, a third spade might promote a trump trick for us. As against that, if partner only has AQJ we could lose a a diamond trick (say dummy has only one spade and declarer has the king). I'm normally a "You bid 'em, I'm leading 'em" player, but on this occasion, it's K♦ from me.

It's a guess, so I would play with the field, and lead ♥4

I play Acol, but similar principles apply. Bidding 4♠ shows a hand about two tricks better than a minimum opening. You have already shown a decent hand by opening 1♥, so 4♠ here is a strong bid, not a shut-out or a pre-empt like 1♠ - 4♠ In a regular partnership with a 4-5-3-1 shape I would bid 4♣ or 4♦ as a splinter. But I might not risk it in a social game because some players use 4♣ as Gerber at unexpected times

Strange as it might sound, I'd like to nominate "Golf is not a game of perfect" by Dr Bob Rotella as a worthwhile book for bridge players, because bridge is not a game of perfection either. The author is a sports psychologist.