Douglas43

Thanks Cyberyeti, interesting point. I normally just cue bid but can see the merits of breaking to our HHxxx suit.

As somebody who does play fairly bog-standard Acol: (a) in answer to the OP's question, as West I would definitely make another move over 2S. With my regular partner I would expect to bid 1S - 2H - 2S - 2NT - 3NT at this vulnerability. Opposite a vulnerable first in hand opener, probably1S-2H-2S-3NT. (b) the relative merits of a lighter 2/1 versus a stronger 2/1 are out of my pay grade, but yes sequences that involve the rebid of opener's major can cause problems in Acol. (c ) could one of the posters advise how would this be handled using a strong 2/1 system, is West worth a FG 2H response, or does she go through 1NT?

I'm with the others, 2C on these methods. I might settle for 2NT if it was 20-22 but agree with Cyberyeti that it is close to an upgrade even then, certainly worth breaking the transfer if partner bid 3H.

Hi pdoubi, welcome. Hope you find the forums useful. If the 1NT rebid is 12-14, in the absence of any partnership agreement how about (a) two of your suit (b) 2NT with 11-12 © 3NT. My normal method is a simple stayman-style checkback 2C. It's always constructive and partner shows shape by bidding what he has, jumping with a maximum. But many people play a more sophisticated approach. You can find a description under "Crowhust after a strong no trump rebid" here. Crowhurst Bridge Convention - Bidding and Responses (bridgebum.com) I am a Brit and normally play 12-14 NT and 15-17 1NT rebid, but you can just add three points to the states ranges to adjust them. This is not as scientific as some methods but it's easy to remember (just think "2C is Stayman") and it works OK. There are forum topics about "checkback" if you want something more intricate. There is also a Pete Hollands video on the You Tube about 5 useful conventions in which he describes his preferred two-way checkback.

At the risk of sounding agricultural, (apologies to any farmers out there) 6NT. We have 35+ hcp, so no risk of losing HAK at tricks 1 and 2. If either minor comes in we should have a decent shot at 12 tricks. And a grand against bad breaks sounds less attractive than when we look at our hand in isolation from the bidding. Finally, I know that we won't have a bidding misunderstanding. If I wasn't going to punt it, I'd bid 5NT, pick a slam. But I'd still skip the grand. Mind you, I am Karapet's long lost soulmate when it comes to grand slams

Probably not, but partner might rescue me into a major before I can run to 2D. I'm not that worried about the double aspect, I play 12-14 throughout at IMPs.

Nobody likes these decisions, It's why weak two's are effective. If this hand's partner has the second hand shown, then a 3D overcall is a good route to the 6D contract. If it's over us, then we've just got to hope that we can scramble to our (10?) card club fit.

This is love all so 1NT at pairs and NV at teams. As paulg says, you are allowed to be top of the range. I might upgrade it to 1D - [response] - 1NT vulnerable at teams because (a) IMPs rewards bidding thin games and (b) once in a blue moon 1NTX gets into trouble.

Just for interest, this is what the EBU does. However, procedures are slightly different even between the countries in the UK. I suppose one day all the governing bodies will agree a uniform set of procedures for alerts and announcements. Bid (ebu.co.uk)

I know it's a bit off topic (which mainly about how to bid this hand shape), but isn't 6NT a reasonable alternative? We have 35 points, partner is playing it and the hand with hearts is on lead. If we can bring in one minor we should be home.

It is a disadvantage of this transfer method that you cannot be sure which suit partner has and thus how high to compete. Having said that I use it with a weak NT and at least with that a double such as yours is take-out (not a penalty double with a 12-14 opener). Is there a bid available for a take-out? 3NT for example?

Thanks Cyberyeti, spot on with that second line if HJ is ducked, neat move, I hadn't seen that. On your first comment though, I had assumed that the AKQ of diamonds had not all been cashed first (so ruffing a diamond is a way back to hand). All the best

Very much depends on agreement, but my preference is that over 2D, double is either 13-15 balanced / semi balanced, or a very strong hand.

A. I prefer your actual 2NT to 2S by a mile. You have a balanced 22 count (with 5 spades) C. Not so sure about your play to tricks 2 and 3. The discards don't really help, because if the club finesse works, the small clubs that have been discarded are winners anyway. However, being able to get to hand by ruffing a diamond might be useful [spoiler alert] B. Your explanation does not say whether the JH was captured or ducked. If it was captured, then (not having played three rounds of diamonds) I think you could make the contract by ruffing a diamond over to hand, draw trumps, cross with a spade, club finesse (loses to Ace), win east's exit in dummy and repeat the club finesse. If JH was ducked, then I think east can beat you by returning spades and cutting communications e.g CJ round to Ace spade back ruff diamond QH beaten by King spade back now you are stuck on dummy and you can either ruff a diamond to hand, draw the last trump and play clubs from hand, or (better chance of making but unsuccessful this time) repeat the club finesse, suffering a ruff

Thanks for posting Nigel. It's a classic hand. Looks like you should play a diamond and, instead of ruffing, ditch a heart from dummy? Then you can ruff a heart in dummy. This loser on loser play doesn't cost anything when diamonds are 3-3, because you would not otherwise be able to avoid a heart loser. But it's not an easy play to spot at the table...

Hi LCarey. Claims can be complicated in face to face bridge and in some ways are simpler online where it's basically "accept" or "reject". I can recommend "Duplicate Bridge Rules Simplified" by David Stevenson published in the UK by Mr Bridge. It's a really good cheat sheet for club TDs and for players who want to understand what the rules mean in practice. The author is an EBU TD. This is an unbiased recommendation. The author tells declarer to state the line of play. My answer would be: It's quicker and simpler to play the cards out than have a contested claim. It's OK to claim all the tricks bar known losers where you must lose a trick ("claim 5 more tricks, must lose AC", or "take my two Aces and the rest are yours"), but it's a bad idea where you might lose a trick; that would be discourteous and likely to slow the game down.

Thanks for posting AL78. Not sure it affects the outcome, but should South bid 3S immediately as a competitive move rather than 2S? Admittedly on this hand it's probably counter-productive as more likely to push EW into 5D, but in principle, shouldn't South bid to the level of the fit?

If you open 1 Club, as I sometimes do with 5-5 in the black suits, then uninterrupted probably: 1 - 1 1 - 2 (FSF) 2 - 3 (no it's a real suit) 3NT- 4 (?) But West might come in with 1S or some kind of two-suited overcall, in which case goodness knows where you finish up...

Or two at a time?

Thanks barmar, I've had the odd stone cold claim rejected though, then just cashed a couple more winners and had them accepted.

I voted for double at pairs. Should be 16 total tricks. On the follow-up question, I would be more inclined to pass at IMPs, because I think there's too little upside.

Thanks AL78. I agree with David'Kok (and shyams) Assuming this is matchpoints, bidding on works if the outcome is -500 against -600 for 5C (and to be fair, it hits the jackpot if opps bid 6C and go off). However, to hold 5Sx to -500, partner needs to produce a trick; which might also be the setting trick against 5C. Bidding on can lose three ways: if the opps have only 10 tricks in clubs, or if they have 12 and take the push to 6C, or if they can collect 800 from 5Sx.

Hi G_Niemi See you are a new poster, hope you find the forums useful. They seem pretty polite and some interesting hands or questions get raised. (No, I don't work for BBO!) It depends whether you are playing against GIB (robots) or real people. When playing against people there is a space for text under the number of tricks claimed where you can explain your line. I normally use it as a courtesy to opponents. (Also when I started out in bridge the rules seemed to penalise claims by assuming you must play really badly if you didn't state a line). Against robots just click the number. The robots normally identify sensible lines and agree. Don't worry if the robots reject an obvious claim. Just play a couple more tricks and try again.

I was wrong, but the play is much odder than that, I see what you mean about playing for a squeeze but the robot didn't. Please have a look at tricks 5 to 7 and see if you can make sense of them?

Also the robot seems to have played you for QJ doubleton in clubs!