G_R__E_G

From one of Fred's DOTW (wording approximate): "I prefer to look for reasons to bid rather than excuses to pass."

My overcalls max out at a bad 16 points, so I think I'm a little too good for 1♥. I will double and hope for a 1♥ response. Otherwise, we're probably going to play it in NT.

Now I will tell you what I did because it's a fun story. My first thought was 1♠, but this was 3/4 of the way through what had been the strangest night of bridge I'd ever seen. I'd already made 3 doubled contracts been dealt several strange hands etc etc. So the little guy on my left shoulder said "If you don't bid it up they're going to find a good sac." I decided he was right so I reached into the box and started to grab four spades but just as I was grabbing it the little guy on my other shoulder said "You're about to miss a slam moron!!!". Well, I don't normally make mistakes like reaching for the box too early but I'd done it this time. I like to think I'm an ethical player, so I know I've got to grab a bid fast and try not to give any UI. So I whip out 4nt. This is key card in diamonds by our agreements. She answers 5♦, which I'm assuming is 3. I flop down the 6♠ card and partner thinks for a minute before raising me to 7. It turns out she's got 20hcp and a small singleton spade. I take the first trick in her hand and lead her spade, and RHO shows out. Oh well, it was fun trying. The very next hand - we bid 6♠ and made 7 - of course.

I believe if you e-mail uday@ with an explanation he can look after it.

I wouldn't. I'm an aggressive bidder - but not that aggressive. Make that ♦T the ♥T and I would at that vulnerability.

LOL, I knew someone would bring that up. I realize that, but the way I worded it is more fun. B)

The odds of having a ten card suit are over 60,000 to 1. The odds of having two voids are over 10,000 to 1. I had both last night - in the same hand B) . This is what I picked up: [hv=s=saqjt987643ht86dc]133|100|[/hv] Partner is dealer and opens 1♦ then pass to me. What do you bid?

Thanks for the advice folks, and please accept my apologies for pretty much wasting your time (rough day yesterday). I remembered last night why I played the ten, the south hand was T8xx not merely Txxx. That was another thing that I took into account - that RHO didn't cover the ten - which I took as further evidence that LHO more likely held the jack.

I realized afterwards the ten wasn't right. However, as I'd said, I know west started with three after the first play (I've played these two before, they don't give false count signals). So there is no longer a chance that West had AJxx. Knowing this, is finessing the nine on the second round still right? That's a very good point, and in fact I may have done that. I'm just putting this together from my recollections of a hand I was trying to forget. :P Unfortunately, I was having trouble completely forgetting it - hence the post. Btw, she did duck - very smoothly.

[hv=n=s♣kq9x&w=s&e=s&s=s♣txxx]399|300|[/hv] I'm North, declarer in 3nt. No clues from bidding. I have three unavoidable losers in the other suits. Entries aren't an issue. In playing the first few tricks the only clue I've picked up is that East is more likely to be short in clubs than West. My first play was the ten to my queen, both defenders following small (west's count signal pretty much confirming she has three). Back to dummy - small, west following small. Is there a right play and a wrong play or are we 50/50? I figured that restricted choice tells me East is more likely to have the jack left than the ace, so I went up with my king. It turned out to be the "wrong" choice, but was it the "correct" choice? This was the very last board of a Swiss team match and we ended up loosing by 2 imps. :P

System dictates X is the only choice. Any chance partner leaves it in?

I would be glad to write a macro in Word that would do this. Give me some idea of how you would like it to look and it should be a pretty simple task. Regards.

That works too. However, correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the ops don't know who rejected the claim. So if they are pick-up partners it might give them the wrong impression of their partner's abilities.

I know it's virtually the same thing, but sometimes it's more "comfortable" to just show your cards. For example, you don't know your opponents skill level but you know what the outcome of the hand will be. Rather than force them to decide whether to accept your claim or not, you show your hand and at least if they don't surrender it helps them decide on their discards quicker.

I've found that f2f even though I wait until it's painfully obvious the ops still often have trouble. I've just taken to facing my hand and continuing to play until they surrender. I wish they would add that option on BBO, for declarer to face their hand without claiming.

It has not been too long since I was in the target age range and it was not that long ago that I knew nothing about bridge (some might argue I still don't) so I think I can be pretty confident in my thoughts on this. If a young person has any preconceptions on bridge it is that it is played by old people and "geeks". Watching this video will only reinforce this preconception. Golly gee, after watching this video I'm beginning to think it might be true. ;)

I have to give my vote to East's final pass. You can say what you want about his earlier passes (and everything that's been said is correct) but they didn't ultimately allow them to play in 3♣x, the last one did. That said, the second pass is a close second and the first is a not too distant third.

Ops silent throughout. Partner opens 1♦ in second seat. I responded 1♥ with ♠xx ♥KJxx ♦xxx ♣KJxx. Partner jumps to 3♦ which is at least a good 16 count and at least 6 diamonds by our agreements. I figure I'm a little too good to pass. I don't have room to show I have clubs stopped below 3nt, so I bid 4♦. Partner raises to 5♦ which ends up down 1 (♥Q was offside). Partner had ♠Axx ♥Axx ♦AKQJT9 ♣x. Should I have just bid 3nt assuming partner must have something in spades? Any other suggestions?