SoTired

7D, because: 1. I have 2 of the 3 missing kings. 2. If partner is 5-5 (or 6-4), we have 13 tricks 3. If partner is 5-4, we may have 13 tricks anyway 4. AT WORST, partner may have to fall back on the club finesse Truscott Rule: If AT WORST, a grand depends on a finesse, bid it! (Please everybody, notice the "AT WORST" phrase. I am not saying to bid a grand that depends on a finesse.)

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in SAYC, I would consider the 4D showing a 5440. 4H = 4-card heart support with more than a min opening, which would just jump to 4H over 2H. I can understand those that think 4H shows only 3-card support and suggesting a 4-3 4H contract, but I think most of those hands will bid 3N over 2H instead. The awkward nature of the 3D 4sf shows a drawback of SAYC vs 2/1.

... and if partner passes you in a forcing bid, a good player may take pity on you and partner you :ph34r:

I see nothing wrong with EW bidding, although their explanations were cryptic. The insane system was played by NS. North's unalerted t/o dbl (then explained as showing clubs??? with 5 clubs to the JT???) with a singleton heart. Then South's strange pass over 1H. NS's bidding was totally bizarre

This is such a great hand... and a cool story.

I think Art and others are confusing the subject auction 1N 2D 2H 2N 3H 4H with auctions where one partner has offered game, got refused, and carried on anyway. The proverbial, "Accepting your own invitation" auction which is usually the trait of poor players. This auction is not quite the same. When responder determined that the hand was invitational, it was without the knowledge of the heart fit. A common hand is x AJxxx Kxxx xxx. (Note the singleton). Opposite a 15-17 HCP 1NT opener, this 8HCP hand with a 5-card suit is only worth an invitational 2N for a 3N game without a heart fit. Once the heart fit is verified, the hand is worth 4H even opposite a min 1NT. Although the 4H bid is not common, it is not that unusual. I would bid it on most 5431, but not with 5422 or 5332.

3H. any 8-9 hcp hand with a singleton would raise 3H to 4H. That is one reason why passing 2N is attactive because you don't want to encourage partner to bid on. Of course, with my luck and i pass, partner will have a signleton diam so that 2N gets killed because I have to knockout 3 aces, while 4H rolls home losing to just the 3 outstanding aces. So, finally, I fall back on basic bidding: With a min and 2h, you pass. With a min and 3+h, you bid 3H...

#1 - I would start with 2H because I would not expect this problem. Starting with 2S, we may end up in a 5-2 spade fit rather than a 6-3 heart fit on bidding such as 1D (2C) 2S (3c) p (p) 3H (p) 3S. Plus, even if partner is 3-3 in majors, we may get in trouble when they start pushing clubs. Finally, starting with 2H allows a natural reverse into spades showing the strong 6-5. #2 - 4S. Hiding our 5-card spade suit is sick. 4H could be a disaster if opener is short in hearts which is likely since opener would stretch to bid 4H with any 3-card support.

I think it is close between pass and GF action. I'd probably bid 3H, which is forcing, of course. Some partners might take 3H as a 6-card suit, tho. I might try 4C instead of 3H, but that by-passes 3N. 3N would not occur to me without a diam honor. If opener can't bid 3N over 3H, we don't belong there.

If North's hand was xxx xx AJ10x xxxx, many might still respond 1D, but noone would criticize a pass. If North's hand was xxx xx AQxx xxxx, everyone would respond 1D. Now compare xxx xx AJ10xxx xx to xxx xx AQxx xxxx and which hand would you rather have as dummy for 3NT if you had 19 HCP with ♦Kxx? So it is very correct to upgrade xxx xx AJ10xxx xx and treat it like it was 6-7 HCP.

So now the claim is that 3NT shows MORE hearts than 4♥? That you like playing 6-2 and 7-2 fits in NT? You either have a heart fit, or you don't have a heart fit. Of course not. In general, you don't want to play misfits in NT, but with a major fit you want to play in the major. I am telling you why I think 3N will play badly. The main reason you don't bid 3N is the lack of a spade stopper when partner has already shown less than 4♠ and opps will likely lead the suit. If the hand had a sure spade stopper with an unsure club stopper (something like KQx x AJxxxx Jxx), I think 3N would be a good bid.

(1H) X (p) 1S (2H) 2S does not show extras. It only confirms 4-card support. It is dated to play that a takeout dbl of a major promises 4-cards in the other major. It only promises 3-cards (and an opening bid, of course). If you want to invite game, you have to jump to 3S. BUT (1S) X (p) 2H (2S) 3H is not the same auction. In this auction you are raising to the 3-level. 3H has to show extras because you have no other way to invite game. Jx Qxxxx Qxxx xx is on the bubble. You have an extra heart, but only a couple of isolated Q's for strength. I think Vul at IMPS pushes this to bid 4H. Personally, I would not argue with 4H or pass on this hand because it is a close decision.

North cannot pass 3D with 1st round control in all 4 suits plus a king. If North plans on bidding 4M over a 3M response to a X, then I would not want my partner deciding to pass out 3DX with a weak hand and ♦Jxxx. So I bid 4D with the North hand and force my partner to make a choice.

Pass. 25 vs 15 usually sets 4H, but opps may have a super fit. If partner dbls, I am taking that as penalty. 4N sounds natural to me, but it sure would be nice to be the minors. X sounds penalty to me, but it would be nice if it was negative.

Since 2D promises 10+ HCP in SA, 3H announces a good 6+♥ and GF (after the 2/1). It does not promise a "solid suit". AKJ KQxxxxx x Qx qualifies. Since you don't have a fit for partner, slam is out unless opener's suit is solid. 3N is ridiculous. The bidding requires a spade lead, you don't have a spade stopper and opps have 8+♠. This hand may be a misfit and you don't want to play a misfit in NT. I think you have 2 choices. Bid 4H and hope your extra strength makes up for your lack of hearts. Bid 4C and try for a 5m contract if partner can support either minor. Without discussion, the 4C bid is ambiguous. It may be a q-bid, but is likely natural trying to find a better game than 4H. Opener, with good 7♥ and a minimum 3H bid, should bid 4H over 4C anyway.

3D. Not 3N. Not Pass. One reason: partner has at most 3♥ and with your ♥Jx, you may have problems in any NT contract unless partner has a double heart stopper and 2 diam honors. You may lose 6 tricks before you can run the diam. You only have 10HCP, which is not enough to raise 2N to 3N unless you can upgrade your hand because of your long suit. But your long suit is missing too many honors. A good rule of thumb is to upgrade your hand if your 5-card suit is headed by 4-7 HCP. Less than 4 HCP and the suit may not set up. More than 7 HCP and partner may have duplicate and wasted strength in your suit (meaning weakness elsewhere). For a 6-card suit, upgrade your hand if the suit is headed by 4+ HCP. Even if partner has wasted/duplicate strength, the 6th trick overcomes that.

finally, a question i am uniquely and highly qualified to answer... First, let's classify your partner: A) A much better player than you who berates you in front of opps for almost every mistake -- Insist that they never comment on your play in front of others. Then never give them the opportunity until after the session. If they don't agree or can't control themselves, don't play with this player. Each criticism will cause you to play progressively worse. You will play scared of making a mistake rather than trying to make the best plays. You will find yourself relieved to be dummy or not on opening lead. This is no way to play bridge. You will not learn much. Plus, you will become the "victim" of an abuse-victim pair. Finding yourself becoming more and more submissive. It will kill your confidence the more you play with this creep. You will find yourself being silent even when you think you are right. I don't care if the partner is a reincarnated Charles Goren. you will not have good results. B. Similar to A, but more polite and constructive. A player that we might call, "Hard on Partner." -- Similar to above and again insist on no criticism in front of others. Occassionally, listen in between rounds to the criticism. The criticism will be less emotional and more constructive. BUT, do not allow any criticism until at least a third of the boards are finished. The worst criticism is the one that starts near the beginning of the session, then it carries the weight of fear that you are playing poorly. This fear of playing poorly results in progressively poorer play. You become glassy eyed and find yourself not even noticing spot cards. To combat this, if it occurs, play excessively slowly, starring at each bid and card played and saying it to yourself silently. This, sometimes, breaks you out of this mode. Also, make sure you argue back if you think you are right. A good response to criticism is to ask, "What should I have done?" And when they give an answer that does not seem to fit with other parts of your system, challenge them about that. "Well, what if I did not have the queen, then what should I have bid?" C) An equal player that likes to criticize you. This is the BULLY partner. -- Usually, this type of partner can be saved, but you must stand up to them. Even if you think they are right. They will rarely stop criticizing you. The best response is to wave your hand at them and tell them they are full of crap, but you will discuss it later after the session. Tell them to remember the hand. Do this EVERY TIME they start. After the event, they will rarely remember each hand and will have less emotional attachment. Then you can discuss things a little more rationally. This player you can learn from as long as you don't become the submissive half of the bully-victim. D) The partner is equal or worse but has a habit of blaming their partner even for their own mistakes. Very "resulting" -- A very annoying type partner. May be a lost cause. As with all partners, never allow criticism in front of others. Do not argue if they do, just announce, "It is unacceptable to criticize me in front of others." Arguing is little use with this player, because they are NEVER WRONG. Even when they are obviously wrong, they won't admit it. Don't bother arguing with this player and do not take any advice from them. They cannot separate their true knowledge from their necessity of blaming you for all bad results, so you never know which is which. This last one is the only one for which, nodding your head and saying, "OK" is acceptable. Because then THEY play better if they think they have convinced you to take the blame.

1. pass, 2. pass (4H is insane. I won't discuss that) This is a textbook hand for a common novice mistake: Bidding 3N because you have stoppers. Remember that a stopper is only 1 trick. It takes 9 tricks to make 3N. You have 4 probably 5 tricks from your own hand. How is partner going to provide 4 more tricks when you have no fit with partner's suit and partner is a passed hand. 3N hangs partner for making a competitive, protective bid with club shortness.

50/50. Today I bid 1N, but can't argue much with 2H. If opener has 3♥ or opens soundly then 2H will work best. If game is unmakable, 1N will work best. I don't think either bid is "wrong"

Jacoby 2N followed by RKC unless opener shows club shortness. 2 aces + ♠KQ is all that is needed for slam. I will risk getting to a hopeless 5S, for the easy and simple bidding of slam or grand if it is available. I also don't want to make it easy for opps to get in with a red suit.

How about best "feel good" play? For me, it is when the defense is forced to underruff!

oops (red-faced emoticon)

anything other than 4H is "resulting" Over 4H, partner could still bid 5C, which we would carry to 6.

i know, i know, "Don't preempt over a preempt", "Direct seat over a preempt should be sound", etc., etc. My own rules ... But this hand is 5-loser with 1st round control in 3 suits. If partner goes slamming, we are in good shape, and if we pass and partner re-opens with 3S, then what? No red-blooded player would pass this hand.