Ant590

Sitting south White/Red you hold: [hv=d=e&v=e&s=saq5hak842daq94c5]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] Dealer (east) passes: (Pass) - 1♥ - (1♠) - Pass (Pass) - ? Any action here? Any other choices close? And, much as it may look like it, this is not a preliminary question to a BIT ruling!

Can I just confirm, as I'm being particularly dense this afternoon. Should the screen-mate, or the defender on the other side of the screen call the director for hesitations?

It is not uncommon to use 2NT and 3♥ both as spade raises on this style of auction. This allows you to make some distinction with your good raises, but I think most people who play such methods differentiate between three and four card support. I personally would bid 4♥ on the given hand.

Ken and Phil are much more experienced than I so I would suggest the methods they propose --- no Lebensohl over 2♣ and double is Stayman, respectively --- are superior. However, a partner and I decided some time ago to play transfer Lebensohl after any interference, including 2♣, so bids of 2NT and higher are transfers. 2NT here (transfer into their suit) would be Staymanic for us. To show a hand like the OP we would bid 3♣ to show diamonds, then rebid 3♥. This would only show 5-4, however.

This hand depends on whether you play Lebensohl-type methods. Many people play transfer-style Lebensohl, which would allow you to force to game and explore hearts and diamonds. If you play only natural methods, I would begin with a natural and game-forcing 3♦ and take it from there.

I would bid 3 the first time then pass.

I look at http://www.bridgeguys.com/conventions.html when I do not know the meaning of something. Many players do not read their partner's information, so beware --- if you write a convention they often do not play it too.

Yeah, can invite showing 5+ spades at the 2-level, or 6 at the three level

I changed the auction to make the issue more slaient. Our actual auction was: 1♣ - 1♥ .... natural or balanced - spades 1♠ - ? .... weak nt without 4 spades or 1=4=4=4 Here we play two-way-checkback, so I can invite with 5/4 via 2♣-2♦-2♥ or GF with an immediate 2♦. I felt the problem was similar to the way I presented it in the OP though

Holding ♠AKT9xx ♥Txxx ♦Q ♣xx Matchpoints in a mediocre field, vulnerable against not. Partner opens a weak NT (12-14). You can either invite showing 5/4 or GF showing 6/4. Which do you do? Is it clearcut? Edit: 13 cards now

This is a general question about raises in the 4th suit, combined with a ATB... BWS system (1NT semi-forcing, 2/1 GF except rebid) [hv=d=n&v=n&n=skxxhkqxxxdkxxxca&s=saqxxhxdaqxckqjxx]133|200|Scoring: MP[/hv] 1♥ - 2♣ 2♦ - 2♠ 3♠ - 4♣ 4NT - 5♣ AP Our questions are as follows 1) Does raising 4th suit promise 4=5=4=0, or is 3=5=4=1 ok? 2) What should 4♣ mean? 3) I guess this is related to (2), but what should 4NT mean? 4) What slam tries are available after 3♠; is 4NT natural after 3♠? 5) Can responder ever both suggest a spade contract and make a slam try? 6) How should the bidding actually go?

4♠ for me.

The complete hand was: [hv=d=n&v=n&n=sk5h632d65cakqt63&w=sq9864hq985djt8c7&e=sajt73haj74dkq32c&s=s2hktda974cj98542]399|300|Scoring: MP[/hv]

If you do pass, partner reopens with another double...

[hv=d=n&v=n&s=sq9864hq985djt8c7]133|100|Scoring: MP[/hv] (3♣) - dbl - (5♣) - ? Is this a wtp? edit: 3♣ opened, not 1

Perhaps just in pairs of bids, like screens were in use. I personally would like the option to activate this in team games, for instance.

In a "could be 2+ club" system, what is a typical hand for a mixed raise, (i) in a constructive auction (ii) in competition Thanks Ant.

Hey all, Suppose you play that opening 2♠ in third seat shows any bad three-level preempt. Can anyone think of any decent differentiation between 2NT and 3♣ after such a 3rd seat 2♠ opening? Level of support for clubs perhaps, but hands with club support should be making a 3♦ paradox raise perhaps? Just playing the same as a response to 1st or 2nd seat is not an option because the 2♠ bid means something different there.

2♥ (or a support double) has the advantage that from that point onwards the hand is well described, so you can happily let partner make the mistake later. If you pass then you have shown your minimum strength, but you have concealed your heart support. You might feel you want to, or actually do end up bidding later on in the auction because of the ♥AKQ, and it is almost always better to get in early with support and then shut up, rather than the other way around.

I play t/o in some partnerships, but more regularly penalty. Whilst certain partners strongly prefer penalty doubles, I think this is because the good results from these infrequent doubles are more memorable. In other words, getting +500 on a partscore board one time in 100 openings sticks in the mind better than winning a partscore battle ten times in 100, but the IMPs say otherwise. All statistics suitably made up, but I would be interested in someone collating auctions that have begun weak NT, overcall, double, p, p, p and some other combination more likely to be takeout.

I play with someone locally and we were practicing in the bidding room. The sequence 1NT - 2♦ 2♥ - 3♣ 4♥ came up, and I asked what he plays the difference between 3♥ and 4♥ as. It turns out he bids 3♥ "to play", because he was under the impression that 3♣ was inv+ in standard. We play in an event that has very nice cakes during the break, so I bet that if 10% of the poll or greater agreed with him I would buy said cake. I now, unless the poll shifts radically, get cake bought for me :)

How do you play 1NT - 2♦ 2♥ - 3♣? Another bet riding on this one, so please vote even if you think it's obvious.

A uni-bridge club beginner I know was playing a teams-of-four match against opponents who are arguably the best in our county. At one point he psyched which worked well, only to find that the same psyche was made on the other table! He dined out on it for weeks. Anecdote aside, I think psyching is part of the game, and that the beginners we teach (who are admittedly young, keen and intelligent) treat it as part of the game. Most of our pairs have discussed auctions such as (1♥) - dbl - (1♠) - dbl accordingly.

It's a guess, but I'd think weak, both majors. Double would be similar, but suggest playing in 3♣ if opener fancied it. It's not a bid I'd make without discussion though!

[hv=d=e&v=n&s=sakqj98h5dat92ck6]133|100|Scoring: XIMP[/hv] 2♥ opened on your right. 1) I think this might have been discussed before on BBO, but order the following actions in terms of strength a] Double then bid spades B] Jump in spades c] Double then jump in spades 2) Which do you choose with the hand given?