akhare

There's no reason to suspect that 2♠ wasn't natural (given that we are already in a GF). So, 3N can't be to play...

IMPs vs. expert opponents, you land in 6♠ by South and receive a ♣7 lead. [hv=pc=n&s=sakj6h4dakj642cj5&n=sqt75haqt832dcak2]133|200[/hv] You win A♣ and draw two rounds of trump, with both opps following. Both opponents follow to AK of ♦s with small spots, but LHO shows out on the third round. 1) Do you agree with the play so far? If not, what line would you pursue? 2) How would you proceed from here?

In context of a 16+ 1♣ opening, we have no qualms opening 1N (14-16) with a 5CM332 when in range.

4♦ sounds about right. The 2♦ bid gives them too much space and doesn't convey the huge difference in the suit lengths.

J♣ for me. Not too much hope of tapping declarer really, but it seems more constructive than a ♠ and is almost just as passive. Also, there's a small chance that declarer is 7411 at these colors and if it's in the blacks, pard might be able to ruff the opening lead with a stiff trump...

Q♠ -- David Bird's book made me do it B-)...

1♠...bidding 4♠ will likely buy it in 4♠-X and it's unclear that such a near commital action is warranted at these colors...

IMPs, unfavourable, your opps march to 6♠ after an unobstructed auction: 1♦ - 1♠ - 1N - 2♦* - 2♠ - 4N 5♥* - 5N 6♠ 2♦ was GF nmf and 5♥ showed 2 key cards It's your lead: X KXXXXX XX KQXX

IMPs, all red, you open 1N (15-17) holding: JXX KXX KQX AKJX 1N - (3♦) - X (GF, takeout) It's your call.

♣ Playing a symmetric relay like scheme, you only need 2♣ GF bid. Note that 5440 shapes are just shown as 5431, but in our experience, it hasn't come up so far. 1M - 2♣ (artificial GF): 2♦: All 5332, hands with 5+ minor ...........2S: 4+ clubs, exactly. 2N relays, then 3♣+ = <Template-1 with 5+M, 4♣> ...........2N: 5+5+ with M+♣, 3♣ relays, then 3♦+ = <Template-2 with 5+M, 5+♣> ...........3C: 5332 shapes 3♦+ = <Template-2 with 5M, 5+♦> 2♥: 4+ OM. 2♠ relays ...........2N: 5+5+ with both major. 3♣ relays, then: <Template-2> .................3♦: High short .................3♥: 6511/5611 .................3♠+ = 5521, etc. </Template-2> ...........3♣+: Follow <Template-1> 2♠: 5+M, 4♦ exactly, 2N relays <Template-1> ..................3♣: Short in OM. 3♦ relays, then 3♥+ ..................3♦: 5M-2-4♦-2 ..................3♥: 5M-3OM-4♦-1 ♣ ..................3♠: 6M, 4♦, 2OM, 1 ♣ ..................3N: 7M4♦-2-0 ♣ ..................4C: 7411 </Template-1> 2N: 6+ major, no singleton or void 3♣: 6+ major, high short 3♦: 6+ major, mid short 3♥: 6M33-1♣ 3♠: 7M(32)-1♣ 3N: 7M33-0♣ Of course, you will need to figure our what to do after shape is resolved, like DCB, RKC, etc...

Alas, the gun is empty, and bidding 4♠ seems more like throwing grenade into the auction. So pass in tempo and bid 4♠ if pard keeps the auction open.

3♥ is tempting, but with the two quick losers in ♦, shape, and the scoring, it's 3♠ for me..

I suspect that a lot (most?) of your positive responses will be 1♥ (8-11). As Rob suggested, it might be best to invest in a vanilla relay system and differentiate the strength later. If you really want to play this structure, I suspect that you might get more mileage out it by inverting the meanings, i.e.: 1♥ = 12+ any 1S=8-11 bal OR ♣ 1N=8-11 with ♠ 2♣ = 8-11 with ♦ 2♦ = 8-11 with ♥. Over the ambiguous 1♠, 1N asks and then 2♣ is ♣, with the remaining Stayman type responses. This should right side contracts most of the times opposite a 8-11 hand...

Reaching 7♦ would a cinch for straube and me, playing strong ♣ with relays. South opens 1♣ (16+): 1♣ - 2♣ (GF, minors) 2♦ (ask) - 2♠ (at least 5-5 in the minors) ...

A♣ seems like a standout to me. If dummy comes down with KQXX and declarer ruffs, or if it's the only lead that allows the slam to make, c'est-la-bridge.

Can you please elaborate (and provide similar nuggets as well :D))? Do you lead the Q from KQT9 to ask for attitude for the A/J (assuming K is the unblock card)? Along, the same lines, is the Q led from AKQT to presumably ask attitude about the J?

Can we have all of dummy's cards please? Without looking at dummy, the key to the problem might lie in the "...rightly or wrongly..." statement. Having passed out 1N-X, it might be difficult to convince pard that third hand has a weak 6 card suit in a weak distributional hand.

I think that 2♥ over 2♣ with that hand is a little bit of a stretch. I can see some merit for the call if the stiff was in the other black suit, but would still prefer to have at least the Q♦ to go along with the J (or a 7th♥). Anyway, congratulations are due to your opponents for putting you in that position and to you for managing to pass in tempo. As for 5♥, there's no arguing with success is there, especially when pard is kind enough not to hold the pointed suits B-)?

What does "it" in "Even thinking about it..." option mean? Does it mean that it's an automatic balance and that it's so obvious that you have to crazy to consider passing? Or does it mean that it's crazy to considering balancing with the hand?

Can I defer the reply until after I finish reading Bird's book on the topic B-)? In due seriousness, a ♥ lead ranks to work on this auction even at this form of scording, admonitions regarding leads from KJXX notwithstanding. More than anything else, pard's failure to overcall 1♠ at favourable seems to point to the "other major"...

I don't have much experience with Beta responses, but IMO, AKQ (or Queen Points) in combination with symmetric relays pretty much trumps everything else out there. Note that you will have to figure out the optimal values for the base QP for opener and responder. In our experience, a 16+ club goes pretty well with a 10 QP base for responder and we make a GF response with 5 QPs. Note that it's OK for opener to have fewer QPs than the base as long as reverse relays aren't employed. Also, you may want to discuss things like the terminator puppet (most people use 4D for it), RKC after shape resolution (instead of QP ask), zoom and situations where responder may bid on after opener's attempted signoff. Finally, you may want to decide which DCB scheme works best for you in conjunction with AKQ points. We started off with the Moscito scan (which scanned for A/K on the first round and Q on the second round etc. IIRC), but switched over to awm's parity scanning method.

A Snapdragon X (showing tolerance for pard's suit, length in the unbid suit and a weakish hand) at the 3-level? I don't think so...

3♦ seems easy enough...there must be catch B-)...

By inteference, W led a ♦ spot right? It's the only lead that will cause declarer the (implied) titular angst :D. Anyway, as others have noted, can we have more information please?

IMPs, favourable, you deal and hold: KJTX K KXXX AJXX You open the systemic 1♦ (2+, 10 - 15 points, denies a 5 card major) and the bidding proceeds: 1♦ - (1♥) - 3♦ (1) - (3♥) - ?? 1: Preemptive Will you bid any differently if your 1♦ opening systemically promised 0+ ♦? Assume that pard can bid 3♦s at these colors with a shapely hand and and 6 reasonable diamonds.