pbleighton

In a recent tournament, my pd alerted my 5H response to 4NT as "two without the queen". Opps later criticized the alert as not specifying that it was two key cards, not two aces. Who knew? Peter

Agree with Jimmy, looks good to me. Peter

"Good comments on 2/1 range and therefore 1nt forcing. If "standard 2/1"=Good 12, then we are off by 1.5 -2pts." Yes, you will go down once in a while, but not as much as you think. OTOH, if you don't make GF or invitational bids aggressively playing light openers, you will miss games. I prefer to be on the side of thin games rather than missed games. You also get the bonus of more 2/1 auctions and fewer 1NT forcing auctions. "For light 2/1 openers: 1) Would guess here, we have even more contested auctions and less 2/1, so great need for full Bergen/ competitive gadgets/toys." 1) To turn this around, when you play light openings, your opponents have more contested auctions. 2) If you open 1S (say) light, then your opponents may choose to make unsound 2/1 overcalls. Fine. It will sometimes make life tricky for opener's partner, but OTOH the opps will have distorted their overcall structure. A net gain for you, IMO. 3) You need to be able to handle interference, whatever your minimum opening requirements. Peter

3 comments: 1) I briefly tried 2/1 with light openings, but switched to forcing for one round (Standard), because of the infrequency of the 2/1 responses which Richard and Ron alluded to. In fact, Richard made the same comment when I first posted what I was doing. 2) I have been playing light openings for a while now (currently a bit lighter than what you are doing now - we open 10 counts with 5 cards, except 5m332, or when they are bad). They have a high upper limit - anything not good enough to bid 2C. I've come to the conclusion that invitational and GF responses should be a little light. The occasional thin game you bid won't kill you, and you will make some of them. These will be more than compensated for by increased accuracy on other auctions. I think you should consider making a 2/1 response with 13 (12) hcp, reducing the 1NT forcing range to 6-12. If you switch to Standard, make 2/1 responses with 11 (10). As responder, what is your invitational (versus pass/signoff) range after 1M-1N-2x? 3) You might consider Gazzilli after 1M-1N. 1M-1N-2C is 2 way, either 17+ hcp or natural clubs. Other rebids are limited to 16, allowing jumps to be 14-16 with extra playing strength. Responder rebids 2D with 8+, forcing to game, other rebids are weak. I haven't played this, but it seems to me that it may help you with range problems after 1NT. If you are interested, download the AMBRA notes from Dan Neill's site: http://www.geocities.com/daniel_neill_2000/sys/ or Google rec.games.bridge for Gazzilli: http://groups-beta.google.com/group/rec.games.bridge or start a new topic here. I believe a couple of regular posters play it. Lauria/Versace play 2/1 with 10-21 openers, and play this. Peter

With a pickup pd, I pass. With my regular pd, 2S. Peter

Don't say anything, ever, except if they have described themselves as Novice or Beginner. Even then, I tend not to say anything. Peter

"That opening preempt is WORSE than obscene." Agree. I've rarely seen a clearer 4D opener. What an underbid :( Peter

"You are entitled to partnership agreements based on actual agreements or knowledge from past sequences. If none of those are present (which is common in weird auctions) then you know as much as he does. He doesn't have to tell you what he THINKS a bid means based on his best guess and use of his own bridge logic. You're supposed to also be able to think." I mostly agree with you, Justin, except that: 1) Sometimes it's a fine line between "knowledge from past sequences" and blind guesses - informed guesses based on a knowledge of partnership style. 2) If I am asked what a bid means, I will give an answer unless I truly have no idea. If it's an informed guess versus an agreement, I will communicate that as well. However, I won't volunteer an informed guess. Is this consistent with what you meant? Peter

Do it, but not with decent hands at the top of whatever range you are using. OTOH, if you are playing 12-14, for example, upgrade strong 11 counts. For me, this usually means a decent 5 card suit, including 5m422s. Peter

1) Bid 3D, because you wouldn't mind playing there. 2) What do you open with 4-4-1-4? Peter

Double. Says I have a good hand with no bid. Peter

In my partnerships, I play that the primary signal is attitude. Under what circumstances, if any, is it appropriate to give count rather than attitude, when there is a conflict between the two? We are all strong intermediates, striving to become Advanced :D Please make your answers appropriate to our level, if possible. Something like "in notrump contracts, in a suit the declarer has broken" would be nice. I'm sure that "use your judgement" is the right answer, but I'm looking for guidelines. In two of the partnerships, we are in the process of switching to UDCA. Does this change anything? Also, I don't give count or attitude in the trump suit, or in dummy's long, strong suit? Is this right? Peter

Sympathize, but disagree. BBO is self-rated. The first thing you learn is to ignore the ratings. This is better than the alternative IMO. Peter

1) 4H 2) Pass 3) 2S Peter

Partner shows 5+ hearts, 17+ hcp, bid 3H, barely. Pass is OK too. Peter

I agree with Bearmum, pass 3NT. 3NT is always to play, unless you have specifically agreed otherwise (i.e. Serious 3NT). If partner made a mistake, make him play it :) 3NT was a terrible bid, 2D was the right bid, but I wouldn't have passed originally with that hand, I would have opened 1D. Peter

1D, agree with Richard. It's definitely good enough for 2C, but after 2C-2D-3D, how do you find a heart fit? Peter

"Old programmers never die, they just keep rewriting their Cobol code." Wrong, Ron, Visual Basic is the COBOL of the 21st century! Peter

jlaal writes: "I seem to have lost my youthfulness, it pains me to even think of opening this 3C at any vulnerability lol. I will beat them by playing better and judging the auctions better, i see no need to shoot craps in order to win. Thats all opening 3C is, and its a losing proposition at that. Win it by outplaying them." According to your profile, I'm 31 years older than you are. Apparently I'm entering my second childhood. Or is it my third, I can't remember... Peter

1) 5H 2) Pass 3) Double 4) 2H 5) 3NT Peter

I agree with Ron - if it looks like NT and smells like NT, open NT. Peter

Close. 2S. You're unlikely to make 5C, but might make 4S if partner has a max with 3 spades. 3C is reasonable. I think 2D is a bit of an overbid. Peter

jllal writes: "*cringe*" Try it, you'll like it :) It works. I wish the side suit queens weren't there, but you can't have everything. Plus, you steal the contract frequently, down 1 or 2, or make it. Down more, but the opps have a game. On the downside, you can play doubled, go down 3 to stop a part score, or preempt yourself out of a game, all rare. Vul, the penalties are too heavy to bid. Oh, well. Peter

Vulnerable, a clear pass. Not vulnerable, a clear 3C, if you preempt sensibly, that is to say frequently. Peter

3H, not close. At favorable, like Ben, I bid 4H. Peter