pbleighton

"BTW, would anyone double this at MP?" I might, it's close. Caveat: I double a lot at MP, and they don't always work out. Peter

3NT. If Hamman's Rule is good enough for Hamman, it's certainly good enough for a player like me. It saves energy, and is right at least as often as it is wrong. Peter

Simple Simon Sez Say Six. Peter

I should think about it, but I don't, and bid 3NT thoughtlessly. Peter

It would be Blackwood. Your cards aren't nearly good enough for any kind of slam try, assuming 2H shows an invitational or better club raise. You have a balanced minimum, wide open in hearts. Rebid 3C. Peter

"The opponents made a comment during the deal whether we played messanger (which I thought was a little uncalled for) as the contract drifted off 5." I think "totally unacceptable" is a better description than "a little uncalled for". Here 6NT is a terrible bid, and redouble is just plain weird. Peter

Easy pass for me. I don't know that we can make slam, I know that we can clobber 3C. Peter

"Why characterize him as a "madman"...to vilify him?" As an excuse not to deal with Iran. He's not mad. He's bad, though. Peter

What method do you prefer over a strong 2C opener (other than not playing it ;) ) I've been playing a primitive 2D=waiting. I hear rumblings that I should play a second bid of the next suit up as a bust, or else play an immediate 2H as super negative. Controls are also popular. What do you like? If you like the 2H super negative or the second bid of the next suit up as a bust, do this take away the GF, and how weak are these bids? I currently play 2C as absolutely GF, except after the sequence 2C-2D-2NT. Peter

I would probably bid 4D at the table, but thinking about it, pd may be sitting on a heart stack. I double, and pull 3S to 4D. Peter

A partner once did it (both vul) on something like x-Jxx-xx-Q109xxxx. Peter

"Maybe its better to spend you time and energy trying to improve to the point that you are capable of winning by playing down the middle?" LEARN HOW TO PLAY DEFENSE? YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING! Peter

"Maybe, but I suspect that many people who get satisfaction of out winning the games they play largely due to randomness are already busy playing bingo." A tiny sample, but I hate bingo :P Peter

"Any reason for this bid?" He felt like he could make it? I think it's a reasonable, though aggressive bid with a pickup partner playing some type of Standard American, where 2C shows 10+ hcp and 4+ (usually 5+) clubs. I would have opened 1NT on this hand, and it would have gone 2NT-3C-3D-3NT. The 2C response to 1S provides valuable information to the strong hand, so my choice wouldn't have worked out well. Perhaps I'm wrong, but the tone of your post implies a suspicion of cheating. If so, I don't think the suspicion is justified by the bidding. Peter

"Partner can't bid 3♥ on a random 1345 4-count, can he?" My partners can, and do B) Peter

3NT. I'd rather take the club risk than try to take one more trick. Peter

4C, we are going to a small slam at least, no need to rush. Peter

2S. 3S is close. After 4H, 4S. Peter

As much as I hate it, pass is clear. Peter

"Civilians who support their government should not be immune to the fighting and horror. They are not innocents. If you pay someone to fight for you, you are not an innocent. I hope that is clear enough, I thought it was the first ten times I said it." Agree. Bring back the draft, include 55 year old armchair generals :) Peter

"Would anyone agree that the USA, at times, used terrorists tactics against the Indians. How about Canadians against their native peoples or did they just buy Canada from them? Spainish and Mexicans aganst their native peoples, I doubt they bought Mexico?" Yes. Your point is? Peter

"It is a different animal now. 3 and 4♠ are strong bids, not weak. I'm fine with 2♠. " 3S is a huge hand. To me, 4S sounds like the hand I have, lots of distribution and not a lot of points, if pd has some help I can make. Peter

"1) Pick any Democratic anti war candidate. 2) Do you think the USA will have a major base in Iraq for years from now? 3) Pick whoever you think will win in 2008 4) Now you got to bet your house " I think it is very unlikely that we will have a major base in Iraq in five years, if Obama or Edwards is elected. If Hilary is elected, it is somewhat unlikely. It's possible that we may have a small, uninvolved presence, primarily technical. I'm a renter :) Peter

"Many play strong 1nt in 4th seat to combat light responses." Sandwich NT is a LOT more frequent, if you play it as 4-4 or better. Peter

Playing standard methods, your bidding seems fine to me. In my 2/1 partnership, we would have done the same thing. South's hand is good, but so flat, and he has no encouragement from North. In my other (crazy) partnership, I would have overcalled 1H as North, then 2NT from South, passed. This is an unusual arrangement. It blows up in our faces sometimes, but is too much fun to stop playing B) Peter