hatchett

Playing IMPS against unknown opposition you hold ♠QJ83 ♥AQ73 ♦T2 ♣KJ4 They are playing a lightish 2/1 response style and they bid 1♠ 2♣ 2♦ 2NT 3♠ 4♠ They are unsure whether 3♠ is forcing or shows extras, 2NT being a non forcing invite. The opening bidder is on your left. Do you double?

♠JT53 ♥AQ53 ♦76 ♣KT3 ♠42 ♥KJ ♦KQJ3 ♣AJ962 Love all play Weak NT you bid uncontested 1♣ - 1♥ - 1NT - 3NT you get a low diamond lead to the 8 and Q. Opening leader seems to have 4 or 5.

I thought this was a pretty straight forward hand. GIB didn't and went off. GIB drew trumps in 3 rounds, RHO having 2. It then played, KA of hearts and RHO blew. ouch. A club to dummy before any hearts would have revealed the 0-5 club split and the simple black suit squeeze against east.

[hv=d=n&v=n&n=sa3hajt8dk2cakj54&s=sq5hk5daqj763ct62]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] North opens 1♣, East overcalls 1♠ and you arrive in 7♦ after no more opp bidding. The lead is a ♠ play on

1. Pass what else can I say. 2. Spade 3. Pass forcing, closer to bidding a slam than doubling.

1♥ is clear, pass would shoul no clear preference between the other suits.

Does GIB understand the concept of a business redouble? Playing money bridge the following auction was perpetrated 1♣ 1♦ X 2♦ 2♥ 3♦ 4♥ X P P XX P 5♦! P 5♥ X P P XX P 6♣!! X 6♥ X all P 4♥ was making an overtrick, (5♦ by the side that bid them naturally goes for 1100) I'll let you guess which two hands GIB was playing!

3NT can be made on a ♦lead , if declarer wins and plays three rounds of ♥s

It's an NV game. I am almost certainly opposite a weak NT, so we are somewhere between 21 and 24 high with 2 balanced hands, an eight card trump fit and I have no fitting honor in partner's suit. I would pass 2♥

Fair enough, but I don't think the North hand is good enough to invite.

I would bid 4♥. Partner has invited and a have a fairly nice hand in context. I hate trying to be too clever and double-guessing how many spades partner has got to base my decision. I just look at my hand. Anyway surely he has the same inferences about my spade length and he has still invited. :blink:

I would also play the pass of 2♥ as more encouraging than bidding 2♠. Surely it works the other way around as well 2♠ directly says you are on your own if they bid 3♥ and pass encourages competition. But obviously you have to play it the other way round if pass over 2♥ is non forcing

[hv=d=w&v=n&s=s643hkj7dk7642cq8]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] P P 4♠ all Pass

1. 3♠ 2. This is too strong for 3♠ as I play it, so the choice would be a mixed raise or 4♠ and of these choices I prefer 4♠.

I usually play a jump cue as a mixed raise, so this hand would be far to strong.

3♥, I have about the best heart holding I could have for the auction to date. 3NT would sound like 4135, with a good diamond holding to me and is far too committal.

I agree, pass by partner should show better than a minimum. 4♠ is clear now, any bid now that lets partner out below game risks loses a load of IMPs.

Why does it not exist? It shows something like a 5422 17/18 count. You have an obvious raise to 3NT over 2NT in this sequence.

That would be a typical 4♦ pre-empt for me at green.

[hv=d=w&v=e&s=s5hkjt7653dcaj864]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] 1♠ 3♦ 4♠ ?

I agree, I would make a constructive single raise on the 4333 ten count.

On a ♥ lead to the 9 and T. I am pretty much forced into this line since there is no advantage in playing for two ♣ ruffs. Cross to ♣. Draw second trump. Ruff ♣, AK diamonds is cold if trumps are 2-2 (45% allowing for no 4-0 split) or if trumps are 3-1 (55%) diamonds 4-2 or better say around 85%+ (there's a small chance a hand with 5+♦ only has 1 trump) that looks to be an >90% line overall. On a ♠ lead. It is much more complicated, I have various options. A simplish option Cash top 2 ♥, making if they are 2-2 (45%). If they are 3-1, cash ♦AK, ruff a ♦. This makes if ♦ are 3-3, or 4-2 or if ♦ are 2-4 with the third trump on our right....say around a 65% of the diamond layout making this a >80% line. If you alternatively plan to ruff 2♣ you need to be able to get back to hand three times to ruff ♣ twice and then to draw trumps. You have one entry in trumps and the other two have to be pointed suited ruffs, if you use spades then you either need QJx ♠ (a claim position after one ♣ ruff) or LHO having either 4+ spades, spades 5-2 and better, or RHO having J depending on what hearts pips fall etc. THis line is much worse than the one above.

I think 3♥ is clear at your third turn and it must show 3 card support. With 4 card ♥ support you must raise hearts directly rather than rebid a 5 card ♠ suit. If partner happens to be 33 in the majors for his reverse say a very strong 3316 then you will reach 4♠ anyway after you have raised ♥s.

Why would you cover from Qxx in front of KJ9xxx? It can never gain.

If 2♠ is game forcing then some people may play that the raise to 3♠ shows at least some extras ( with an unsuitable rock minimum bid 4♠), in which case it is clear to bid 6NT.