hatchett

I think 4♦ shows a hand that wants to play game in a suit, has doubt about the strain and in principle, shows no slam ambitions. 3♦ is a more ambiguous cue bid, you might be looking for 3NT, or it might be the start of a slam try. If the auction starts (2♦) X 3♦ 3♥ now 3♠ is natural and forcing.. over this 4♣ is natural and 4♦ agrees ♠ 4♣ is natural and forcing 4♦ agrees ♥

I would conclude that your 'expert' partner was nothing of the sort, since he made basic mistakes on every hand.

I would lead the ♦Q as well, but the point I was making, maybe poorly, was the deceptive J lead has more to commend it at matchpoints, for instance, it might be a +1 hand dependant on the diamond guess for a second overtrick, a big result at MPs but of little value at IMPs.

correct, you can't reverse. You would open 1♦ and over a 1♥ response either bid 2♠ or 1♠ if that was forcing.

I would say it is a matter for agreement. You have laid out some of the pros and cons. If you play it as forcing you can also use 2S as artificial.

I would lead the DQ too, but note we are playing matchpoints so we don't know our trick target is 4.

Because double on the second round would show a hand that wanted to bid 4NT naturally, ie a balance or semi balanced game force. Playing IMPS I can't think of hand that wants to bid 4NT natural.

I would open 2♣. I don't mind very strong 1 openings on 5431 shapes where we are playable in three strains and might need the space. Here it goes 2♣-2♦-3♦ say and I'm not too badly placed, if it continues 3♠-3NT that's OK I feel I have pretty much shown my hand. If I start with 1♦-1♠-2♥-2♠ this is awkward now.

1. 4NT can't be to play. 2. 4NT is not Blackwood, specifically it is not RKCB for spades, neither of you has actually bid the suit (although the 3H bidder often has 4S) let alone agreed the suit. 3. I fail to see where in the auction partner has made a slam try. If he is 40(54) as seems quite possible he has bid 3H to see whether there is a spade fit and then assuming there is not when we did not bid 4S over 4H, he has asked us to choose a minor suit game. I oblige with 5D.

My thoughts are I would have passed out the North hand in 4th seat unless I could open 1NT (weak). At IMPS I would let them be in 2S on the South hand to avoid a disaster unless I was very confident in partner's judgement. I agree the double should be this sort of hand but I don't think pass is forcing by North. If 2S is one off how bad can that be, and partner could have competed in a minor if he felt that was right over 2S, since he knew you had 7 + cards in the minors.

That's probably why it went so many off.

I would pass on both hands. The first one is obvious. The second one is very close but the fact I can't show clubs at the two level convinces me to pass. The real horror show on the second board would be a double game swing say 4H and 4S both making .

Yeah sure I can construct hands as well. Anyway you have to double on the East cards if you want to bid again. I meant double gets you to 6C sometimes when it's right not that the penalty will be enormous. I play double can be pulled by an exceptional hand. It shows high cards and most probably some likelihood of a trump trick. Maybe you play double differently.

it makes....double gets you there sometimes anyway it's a good save against their making game....the chance of their game making must be very low.... it pushes them higher....possible if LHO has been snorting the same drugs as RHO before the session. That's why I asked what the standard of oppoents was. The superficial evidence is that they aren't very good. If 2S is a normal weak two, 5S is undisciplined. Once you have decided your hand is a weak 2 that is that, unless partner invites you to make a decision. Of course it was impossible for RHO that he partner held AJxxx club. Out of interest were you going to bid 6C if RHO passed?

You know full well those arguments apply to the person making to the initial action. if the bidding is 1H P 2H P P 2S 3H ? do we bid 3S very often. No we credit partner for his two spade call if the bidding is 1H P 4H 4S 5H ? do we bid 5S very often. Answer No. If RHO hadn't bid 5S was anyone seriously considering 6C here?

Pass is obvious

I just don't believe that is your approach to competing after the opponents open with a pre-empt and it raised to game. You will strain to act with shortage in their suit. Bidding has several ways to win, it makes, it's a good save against their making game, it pushes them a level higher etc. Sure partner acted at the 5 level here, so he has slightly more playing strength than 4 level. We don't even know whether he has a spade void, which every suggested hand seems to assume! I like double because some of the time I will reach slam when it's making and it's very likely that 5S will go for a reasonable penalty when we are making slam. What do I know about the player on my right, is he an everyday random on a genuine expert who is likely to have an exceptional hand to bid 5S? To some extent this might affect my decision on the hand.

Double. A long way off a 6♣ call when partner may have stretched to bid 5♣. Double here shows high cards, I expect partner to pass 90% of the time, but he is allowed to bid with a very offensive hand.

I will cash one top club and then play a second round of spades assume LHO wins and plays (i) a Heart, I win in dummy and run spades pitching the club King from hand executing a triple squeeze against LHO which repeats because of the extended diamond menace against LHO. (ii) a Diamond gives the contract immediately (iii) a Club/Spade reduces to a simple red suit squeeze against LHO

I don't mind 1♥ or double followed by NT. it might depend on what day of the week it is.

Passing out 1♥ X would be sadistic, it is clear to run.

3♦ is obvious

No!

I will try 2NT. This gives us a chance of getting to both 4S and 3NT. I don't mind the initial limit raise, although we have 4333 shape and a Qxx I like the two aces and the AJT combination.

You hardly likely to make a speculative penalty double in this sequence with short trumps and a hand that wasn't strong enough to double 1♥! I would say that the standard treatment for this is penalty. I think you could play it as two way if you must, but like all 2 ways doubles you might end up defending the odd 12 card fit.