hatchett

p.p.s the really,really advanced & expert class players would take their 4♣ save over this

[hv=n=sa9haq73dq873ck32&s=s3h984dkj6caqt874]133|200|[/hv] 1♠ X 4♠ 5♣ all P. Simple hand but instructive for beginner's. K♠ led. You win the ace, and RHO has Jxx ♣ when you pull trumps. Plan the play.

Isn't 4♣ normally gerber?

[hv=d=w&v=e&n=st62h762dkt842ca4&s=sk74hakqjt8da7c73]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] 1♠ P P 3♥ P 4H all P I have been reading Bourke/Hoffman's 'Imagination and Technique in Bridge'. There are some good hands but the analysis is a little sloppy on occasions I thought. Here is an example. The assumption is West has the SA for his opening bid (5 card majors), reasonable enough. What is you line in the interesting case when west has 2 diamonds and trumps are 2-2? The lead is K♣

I don't follow your point are you suggesting you should never pre-empt with a side K? In any case opposite a passed partner who cares?

Partner has made a vulnerable overcall of 1S over 1H at IMPS missing the AKT of spades, for me, this makes this hand any easy limit raise to the 3 level and 3♥ would be my choice. I can write down loads of hands that would pass 2S where game is desirable eg Qxxxxx xxx Kx Ax etc. I might bid 2S here on Kxx xx Qxxxx xx, so this hand is just too good.

IMP match top class players. 1. Vul vs Not A63 2 AJ542 AKJ7 RHO deals and opens 1S 2. Vul vs Not AK73 J82 6 AKJ83 3H P P ? 3. NV vs Vul KJ J87653 K42 95 1C 1S 2C ? 4. Vul vs NV KJT73 AK4 A873 9 1C P 1S ? 5. NV vs Vul KJT8732 AK74 73 - 5C P 6C ?

I like to distinguish between voids and singletons and the first hand is a good example why. I think the opening bidder is probably worth a last train though, you know partner isn't going too crazy looking at AK in both majors and something like xxx QTxx AKxxx x opposite offers play and partner might have more. If double is take-out of clubs that's perfect. If double just means it's going off very tough between pass and 4♦. My club holding heightens suspicion that 3NT might have been semi-tactical on say AKxxxxx clubs and not much else. 5c I assume partner would have raised clubs in some way with long clubs and would bid hearts with hearts. Thus my guess is 5/6♦ with 3♣s.

I think pass is percentage, I have no idea what the right strain is so I'll take whatever plus is coming, okay I know it's -590! To pull I'd rather have another high card to increase my chances of making. I hate pulling to a three card suit when pass is a reasonable alternative. For me 5C over the double would show at least 5C, if I want to move on this shape then 4NT would be the call.

Very commendable if you are in 3NT but .......!

Sorry if you found it snide, but there is no point in ducking a club if LHO plays an honor on the second round, you are either losing a trick to a 3-2 split or LHO can painlessly continue another club if he started with JTxx. It's a GREEN 4H opening I don't think assuming RHO has 8 hearts is valid. I've already given my line I pointed this out in my original reply and think it's pretty compelling. Also beats it if partner has a trump trick such as QTx and the club ace.

As the post above

He'll be very upset when he covers and it wins and he started with JTx club. I don't think you can base your line on just one shape for RHO. I don't think it is very useful

I may as well discard a diamond and ruff the next heart. It's not really going to tell me anything useful in all likelihood though. I won't take the double club finesse unless I have a complete count, it too much of a position I'd rather make all the time when clubs are 3-2 or when RHO has a stiff honour.

I agree I think 2NT is the practical choice. On values we should probably be in game but our main suit is weak and the short minor suit honors could lead to communication problems.

I play a diamond to the Q. If it loses to the ace and a diamond comes back I duck. If LHO wins the second round of diamonds and plays a third round, I win in dummy (making if diamonds are 3/3) cross to hand on the club A and play the last spade squeezing LHO if he is 44 in the minors. If RHO wins the second diamond and plays a heart this squeezes his partner if he started 44 in the minors. If the diamond to the Q wins, I duck a diamond. If RHO wins this cheaply and plays a heart I ruff and take the double club finesse playing RHO for 2740 or 2731 if LHO follows or 2830 if LHO shows out on the third round of hearts. If LHO has ducked the diamond ace smoothly with a 3343 shape or similar I congratulate my opponents and move on to the next board. Alternatively after a diamond to the Q holds, I could play club A and pay off to just two shapes for RHO; 2731 or 2821 with a small singleton club. This may well be a better line against good opposition since with a small club singleton they may well have switched at trick two. Against weak opposition I play them not to duck the diamond A, of course!

You're joking? I don't know anyone that plays 1NT as forcing in this sequence. 2♥ shows a desire to play in 2♥ and partner will move precisely 0% of the time over it.

I would bid 4NT, meaning pick a minor without a spade control. If you play 4NT as blackwood I would bid 4♠.

I would redouble for sure, it would be very unlucky if they had a cheap safe haven.

3♣ seems perfectly descriptive here.

I would bid 3♦ not perfect,but I think 2♠ is just two much of an underbid and 3♠ for me would be balanced

Okay I give up, I can't think of anything but pass.

I don't think this logic follows at all, for a start partner may not be strong enough to bid! I'm not worried about being doubled in 3♦, it's converting +100 to -50 or being doubled in 3NT that worries me more.

4♠ looks pretty natural, to me if partner has 1 ♠ it rates to be the game of choice, assuming two diamonds losers 5♣ would need no losers in hearts and clubs. Even if partner has a ♠ void then 4♠ will have play.

I think both defenders do know a pitch is coming in this hand. The opening leader has led from the Q and seen it go J, A. Partner of the opening leader can be pretty sure the lead is not from KQ! The ♣K is probably not the correct card from declarer, the Q feels better would you duck from Ax if declarer's club suit might be QJxx? The defender with ♣A is not likely to play declarer for KJTx since he has a reasonable line for his contract by finessing the J. His other consideration is that is there a possibilty that declarer has gambled in the bidding maybe he has x AQJxx AKx KQJx. Why should he in any case play declarer for a normal 2♣ opener?