hatchett

You can discard a ♣ when the ♦ is ruffed, this is better I think, if East started with three ♠s . I'm not sure why it's not credible a line you need to set up two additional tricks in either ♠s or ♦s and running the ♦J is not an unreasonable way to start the suit.

I play your first line, when east ruffs the ♦, he can't play a ♠ without setting up a trick, so win the ♣ in hand, ruff a ♠ and concede a ♦ to west who has no more ♠.

No. How are you planning to stop declarer building a second ♦ trick?

Oh yes didn't notice the strong ♦ pips in dummy, but now you can make 10 tricks on both a ♥ and a ♣ lead. If you get a trump lead, simply run the ♦ J

Oh yes didn't notice the strong ♦ pips in dummy, but now you can make 10 tricks on both a ♥ and a ♣ lead. If you get a trump lead, simply run the ♦ J

Oh yes didn't notice the strong ♦ pips in dummy, but now you can make 10 tricks on both a ♥ and a ♣ lead. If you get a trump lead, simply run the ♦ J

Seems to me that both a ♣ lead and a ♥ lead mean one off if that was the layout.

Probably should only be allowed by Group 2 players.

Most people play X by the opener as take-out here. Support doubles are played by the opening side not the intervening side, so what you have written is a little odd. When partner has overcalled with what is normally a 5 card suit you just raise with 3 card support. The modern style would be to play the X of the 1NT bid as take-out, a 4225 shape would be perfect.

The standard meaning of 2♥ in both Acol and Standard American is that it is natural and game forcing. I think some people on this forum maybe play 2NT over a jump shift as a bad hand that wants to stop short of game but that is non standard. The upper range of the bid is up to a 2♣ opener. The expectation is that it will have 5+♣ and 4♥, the exception being a 4414 hand or possibly some super strong 2245 hand that is 'fixed' by the 1♦ response or a hand with long clubs that has to invent a forcing bid. 3♣ by responder shows 3 or more ♣.

If by near laydown you mean 65%, I agree. I agree KJ in partner's suit is a good holding , but Axxxx is very bad in your main suit, and AJ doubleton in the 'fourth suit' is not very good either and you overall high card strength is at the weakest end of a GF

Do you mean 3♥ asking for a stopper in all the suits apart from ♠? Back in the real world I can't imagine wanting to ask if partner has a heart stopper with this hand.

I would also lead a ♥ at any form of scoring, the other suits are all terrible holdings to lead from.

This a pretty terrible GF with almost half its points in the short suits, which would have hopefully done less bidding than in the OP.

1♠ 2♣ 2♥ 2♠ 3♣ 3♦ 3NT 4NT 6NT 2♠ guarantees 3 card support Close between 3♣ and 2NT but like to show my feature in partner's suit after he show 3 card support. 3NT suggestive 4NT natural invitational

But nearly always the action chosen will have led to some disaster otherwise the hand more than likely wouldn't be posted.

West should bid 4♣ over 2♥ to show huge ♣ support and slam interest. He knows his partner having game forced will be worried about trumps so make it easy for him.

Most of the time ♦s play for four tricks I don't have to guess spades. Only when RHO switched to a ♠ when he wins the ♦K and he has the ♣A do I have a spade "guess" and even then I have to guesswrong twice.

Pass. No real reason to direct partner to lead a ♥ rather than a ♠.

Pass. Doesn't really need a comment does it.

I agree with much of what dcrr2 posted; it is not hard to see why the number of people playing bridge is decreasing if they encounter people like east very often. With his knowledge of the rules I suspect east is an experienced player and it is a pity in a club environment that he cannot employ some commonsense by not calling the director. Some may disagree with my approach, but if I called the director on a club evening every time the opponents used UI to some degree I suspect I would be persona non grata very quickly, so I tend to let many situations go.

So the ♥A is a mirage?

Not only that both hands are consistent with the explanation. If a slam-try has a specific meaning, for example bid slam with a control in the opponents suit, it seems highly obscure to make this bid slowly when you already have the control and then for partner to wire out you already have the control and are looking for something else.

The alternative is ♣ to the 8 forcing a entry in ♣s, and take a ♥ finesse. If successful we have to view whether to try and cross to table with a ♣ ruff to take a second heart finesse. if we take a ♣ruff we make with ♣ 3-3 and the ♥ finesse right (♥not 4-0) ♣ 4-2 and the doubleton hand holding ♥ xx,or T or the hand with three ♥ holding 4♣s. Y66's line is C finesse (50%) combines with 65% chance in ♥ which is 32.5% line the above line is ♣ 3-3 36% plus 45% chance in ♥ 16% 4 clubs on our right with 3 ♥ to K on our right 5% any 4-2 clubs with ♥ K stiff on our right (1/8 of 48%) 6% 4 clubs on our right with KT hearts onside. 1.5% so yes I agree y66's line looks better

The above doesn't seem to work over 2♠, and will only work over 2♥ if partner responds 2♠.