SchTsch

No, why does a typical 4♣ bid look like that? A 4♣ bid could be lots of things - an eighth club, for instance. True. But 4♣ is a juicy preempt that excludes two things: - we won't play 3NT. If 3NT is possible contract 5♣ should be playable as an alternative. Therefore ♣ suit should not look like a swiss cheese if only 7 cards. - we encourage partner to sacrifice against their game. If they manage to get their last guess after 4♣ correctly we want partner to sacrifice with the appropriate card. Holding a side suit ace doesn't help partners decision and can lead to some phantom saves. The problem with 4/5♣ is that you take the board decision on yourself without much information, and you misinform your partner a bit. When partner is a passed hand 4♣ is much better than it is now. From my point of view, pass/4♣/5♣ are bids that decide the board early. And I don't like to make decisions without enough info. Whoever does will choose between these three bids. For me this hand is either 2♣ or 3♣ and I prefer 2♣ bid. Yes, with 7 points, why not? 3NT? I'll try to avoid it. Defensive tricks? Check. Offensive tricks? Check. And when partner once in a lifetime bids 2♦ on my 2♣ bid I will strike gold.

5♣ I would like to bid 5♠ for partner to bid slam with ♥ control but have a little problem with that. If partner has the ♥A it shouldn't matter whether we play in ♣ or ♠ or even NT. If partner has a singleton ♥ and only 4 spades clubs are better contract.

But typical 4♣ looks more like: x x xxxx KQJ10xxx Doesn't it? Is that close enough to your hand?

♠x ♥x ♦Axxx ♣Kxxxxxx IMPs, all NONVUL, RHO opens 1♥.

♠- ♥Qx ♦xxxx ♣AKQJ1098 IMPs, all VUL, RHO opens 1♥

I bid 5♥. I guess P will take it as a slam try for spades not some minor suit mumbojumbo. On 5♠ i bid 5NT. On 6♠ i bid 7♠.

4NT I'm not passing this one, and don't think it's up to me to guess what did my endplayed partner bid 3NT with. So I'll just bid my hand. I have a balanced invitational hand so 4NT it is.

Playing with my partner I double, as 1♦ promises 5♦ so we have a place to play. When I convert partners ♥ bid to spades he will know that I should have some ♦ fit. If playing sayc i'll pass and wait for the reopening.

DBL on 4♣ i overbid with 4♦, life is sometimes tough.

3♦

[hv=d=e&v=e&s=skq10xxhxxdqj10xxcx]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] RHO in the 1st position opens 4♥. Do you bid?

I don't have the time to read the whole topic now, but I have to comment this, so if you have already discussed the issue before please tell me on which page. As far as I know, bridge is the part of the Olympic Movement. Therefore, the relevant documents should be the Olympic Charter and the Olympic Code of Ethics. If you look at the Olympic Charter, in force since 2004, you can find several statements: Fundamental Principles of Olympism: .... 5. Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement. Furthermore in chapter 16 Members it is written: ..... 1.3 The IOC admits its new members at a ceremony during which they agree to fulfil their obligations by taking the following oath: “Granted the honour of becoming a member of the International Olympic Committee, and declaring myself aware of my responsibilities in such capacity, I undertake to serve the Olympic Movement to the very best of my ability; to respect and ensure the respect of all the provisions of the Olympic Charter and the decisions of the International Olympic Committee, which I consider as not subject to appeal on my part; to comply with the Code of Ethics; to keep myself free from any political or commercial influence and from any racial or religious consideration; to fight against all other forms of discrimination; and to promote in all circumstances the interests of the International Olympic Committee and those of the Olympic Movement.” So, there is a Code of Ethics that has been violated by this act.

That means that I don't see the point in analysis focused on partner's 3 card support, because the odds are too low.

And the odds of partner having 3 spades when we have AKQ seventh are probably enormous. Yeah, right.

For me this is a clear 4♠ opening as almost any 74 shape with some meat in the main suit is, and partner has an easy pass.

I guess we should discard ♦ void :D

4♥and then pass. On a good day i might try some weird stuff but then I won't open 4♥. Probably 3♣, 1NT or stuff like that. If allowed of course. :P

I know he didn't. But if he did, that would be negative?

4♠ Maybe I should defend against 4♣ but i was preempted. Partners double of 4♣ is negative?

I would bid 4♦ and play 4♥ if I`m allowed. It's not a shame to miss a good slam.

Methods are poor but are the only methods you got. It is your occasional partner who tends to forget a lot of stuff you agree to play so you tend to keep it simple. :) On this board partner had: Jxxx 109x xxxx Q10

It doesn't. 4♥ promises 3+ hearts and a rubbish hand, while 3♥ promises some values.

Well, you can get back to hand with a club also putting the 8 if East doesn't play a higher card.

pard has rubbish. he cannot have anything that looks even similar to a good hand.

sure, but then it is his problem :)