benlessard

IMO one of many thing in that book that i dont like is they dont make the distinction of FJS that allow space for the opponents and FJS that dont. 1S-----X-----4H(FJS) 1S-----2D----4H (FJS) 1S-----X------4C (FJS) 1S-----2D----4C (FJS) are not the same thing at all. In the first example 4H to help you know what to do over 5m is honorable. But in the 2nd it doesnt make any sense. 1- It LHO to make a kind of responsive double. 2- It allow lho to bid 4 red to suggest a sacrifice over 4S. (they are W) 3- It allow lho to make a lead directing bid ( they are red) 4- It allow lho to bid 4H followed by 5D. 5- it allow lho to bid 5red and make a cue bid at 5C. The notion of helping partner make the last decision is pointless if it help opps make the last decision more often then it help your side.

I dont understand the logic of this. By a passed hand i understand that the FJS can be weakish and not GF (to find thin game) But by and unpassed hand a FJS should show some slam potential. I mean the whole point of FJS by an unpassed hand is to find thin slam on double fit how can you be willing to lets them play a undoubled cheap save when initially slam was in the picture. IMO bidding FJS just to help partner compete or not at the 5 level is clearly unsound, it will help opps to spot double fit as much as its going to help partner + it allow opps an extra level of bidding. 1H----2D-----3S (FJS) Bidding 3S here with little defensives values and a lot of distribution is IMO atrocious. The correct bid with shapely hand with good offensive potential is a plain 4H, you will missed some perfecto slam that you would have bid if you've had bid 3S, but its nothing compare to the imps youre going to lose because youve allowed LHO to bid 4C or 4D so that will find a cheap save or the good lead.

My mistake my post wasnt clear. What i meant was that the bidding sequence ive showned are problems for FSF (not for FSI) but that is because people dont discussed how to setup trump after opener made the 3rd bid. In theory on those hands FSF should be better placed because opener had the chance to make 3 meaningful bid and responder 1 wheiter in FSI both have made 2 significant bid. If we compare sequence that take the same amount of space. 1D-----1S 2C-----2H (Gf) 3C ====== opener made 3 significant bid/ responder 1 to 1D-----1S 2C-----3C (Gf)======opener made 2 significant bids/ responder made 2 or 1D-----1S 2C-----2H (GF) 3D======= opener made 3 significant bid/ responder 1 to 1D-----1S 2C-----3D (Gf) ====opener made 2 significant bids/ responder made 2 its clear the bidding is more natural and simpler when there was a GF raise. But with a proper followed up (relays etc) i think regular FSF should in theory yield better results. Once opener already showed a big part of its hand its better that responder ask for further information (relay style) ) instead of sending information (natural bidding style). The best example of this is. 1D----1S 2C----2H (Gf) 3S (showing exactly 3154 extra strenght) here relay bidder will be happy, exact shape and pinpoint strenght is known. But for natural bidders its a nightmare, trump isnt set and its not clear if 4C,4D are natural or cuebids, its going to be murky even for experienced partnership. Im a firm believer into FSI because i hate playing at the 3 level for no reason. 1D----1H 1S----2C (FSI) here instead of having plenty of way to show GF hands i prefer to be able to invite and be able to finish in 2D or in 2M. Another side benefit is when youre invitation is in unclear denomination. 1H----1S 2C---- many time here you are going to have invitationnal hand with unclear direction. JTxxxx Kx Axx Kx FSI and pass or correct responses do wonders on hand like these. Note that opener can be dead minimum and up to 17 so INV hands are going to be slightly more frequent than GF hands.

After a double i XX to suggest H lenght. Parter can be 02(65) or 1255

2S show a minimum with 2 trumps so 3S has to be forcing but my bid is 3D.

WTP 3S & pass. Selling out at 3H is awful. They are heavy favorite to make it and i have a fair shot at 3S. 3S -1 should be a very popular score on that deal. After 4H its an easy pass. I have a fair shot at getting a plus score. If they make it then they probably would have been in 4H regardless if I bid 3S or not so there is no need to double.

Pass here i guess its closer than i think. At MP ill probably open but at imps the proplem is that when they play in 2S im losing 3 or 4 when they make but win 1 when they go down 1. 1:3 are bad odds. In general a spade is worth more then 1 point. Im 1hcp over but 1.33 spades under average. But i have 98 of H but no Ts

After the 3 level its better to rely on your judgement then to rely on the LOTT whatever your level of play.

1- Partner cannot have 3S because he would have XX. 2- partner got 4S and distribution but not extreme. Otherwise he would raise before the opponent compete. Opps are white its not the time to lets them find a 19 card double fit. 3- 4S has to show that slam was a possibility at one point. With no slam interest he wouldnt mess around the bushes and just bid 2Nt,3S or 4S rightaway. 4- he probably has a stiff or a void but didnt want to make a splinter because hes got a stiff honnor or a void and didnt want to tell the opps what to lead. 5- partner want maximum information probably because hes got a red holding like Kx or Qxx in a red suit. 6- After 3nt he signoffed because hes got a D honnor that doesnt fit with partner H honnor. KQxx A KQx KJTxx or KQxx -- KQx KJxxxx There is at least 50% speculation in what ive just said ;)

Agree 100% I add that... even playing ELC its not a double. 2D by east shouldnt be forcing so pass is dubious.

What maybe beginners dont understand is that 2C (& 3C after 2H GF) doesnt show a minimum hand. AJx AKx x AJxxxx 1C-----1D ??? you may not agree with 2C here but its the "standard bid". Your clubs are not good enough for 3C. Some will bid 2Nt but partner going to expect that you are balanced and that you have at most 5 clubs. It might be tough afterward to play 6C instead of 3Nt/6D. Of course 2C isnt perfect, if partner got 3 clubs hes going to raise even with little values. If hes got 1 clubs and cannot bid 2D/2Nt then game is unlikely anyway. With 9 pts and 2 clubs he will raise you a fair amount of time. The problems hands are if hes got 7-8pts and a 2 card support (in that case game might be good or it might be bad) After 2H Gf, 3C doesnt show or denies extras. So 5C is premature. Even in a very strong field the majority will be in 6 and not in 7. Tough hand

The reason why we prefer that the K ask for unblock/count instead of the ace its because its hard to lead an ace when you have KQT9x.

I kinda of lean toward the opposite. Some problems hand are if you play a very basic responses over the FSF. 1D-----1H 2C-----2S 3H-----??? 1H-----1S 2D-----3C 3S-----??? here you had a big H fit. But know you are a bit screwed. etc... Here youll have a hard time setting trumps. Is 4m a cue or setting trumps. These problems are mostly because these auction are undisscussed.

Pull. 5H might make we are in IMPs.

I also play A&Q for attitude jsut that Sambolino say that he play Wich seems unplayable.

What i suggest is to check between FSF (Gf) and FSI where the 4th suit is multi inv. Lets look at sequence where the 4th suit is low in the bidding chain. 1H---1S----2C---??? (2D) 1D---1H----1S----??? (2C) 1C----1H----1S----??? (2D) 1D----1S----2C----??? (2H) Lets take the first hand as an example since 2D is in the middle. If we compare where 2H is Gf and where 2H is multi inv(all invitationnal hand and only invitationnal hands with pass or correct responses). Legend is + tiny advantage to multi inv. -- very small advantage to FSFi +++ small advantage to multi ---- advantage to FSF etc... 1- Be able to signoff in 2H and in 2S. 1H---1S 2C---2H/2S signoff In both methods these are signoff. However playing multi inv some hand you ll invite knowing youll stop at 2M while in you play 4th suit forcing with some borderline inv hand you will bid a heavy 2M because you are afraid to go down in 3M and some games might be missed. score ++ to multi inv 2- I would like to GF and show my hands by setting trumps. 1H---1S 2C---2D (GF) 2H (waiting or im stuck bid)------2S,2Nt,3C,3D,3H,3S VS 1H---1S 2C---2Nt, 3C,3D,3H,3S (all GF) In regular FSF some of the opener hands are ruled out but for the rest its the same. Its great to be able to show a 6th spades at the 2level. score ---- 1H---1S 2C---2D 2S(showing 6H)---2Nt,3C,3D,3H,3S vs 1H---1S 2C---2Nt, 3C,3D,3H,3S (all GF) Score --- 1H---1S 2C---2D 2Nt-(at least half a stop)---3C,3D,3H,3S, vs 1H---1S 2C---2Nt, 3C,3D,3H,3S (all GF) In regular FSF we know that the opener hands has at least half a stop. score - 1H---1S 2C---2D 3m vs 1H---1S 2C---2Nt, 3C,3D,3H,3S (all GF) In FSF we know more about opener (he made 3 bids) but responder is lacking a bit of space (he only made 1 bids) and trump is still not set. If responder bid 3H for example we dont know if its a real fit or just a preference. Score ++ (a + for 3C and a+ for 3D) 1H---1S 2C---2D 3M (both 3M bid should show a S fit and a non-minimum hand) vs 1H----1S 2C----2Nt, 3C,3D,3H,3S (all GF) Here continuation after 3M are not easy because we dont know if 4C or 4H is natural or a cue but still we have a perfect picture (3514) of opener because he manage to make what should be a very precise 3rd bid. score - So far the score is -5 The rest will be I would like to GF and hear for partner further description. I would like to inv in M or in clubs and stop as low as possible if partner is minimum. I would like to rightside the contract as much as possible. I would like to INV at 2Nt.

Because you often play 1 level lower. Play 2M instead of 3M

How can you ask for attitude with KQ?? Also with KQxx you are stuck to lead the K wich is problematic. Partner might even overtake your K with Ax ouch.

I meant that after the expected score we can put a X imps penalty. In the 10 pages of post nobody expressed their position on what IMO is the most important part of the problem. Is the definiton of a team = country representative, a team clearly represent a country so that we are sanctionning the team and the country as a whole. Or a team = a group of players originating for a country that are selected by a process. For example country K is at war and responsible for crimes vs humanity. country all over the world and ONU setup embargo and economics sanctions vs country K.despite knowing that the biggest impact will be the suffering of the population of K and not really toward the leaders. But the sanction is officially imposed on the country of K and their leading class as an entity. But would they allow the players from K to participate at the olympics ?

I like to play that 2H (multi inv) is at least inv but doesnt guarantee 4H. Had 2H been natural 3H would have been a splinter but here its 5-5 3H show 5-5 Gf and its my bid. After 3H 3S = im stuck 3Nt i have a club stop. 4C = slammish with a club control. 4D = slammish without a club control. 4M and 5D to play.

Clear FP situation for me. With no defense partner should just bid 4H and forget about bidding 3S. Extra length and strenght make pass easy on this hand.

Pass for me. 60% of the time i make a doubled contract its because the opener make no trick despite his opening.

Agree 100%. 1D-----1S 2D-----3C 3H 3H here for me show half a stopper.

I think 2S should be used as a catch-all bid. and that 2Nt show a positionnal stopper or half a stopper or 1.5 stoppers. Bidding 2Nt without a stopper or with Axx is plain bad IMO. Rightsiding 3Nt is very important when the weakest suit is exposed.

Passing 1S is dangerous but bidding 2Nt also. Im passing here. Ive assumed that without game aspiration and 3D+4H partner would raise me to 2D instead of making a neg double.