benlessard

Classic case for a preemptive strong Nt.

7C in both case. In case 1 i prefer 7C to 7Nt just in case partner got 10 or 11 clubs to the KQJ.

I play that my X are semi penalty so these hand are perfect for us. But playing standard i would still X. If partner bid 4S he might have 5 or 6. If he bid 3S ill try 3Nt hoping he understand that i have only half a stopper (+ both minors or a long minor.)

1H---(P)----1S-----(2D) ??? xx AKQxxx ----- Axxxx Forcing to game isnt weird. A NF 3C is not an alternative for me.

4S for me too.. i dont think ill be able to reach 6H. 1D----1H 3D----3S 3Nt---4S 5D ( no extra, no fit)----pass If im feeling optimist. 1D----1H 3D----3S 3Nt----4S 5C (extras)---5Nt PAS 6C (my D arent solid)-----6H pass

I like to play a leaping michael type of bids over a positive response of 2M. Splinter with support for partner positive responses never happen. Strong 2 suiter with misfit in partner suit is super common & It will be quite impossible to show that you are 6-5 after the positive responses. 2C----2S (pos) 4D(D+H)--4H my hand is crap 5C (monster)-----6H (i have 3 trumps and a stiff diamond)

If West is a good player then he is fishing for information...if so 5H or a direct 6S make sense.

FN opening of 1M can be shade if they are 5-4 in the majors. At least in the earlier version.

Agree with a great limited hand in a strong club system you have to make the most foward going bid. Otherwise partner going to pass in a safe plus.

Easy X. I don't think game will be that good but we are in Imps.

Easy pass for me.

Not for me and the reason is simple. If we compare the 2 possible way to show 44 GF in the red. 1C----1H 1Nt---2D & 1C---1D 1Nt--2H Option 1 is one step lower but GF isnt established and there are plenty of invitationnal hands that will follow this road, partner will often respond 2H or jump to 3H/3Nt to show a maximum hand giving me little room to reach the best game. Option 2 with GF already established is slightly more economical in the long road. Partner can bid 2Nt/3D knowing we wont pass. The difference is minimal and its sure that both ways are both playable. So discussion is important.

3S wtp for me. 3D doesnt denies a S stopper of half a stopper.

The best post ive read today.

Bidding 5H dont suggest slam at all. It suggest that 5H might make or be a cheap save. I think the correct bid is pass but bidding 6H is probably a fair gamble. Decent opponents will often smell the void and lead spades so we might easily lose 2-3 spades right from the start We are playing the hand so partner K♠ isnt protected

5D diamond is a better contract only when 4S fail & 5D makes. When both fail or both make its irrelevant. Im making a slam try to try to reach 6S so i honestly think i wont go down in 4S. + only the case when 4S goes down but 5D make are counting so under 2% look like a conservative estimate. As for the 80% of having 5S or more my experience tell me that all four players are showing values & i have load of extras = distribution all over the place. I dont care about showing a 7 card suit all i want is to reach the best contract. Trust me ill reach 6D when ♠Txxx or worse (maybe even Qxxx) and ♦Qxx or better. Suggesting another trump suit need a decent 5 bagger or a 6 bagger.

The chance that 5D is better contract then 4S is marginal (my guess under 2%) partner rate to have 5 of them 80%+ and the 4-3 fit should play well anyway. I dont really see how you can expect to reach slam after a 4D bid. If partner rebid 4S im pretty sure you cannot make a further move. If he bid 4H the ♥K is wasted and im not sure he will like having a badly placed ♥K. If you think the hand has little slam potential then 4D to reach the best game make sense. But for slam 4D will not work. 4H for me is still keeping a very very slim chance of getting to 6D instead of 6S. The way i play my 5Nt pick a slam ill be able to get to 6D instead of 6S if partner got ♠Txxx and ♦Qxx.

4D is lame. Do you expect partner to cuebid 4H ? or to bypass 4S with xx in H? 4H is a much better bid then 4D not close at all.

Disagree with 3S, for me 3S is looking for a club stopper. 4C showing shortness is a better bid. Anyway its sure im not passing 4H.

NF foward going with D tolerance. I like to play that a negative X at the 3 level is showing some real stuff. So passing and bidding 3S to show a weaker hand make sense. With a trap pass ill bid 3Nt.

Leading spades from Jxxx is a bit unattractive. I guess LHO is stuck with the Q of D and the J of clubs. You can afford to cash 2 clubs before taking the D finesse because even if LHO is 4234 you can squeeze him on the 3rd H.

There are 9 type of hands where you want to bid. Long clubs long clubs + H long clubs+ D long clubs + tol for both red. These 4 categories can be in the weakish form with distribution or in the strongish form with extras defensive values. The is also a 9th type of hands a strongish balanced hand with 5 clubs 3235/3325 with no S stopper. There is 2 major style depending if a X would show extras values. I believe that keeping the option for partner to pass 2Sx is essential if partner as long spades and limited values. So for me the X should clearly show some extras defensives values & that doubling with a weak distributionnal hand is out of the question. So for that style. X show extra defensive values (without perfect shapes) . partner can pass the X and he should use 2nt as a scramble as much as possible. X and correcting show unperfect shapes. But with extras values 2Nt as to be reserved for distributionnal 2 suiters with no extra defensive values. 2Nt and correcting show C+H 3C can be weakish or strongish. 3D & 3H are very rare bids. If you allow the X to be weakish then X show perfect shapes or hearts or a very strong hand. Partner can only pass with a real trap and can use 2Nt as a lebensohl to show some values. 2Nt can be used to show a specific suit (because X and correcting to 3H doesnt show extras) 3C can be weakish or strongish 3D & 3H are rare bids. Reversing 2Nt to show heart and X guarrantee diamond is a possibility.

I dont have enough defense for X 2S im too afraid partner passes. 2Nt to show a 6-4 is perfect for this hand partner will probably bid 3D and ill correct to 3H. I cant see any problem with this hand.

with ♥10xx and ♠Qxxx there is no way to put down the contract anyway, plus leading small is better.

In MP its a clear X for me, in Imps its closer but still a X.