benlessard

I think partner will lead from KQx(x)♣ before leading from KJx(x)♦ despite the 1♣ opening. So my guess is that hes got only 1 club honnor therefore surely the ♥A and the ♦K. Plus partner with a defensive values hand ♣KQ♣ and no ♥A♥ will not X. So lets play for partner A♥. In fact im pretty certain hes got it.

4nt followed by 6♣ to offer choice of slam or 5nt pick a slam. nothing else come to my mind.

For me easy pass. Partner shouldnt X with a void

Meant between 6 and 7... because with 5nt your are already commited to slam. The point i was trying to make is that its probably more useful to have a tool that allow you to play in an secondary trumps then to have 1 extra tool for looking for 7.

It mostly a preemptive style question. Red vs white my 2 level preempt 2nd seat show at least 5.5 tricks. So passing doesnt even come to my mind. And i wont stop before game. If you preempt red vs white 2nd seat with xx KQxxxx Kxx xx what can i say ? its a free world. I strongly suggest for anybody to read Bergen unconsted auction section about weak 2`s and the Bergen-Cohen weak 2` agreement in the same book. And i also suggest to discuss with your partner each number of tricks-number of losers for each 1st 2nd 3rd seat depending of the vulnerability.

My intent wasnt to provide proof, just some example of what struck me the most in my last tournament. About 10 slam were bid at the 6 level with shaky or possibly shaky trumps and most of the time there was an alternative trumps suit.We didnt saw no good grandslam. We play a relay system and spiral scan so we tend to ask for aces KQ of trumps before 5nt. For us the frequency and the usefulness of the 5nt is way above my expectation. Here a hand where we lost bunch of imps. [hv=d=s&v=n&n=shqxxxxxdkxcakqxx&s=skxhxdaqjxxxxcjxx]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] 3♦ ---pass----3♥----(3♠) pass-----pass----????? Our opponenent were playing strong 2`s and disciplined preempt. The guy bid 6♦ at the other table 5♠X down 1. Another bad hand for us. [hv=d=s&v=n&n=shqxxxxxdkxcakqxx&s=skxhxdaqjxxxxcjxx]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] 1♣ (15+)--------1♥ (5card could have 0pts) 1♠ relay---------1nt (4 clubs) 2♥ (♥ pref 15-17)----3♣ GF with 5♣ 3♦ KEYC♥ ------------3♠ 0 or 3 3NT Q♥ ?----------------4♣ No 4♦ K♣ ?---------------4♥ No pass 6♥ making 7 at the other table. I think my partner should have told me hes got the Q♥ but its not so clear because it can easily lead to a bad slam. Another slam that come to mind is. [hv=d=s&v=n&n=shqxxxxxdkxcakqxx&s=skxhxdaqjxxxxcjxx]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] 1nt (12-14)-------------2♣ ! 2♦ ! -----------------3♣ ROMEX 3♠ (show 4♠)---4♥ 2 Keyc no Q♠ 6♠ making I think my slam try is reasonable and partner with a nice maximum had an easy 6 to bid. Note that change the hand sligthly and 6♦ could easily be the best spot. In my experience more imps are lost because of slam played in the wrong suit compared to slam played at the wrong level Edited (mean between 6 and 7)

We play 5nt as always pick-a-slam and the frequency of it is astounding. Here some tough boards to bid without it. [hv=d=s&n=sxxxhatxxxxxdcakx&s=saxxxxhkxdakjxxcx]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] 1♠--------------2♥ 2/1 GF 3♦ (xtra)-------3♠ 4♣--------------4♦ 4♥--------------5♣ 5♦--------------6♠ The 3♦ showed some extras They play serious 3nt so the 4♣ cue-bid denied having "extras+extras" probably 6♥ by north should be pick-a-slam but if it to play you're going to get a bad score in 6♠. The next hand was modified. But you can see that you want to play in the suit with the best spot. [hv=d=s&n=sxxxhatxxxxxdcakx&s=saxxxxhkxdakjxxcx]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] One thing is sure P-A-Slam is much much more useful then 5nt Josephine

some double dummy defence i see if West play Q from Qx. H ruff club to A spades Q,K duck. Q of diamond duck. J of D duck ruff by west. H ruff on dummy... Now you cant play trump because RHO will tap you with a heart... but you can play clubs and give up 3 trumps but you dont lose a diamonds . But if west play Q from Qxx !! in some line you are still safe. H ruff low clubs to A ♠ Q !! K duck !! ♦Q♦ duck J♦ duck ruff by west. H return ruff the hands at this point is [hv=n=sthdaxcqjtx&w=sxhqjxxxdcx&e=sahaxdkxcxx&s=sj98hdt9ckx]399|300|[/hv] Again you just playing clubs and you are safe no matter how the 2 remaining trump stand because you wont lose a ♦ just 3♠ another double dummy defense i see is ... if west throw Q for Qxx and east tries to give him 2 ruff. H ruff small ♣ to A low ♠ to Q K low ♦Q♦ K low low ♦ low ruff low club low ruff with the A♠ -----(or club ruff with a small♠) ♦ ruffed again ! This defence is pure double dummy. Best line seems to play K♠ from dummy at trick 2 Its highly unlikely west can play Q from Qx. and when the Q fall you just play ♦

Maybe i missed something but i don't see how you can go down on this deal ! You have to give up 2 trumps and a diamond thats all if trumps are 3-2 this is 100% cold if trump are 4-1 with aq offside you have to rely on the D finesse. and if the Q is stiff its cold. I just dont see the need to ruff a ♥ at trick 3.

X = ♣ This is obvious 3♥ also should showing ♣ or at least a vgood hand. my bid is 3♦ this could easily be our hand and i have everything i want --shape a 6cd suit, pts in my suit, no worthless values + shortness in opponent suit + parnter will know i dont have clubs support since I did not double the more i think about it i the more pass is a mistake. My agreement is that 4th hand bid when both opp showed value are NF. But even if 3♦ is forcing its still my bid

1- 2♦ i can live with 3♥ but 3♦ is sick. 2-2♥ its hard for them to X me. 3- 4♠ easy anything else is bad 4- 1♦ followed by 2♠ anything else is bad 5- Pass, but im not used to opening with balanced crap. So maybe 2♣ is better. Easy set of problems except for 5 an very rare situation in wich my chance of making 4 trick are not so good but partner rate to be 3532 so 2♣ isnt a improvement. PS i would like to see the 5th hand and the result.

The way i see it is that if we have a game contract we will reach it most of the time even if i pass.(and at least reach a partscore if its a "lucky game") If they have a game contract they will reach it even if i overcall. If we have a partscore at the 2 level we will reach it most of the time even if i pass. (unless 1♠ all pass) If they make 2♠ they will be there even if i overcall. The keyzone is 2♠ and higher Do i really want to be in 3♥ over 2♠ ? It will work when they make exactly 8 trick in spades (2♠) and we make 9 in hearts. or they bid 3♠ and go down while 3♥ was also going down or They sell out in 3♥ making and 3♠ was making. This is the 4 to 7 Imps zone. IMO This is where expert dominate the bidding. ( + also in slams) These are the partscore battler where beginner don't fight enough. Fighting there is good and i won't say that no expert will bid 2♥. Just that in this case the risk seems higher then the benefits. It what i called respect to the spades suit. meaning that even if whe have a fit we wont be able to capitalize on it expect (pushing them higher in a contract that still make or no really profitable sacrifice) and if we dont have a fit we are in a high risk zone. according to wikipedia :) an overcall is to To buy the contract---------------------------------------(they make 8 you make 9) To induce a good lead from his or her partner To 'lift' the opponents' contract to a higher level------ (that goes down !) To find an effective sacrifice---------------------------- To hinder the opponents in their bidding

For anybody who even think about overcalling 1♠ red vs white. with [hv=v=n&s=skjxxxhxxdaxxxcxx]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] Should stick to MPs, avoid playing for money, should read and re-read 'overcall' by Mike Lawrence and should buy his partner a copy of the book. Even [hv=v=n&s=skjxxxhxxdaxxxcxx]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] is not an 1♠ overcall in my book so if you overcall with a hand that is 2 Queen short of a hand i don't overcall with then one of us is wrong ... 1♠ isnt lead directing + you are likely to be on lead. 1♠ doesnt take any bidding space. You don't really want partner to bid 3 over 3 or 4 over 4. You are only helping the opps in the bidding and in the play of the cards by overcalling with these hands. Ive seen a lot of shitty overcalls, preempt and openings by goods players but red vs white it just too insane. The hand i gave are MINIMUM overcalls most of these hand are passable. If you go below these by a lot you play too much MP and are going to have a hard time in Imps. As for the 4h bids my experience tell me that they are in a 10 card fit 65%, an 11 card fit 20% and a 9 card fit 15% And if partner has ♥xx♥ he should have enough values that the RHO wont bid 4♥.

The most important tips i can give you is look at your system after an overcall by an opp. 1♣---1♠ Here the wide nt range will hurt you bad so does the hand with 5♥ 1♣---pass---1♦catch all---(any overcall) Here both the opener and responder could have good hands but we dont know the suits. Since the frequency of the 1♣ opening will be high and the 1♦ resonse to it also i see a lot of trouble water ahead. Complex and sharp system are often good on paper but many good ideas don't survive ennemies overcall.

[hv=v=n&s=saq8653hj7dktca63]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] My first thought are ive got AQ8xxx its very likely my pd has only 5s to KJTxx RHO jumped to 4♥ so they are in a 10 card fit or hes got 4♥ and a ♠void but partner is likely to have a ♥stiff. so imho Here are possible minimum IMPs red agressive overcall KJTxx 5 is safe x Axx Qxxx KJTxx 5 inst fun but can make make Q xx KQJx KJTxx 6 will make but partner wont bid it x AQJx xxx KJTxx 5 is safe x QJxx KJx KJTxxx 5 will go down A xxx Kxx KJTxx 6 will make X AQxxx xx KJTxx 5 is safe x Ax QJxxx The problem i see is that partner is unlikely to have a finesse over the opener. If partner doesnt have the ♦A♦ my ♦king♦ inst great. And if partner has the ♣QJ♣ instead of the ♣K♣ the king is probably offside. These hand show that slam is unlikely but going down in 5 also. Partner is more likely to have ♥void♥ then ♥xx♥ but he could have a stiff ♥K or Q♥ however. So my bid is 5♠ as long as my partner knows what an IMPs red overcall without ♠AQ♠ looks like.

1♣ 15+ 1♠ 5 spades unbal may have no pts 1nt relay (15-17 or GF) (slight overbid) 2♣ show 4♦ may have no pts 2♥ GF so opener show a `2♣` opening (slight overbid) 3♦ 5♠-5♦ no void 3♥ keyc in spades (3♠ as KeyC in ♦ is also reasonnable) 3♠ 1 3nt ♠Q♠ ? 4♠ yes +♦K♦ +♥K or stiff♥ no ♣K♣ so confirm 5152 shapes 4nt ♦Q♦ ? 5♣ no 5nt suggesting another trumps suit 6♣ ♣Qx Jx or Tx♣ denies ♠KQJT♠ pass

on the 1 level we play cue bid and higher are transfers I know something similar is in Marshall Miles advanced bidding for the 21st century. so 1♦--1♠--pass--??? 1nt = nat 2♣ = nat since they are before the cue-bid they are natural. 2♦ transfer to ♥ 2♥ single or GF raise 2♠ limit. this is by far the best setup imho. on the 2 level its a different story and the advantage are less conclusive. Not sure i understand what you mean by not putting pressure since all i want is to be able to raise more and to make the distinction between a weakish and a sound raise if that is not putting pressure please come sit at my table you will see :)

1♠--2♦--pass--2♠ (limit or better) pass--??? all new suits bid here could show real suit or fragment. This is very standard. Axx AKx AKxxxx x the correct bid is 3♥ x Ax AQJxxxx KQx my bid is 3♣ a 3 or even 2 level bid after a fit is discovered is more often a stopper or a fragment then a real suit but it could be a real suit. In our case we play raptor so the overcaller shouldnt have a 4 card major but even playing standard this change nothing. as for 2nt i admit that in MP 2nt might be a better contract then 3 in the minors since the stopper will be protected but in IMPs 3 in a suit or a 3nt gamble is better then playing 2nt so the natural 2nt isnt a big loss. I agree that a preemptive bid (like a transfer preempt) that allow the take out and the penalty X is a bad thing but a weakish raise isnt a garbage raise. xx jxxx xxx kjxx xxx x qxxxx qxxx xxx xxxx xxx KQx xx xx axxxx xxxx these hands are probably a pass playing standard ways despite the fact that partner could have a good 18pts for his 2♣ overcall. These hands facing a regular 2♣ overcall wont get doubled in IMPs. In your example the opener has to X in front of the overcaller i dont remember last time i got doubled in a situation like this. (the opener make a penalty X when his partner showed no values and hes in front of the overcaller) This is an illusion if the bidding goes. 1♠ --2♦--pass--pass ??? Here a 2♠ could be dangerous. But if the partner of the overcaller has a ♦ fit his side will never be able to punish 2♠. In my method the cue bid show a weakish raise or a limit + so these are hands were the bidding would have gone. 1♠--2♣--pass--pass 2♠----X-----pass---???? with a weakish raise here + your trumps are in front of the opener i cant see how you can pass the double 1♠--2♣--pass--pass 2♠--pass ---pass---???? with a weakish raise i dont see how you can X instead of bidding 3♣. so in 1♠--2♣--pass--2♠ (weakish raise) X the X inst safer because we were unable to X 2♠ anyway. so we lose nothing by allowing the double here. They could play lead directing but then the cuebid will preempt more. 1♠--2♣--pass--pass 2♠ now they might compete over 3♣ 1♠--2♣--pass--2♠ (weakish raise) X -----3♣ again they might compete in 3♠ 1♠--2♣--pass--2♠ (weakish raise) X (lead directing) here because the X only show nice spades but not 6 its harder for them to compete at 3♠. That is why imho the X should show a real 2♠ bid inviting partner to compete at 3♠ and not a lead directing X i agree that 1♠--2♥---pass---2♠ (weakish raise) serve no preemptive effect because the cuebid take no space. In standard here a raise show more strenght because you are more likely to get raised in 4♥ and if the opponent find a fit in a new suit they will play it at the 4 level. i agree 100% there and we wont probably play the gadget there. Thats the whole point of the gadget. i hate passing with 4 trumps and a little something on the side and when i bid partner often end up in a no-play 3nt. the north south hands were something like this [hv=d=w&v=n&n=skqjhkxxdqxcaqxxx&s=sxxxxhxxdjxxckjxx]133|200|Scoring: MP[/hv] defense manage to establish ♥ for down 3 in 3nt. We play raptor so my partner couldnt overcall 1nt and because i knew he didnt have 4♥ I was tempted to bid 3♣ to bury their ♥ fit. passing with some values and 4 trumps support isnt my style and im tired of reaching some very bad 3nt.

IMHO parity leads (en pair impair in France or 3rd and low) in suits contract and attitude leads in NT is the way to go especially against strong declarer.

1♠ is my bid except against strong opps. This classic psych simply work often enough and the risk is minimal. Against strong opps at imp ill bid 2♦ if partner raise or rebid ♥ i might sacrifice otherwise i prefer to tell partner what to lead. PS 2♦ could be quite weak it just show a decent suit

The cue-bid isnt anti-preemptive. 1♠ --2♣--pass--2♠. The X should show a full 2♠ bid. It may seem safer for them but in reality the risk is the same. If I pass and LHO bid 2♠ we wont be able to play 2♠ X (since we are fitted) IMHO he shoulnt X without a full 2♠ bid since hes inviting partner to raise. So that why the double doesnt bother me at all. 1♠ --2♣--pass -pass opener can reopen with a X, bid 2♦,2♥ these bid arent available if you cuebid. 1♠--2♦--pass --2♠ opener can X to show a 2♠ bid but cant bid 2♥ or make a balancing X 1♠--2♦ --pass--pass here opener can reopen with a X bid 2♥ or 2♠. responder will bid a stopper. Well the same can be said for 1♠--2♣--pass--2♠--??? 2nt should show a stopper 3club any minimum hands 3♦,3♥ a stopper. In my variant the overcaller with extras wait for responder to bid a stopper or to return to the suit. In standard he will make the first move by bidding a stopper himself. The only bid we lose is a natural 2nt by the overcaller. This again doesnt bother me at all. The real problems IMHO is when opener bid a new suit. (shouldnt be so frequent but ...) 1♥--2♦--pass--2♥ 3♣-- ??? now partner has no clue if im weak or limit + 1♠--2♣--pass--2♠ 3♠ -- ??? once again partner is in the dark.

Pass There is no wasted values so both 2♠ and 3♣ might make but the opponent are usually very quick to X in these auction because they know that magic +200 is a possibility They probably will get a bad score for -100 and that its a misfit auction and that the 2 clubs bidder didnt preempt. so hes probably only got a 6 cards suit. Ben

[hv=d=w&v=n&s=sxxxxhxxdjxxckj9x]133|100|[/hv] 1♥ by west 2♣ by north partner pass your bid ? if you bid 3♣ you might reach an unmakable game and if you pass opponent will compete much more easily. Me and my pard decided that 3♣ bids will be constructive and the cuebid will be a weakish raise or a limit +. Partner will rebid 3♣ with a minimum hands and will bid anything below 3♣ to show extra and cuebidder will return to 3♣ with the weakish hand and continue with the limit. Of course if the opponent keep bidding there will be some nasty guesswork to do. Good idea or we are heading for trouble ? I know the cuebid with a courtesy raise 4-6 pts doesnt have a big preemptive effect but raising is still better then passing. And the frequency of having a limit or better isnt that great compared to the lowly range (3-9 pts) so maybe to put the emphasis on the low range could be more important then the limit+

i dont see any problems ? 1♠ 2♥ 3♦ 3♥ 3nt now 4♥ looks superior and 4h is a very good contract. but 4♠ to play is reasonnable (unless this show a void or a cuebid + solid hearts)

[hv=d=w&v=b&n=sakxxhakxdxxcaxxx&s=sjxxhj9xxdqtxcxxx]133|200|Scoring: MP[/hv] 1♣ (15+) 1♦ waiting mostly 2♦ by west X by north showing 18+ and at least 2 diamonds. (with only 2♦ he should have more like a nice 19pts). in MP do you pass ? passing could lead to -180 instead of -200 or to + 200 instead of a partscore. but 2♦X making 3 is also a possibility.