benlessard

Over a double 2D show like 4-9 pts a 6 card suit, is NF and tend to be stiff H right ? If so its likely partner got a big balanced hand with no H stop wich make it unlikely they reach 4H or that declarer has a 7 card suit. IMO east hand is almost too strong for a 2D.

If you want to give up the natural 3D might as well play Fishbein (X is penalty cheapest new suit is takeout) or even better FiLo( X is penalty-ish, cheaper minor is takeout). (3C)---??? X = almost penalty 3D takeout (forcing but not GF) 3M natural 3NT diamonds with a C stopper, ------------------------ IMO Filo work well over 3C,3H,3S,4C but not over 3D over 3D, using 4C as takeout (NF or GF) is annoying. The other solution is giving up a natural 3H (to use as cheapest suit takeout) wich is IMO too costly. IMO this is much much better than transfers scheme

The stronger the field the more they will let you roll with it, not finishing late every round will also help and giving clear explanations is always a must. But Nat or GF, Weak or GF, is not the same as a pure GF relay and if a knowledgable opps call the director, he might easily rule against you and you will have no recourse available. In practice it depend on where you play and it might easily be ok, but im not as confident as AWM.

Interesting thread, Im wondering if Justin was planning to bid 3S if opps compete further, my guess is no, in wich case its still interesting to know why he prefer 3C (partner leading a S & blowing a trick is simply too likely ?) I didnt even thought about this, im really used to play that 2H show a very good 2S bid while 2S can be competitive (or the other way around). Idem for 2NT (good 3C bid), I guess it make sense to use 2H as a responsive has those 4M+5m or 4M+6m are going to be frequent in similar spots. But at the same time using 2H as a very good 2S bid is also useful.

1- IMO 3D is only describing shape and doesnt show a lot of extras. 3NT, I have extras but KQJ facing a stiff and stiff clubs are big negative. 3H should show better H. I dont think im strong enough for 3S. 2- Imo the only reason partner lead a S is he has 3S and was hoping to give us a ruff or he has 7H and was afraid to play sluff and ruff at trick 1. But anyway anything else than the H ace is too dangerous for me. 3- 2S, im not strong enough to bid 3C followed by 3S. 2S might easily blow a trick with partner on lead but passing is IMO too chicken. Im not fond of bidding 3C (without planning to bid 3S), because i feel that hands where 2S will make and 3C will go down outweight the lead factor. (for me the X here is not 100% responsive)

The problem with 1H nat or GF is that many directors will consider it a relay. So its superchart not midchart. Other than that it make no sense to use 1Nt relay instead of 1H relay.

Match-Point Bridge (1976) by Hugh Kelsey has some similar hands, but its still tough to spot them IRL.

South should have bid 4H as ambigous slam try. 4H cannot guarranted a S fit here. In fact its not really important to show/deny a fit since, responder has exactly 4 spades, so he can bid 4S with any minimum no matter what his shape is, and with exras he has a lot of ways to suggest a slam. He know opener will pass 4S with 4 & correct without 4 so there is no problem with a 4S response to an unclear 4H here. As long as both are on the same wavelenght that a further 4Nt/5Nt by anybody will suggest a strain and that you dont cuebid in a suit that could be trumps. Example 4H--4S (minimum, still only 4S because of the neg X) ??? pass = i was slammish in S 4Nt (6D+4C)--- pick the best game. 5C (5D+5C but was too strong for a direct 5C) 5D (I have only D but was too strong for a direct 5D) 4H--4Nt (not minimum, not good enough to force to slam, = want to know what slam are you suggesting before i raise to 6 or not, usually a nice hand for spades but medium for minors) 4H--5C (not minimum, good clubs. poor D tolerance if opener correct to 5D i will pass) 4H--5Nt (pick a slam, willing for 6C/6D/6S) 4H--6C (good clubs,should have some D tolerance.) I give south 30% of the blame. IMO North could X with a very crappy hand since its for showing Spades over 1H NV, so i consider North extras to be just too huge to pass. That for me is the remaining 70%. This is a very important hand to discuss with your partner. For me the main idea here is that when the trump suit is unclear, forget about cuebidding and ace asking and use 4Nt as pick a game. Its also important to make sure your partner realize how great north hand look like vs all the possible crappy hands that he could have for is initial negative X. I simply dont understand how people can give no blame here.

Playing standard style where the X is mostly takeout I would pass, but i think the double is probably a fair gamble. Since partner is still going to pass very often and the X will look nice on the traveller. These are the hands that make me like penalty-ish doubles.

You have to tell us what will 1D-1H/1H-1S (accepting the transfer) mean ? Why mix transfers openings with strong club ? When you open 1D/1H you show a suit and keep the auction open so you will be able to show strength easily. Limited opening are wasting bidding space that can easily be filled with strong hands. All this for being able to bid 1H-4H with values or to let responder psych a response ?

If opener bid 3C with a maximum and 2nt with a minimum = 2S Range check If opener bid 3C/2Nt depending on wich minor he like best = MSS minor suit stayman. Forget about the 2S force to 3C its a poor method.

The 3 easiest bridge questions ive ever seen. Kindergarden bridge questions. I really don't understand what point your trying to make.

Kantar stories with his students are great, The name of the book is Classic Kantar. Kantar make a cuebid and the LOL bid 3nt. Opps before leading ask what was the agreement about the cuebid, she replied "he's either asking me something or showing me something, I don't know and I don't care."

The expert defense to anti cuebid is a lead directing X show the suit under or the one that a control is implied. 3D-(P)--4S(RKC in D asking for S control) ---?? X for a spade lead is exactly what the opponents want. the X should be used for AQ of H. If you want to improve on slam bidding learn Spiral Scan. I completly lost faith in cuebidding for slam.

WTP 5H

Just by curiosity what is the reason of playing 2S as 100% GF ? Its nice to be able to bid 2S with just reverse strenght no ? On this hand it's great that 2nt is forcing, 2nt is catchall here so 3C strongly suggest that 5C/6C is possibly better than 3Nt and from my hand it look like 6C might be a good spot. I prefer to bid 4C (4153) rather than 4H(void IMO). 3H Advanced cuebid or half a stopper is a great alternative (Normally 3H followed by 4C pull would describe the hand very nicely) but here over 3S 4C will more suggest COG than slam).

There is nothing worse than a lead problem in a hand you already lost in the bidding. I would lead a trump without conviction

This is really missing the big picture of relay bidding. If opener say that hes got 5S- and youve got the option of Responder show 4H or opener show 5S/4H ? Wich one would you pick ? The point of a bridge bidding system is not to give information it's to give information that help you make a decision. If opener showned Axxxx,Kxxx,Ax,Ax the fact that responder manage to show anything is a nuisance not a plus. Natural bidding = both showing something in the hope that one of the player will be able to make a decision, so in that case maximizing the information on both side make sense. Relay bidding = getting as much as information possible from one side so the other side can make a decison. A compromise is often the best solution because some information are worth more than other. so responder job is not only picking the contract after getting the information but it's also finding ways to get useful information rather than getting the most information, so for that being possible he often need to transmit information of it's own.

IMO 4S should suggest a pretty good 5134/5125 even if you do play NLM. Doubling rather than an unilateral 3S/4C(NLM) allow you to play 3NT/3Dx. With 6 spades its always 3s or 4S for me.

If you can make a direct overcall of 2D with 7-8 pts i agree. But for most players 1H/2D is a sound overcall so passing and bidding 2D should show 7-10 pts without a S fit IMO. Also for many a fit showing show a 5 card length side suit so that with Ax they have hope for making 5 tricks not 3.

Its obvious that if you overcall 2D here you shouldnt play FP, in fact in the long run its going to be better for you if you dont know what FP is. East obviously knew the north south customers. I like to play a style with 2/1 overcall as light as a weak 2 (but with 1nt as a strong unbalanced overcall)

WTP pass, not passing here is so wrong. 4S should not only sugget minimum it should suggest wasted values.

2H WTP 2H is a overbid normally but since opener rebid im going to bid 2S with a lot of weaker hands here, so i need to split my range. If opener had passed i think 2S is enough. I dont believe in doubling and bid with a normal 15 in balancing seat.

because 1H can be weak it wont be consider a relay ? As for balanced hands I didnt meant really all of them but most of the them. It seems that if your having a 1C that is forcing (or nearly forcing) you might as well put some big stuff in there and the only big stuff that you can always control the auction are big balanced hands not being able to pass 1C is insignificant. Im not saying it could work I was just asking if you or someone you know tried toying around it. For the last 15 years I believe that the strong hands and weak hands can go together and its the inv/intermediate hand that are annoying and require some "swindling" however I still dont know wich one we should show first ? Neg and GF in a direct matter (transfers are a must imo) and a catch all Semi-pos bids or the opposite ? Its seems at first that 0-4(5) and 9+ should be showned first but im practice the semi pos (5-8) are very frequent and most likely to pose problems. Your system has a little bit of both so im wondering what is your opinion on this ? Also are opps allowing to play any defense over a strong diamond in GCC/midchart ?

This is because he assume that your 3Nt has to show a balanced hand (wich is really not true IRL)