benlessard

The idea of 5H being a slam try is that using 4Nt for that purpose doesnt always work. 4Nt------5D 5H 5H here show either H + C or H slammish. So its better to use 5H as a slam try and 4Nt to H soff or 2 suiter. These are not really standard and must be discussed first. Anyway i would just bid 6H.

3H, I like the T of H, and the AQJ of spades. And ill pass 3Nt if partner bid it.

If it goes 1S------(2H)------??? KTx xx Jxxxxx xx Its an easy 2S. So after a 3H red vs W jump overcall. (It shoulndt be just cheese) why wouldnt I bid 3S with an extra trumps ? With any limit raise i would just bid 4S and hope for the best. And west has a clear 4S too.

Yep, im a passed hand and i have 10 working pts. My hand cannot really be better than what it is. Over 3M ill probably try 3Nt but 4C is ok too.

(3D)-----3H------(P)-------3S (P)-------??? Here 4D is COG. Slam is possible but COG is simply more important. (3D)-----3H-------(P)------4D here is its slammish not COG. Im not inventing anything, these sequence are expert standard. Ask any exp you trust and they will tell you. Now in our example advancer is a passed hand. So you might have a specific agreement that 4D in 2nd seq is COG and not slammish but i pretty sure its not exp standard.

West is pass WTP and east is borderline 2S. You can assume that if south will open a weak 2, most east will bid 2S so you will get field protection. While if south is 54 (and you play in a Weak 2H field) than you are looking at a dangerous situation of being fixed by an offbeat method. The risk that you endup in 3S is very high. But still 3S down 1 might be better than -111/ -140. The "stay fix" adage is clearly not for MP.

Why wont he bid 4D COG with only 2S when you are heavy favorite to have only 5 ? As for having xxx in spades try to construct a hand where 4H will make and 4S will go down and partner Hearts are not so long/strong that he didnt bid a 4D COG. It doesnt take a genius to know that xxx AKJxxx A Axx facing a doubleton H might play better in 4H than in 4S. To bid 4H and give up on 3Nt/4S is way too costly. Its very obvious to me that the risk of 4H not being the good spot is higher than the downside of playing 4S going down while 4H is making.

I think it it might be a good to have a prestigious event with teams of 8 where at least 1 woman 1 senior and 1 junior is needed. It would encourage national organization and "sponsors" to promote and coach all the spectrum of players. Without hurting the quality of the bridge played.

Agree 100%

This is a near perfect hand for 3S. It show 5S and either a H tolerance or a D stopper or "edited" black 5-5. If partner ... pass = not likely but we should be ok 3Nt = easy pass (i hope people realized that its possible 3Nt is the only makeable game) 4C = ill bid 4H to tell him i have tol in H and not 5-5 in the blacks. 4D COG = easy 4H 4H = easy pass 4S = he will have 3 or 4 card support so im happy. Sure its possible 4H in 6-2 plays better but a sure fit is a sure fit.

last time i checked 3-3 break is 36%.

4H seems obvious.

Im not really talking naturalish bidding with gadgets im talking about relays. AKxxx AKxx xxx x Qxx xxx AKQx Axx After a 1S opening a relay system can reach 6D and avoid 6S. 6D isnt so hot after a trumps lead but it still have some decent play. (note that the contract is excellent if north/south had the J of D or south T of D) If you swtich D and S in both hands and north open 1D its near impossible to reach 6S in the 4-3 fit. These hands come up frequently. My estimate for suits slams its that 65% will be in a major and 35% in a minor. If we remove hands where slam is making in 2 suits and picking the major over the minor bear no cost, at the end we are still getting a lot of great minors slams that are "unbiddable" PS 4252,2452,2245 are possible shapes for my 1D.

5S for me is preempt here. Especially W vs red. The problem is that competent opps will find any excuse to bid 6 as a semi-bluff. Still 5S should be your first option. I find 4C awful. Its more likely to help the opponent then to help your partner. Add to that that it allow them to X, bid 4D,4H,4S. Also if you lead your stiff H they have no chance to go wrong now. Against a 6D contract if opps managed to show a spade void a H lead from Hxx is normal. a 3Nt psych has limited chance to work but its a freeroll situation so i like it. 2H might also work but i prefer 3Nt. Pass and sac against every contract also make sense especially if youre not willing to bring back -1400. With a 12 imps lead its probaly the best strategy.

People play complicated stuff ovec a strong 1C/1M or 1Nt opening yet they play very natural after 1D. But for me 1D openings pose a lot more problems than any other opening (except the strong club) Lets says that you have a S fit some distribution and slam is a possibility. 1- you are not forced to find a side fit, 2- 2NT, 3Nt and all 3 level bids could be used as slammish. 3- 4Nt to play isnt necessary. 4- the 5 level is available for some slam bids. Lets says that you have a D fit some distribution and slam is a possibility. 1- you are pretty much forced to check for a M fit first. 2- 3NT come way faster than 4M. 3- 3Nt has to be to play 4- 3 level bids are more COG than slammish. 5- 4Nt is possibly not safe yet often need as natural to play. 6- The only 5 level bid available is 5C. Lets say now that you are in partscore/INV zone. 1- With a M fit. Its easy to make a game try and stop at 2M (if your system is minimally efficient). For example ... with a forcing NT/constructive raise or with a 2C (that may be a limit raise) 2- after a 1M opening There is no big worry that you only have a partial fit. 1D------1H 2H vs 1H-------2H In case 1 you probably need 2Nt as natural because a 4-3 fit is possible. There is no COG inv bids. With minors you often have to direct your invitations towrd 3Nt or 5m. If you think its efficient to play partscore at the 2 level, game at the game level and have slam tools i dont see how you can be playing complex stuff over 1M but simple stuff over 1D. Did you play a complex structure over 1D if so why did you drop it ? And can you post it here ? Because for me the best way to scoops imps Vs strongs teams is minors slams or minors games when 3Nt is down.

Not to mention the stiff vs stiff diamond. Partner is favorite to have KQxxxxxx at least 2D. A side ace/trick is surely possible for me. or KQxxxxx and a 4 card side suit (probably D) and once again a side ace is surely possible. So the 5 level is very safe and 6 is a clear possibility.

1D (always 4 unbalanced) 12-22 1D------??? 1H = GF or at least 3cards 1S = 5 cards (maybe 4 if 4216/ 4225) 1NT = 5-5 M (maybe should play 4/4 M) 2C = NF C+M at least 5-5 with (0 or 1D) 2D D raise (tend to denied a 4M) 2M preempts. 1D------1H ??? 1S = clubs any strenght 1NT= 6D any strenght or D+H 12-14 (here you could play in 4-3 H fit) 2C = D+ spades 12-14 or GF 2D = D + spades 15-17 NF 2H D+4H 15-17 NF (here you could play in 4-3 H fit) 2S = 3451 GF 2NT = 2452 GF 3C = 1453 GF 3D = ?46? no void GF 3H = S void 3S = club void 14 H keycards 3NT = club void 30 4C = etc 1D--------1H 1S--------??? 1NT multi inv 2C+2D+2H = to play 5-9pts 2S GF relay 2NT+ NAT GF 1D---------1H 1NT--------??? 2C = multi inv 2D/2H = to play (2D is going to be corrected if opener has 4H) 2S GF relay 2NT+ NAT GF 1D----------1H 2C---------??? 2D/2H/2S = to play 2NT + NAT GF 1D----------1H 2D---------??? Pass/2H/2S to play 2NT + NAT GF strenghts perfect for slammish hands/relays INV and stay at the 2 level. All 3 level bids are always GF 1S tend to show 5. Simpler than what im used to play. 1Nt and 2C are free for gadget. weakness vulnerable to preemption after 1H relay play 2H in 4-3 fit instead of better D fit (but you are sure of having xtras) doesnt differientiate between 4D+5C or 5D +4C Impossible for opener to make 3 card H raise. 5S+4H by responder might be problematic. might miss 4-4 S fit with 4441 by opener. Cannot stop in 1Nt

Easy nonchalant pass. I tend to be quick on the double here because I expect 2S to be making. You wont get rich in 3C -1/-2, But after the double its surely possible they run to 3H and be -1 or make it. So 3C -2 might not be so bad after all.

If your partner with Axxx Axxx ---- KTxxx had good chance to make 5C than you should have made a negative double with your hand or bid 3M to show 5M + 3/4 clubs I can assure you that Axxx isnt a clear double nor a mistake.

When asked about the hand i said that i would have opened 4D namyats, if not i could choose both ways and find 4S OK even if I know that most will consider it a 1M automatic. Ive said that ill never pass with south hand. And that since north is unlikely to have a stiff diamonds going down in 5 is highly unlikely while making 6 is a clear possibility. When my partner was asked he basically said the same thing. We prefer to open 4M as much as i can. From 4 to 6 losers. AKJTxxxx with a side A (or many 4 losers) will be considered too strong for most of you, but im willing to miss some slams if my chance of playing 4M is increased compared to open 1 and be forced to make a 5 level decision after they find a defensive fit. I keep a good look on hands where 1M is opened at one table and 4 at the other. A so far its a win for "heavy preempts" vs "shapely openings". So i dont think ill be changing my style anytime soon. Of course one of the downside is to be "forced" to open 3 instead of 4 some 7 losers hands. But at the end what matters most is partnership agreement.

[hv=d=n&v=b&n=skqt9xxxxhdaxxxxc&s=sajxhaqxxdkckxxxx]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] 4S all pass. wich is worse opening 4S or passing 4S ? No need to tell you it wasnt us.

Yep that is surely better. I wish i thought of that at the table. If partner pull to 3m you pass but if he bid 3H you bid the red game. 2H can be light but at imps it served no purpose to bid 2H if you never have a play for 3H. So imo to bid 2H with 24(34) shape and 5 pts is totally useless (unless you have the agreement that its a lead directing). It make sense to bid 2H with a hand that facing a good take-out double (1444) 15 pts and with a bit of luck you can make 3H/ or you have a good chance to defeat 3S if they take the push. The fact that opener didnt rebid 2S can suggest that he only had 4 trumps but still ive played partner for at least KJxxx and a side Q or KQxxx and a stiff spade.

one of the best method IMO is 2S as MSS. 2S is used for both m weak, both m strong and for soff in 1 minor. 1NT--------2S ??? 2NT = i prefer diamonds 3C = i prefer clubs if responder bid 3m its to play otherwise hes showing 5-5 strong (could be 1345) if you want to free the 1NT-----3M bids. 2NT to 3D is free for whatever now. You can used 2NT for multi-inv in a minor. Or for a club transfer at least INV.

Ok

4=4=3=2 isnt 10-11% its less than 5% This mostly depend of what the use of 1Nt overcall.