benlessard

red = 2 1,3 seat. pass in 2\4 To bid 3 red = simply crazy , bidding 2 is already dangerous . white = 3 in 1,3 seat and 2 in 2nd.

X is better than pass. Its going to get pretty hard to get a plus score if you pass while its not impossible to see a hand where 2S and 3D/3H makes.

Ace and low to Q is the same than low to Q. The T here help pick up Kxx---Jx the 7 is irrelevent.

Invite in spades and stay at the 2 level if possible. If partner pass 2S it wouldnt suprise me if we make only 8 tricks.

Good answer

In practice it never happen, either they preempt in first round of bidding or they pass all the way. The best way to bid a slam is to keycard at the lowest level as possible. I strongly believe in keycarding before cuebidding but even if you cuebid you should ask for keycard the lowest bid possible. Totally obvious.

all i see is K (J,T or 9 drop from RHO) and low to Q hoping LHO insert an honor you win and have and endplay position on LHO

wtp pass

Pass/pass here. 5S is just too unlikely.

assuming west has 6S and east 3. And that west is incapable from falscarding from J9x. We have east 7 card is knowned (6S+1C) and east 6 card (3S and 3C) there fore a stiff J is slightly more probable than J9. In your case however. The 4 diamonds tricks and the falsecard exist, add to that a very small chance of a 5-4 spade split. Play clubs from the top. If your in 4NT and west is incapable of falsecarding then fineese is probably the better play.

Partner may easily have the ace of H doubleton and a likely trick elsewhere. -1430 instead of -300. Partner is not really well placed to make an intelligent decision, we have a 9th H and a diamond void. He will not play us for both these features. Imo we are already in bad shape compared to making a sound bidding plan after 2Nt.

The chance of buying the hand at 4H (W vs R) were too small for not bidding 5H directly (assuming 5H preempt is available) As for 6H or not my decision would have been made before i bid over 5D. Usually If you think they might make 6D and are ready to sac at 6H then pass 5D dont bid 5H, unless you play against a weak pair that dont know bluff or like its the case here that you are almost willing to sacrifice at 6H against a vulnerable game. If partner show 2 aces then 6HX -2 is still cheaper than 5D making. The basic principle is forced them to take the last guess rather then endplaying yourself in the last guess. Also a good strategy imo is to pass 2nt. Letting them use all the science they know. If they bid 6m or stop at 5 with confidence you sac, otherwise you pass. The idea is they cant bluff you if they dont know you can sacrifice and that the information from their bidding is more useful to you than to them.

X and 3C forcing

7S Im not risking 18-20 imps on a lead. Also i dont see why LHO with a stiff spade and a club void cannot bid 7D and make a ligthner X (that will be 100% for clubs). IMO at high level a penalty double implies that whatever partner lead its going to go down so therefore you can afford to play lightner all the way.

3H. Passing is gross and there is plenty of hands where 4H is better than 3Nt.

At imps its a normal lead. At matchpoint is a pretty good lead if you trust your opponents. 3H, both pointed Q. its pretty hard to find another layout where 4H will go down.

in a weak NT setup 3S should be played as almost forcing (17+bal, 16-5431 or more shape). So north has a clear 4S. Its a cliche but it doesnt pay to stop at 3M in unconsted auction at imps.

At first we were using 2Nt as a raise to play or GF and 3C as art. The problem is that you allow a double of 2Nt for take-out, pass and X of 3C for light take out(or penalty) and a 3C cue for both majors or whatever. These take a big bite off the effiency of the preemptive 3C wich is a good imps winner.

I would rarely X 3S with a stiff or a void. My style is to allow for partner to pass a responsive double at the 3 level with a balanced hand. So 54 is clearly possible. So pass= forcing 5m strong suggestion to play =5m+4M and 4Nt = same lenght in m and M

Its not only the UI but its the impossible ruling you have to do afterward if there was a BIT and a side feel damaged. Echo smith is a bit of a problem so imagine dual meaning.

My guess is that with AJTx East didnt make a lightner double and west with kj8 didnt lead clubs.

no key card = obvious 3S

East should bid 6S. Because of the extras tricks in the minors pitching 2H is possible. So its pretty hard to construct a hand where 6H is better than 6S. As for finding a cold 7 its pretty tough even if East is can check for sure that west has a D void.

Our 2C can easily have a 4M (even a good one) and 11 to 16. The trend today is to have 6 clubs and a nebulous Diamonds (mostly because the old 2C structure is obsolete) . But I have a strong preference to 5+4M is possible and 1D always show 4. I play that 2D is a multi INV with pass or correct responses. 2C----2D (show all kind of INV except those with 4M or with a non-rebiddable 5M) ??? 2H i refuse an H inv 2S i accept a H inv but refuse a S inv. 2Nt accept both M but minimum (stiff D) rest is GF value 2C-----2H = inv with 4 H or with 5H but a club tolerance (prefer to play 3C instead of a 5-1 fit). ??? pass i have at least 3 in you M but minimum 2S i dont have 3H but have 4S and minimum 2Nt no majors but minimum 3C minimum 7 clubs or 6 clubs and a void rest is GF 2C-----2S (similar to 2H) 2C-----2NT GF without a 6 card suit 2C-----3C to play not inv 2C-----3d and + GF Im pretty sure its better to have more INV sequence than to bid 2M just to correct the contract. Our system doesnt do to well for slam but at least we can make game try and stop at 2M.

I prefer 3S instead of 4S. Of course if partner got the D A and the J of spades we might miss game but if hes got 2 A hes going to raise me. I would never think about passing with 3 aces, but here having 5 clubs is really annoying, our t9 of clubs strongly suggest that RHO has 7 of them so my A doesnt have its full value or its going to be ruffed. Its a really annoying problem. My initial plan is to bid 5C, if partner find it encouraging and we reach 6 ill wait for the lightner X of 6S and pull to 6Nt but im really not sure. Close call for me.