benlessard

1S-------2H 2S-------3D 3H-------4C 4H-------5C 5H------ all pass. all bid are fairly clear imo. we are not lacking a lot to have a good slam here, but its not there. I strongly suggest to play 2/1 except when suit is repeated. So that 1S----2H------3H is gf 1S-----2X------2S-------2NT is GF imo 10-11 pts that want to bid 2/1 should always have a very long suit. I dont see the point in bidding 2H with 11 pts and a 5card suit. Bidding 3NT with xxx in clubs or wanting to stop at 3NT with a nice 18 is nonsense.

oups, we are silent. 1C------1S 1nt------2D* 3S-------4s 2D is nmf 3S is max with 3cd supp.

[hv=d=e&e=s9xxhaxxdkt9caqtx&s=saxhk9xxdjxxxcxxx]266|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] partner lead the 2♥ 4th best dummy play low...

sorry my mistake, MMx---------kms is the gain. intrafinesse lose to East M, you go to dummy play the Q to smother west M (from Mx) and go again to dummy to... finesse you win against Mx-----KMMx but lose to MMx---------KMX. play for the drop you win with mmx-------kms but lose to Mx----kmmx its 9 to six 6 in favor of playing the Q (smothering MM or M in West)

Intra finesse will win with Mx-----------KMMx Mxx---------KMM

my on the fly partner bid 4Nt directly and i told him that even 4H is an overbid.

you have to run the Q at trick 1, Q,K,A followed by finessing agaisnt a middle card twice. It will win against M-------kmmss MM-----kmss mss-----kmm its superior to the deep intra finesse.

[hv=s=sxxxhtxxxdakxxckx]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] spades broke 4-0 so 5S is down 1 could be down 2 on the AH lead and H ruff. I think bidding 4C is ok but making 2 slam try is a big mistake.

I had the chance to ate with the italian teams during the Montreal world championship in 2002. What i remember the most is ... when Fantoni told us what kind of system hes designing. It did seems more like something he wanted to try more than a carefully designed system (but its only a feeling) The sponsor of the team was a doctor and was in a good mood because he and my ex partner managed to finish in a top 3 for a pair game, Fantoni and my partner obviously knew how bad the sponsor was and they were laughing. I had to chance to play with him the next day and luckyly for me he didnt spoke english or french and i didnt spoke italian wich was a good thing otherwise i would have wasted my time explaining waht did go wrong on each the deals . But we had a great time. I also remeber that Garozzo wasnt in a happy mood that evening because of a bad bridge day. I did wish i spoke italian that evening The wines were excellent.

[hv=d=w&v=n&s=saj9xxxhkqdqxcaxx]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] (2H)-----pass------(pass)-------2S (pass)----3H---------------------4C -----------4D---------------------??? You dont play LTTC.

[hv=d=s&n=sqjhkqxxxdxxxcqxx&s=skt9xxhajxdqxxxca]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] 1S---------1NT (forcing) 2D---------2Nt pass. +180

Bidding game on 3 is terrible at MP, you already got a good board since many pairs will be at 1Nt.

number 1 ill make a take-out double (not penalty since with both M and a good hand ill double 1Nt) Q98 is great delayed support. W vs W passing doesnt make sense. number 2 ill pass. ive never gotten rich by playing 3m in an uncounsted auction Number 3 is a state of match thing. Assuming you have crawling stayman available i thing the bad result you ll get playing in 2M in a bad 4-3 fit (ruffing with long trumps) are inferior to the great results you get by finding the 4-4 or even 5-4 fits. But its a top or bottom thing... so state of match is crucial. Note that playing crawling you would often play 2S and not 2H.

Q64 AJ75 You need 3 tricks but know that east has the K and at least tripleton. Hidden chart of hands to help you M= T,9,8 S= 3,2

I play that 1H----1X 2H show a minimum hand. 1H----1X 3H show a good hand & great suit. I wont rebid a 2 card minor its probably not dangerous but i dont like it. So either 1H----1X 2NT or a direct 1Nt make sense. Since we frequently open 1Nt with 5cM and play a kind of puppet stayman i slightly prefer to open 1Nt otherwise i would 1H--rebid 2Nt. PS i dont like Gazilli

I prefer 3Nt too (with the KJ9 of clubs ill bid 3H). But my regular partner (south) bid 3H. His reasoning is that if partner got nothing in H he will bid 3S with 4261 and bid 5C with 4162 or repeat D with 6 good diamonds. He expected 4C to show at least Qx of support. They reach 6C with Jx facing K9xxxxx and no other losers. PS sorry for the signature its very funny in the film context (its IMO one the 10 best ever scene of cinema) but quite rude literally.

[hv=d=n&s=skxhakxdxck9xxxxx]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] 1D-------2C 2S-------3C 3D-------3H 4C------- ??? 2C is GF 2S doesnt show extras but show 5D 3H show at least half a stopper. 4C is stronger then 5C

I think blasting to 6 is a bit lazy. The risk of missing a cold 7 seems higher than the risk of going down because youve tell the opps that you have a club void.

I wouldnt bid 3H over 2D i would just bid 2H. I would surely raise to 3H instead of bidding 2Nt. Responder can still bid 3Nt if hes got only 5H, and if he pass i slightly prefer to be in 3H than 2Nt. By default i would play 3C as forcing, but i do see value in playing it NF. Passing 2Nt is just a mistake.

[hv=d=n&n=sahkqt8xxxdxckxxx&s=skjxxxxhjdakxxcaq]133|200|Scoring: MP[/hv] Over 3H Ive decided to bid 3S to check if partner had a stiff S honor. Facing a stiff S honor i would try for 6Nt (giving myself chances that H or S break. But facing a 4H rebid i would hope that 6H will play better than 6Nt. Do you agree with my plan ? 6H would have brought a bad MP result. This time 'old school' partner is fairly convinced that 3m is GF but still he need to check in some books, any title to suggest ?

Despite all the post partner isnt convinced that 3Nt in 4th seat is showing a very good hand (we play Gambling 3Nt on the CC). My argument is that even 3m show a pretty good hand allowing responder to bid 3Nt. So 3Nt is a tactical i hope to make bid. Do you know any books where this is explained.

[hv=d=e&v=n&n=sqxhtxdakqxxxxxck&s=stxxxxhakjxdct9xx]133|200|Scoring: MP[/hv] (P)-----P------(P)-------3NT all pass with the A of club lead for -400. South said that 3NT should show a pretty good hand since 3D show a pretty good preempt anyway. North said that having a void is too terrible to pass 3Nt. Would you open 3Nt with Kx in clubs and the stiff heart ? Do you allow responder to bid 3Nt over a 3m 4th preemtpt ?

1H-------1S 2H-------3D 3H-------3S

at imps 9 of H seams pretty clearcut.

Thanks