PhantomSac

Strongly prefer the first X to 2H. Slightly prefer 2H to 3H, the SK isn't great and going low seems reasonable here NV, but it seems very close. I think by far the biggest thing on this hand is that west should crack 4S, if partner can bid something that is great, and if he passes we will often beat them, possibly a couple, and they aren't going to make an overtrick that often. A hand like xxx Kxxxxx xx xx can bid 5H over our double and make when they make 4S, or a hand like xx xxxxx x Kxxxx can bid 5C and get us a making game (probably) etc etc. The west hand screams double game swing potential. Note both hands I gave are only 3 points and pretty unremarkable, and partner could definitely have more points than that. So yeah, I think if partner bids it will be great and if partner passes it should be fine (they make sometimes, they go down sometimes, they go down 2 sometimes, w/e).

Yeah it's penalty but if you do not bypass spades with 4 spades then Xing 2S doesn't exist.

3C is a gross underbid. Honestly I think north probably has a pass of 3C. Where is he going? Even if partner has say xxx xx xxx Qxxxx, which is a nice hand, game is extremely bad. Having bid 3D, when partner bids 3S north can obviously bid 3N on his stiff king now. If he had better spades he would have bid 3N already. 4S is just completely batshit crazy. North has a yarb for this auction, he should be trying to put on the breaks. What is this choice of games nonsense, north can just bid 4C if he has some clubs. South's 6C bid was obvious at that point.

Mike, An analagous situation to the cardplay one would be tank passing with 1444 0 count or something. Obv there's no bridge reason to think there. Fluffy, I also usually think for a reasonable amount of time before deciding how high to preempt. I think judging whether to pass/bid 3/bid 4/bid 5 is a pretty key decision in the hand, and every hand is different so it's not like you can build a database in your head for what to do on various hand types (obv you can group them some though). Maybe that's why I was really surprised by this thread. All, As everyone says, the laws are pretty clear on this.

Well the theory is if you have 10 trumps you obv want to be in slam. If you know you have 9 then you don't want to be in slam (even with the jack you're only slightly >50, and there is usually some handling/possible ruffs etc that brings you below that, and sometimes you don't have the jack), so you shouldn't show it if you're sure you have 9. I don't know if there's any prevailing theory on situations where you have 9 or 10, but keep in mind in some auctions partner might be bidding SEVEN in which case it's a disaster if you actually don't have the queen (unless you haave 10). My guess is you should just judge how likely you are to have 9 vs 10, and how likely it is partner is trying for 7 vs 6, and make your best decision. In an auction like this I think that it's so likely that partner has 6 spades, and so unlikely partner is going to bid 7, that it is definitely right to show it.

The only area we disagree is playing 3N rather than 3M in a 4-3. I would rather play 3M if partner has less than 8 and 3 of my major and try to scramble it home than play 3N. Also, I think you should be able to stop in 3D, because if neither of you has a club stopper you need a LOT of values to make 5D. With a club stopper and no M I think opener should just bid 3N.

I'd show the queen, partner is extremely likely to have 6+ spades when the auction goes that way since he is driving to slam opposite such a weak bid and couldn't open 2C, and if he has a 2 suiter like 5-5, he would probably make some effort to get to the other 5 card suit (and he would also need a REALLY big hand), and even if he somehow has non solid spades with 5-5 and bid this way, worse things have happened than needing to drop the SQ in 6S.

The point is if X is not GF, opener cannot jump in a 4 card suit since responder does not promise both majors. Opener also can't jump in diamonds ever obviously. I don't think this is really a big issue, you can be forced to game if you find a 4-4 major suit fit and be fine.

Meh 15 posts per page is fine on BBF, there are few very long threads. Even in this thread it doesn't grow that fast so it's only a few clicks.

Yeah ok if the problem is because west said he was thinking of psyching or just raising I see why mikegill was not happy. If west hadn't said anything then I don't think there would be a problem though.

There are olympics in the winter?!

Of course he can think before bidding 3S. I'm not sure why you think a slow 3S implies a good hand rather than a bad hand. He is red/white and has a yarb so he is certainly allowed to consider passing (I would certainly pass with that hand). Similarly he could have a hand with 4 spades that is considering bidding 4S, but decides that he's too weak and will go for too many. I think a hand that is considering bidding 4 is the most likely hand after a slow 3S, so you should be more inclined to bid, not less. I am kind of shocked that you are even asking this question.

Dunno about your math, but 77 % feels about right. 1/3rd partner has the queen, ~52 % to run if partner has 2, ~80 % to run if partner has 3, significant chances if partner has a stiff (dunno the percentages).

This is a common convention in USA also, meckwell play this for instance.

Why would 4D show no diamond wastage specifically. You STILL haven't set trumps or found an 8 card fit yet, and responder could still be 2524 with no diamond stopper, so having a "no wastage" bid instead of a cuebid could be bad. It seems to me like 4D over 3S should generically agree spades as trumps and try for slam, with 4C being natural to try to get to 5/6C with 5233 opposite 2515. 4H and 4S should be an attempt to play there. But I'm sure some people would want a "choice of games" move in an auction like this also.

I mean I was joking but obviously having a 4 card major is a flaw, having shitty defensive values is a flaw, esp when your shortness is clubs, because them not making anything and partner phantom saccing becomes more likely, your suit has good intermediates but it's still a crappy suit and it's defensive, etc etc, so 3 minor flaws. Obv I don't feel too strongly about 2D vs pass given that when it was first posted I bid 2D, and then when I saw it again I chose pass, I might choose either depending on a number of factors.

Definitely think 3H should be michaels here even if you think 4m is leaping michaels (I don't think leaping michaels should be on here but most people seem to).

Imps w/w playing 2/1 GF two experts had the following auction: 1S 2H 2S 3C 3H 4D 4H p AKJTx Kx xxxx Jx Qx AQJTxx --- AT8xx 2S was a default bid and did not show 6 or even 5 very strong ones. Whos fault is this?

Abstain, we cannot have this hand and bid 3H and then bid 4D. Partner will either think we are showing a heart control, or he will think we are showing much worse and/or shorter diamonds.

BUT WE HAVE A SIDE FOUR CARD MAJOR!!!!!!

Hmm, wow I didn't remember this thread and thought P>2D>3D lol

huh? If RHO has the HQ I am cold by leading a heart to the jack. So there's 50 % already. If LHO wins the HQ, I still have live squeeze possibilities.

Pretty sick, I wanted to bet on the saints because I had brees as my fantasy QB and he is the man, but pre-season I had a bet with my dad and got 10:1 on the colts winning the superbowl. People who know me know that hedging is not in my blood so I was forced to bet more on the colts and got pwned...

lol wow I never saw this thread. Pwned.

It might be, you can X and bid diamonds with a forcing hand, the problem with that is sometimes you can't stand a pass from partner which is a big problem imo, so I am not really a fan of NF. Certainly a lot more people are playing it as NF than used to, dunno if that's standard yet.