fachiru

The problem you have now is self inflicted as clearly the answer to the question you asked does not help. I agree to 1nt, but 4nt is hopeless imo.

My guess is that you were probably the dealer on this one, Eddie, and I feel your frustation :P I only see a bad bid there, but it's huge IMO: the double; everything normal up to that point. Instead of X, I think I'd try a 5♦ cue; this is slam try in ♠ mainly (as the 4♠ bid showed a strong suit). As dealer, after hearing the ♦ cue, I'd simplify things by jumping to 6♥ offering a choice of slams.

After I win the evil trump switch in hand, I'm playing a ♣ to the Ace ans small ♣ to the J, followed by K of ♣ and a ruff; my hope is to get overruff by the hand longer in ♦ if they turn out 4-2. If all goes according to plan, I'll take 8 tricks; I don't really see another way of making it.

About your last paragraph, Art: I'm not sure I'm getting this. An invitational hand with 5 ♠ would transfer and follow up with 2NT; it would not go thru Stayman and rebid in ♠. Playing 4-suit tranfers should you also play that Stayman does not garantee a 4M? I'm not sure I like that; I'd rather blast to game or pass 1NT then lose that.

I would interpret 4 ♦ in that sequence as a cue with ♥ agreed as trump. It can't really be natural with long ♦ at the 4-level after opener's 2-suited hand description. 4 ♦ would be my choice at the table.

[hv=d=n&v=b&s=skj107h987da98c652]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] Your expert partner opens 1nt [15-17] as dealer at IMPs/red and I'll force a 2 ♣ stayman bid on your hand. Partner responds 2 ♥, which does not deny spades. What is your next bid if you had to pick from the 3 options given and why?

1) Double. Lack of a 4th ♥ is a small flaw, but otherwise, hand is perfect for this action. I don't think much of waiting and perhaps acting later depending on how the acution develops. 2) Double. This hand is worse IMO than the previous one in spite of more HCP, but still, I have good support and I much prefer X to anything else by a good margin on this hand. Swap the Q of ♣ and the K of ♥ and I may overcall ♣ now. 3) Double. This of course depends on the partnership, but at your level, Edi, this is most likely for takeout :D Parner may be 4-3 in the majors for his 2-level X, and even at imps and vuln, I think I prefer this action to 4♦ which will certainly get you to the right suit, but too high IMO; the wasted Q ♦ argues for staying lower I think.

Before leading, it would be nice to know what would a X of 3nt by prd. mean: lead ♠ or don't lead ♠. (I don't even know if there is a std. or consensus here in the expert field) Without any aggrements (on the X or lack of), I'll go with a ♥ lead.

I X 1st; after prd. rebids 2♥ I bid. 2♠. This should show close to 10HCP, 5♠ and less than 2♥. That's what I have and prd. can move on based on this info if he wants to. I really don't think much of a direct 2♠ bid, but I'm sure there are plenty who would bid just that.

I can't beleive the number of people preempting with 4♥ on this hand in second seat. It's a simple 1♥ overcall for me; spades will surely be bid by someone (judging by my hand and opening bid) and I'll have the opportunity to jump at the appropriate level in ♥, thus cleary describing my hand in terms of offense and stregth.

1) Pass. Sure I feel that they are stealing, but bidding can easily get you into way deeper trouble. 2) 3♥. Alternatives such as 2♥ or 2/3♣ really have no appeal to me. Sure partner can have a bit less in the p/o seat, but I'd rather bid my hand than worry about partner. The problem with a a cue bid here is that I think it denies the other major. 3) X. Not an ideal action given the light HCP hand, but great shape with 9 cards in the majors. Opps. may be fooling around, but even if that's not the case, we'll be OK with any kind of fit with partner; may even have a game. Bidding ♥ (instead of X) will garantee that the ♠ will get lost. Peace, V