dake50

What hands are left to reopening? 1H bidders claim this hand in overcall, so I assume pass, to reopen is much weaker. With reasonable 10's left to reopen, how is a good score missed? How can partner stay in the safe zone if overcall (in their forcing auction) is this weak? How does this seat show 16 instead? Should partner raise with 10?

Tough one. With D:J9x support, looks to need 5xH and C:Q.,Qx,Qxx,Qxxx with 2H bidder. HAK, H-ruff; to CA, H-ruff; to CJ. DK if West can score pre-ruff or now the last loser.

Why am I deviating (sub-minimum) when I have both majors? How will any reopening double much less than this hand ever make sense? How much IS left to reopening? Never a Majors hand? Is that alertable - a partnership agreement to open functioning 8's? But not alerted?

Is my XX SOS? And differs from 2NT how? I play SOS: D>=C; 2NT: C>=D. Here. 2S denied 3+H for me.

Take unusual action on minimal flat hands? This looks to be a good to reopen hand. PASS.

I'll take this bus even standing. Thnaks for that idiom. I see no problem. Hope partner has 4-5 spades too weak to come in before. Correcting 3C to 3D gets 4s with 5+D and this level strength.

1. Can you imagine how weak my partner gets his major in? Esp over 1C? PASS - no blab to help them. 2. Playing Roman-like jumps my 2H shows 5+H with 4+S. So 2H.

As mtvesuvius, divide the old "Impossible Negatives":12+/ 8-11 is about right. I have a C-xfer that may also be some 3x4's 8-11. And some "ImpNeg" still in 1D(neg).

I try 3NT expecting X. Now XX IS "PICK A MINOR".

Use xfers in competition. Now cheap accept is minimum AND partner expects that minimum. Forces are any new suit, eg. jump accept.

Agree Mbodell. Do you want 3-seat/4-seat 1NT to intend "game if max-pass"? So 15-17 eg. Or do you want late seats 1NT to mean "our partial if middling(5-8)"? Either choice must throw cross-intents into some rebid to show that. How to show 15-17bal if 1NT:12-14? How to get 12-14bal out quick if 1NT:15-17?

I prefer 2D Q-bid with East hand. 'Have majors AND C-fit.' Now Neg-X always denies C-fit.

***PSYCH*** That's why we have these discussions. Get those devious minds contributing. 1S,1N pedestrian. 3C,2S there's the reputation story.!

I actually end in 4H by 3H raise. Hope 1xS-ruff establishes spades. These are terrible minor stops opposite a major 2-suiter.

*** Dammit partner, don't do that.! *** After game raise this 5C looks much more appealing than immediate action. I want to be free of UI in making this bid. Now I don't think any TD/committee is going to see the merits, even with the actual results of 5C showing.

Try 4NT ask. If I get 2xA, then a K, 7D. Less and I'm on the same guess: 6D/5D.

This is not the pedestrian 6-3-3-1. This is 7-4-1-1.! Even with the poor quality 7xH, 3H VUL; 4H nonvul. I'm very aggressive with good shape. Way tame if flattish.

Agree Rainer. What would 5C show if not either minor to play? Then 4N as keys? "I know where to put this hand". Confusion intended unless this is a well-practiced partnership.

Absolutely.!! This hand screams opponents have majors - the very reason to use Unu2NT. I have 2NT Unu to opponents 1C - especially the "could be short". Get in their way when they try to open 1C and stay low to unscramble.

The other table can't stop below 6S. Need S:3-2 + DQ onside + no freak D:5-0. My luck they'll make. Opponents silent with their clubs ups the odds their shape is tame. Still hate losing a swing on this type of hand.

Agree Phil. But have not discussed 1S <2N> P <3C>, P <P> 3H**?? Signoff? Unless 3+fit? Invite less than immediate invite? Forcing? More than immediate force? As I took the path to make opponents show before force? Must I double to show near invite, good DT? Or is that a unilateral double for penalties?

Keys-ask then specific K by East after West shows big?

Had this same discussion about mini-splinters vis-a-vis "full" splinters. Decided raise has the "expected" mini-splinter. An "other" short begins with catchall bid, then show if asked. Delayed splinters begin 2/1 and show if non-minimum rebid from partner. I think this is near optimum for blab/info. Show most likely to promote partner's hand. Let other shapes begin with GF: "do you want to show?" "Or do you want 'no blab'?" input from partner.

I actually like 1h-1s-, 2c-3c*** :found our fit. If partner is 14-ish he continues and then I show rebiddable spades. This time we quit 3C. Yet, 1h-1s-, 2c-2d-(4thsuitF1), 2h-2s-, 3c should be quitable.

Did this declarer just beer run? So soft on him?