brianshark

Dammit, this thread grew quickly and I've missed on most of it. After reading the response to my initial questions, I just want to say that: * I believe this convention to be completely legal. I'd say it's equivalent to opening 4 of a Major or 5 of a minor. That basically says "I want to play in 4M/5m opposite the vast majority of your hands... only do something else if you have slam aspirations. * I obviously don't think it's very effective or efficient. But certainly not a terrible thing to play either. * But it sounds fun if you like punting. :)

I'm not prepared to go to the 3-level with only 8 points and a void in partner's suit. This hand looks like a misfit. I'll pass. Easy 2♠ then if partner re-opens.

On the first, I consider 3♥ just a game try with support. On the second, with my regular p, 3♠ is not necessarily support, we treat ♥s as the agreed suit and 3♠ as a cue-bid (which therefore mean it can be Qx, Kx or Ax) and serious 3NT, cue bids, etc are on.

My advice would be that good things come to those who get off their arses and do something about it. Don't sit around and wait for things to happen because they won't. Make them happen. Oh... but I'm younger than you. So I'm not so much an elder. Therefore I may be horribly wrong. B)

I initially thought small ♠. The idea of a high ♠ doesn't thrill me. Maybe the J. I actually think on reflection that low ♥ might be better because it doesn't need partner to have length or an honour to work... it might just work if ♥s break 4333 around the table.

Big ♣.

I don't like any of these bids, but in ascending order of badness: Dbl = 2% of the overall blame (I don't see why not just bid 2♦ - partner can show a 5 card ♥ suit if he has values - but I don't mind this so much and plenty of good players will disagree with me too) 3♥ = 18% of the overall blame (A King too light as was said already - it's just plain stupid) 5♥ = 80% of the overall blame (You've already implied 4 ♥s, so with one fewer ♥, nice trumps (♣s), a minimum t/o double and defensive values... he decides to compete on the 5 level?) How can 5♣s make? Where are their tricks?

Speaking outside the laws (as I don't know them as well as you guys), and in my own personal opinion, the 3NT opening is highly suspicious. I too would like to know what kind of hands partner is expected to pull as it will help me understand what kind of bid it is. Also, have you defined anywhere a set of opening hands that will qualify for this wide-ranging 3NT? Is partner expected to pull with balanced 0 counts? Do you expect to make 3NT in such deals where you opened with minor-2-suiters? How is your partner supposed to investigate slam when you've taken up 3-levels of bidding with your opening and haven't described anything much about your hand at all? I'm really eager to know more about how you play it because it seems that this opening is either illegal, or a crazy convention to play.

It's nothing to do with 3N being the right contract, it's to do with North being declarer and thus protecting the ♥K from the lead. 4♠s is a vastly superior contract that was unlucky because it was off-sided.

I don't like misdescribing my hand, so I pass.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong in this but... -Jumping to game in the Major is weak. -Bidding a new suit then jumping to game in a Major is stronger, based on points (12-15 or so) -Bidding a new suit, then bidding 4th suit forcing, then jumping to game in a Major is a mild slam try. Also, as far as I can tell, the only time you'd consider 3NT instead of 4M when holding an 8 card fit is if both hands are balanced. So you only really want to consider 3NT opposite a 1NT rebid. In which case, don't mess about making up bids, decide if your a Major or NT'er and invite/bid game accordingly. I'm going to respond 1♠. Opposite a 1NT bid, I may bid 2NT/3NT or may bid 3♥/4♥ depending on the hand. Opposite any 2-level new suit, I'm going to bid either 3♥ or 4♥ again depending on the hand. Opposite 2♠, I'm probably going bid 4♥, maybe 4♠.

I would never pass 1♥. You have 6+ pts, game is still a reasonably possibility if you have a fit elsewhere, or at the very least, try and investigate for a better partscore. Easy 1♠. And an easy 2♥ bid by partner. 3♥ is crazy. Pass after any 3♥ bid. Anything else is forcing to game.

I wouldn't double because I wouldn't feel comfortable if it was left in, and because a double implies 4♠s rather than 5 and we may miss a 5-3 fit that way.

Hmm...I can't help but find myself bidding 5♥ here.

A hand similar to this happened to me just last night. The bidding went 1♠-2♦-6NT. The full deal and bidding was: [hv=d=s&v=n&n=s2ht2daq8543ck432&w=skjt63hj97543dt7c&e=s75haq86d92ct9876&s=saq984hkdkj6caqj5]399|300|Scoring: IMPs South Dealer: 1♠-P-2♦-P 6NT-Dbl-P-P Rdbl-P-P-P[/hv] I was West. My double was mainly based on my ♠ holding... and the principle behind not making stupid bids. My lead was the normal 4th highest ♥. The opponents made a comment during the deal whether we played messanger (which I thought was a little uncalled for) as the contract drifted off 5.

I voted 4♦ but I'm feeling guilty about it now! B)

I'd have led a young ♣. Looks like the Q is the winner, unless dec drops the stiff ♦K.

I read the other three threads seperately first... On auction 1, in your seat, I'd have bid 3NT as well, though I'd feel awkward about doing it... expecting it to be a 40% game or so... make easily or go off quickly. 5 of a minor doesn't look likely given your flat hand. On auction 2, sitting North, given your choice of options, I think 3♠ stands out a mile. Even if your going to punt on 3NT expecting a ♥ stop, your ♠ and ♥ holding really suggests partner's Major holding should be guarded, not yours. On the lead problem, I *think* I'd lead a ♥. Definately after a double (whether you have lead-direct-ish agreements or "it's going off, don't do anything silly"). But after a pass, I'm not too sure. I think I would still lead a ♥.

A psyche basically cuts your partner out of the auction. He is no longer in a position to make an informed call because you have decided that you are going solo in this one. I can think of no greater insult to your abilities as a bridge player than your partner openly declaring that, "I think we're better off if I bid this hand myself". The only time it doesn't have as much of a personal statement of mistrust is within a regular partnership where an inherent trust in their abilities should already exist, and a bit of flamboyance "to let off steam" or whetever is ok if done about once every other year. And there's nothing wrong with a partnership who are known to psyche more than normal. There's even a section on the WBF convention card where you are expected to note the frequency of your psyches. Something like 'never', 'rare', 'seldom' or 'occasional' I have seen from time to time. Again, there's nothing illegal about a psyche, or even knowing that your partner psyches a lot. As long as the psyche isn't fielded, no law has been broken.

I would expect and encourage partner's to compete based on lousy hands with a few ♥s. So I have to pass this one.

3NT for me as well.

Yeah I too consider T to be an honour, hence 4th highest. Why would you assume the lead from 9x is x? And he didn't say anything about MUD either. Oh and unless they had a specific agreement to the contrary, the lead or the 9 denies the ten, playing standard anyway. So leading 9 from T9 is unusual.

I think I'd bid 2♥.

The 9's a very misleading card to play. I don't see what's wrong with 4th highest (or 3rd/5th if you play that)? 2nd from nothing implies you have nothing, but you have an honour.