brianshark

This makes the most sense to me. If this is not the rule, then I think it should be.

Agree with 1♦ then 4♥ on the first and 1♥ unless system says to bid 1♦ and Pass on the 2nd.

The fact that the final spot is a reasonable one has nothing to do with discussion on whether the auction was a good one.

Normal 1NT.

Playing a system where 1M is limited to 10-15, I have been recommended to have 2 ways to make a 3-card raise, 2M-1 to show a constructive raise and 2M to show any rubbish hand with 3 card support and no game interest. (And 2♦ over 1♠ to show hearts.) But this means playing an artificial GF 2♣ that not only includes 3 card support, balanced hands and clubs, but possibly a 5+ card ♦ suit. Does anyone play this, or a employ 2♣ art GF bid that is similar to this?

I disagree with north's 4♠ bid. It seems a little unilateral both in terms of level and strain. 3♠ shows your hand I think... it's highly invitational with a good 6+ ♠ suit. Partner can choose between pass, 3NT, 4♠ or even 4♥.

I play wj05 with a few people. And I have no idea what the meaning of 2♣ would be after the double in any of them. I guess this sequence hasn't come up. Nobody round these parts pass 1♣ but then dbl 1NT.

Thanks guys!

I thought boom boom was an expression meaning "I have just told a joke and you are now supposed to laugh".

We're in the balancing seat - we only need 2 defensive tricks and we certainly have them. Partner is almost certainly marked with 4+ ♠s and a penalty pass of his is quite likely given responder's pass. Our heart suit is crap and even though partner could still have the death holding of KQx in support, we may still be able to establish the tap. If partner bids 3m (via leb if you play that) then I'll be content enough to pass (I have 3 card support and a singleton and nice shape) even though I know hearts is likely to be a better part-score. But I think it's well worth the risk of catching opener for a nice penalty. People pre-empt on trash these days. You've got to catch them. So mark me down as a doubler.

Agree with 1♣. 5♣ is pre-empting yourself just as much as you are pre-empting your opponents and anything in between just doesn't express the strength of your hand.

1. 3♥ 2. Pass 3. Pass and 1♠

I won't play under ACBL GCC rules. I'd love to play otherwise, and I generally agree with less boards and more time per board. Also, I would hope to be able to play with non-forum members as most of my regular pards are not on the forum.

Sorry, right you are. I missed that partner denied a ♦ control.

What line is that?

I'm going to ruff the ♦ low, then run the ♥Q, and if ducked, lead the ♠Q overtaking and drawing trumps from the top. ♥K on my right and ♠J on my left seems more likely than stiff ♥K and 2 ♠s on my left, especially if we think Lefty has 6 ♦s.

Rdbl just shows first round heart control. No more. No less. It doesn't necessarily show a ♦ control. It doesn't show that we don't have enough for slam. It just shows ace or void in ♥s. So I obviously pass gratefully since I'm about to find out if pard has 1st round control. If he does, I'll bid 6♦. If not, 6♠. I am somewhat worried that even if pard has the ace, we have a slow heart loser that we can't get rid of. But I have to try for grand.

I think that people are more fooled than they should be by % off discounts. I know that intelligent people should "know" that the big yellow sale sign is often a gimmick, but in reality they don't intelligently process all the information available to them in a cold calculating manner. They tend to use their gut feeling to determine whether the item in question is worth it or not, and having a big sale sign hanging off it makes it 'feel' more like a bargain.

I like strong club which has a weak option (Polish or similar). At the moment I play carrot club, 10-15 openings and 1C is 11-13 balanced or 16+ and I find it really easy to play and effective.

I'll try to make it.

Cash a big Diamond before you ruff a heart in case you need to finesse.

If QJx offside, you need to go up the K because if the diamonds are 3-0 onside, you can ruff a heart as an entry to take the finesse. (If you finesse, he can return a trump or heart killing the entry and you can no longer test Diamonds.) If QJ doubleton offside, you need to play the K which ensures the contract and you can try and pick up the diamonds for the overtrick. If J singleton offside, it doesn't matter what you play. You are going to lose a trump trick no matter what (no entry to repeat finesse), and either way you get to test Diamonds and ruff a heart for a Diamond finesse if they are 3-0 onside.

Here is a related but different question I was curious about: If an artificial bid which shows something in particular is illegal as an opening but is legal as a defence to a strong club opening, can it be used as a defence to a strong pass opening?

The dbl of 3♦ is penalties so I have no problem with 3♠. The dbl of 4♦ would show better Diamonds so despite the fact that I have only 3 cards in partner's chosen suit and have a balanced hand rather than a take-out hand, you kind of have to bid 4♠ to show your extras. But when 5♦ is bid in front of you, just smack it. It's tough to find 6♣.

Having the 2♣ opener promise 6 is very useful. A lot of bad scores from opening 2♣ come when the suit quality is poor and/or you have only 5 because you often play in the wrong partscore. 2♦ is a rare enough opening anyway, so if you get the odd bad score from it, it should pay off in good scores you'll get from your 2♣ opening promising 6.