skjaeran

I might have overcalled 2♥ initially. I admit I'd prefer a slightly stronger hand. But I'd stretch, since that shows 55+ in the blacks in my methods. You get the hand off your chest at once, and it's far easier for partner to evaluate his holdings. Having overcalled 1♠, I'd bid 4♠ now.

In our methods: P - 1♠ - 1NT - 2♥ - 4♠. We play transfers after 1♠-1NT. 2♥ shows a good 2♠ rebid.

I'd be able to bid 2!c naturally. With a ♠ void I expect to survive this round, and be able to butt in with the ♥ suit later. BTW, 2♦ would show a wjo in a major and 2♥/♠ wld show 55M, weak/strong.

2♥ transfer. If partner just accepts the transfer, by bidding 2♠, he'll have a singleton or doubleton and near minimum, so I'll pass. If he raises to 3♠ I'll raise to game. If partner get's more exited, I'll cooperate in a slam exploring auction. Playing standard methods I'm stuck with 2♠ forcing.

South will be the hand that takes control here. Since he'll discover that the ♠Q and ♥A is missing, and probably won't know that norht holds the ♥Q, the slam will be odds against from his perspective. So, unless you'll be able to locate the ♥Q, you should stay out of this slam.

That depend's on at what level you want to play. You can't play at the 2-level, since the 2♠ response is pass or correct, and that's the meaning you'll need to have - because of frequency. The 3♠ response could/should be natural. I'd not like to use it as "to play" - again because of frequency. But that also depends on what meaning you apply to the sequence: 2♦-2NT-3x-3♠. If 3♠ here is natural (and forcing of course), then 2♦-3♠ should be non-forcing. I'd then prefer it to be invitational. If 3♠ in this sequence is a cuebid agreeing ♥'s (when that's partners suit), 2♦-3♠ is needed on hands where you'd like to make a natural GF in ♠'s.

Imagining this to offer to play on 4-3 really is really far-fetched, IMO. I'd just not have the imagination to even think that would be possible, when you have the option to bid 3♥ as a semi-natural bid. 4♥ is 100% splinter. Some might define it as a void, but that's not practical, I think. South 110% to blame. :)

I'd open the south hand 2♠. That shows 8-11 hcp and a 6c suit in my methods. With the north hand I'd either pass, planning to bid 3♠ if opps balance or raise directly to 3♠, preemptive/tactical. I'd expect the hand to belong to our side, although on some layouts opps might have the highest making contract (if partner's got ♣ support).

3442 18-count?? He can't bid 3NT with that. When I force to game vs a possible minimum opening he's got to bid 4NT over 3♥ to show such strenght. 3NT should be the same distribution (or 3343) and (11)12-14. 4♦ is slammish, with 3♥ an advance cuebid. My hand isn't worth that. I'd guess 3NT works better than 5♦, and thus would pass.

2NT shows at least game interest. Otherwise you respond 2/3♥. The Multi convention can be used at any level in Norway, and are extensively used in most clubs here.

I've been playing Multi on and off for more that 20 years. The response structure I favour is: 2♥=pass or correct 2♠=pass or correct, with a maximum 2♥ show a feature a minor suit 2NT=asking 3m=natural and forcing 3♥=pass or correct, preemptive with support for both M 3♠=natural, slam invititational 4♣=ask for transfer to your suit 4♦=ask for suit 4M=to play Over 2♦-2NT: 3♣=maximum weak 2; 3♦=ask, 3♥=♠, 3♠/NT=♥ 3♦=minimum w/♥: 3♥=inv 3♥=minimum w/♠: 3♠=inv 3♠=strong bal w/5c♠ 3NT=strong bal, not 5♠ These last two doesn't apply if the Multi only can be w2M. I strongly recomend that you can't have ♥ as sidesuit when opening 2♠. Responses to 2M 5c + 4cm+: 2♠=natural, decide if it's to play/inv/GF 2NT=strong ask 3♣=pass or correct 3♦=pass or correct, might chose to use this as some strong conv. bid 3M=preemptive raise Responses to 2M-2NT: 3m=natural, minimum 3♥=maximum with ♣ 3♠=maximum with ♦ After 2M-2NT-3m, 3M=inv After 2M-2NT-3x, 4 in openers minor is slammish in this suit, other new suits is cuebid agreeing the major. You can use this as a framework to add to.

I'm dead minimum regarding playing strenght for my vulnerable overcall and partner made a simple raise, which doesn't promise much. He'd have doubled 2♥ with 4c♠ and a hand worth competing. So there's no need for me to even think of any further bidding.

Over 4NT there's several possibilities; pass, 5♠, 5♥ for the lead or some psyche. Nothing is "correct", and it's just guesswork what would work in practise. I'd surely bid 7♠ now. I really expect opps to make their grand after this bidding.

It's very close between pass and 6♣. You can easily give partner a hand for this auction where slam is odds on. With the actual hand slam was odds off and would go down. The decision would normally depend on your personal view of life (optimist/pessimist) or the state of the match (need a swing?). I totally disagree with posters saying the hand is too strong to bid as 23-24 balanced. 2NT is where you belong if parner elects to pass (you might in fact prefer to play 1NT :P ). And it's easy to upgrade the hand if partner makes a move.

I made the 4♣ bid to give partner a clue over 4♠. I've got no extras after now, and will thus stick with partner's decision. If I'd got an extra king or ace, I'd double to show extra strenght. Partner would then know what to do - pass for penalty or bid 5♥ to make.

This was an easy one IMO. South has to bid game with this 7-loser hand sitting over t/o doubler at IMPs. I'd not consider stopping below game at MP either, BTW.

I'd never ever even think of raising to game here at any form of scoring. But that's a consequence of method - my partner would hold Hx in hearst, not 3-card. In our methods the bidding would go 1♥-2♥, and I'd be able to make a short suit game try. Vs a 3-card invite without any possiblility to describe my hand any more, I'd raise to game here at IMPs, since my hand is far better than minimum (we open any 11 count). Playing MP I'd raise if the hand came up in a norwegian event, but probably pass playing elsewhere. :)

I hold all the outstanding strenght here. The best chance to beat the contract is to find a five card major suit with partner breaking 2-2. There's two reasons for leading a heart insted of a spade. 1. You need just one entry, since the suit is established at once. 2. The chance that you present declarer with a trick is nearly non-existing on a heart lead but a very real possibilitywith a spade lead. All in all, a heart lead seems clear.

Fred: A different "Italian" treatment applies in this auction: 1♣-1♦-? DBL=4+ ♥ 1♥=4+♠ 1♠=like a negative DBL, but with no 4-card major I don't know any more details about how this works, but my instincts suggest that it is very smart. With my regular partner we play: 1♣-1♦-? DBL=4+ ♥, not 4 ♠ (cld be 5-6+) 1♥=4+ ♠ 1♠=4 ♠ and 4+ ♥ 1NT=6-10 no 4cM, might be bid without D-stopper. This works well for us, even if we on occasion are forced to wrong side NT. Our 1♣ opening is 2+ (NAT or 11-14/18-19 BAL), so we can't raise ♣'s on fewer than 5 here.

Well.. in Robson/Segal context we have: 1. RS define "any inv+ raise sets a forcing pass if opps bid to the FIVE level". I think it makes sense to replace 'raise' for 'bid', so this one shd be forcing. 2. You have been forced to 4♠ or 5♣. Since opps bid above that, it's not forcing. 3. No direct raise ever sets a forcing pass. Fully agree.

Where on earth did I find that 3NT bid? I'd never think of it, since I'd be quite sure NOT to make it. Pass and (hope to) go plus defending seems automatic. Now I'm happy to be in a game contract I expect to make. PASS

I've been there before - at the other side of the table (opps had a BW accident). :) Parnter didn't find the lead. :angry: The odds favour to lead your best major, since the opponents is more likely to have 13 top tricks if you lead your weaker suit and it's wrong. So I'll lead a ♥ in my sleep.

At IMP's I'd surely just bid 3NT. The invite with clubs sequence isn't going to work, since pard wld bid 3NT with some wrong hands and not with some right hands, expecting me to hold a good suit. At MP my choice is between 2NT and 3NT. The "value" bid is 2NT, but playing in a overly agressive environment, I'd most probably bid 3NT even at MP. Harald

Playing T-walsh, I'd have responded 1♦, not 1♥, and partner's rebid would absolutely deny 3c support. But this doesn't influence my rebid much. I also play transfer rebids at the 2-lewel, 2♦ and 2♥ showing either a weak or strong jumshift in ♥/♠ respectively. So, having denied a wjs, 2♥ now is constructive. Partner will not drop me here holding a suitable hand. Harald