skjaeran

3♦ for me, anything more overstates my values. You're allowed to have a maximum once in a while....

If some intelligent cuebidding technic is in use, 5♠ should be a quantitative bid - a general slam try. I don't know if I can tell a hand where 5♠ is the right bid, but I will when I see it....

Playing for money I take the near certain plus, normally 3-500, and don't care much about an unsure game contract.

Several very good posts in this thread. After reading them, it's between pass and 5NT for me - frankly I doubt I'd have found 5NT at the table. But I'm chickening out anyway, and pass. :)

Me too, good analysis.

4♣ cuebid. Over 4♦ I KC, over 4M I'm stopping at game level. 2♠ is GF for me, and 3♠ is a slam try. I expect to get to at least 6♠, but we might be off ♦AK.

Wouldn't it be unanimous there too?

I play that double shows 4-5 spades and 1♠ denies. I'm thus bidding 1♠ with the example hand. I used to play the other way around for some years, but when starting playing transfer responses over 1♣ it was natural to swithch these two bids. (Originally I played 1♠ as 5+ and double as 4, which used to be standard in Norway. These days I don't think you can say there's a standard anymore, though most beginners are taught that a negative x shows 4 spades.)

I think that just shows good spades and specifically points to a heart weakness for notrump. 'Good Spades' that responder could not rebid ? What would they look like ? A strong 4-card suit. And empty or near empty hearts. Probing for 3NT. Maybe something like KQTx xxx Kxxx Qx

The 1NT response and 2♠ preference are both absolutely normal, those are the bids any sane player would make. The jump to 4♠ are the only bid here that should be questioned. (Some wouldn't rebid 2♥, but bid_em_up shows why rebidding spades would be wrong.)

5c is pretty fancy/very very advanced but ok......I just bid simple 5d Huh? 5♣ is pretty elementary over here. Italian style cuebidding is standard, though, so that's what people learn as soon as they learn cuebidding.

7. Pass, partner is 4-5. 8. Top spade, going for a ruff (might also establish a trick or two for partner).

Is 3♦ a singleton? No, 3♦ is a natural GF with 5-5.

Get to part two please, 1NT is painstakingly obvious on the first round.

Huh, do you really play 2m as natural over a 1NT overcall?? System on is standard where I play. I don't expect to defend 1♠ if I pass, so I prefer to overcall 1NT, to be able to reach game when that's right.

2♦. Expect to score +110 or more if we can make +90 in 1NT, +130 if we can make +120 in 1NT (and, not to forget, +90 or better when 1NT goes one or more off).

4♠ for me, as for everyone (one exception!?!). Agree with opening 1♣ (of course) and everything Mike wrote above.

1♠ is OK with me, prefer it over 1NT. I'd have raised to 4♥ with the south hand. But I agree with Mike that it's not a crystal clear raise.

Over here it's standard that a direct BW over a 1-level opening asks for aces only.

The south hand is too strong to rebid 4♥ over 4♦, 4♠ is adequate. Btw1, I prefer to play serious 3NT (or non-serious) here, so north can distinguish between hands actively inviting for slam and hands just making a free cuebid. Btw2, I'd open the south hand 1NT, not 1♠, with a balanced 15-count.

3♠ for me, that's what the hand is worth. 4♦ is too much, besides, it shows a void in my world.

I only use BW when I know we've got the resources (=trick potential) for slam and don't have two quick losers in a suit, to check that we've got the appropriate number of keycards (or aces for NT play) for the level I'm aiming at (small or grand slam).

No reason to believe this is a non-normal contract. I'm passing and expect our good defence to bring in an average or better result.

I doubt this is a legal agreement in most jurisdictions if you are opening at the one-level. That's true. And it's a psyche only the first time you do this in a partnership.

1♣ - 1♦ 1♥ - 1♠ 3♣ - 3NT Partner should be 3424 and minimum for his 3NT rebid. Being a light opener, I'd just raise 3NT to 4NT - quantitative. In a sounder opening style I'd drive to slam, rebidding 4♣ over 3NT. I'm used to the xyz-convention, where I'd rebid 2♦ over 1♥ - a conventional GF. 3♣ would also be a natural GF playing that convention, but show 5-5.