skjaeran

! LOL at my mistyping, should be overcall.;) Even if I'm close to minimum I might bid again even with a passed partner.

Add me in the "extras, no clear direction" chorus.

This is a 2♣ overbid for me. Make the hand a little weaker, and I pass.

I'd place myself in the scientist camp normally, but here I think 4♦ is pretty obvious- 3♥ should be natural. I'm a simple soul, and open 1NT with a balanced hand in range, thus I "often" hold 5-card hearts in this sequence. By bypassing 3NT I imply no interest in playing there - partner will therefor expect Jx/Jxx or worse in spades.

Happy Birthday!

All show strong (in context) raises to 5 of partner's minor.

Should East play partner not to have signaled by dropping the K under the A with KJTx or not to have signaled by dropping the J under the A with JT7x? IMO, the latter is far more likely After partner played the 8 and 9, the jack, ten and 7 are of equal rank....and you did lead the 6. Partner knows you can afford to play the jack from JT76 or the king from KJT6, but you could also hold KJ76(x) or KT76(x), from which holdings you'd follow with the 7 (or x).

4♦ is reasonable, but a slight overbid anyway. I agree with Josh's arguments for just bidding 3♠. Trying for slam by south is not unreasonable, but still an overbid. 4NT...6♠ is way out of line, IMO.

Not sure what hand you're referring to, most seem to think you're talking about responcer. But it's opener's turn to bid. I'd cuebid 4♣ as opener over 3♠ by responder, and then 4♦ from responder. To me, 3♠ guarantees the ability to make a cuebid (promises 1+ controls), and over a cuebid by opener asks for that cuebid.

With a minimum 9-loser hand, a forcing pass is an overbid IMO, even with no vasted values. I'm a doubler.

Openers suit is yet not known. 4♣ shows clubs and the "other" major.

I'm leading a red suit, the black suit holdings are both very unattractive to lead from, since they might very easily blow a trick. It's more or less a tossup between the red suits. The length is my decider, so I'm going for the ♥5.

I'm bidding 4♦, voidshowing.

Me too.

1♥.

1♥ - 2NT 3♣ - 3NT 4♣ - 4♦ 4♠ - 4NT 5♣ - 5♦ 5♠ - 7NT Normally I need 4 trumps for 2NT, but experience tells me that HHx is enough when 18+, and it simplifies lots of auctions. 3♣=natural with extras 3NT = serious Cuebids, 1430, queen ask

At unfavourable I might have chosen 2♠, but I'd most probably have overcalled 1♠ even at that vulerability. Now it's close, but I'll venture 3♠.

5♦ is a slight overbid. 4♦, however, is a clear underbid, being competitive only. Having to pick one of them, I'm definitely going for 5♦.

I've never played SAYC, but whenever I play a non-2/1, 1M-2m-2M-3M is forcing. If not, there's no way to make a natural slam invite below game level. See also awm's comment above.

Pass, hopefully not down 2.

5♣ for me, to take away as much bidding space as possible - within limits. ;)

Me too.

Depending on agreements, 3♥ is GF or invitational. Over an invitational 3♥ it makes no sense for 3♠ to be non-forcing.

3NT. If LHO psyched, I'm taken in - nothing to do about it.

If partner had a hand which he could bid 7♥ with, he'd have done that over 5NT. Anyway, I'm a 7♥ bidder here.