skjaeran

No, and this is one reason why most people open 1♦. Are you sure about that "most" part, Helene? In Scandinavia, a HUGE majority would open 1♣. I'm pretty sure many would elsewhere too.

1. 3NT, hoping for a stopper opposite or a blocked suit. 2. 4♠. Double is insane (you don't want partner to sit) and not strong enough to bid more than 4♠.

Agee with 1♠, pass now. We should be able to come to 6-7 tricks outiside spades, and I DO have a late spade stopper. :)

Congratulations Andy, very well done! :)

2♥ for me. To double with this shape would be unlikely for me, maybe with a really bad heart suit.

2♣ denied 3-card support I'd guess, although this is not mentioned in the OP. I'd not go looking for 4♥ here, trumps rate to split unevenly after the t/o double. Partner will often have some length in spades here, so 5♣ doesnt rate to be too good either. 3NT is on if we have six club tricks, a spade stopper and ♦K onside (or with partner). I've got no good bid, without GF values. I'd try 3♣ for now, and see if I get another chance.

-5.38/-5.28

Huh? It's far from obvious to adjust to 5♦-1, even if you agree to adjust (I certainly do). It takes a ♣ lead to beat 5♦, which is not a stand out lead IMO. An adjustement along the line of 50% 5♦= and 50% 5♦-1 seems more proper to me. It might not in a jurisdiction where weighted scores are uncommon, but that's not the case in the EBL.

The standard 1NT range is more like 14.6-16.8, since very many quite freely upgrades 14-counts. Originally, the standard in Norway was to open 4-card suits up the line. That meant that 1♠ would provide a 5-bagger about 95% of the time. In the mid 70s, the standard started switching to guarantee 5 when opening 1♠ to more freely be able to support with only three.

I've played Namyats ages ago, but the hand "never" came up. The natural preempt hands DO come up pretty frequently, and preempting 4m is the worst level for opps - there's little room for exploration and you're not at the 5-level, where most of the time they'll just double you and take their plus (which might easily be 5-800 or more).

I'd most probably just raise to 4♠, but I could see myself bidding 4♥ on the way with this hand.

5♦ is clear to me at IMPs. If partner hesitated before the double (I know that happened at the table), I've got UI suggesting that 5♦ might not be as good a bid as without the hesitation, compelling me to chose the non-suggestid call. So 5♦ it is.

I'd rebid 3♥, transfer showing 4♠. If partner accepts the transfer, I'm cuebidding 4♣ next. If partner rebids 3NT, I'm continuing with a natural 4♣. (I'd not have bid 1♦ initially, playing Walsh or T-Walsh in all partnerships.)

After 1x-1y I prefer 1NT to be natural, 2x to show the two unbid suits and 2y to be natural. In the given auction, I'd prefer 2♦ to be Michaels (55M) and be able to get in and out of the bidding at the 2-level. The only plausible (barely) meaning for 3♣ would be stopper asking.

All these used to be 55 GF's for me. But for some years I've been playing the xyz-convention, which apply after 1/1/1. It's very similar to the xy-NT (or 2-way check back or whatever). And then jumps in the fourth suit after bidding three suits at the 1-level became 55 INV, since all GF hands rebid 2♦. Now I prefer to use 2♣ with all INV hands (and drop dead in 2♦), 2NT as a puppet to 3♣ (to drop or certain special GF hands) and all jumps are returning to be 55 GF.

I've been tempted to modified it so it is ACBL legal - that is 1M-2♦ is a.) GF with ♦s b.) weak raise in M with 3+♦s I play it as INV+ with ♦ or weak raise of the major. I've got no idea if that's ACBL legal, but that's no big deal where I play.

It's 3NT or 4NT. Anything higher is ridiculous. I think 4NT is something of a stretch though. Partner will accept with AKx AKx xxxx AKx, for example, and then slam is hopeless. And there's lots of other 21-counts partner accepts with, where slam is hopeless or bad.

It's ages since I played a strong club myself, and I don't think we encountered methods that bothered us particularly more than others. Preempts at the 3-level or higher of course could make life difficult. When it comes to preferred defense when playing against a strong club, I prefer a combination of CRASH and a suction-offspring at the 2-level: Pass = weak or strong balanced X = Colour (blacks or reds) 1♦ = RAnk (majors or minors) 1M = natural, constructive 1NT = SHape (pointed or rounded) 2♣ = ♦ or majors 2♦ = ♥ or 4♠ + longer minor 2♥ = 4♥ + longer minor 2♠ = nat preempt 2+NT = minors 3+x = nat preempt

I'd overcall 3♥ here, and I don't think it's a close decision. Partner won't go crazy just because I overcalled.

I have known about prism signals from Vinje back when I heard about it when the first George Bush was president. I never have understood why this is deemed "encrypted." But, that was the source of my question. I got the Vinje book when Reagan was Prez. His 1st term :) It is bizarre now as it was then. As a new player, I had no idea how complicated this game was. When I was reading it, all I could think was ".....wow, I'm just NOT getting this". You're an old fart! :) Damn you Ken, you're insulting me. I got the Norwegian original book earlier (it was published in 1976). B)

Expert standard will vary from country to country or even region to region, if there really is an expert standard at all. I'm used to play preference to the opening suit as the only non-GF rebid by responder, thus I'd be in a GF already. Others play the lowest of 4th suit and 2NT as the only NF-rebid, and thus would be in a GF already. Others play Ingberman or something similar, and 3♣ is clearly NF. To know what applies, you'd have to discuss this beforehand or be sure of what's "standard" in your environment - IF there is such a thing.

Agree with penalty pass and 3♥. 6♦ should be a possible contract, and when we don't belong in slam, 5♦ will most probably be (much) better than 3NT, even at MP.

The bit about the hand where you can't duck the first round of hearts is nasty. Agree with Frances, switch the majors and I'd (barely) overcall 3NT.

Ditto

I don't like making a minimum t/o double without a fourth spade, prefer to pass this hand. The 5♥ cuebid without having an agreed suit is a little out of line, the values are there, but there's not a clear direction. Bidding 6♦ is way too much. I assume south thought 5♥ forced to the 6-level, else it's insane to do anything other than pass.