skjaeran

We're not a regular partnership, so not that many agreements. 2♥ would be 4th suit GF. We use italian style cuebids, no picture jumps. 5♦ is weaker than any alternative over 3♦. If I'd bid 4♣ over 3♦ I'd intend that as a cuebid agreeing ♦s, partner would take it as a natural slam try, though. :P 3♦ over 2♣ would show a strong 5-5, thus this sequence shows a weaker hand, 11-15(16).

[hv=d=e&v=b&s=skt852hkt4dakq87c]133|100|Scoring: IMP 1♠ - 2♣ 2♦ - 2NT 3♦ - 5♦ ?[/hv] 2NT=GF (2♠ and 3♣ would not have been forcing) What do you expect partner to have? What's your call?

A decent society treat all citizens with respect. And doesn't humiliate anyone. I'm heavily in favour of same-sex marriages.

Easy 1NT rebid IMO. David Burn said what needs to be said above.

I don't think there's a standard at all. Or there might be some places. For me 2♠ is a GF relay in both sequences, asking for distribution. Many play that over here, but I'd not call it standard by any means.

I'll upgrade this to 23 because of all the controls, the fifth spade and the red tens. It's close though, with the empty spade suit.

Ditto.

Double, but I think it's close.

Add me to the "natural" choir. This is a quantitative bid, showing a hand too strong for 3NT that wants to invite slam.

1♥ or 2♦, depending on agreements with my particular partner at the time. Undiscussed: 1♥

I don't understand the 3♦ rebid on 6-4, that should show 5-5. But that's another matter. In 6♦ I'd win the lead in dummy and finness trumps, playing a low diamond to the queen. I won't play ace and another trump, it looks ridiculous to see RHO win this with the king and give LHO a spade ruff. Since the spade fit is unknown to opps, the lead obviously is a singleton.

Agree completely.

4♠. I don't think we'll get rich defending 4♥. And if I double, partner must have something special to take it out.

With three defensive tricks and an empty suit, I'm a passer. I'm fully aware we might miss a game, but the downside is too great, I think.

It's not that I want to compete: if partner has four reasonable diamonds, I want to take a penalty. How many diamonds are there in the pack? You've got four, RHO's got four and LHO's got three, leaving partner with two. Unless a wheel has fallen off for opps. In which case you shouldn't help them find a better spot. No, I had 2. We were discussing responder's actions with Qxxx Kxx xx K10xx. Do try to keep up. Sorry, my fault. Agree with you.

Clear penalty.

If you mean a military victory, forget it. There will never be a military victory in Afganisthan. Which the NATO leaders should have realized a long time ago. Put in more forces, and the Taliban resistance will only increase.

Are you telling us that Terje Aa wasn't the slowest player at the table? That's got to be close to a record, he's one of the consistently slowest players I know.... Your description of his opponent fits very well with how most would describe Terje's tempo at the table.

2♥ for me. Can't see any reasonable alternative.

Agree with 2♥ here, as a passed hand. It's a dead minimum regaring high card strength, but the suit is good and I've got a nice side suit too. We might easily have game vs an ordinary opening.

It's not that I want to compete: if partner has four reasonable diamonds, I want to take a penalty. How many diamonds are there in the pack? You've got four, RHO's got four and LHO's got three, leaving partner with two. Unless a wheel has fallen off for opps. In which case you shouldn't help them find a better spot.

Over a 3♣ and a t/o double I usually play the Herbert negative (it's the only place I do). Thus 3♦ would be unavailable. Playing that method I'd bid 3♥, showing values. I'd prefer a fourth heart for the bid, but that's life. We should have a reasonable chance to get to game when we should. Playing standard methods, I'd take the low road and bid 3♦.

But do you have another way to show a singleton? If so then I'm sure it all works very well, but if not then I wouldn't want to give up the singleton in exchange for the far more rare void. Yes, I do have other methods to show a singleton, directly or later, depending on strength. Not always, but most of the time.

If partner is prone to upgrade too many 14-counts, I'll invite. Else I raise to game.

This comes down to agreements. I use 4-way transfers and have to Stayman first on balanced invites. But over 2♥ I use 2♠ as a GF relay, asking for distribution. So I'd have to rebid 2NT here. If a direct 2NT would be a natural invite I'd assume 2NT over 2♥ would imply 4-card spades, and that 2♠ could be used for other purposes (GF relay?). So 2♠ as a 4-card invite here only makes sense to me if a direct 2NT wasn't available. If so, I'd rebid 2♠.