skjaeran

I'm passing this, and I don't think it's close. I'm not moving at IMPs either, but that's a closer call.

First of all, you have this backwards. 2♥/♠X making 8 tricks is 470/670, and 1♥/♠X making 8 tricks is the lesser score. Second of all, are you really arguing that responder should never raise because you might play in 1MX? That's what it looks like to me, though I have a hard time understanding your posts. Pity you have problems to understand. It is all very simple. I say 1M-DBL-2M is silly and forbidden. After 1M-DBL you wait for opps. It is not for you to take them out of the fryin pan. Huh?? Surely you raise your partners opeing to the 2-level if that's what your hand is worth. Get it off your chest and help partner. Besides, it's harder for opps to compete for the partscore if their fit is in a minor suit (or hearts when we've got spades). I really don't understand what you're talking about here.

At MP I'd double with both.

Can't see anything better than 6♥.

I got 17 of 20, somewhat surprisingly. Btw, the smile on my picture is genuine. :(

That south hand is closer to 19 points than 17 in value.

That's not a monster. AKQJ76 AKQ A8 AK is a monster, which came up in our Premier League last weekend. With partner holding the ♦K all ten pairs scored 1510/1520. That's not a monster either. That's Godzilla! I'll bet you you don't see another 30 point hand in 10 years Harald :) I wasn't playing in the Premier League :( , so I only have that one second hand.

This implies you have no rebid on hands with 5♠4+♣, is that the case? Indeed we haven't. We pass 1NT with those or open 1NT if possible. I'd like to have a 2♦ opening to cater for those hands; 11-15 5♠ 4-5♣, but we haven't added that so far. Strangely though, so far that hand hasn't been a problem for us.

I'm not passing this hand vs a strong NT for sure.

1. 1NT 2. 2♥ Pretty clear IMO.

That's not a monster. AKQJ76 AKQ A8 AK is a monster, which came up in our Premier League last weekend. With partner holding the ♦K all ten pairs scored 1510/1520.

I play something like this. 1♠-1NT (NF) 2♣ = 4+♦ 2♦ = 4+♥ 2♥ = strong 2♠ rebid (2.5+♠) 2♠ = "weak" 2♠ rebid 2NT = conv GF 3x = 55+ GF 3♠ = natural and slammish The big uspide is that opener has many more options when it comes to bid his hand, and can distinguish much more than with standard methods. Responder also has more options, and can just accept the transfer with mediocre hand and have the raise better defined. We don't play transfers after 1♥-1NT.

If partner has a weak NT now, this is an easy pass IMO.

I'd open hand 1 1♠, but it's a minimum. I'd open hand 2 3♣. A 4th seat 3NT should have some solid or semi-solid suit with stoppers. A major suit is just as fine as a minor, btw.

I really don't understand 3♥ from north - 3♦ seems clear to me. 3♥ isn't patterning out IMO, it shows some values there. I'd have bid 1♥ with the south hand over 1♦, not 2♣. This shows 4+♥ and is forcing in my methods. Over 1♠ I'd probably rebid 2♣, but 3♦ is also quite possible.

That's about how I feel about this too.

Easy cardshowing double here.

This looks like a very clearcut pass IMO. Pretty little upside bidding here, and a big downside. I've got only defencive values. We can easily go for a number when opps don't even make game. Besides, we help opps a lot when it comes to declarer play. Like Josh and Justin, I'd easily trade away one of my honours for some good fillers in my suits. Then we're talking.

I'm definitely with the majority here; 1♠....3♠. After all, bridge is supposed to be a partnership game, so I prefer to involve partner when that seems like a good option.

I agree with the popular vote here - this is a pass. At the table my partner after some though raised to 4NT (last time I overcalled I had 19 and we missed a slam). Holding Kxx A Ax AT8xxxx I had an easy 6♣ now. +1370

I was west and have to take most of the blame. There was a few 6♣ contracts around, but not at our other table - opps got to 6NT. So we lost 11 well deserved IMPs.

Partner held Axx KTxx ATxxx x. I bid too timid, stopping in 4♥+2. The good news was that opps didn't stop short of 7♦ at the other table, earning us 13 IMPs for our "effort". :)

I bid 3NT. Partner put down xxx KJxxx xxx Jx. 3NT was down 1, whereas 5♦ was making.

As for the auction, declarer was known to hold no keycards. RHO held KT in trumps. If you got past that hurdle you had to bring in diamonds, knowing LHO to have 3 trumps and QJ 4th or 5th in hearts. RHO held Jxx in diamonds, so you'd get that one right.

The double absolutely guarantee 4c hearts. Veeery seldom it could contain 5.