skjaeran

I'll transfer, planning to rebid 2NT. If partner super-accept I'll bid 4♠.

I'll cue 3♥ here in line with the majority. I don't understand why some raise to 4♦, preempting controlshowing.

Clear 4♦ opening and overcall IMO.

Thank you all! It's been some hectic days since the final. Quite a lot of attention from media, which in very uncommon for bridge in Norway. Over 100 (I estimate) internet newspapers published the news of our teams success. Yesterday Tor Helness was interviewed on national radio. This morning Helness and our federation's president, Mr Helge Stanghelle, got 6 minutes on national TV (the 2nd largest channel). We're working with the largest channel too. And the second biggest newspaper visited our office yeasterday interviewing our Secretary General, Mr Rune Handal, and me.

This is very close between 4♥ and 4♣ (void in my methods). I think I'd bid 4♥ most of the time, but it's definitely a maximum hand for that. I think 4♣ gets us too high more often than we stop short after 4♥.

The Norwegian team arrived in Shanghai Saturday morning, the day before play started. I know they felt the jet lag problem, but as far as I remember that was prior to the four terrible matches in row. It might still be due to the jet lag - I don't know. Whatever caused these bad matches, those results meant they needed a strong finish in the RR to reach the KO stage. After that they seemed to play at their best at times and very well most of the time. B)

Darn, is it really possible for a pair playing in the BB not having covered this in their agreements?

I'm in the agressive lead vs slam camp. Exceptions being when your hand and the auction cries for a passive lead - see Mike's post. Btw on Monday I held ♠AJx ♥Axx ♦QT8xxx ♣X and opps bid to 6♥. After 1♥-1♠, 2♣-2♦, 2♥-3♥ and some quebids opener jumped to 6♥. I led ♥A and a ♥. Later I won ♠A when declarer run the king from dummy (he was void). He really should have made the contract I believe, but any other lead would have given him the contract right away.

I can't imagine this happening with a human partner. It's probably a non-fit non-jump (advance rescue of 2♠ that won't get doubled anyway).

If he really held up three times, why didn't you overtake the ten with the jack and make the heart switch yourself? Anyway, there's no such thing as suit preference at trick two here.

Pass, I'm happy!

It happens that you'd like to barr partner from bidding the rest of the session, but YOURSELF? :P

Of course he finessed ♥T. As Han I doubt he cashed both spades first.

What if they don't stop doubling - how high do you end up? Reminds me of a true story ages ago. One opponent psyched against us. His partner sadly didn't infer this in time. After we doubled them through the 3- and 4-levels the psycher jumped to 7NT - "to save a few rounds of bidding". :)

Thanks a lot Fred! Today is indeed a very special day, for me, the Norwegian Bridgefederation and for a lot of our members. Of course it's even more special for our team, team officials, journalists and fans participating in the Farewell Dinner and Pricegiving Ceremony in Shanghai right now. I've been working for our federation for 16 years (in fact it's 16 years tomorrow since I started in this job). I've been second in command at the office all the time. My responsibility today is mainly the bridgerelated stuff in a very broad meaning. I was coach for our junior team in 1992 (Paris), 1994 (Papendal) and 1997 (Hamilton). I did in fact visit you and Sheri in your apartment in Toronto together with Sten Bjertnes (NPC of our junior team then and of our open team in Shanghai now) and Jon Sveindal during the Junior WC in Hamilton. Tomorrow night we'll have a reception for our players at the airport when they return for Shanghai. Hopefully with a lot of bridgeplayers attending to cheer them and give them a warm welcome home. The news of our World Champions was in several internet editions of our newspapers shortly after the match today. We may have TV-coverage too. Thanks again, Fred. Your post meant a lot to me.

Actually there was some initial planning for staging this in Norway. However we were told that Paris was already decided.

4♠ and 3♦ FJ.

This hand is more or less an example hand for 3♠ .

2♠ or 2NT according to toagreements. I've never had agreements where I'd raise 3♦ with this hand.

[hv=d=w&v=n&w=sakj64hj9763dcqj5&e=s2hqt2daq76cak762]266|100|Scoring: IMP Rotated 180 degrees.[/hv] Open room: 1♠ - 2♣ 2♥ - 2NT 3♣ - 3♦ 3♥ - 3♠ 4♥ - 6♣ All fine up to and including 3♣, then a wheel seemed to fall off. It looks like Brogeland (responder) intended furhter bids as cuebids agreeing ♣, wheras Sælensminde intended 3♥ as natural, showing 5-5-0-3. I think Sælensminde should understand what was wrong when 3♠ hit the table, and bid 3NT, not 4♥. Then maybe they'd land on their feet. In the bidding was the same, until 3♦ was doubled, then continued: rdbl - 3♥ 4♥ - 4NT 6♣ I'm not sure what happened here. Obviously they were on different pages here too.

Others have made good comments already. I agree with 4♣ as a non-serious cuebid. If not using serious/non-serious 3NT 4♣ is absolutely borderline. Over 4♦ I think 4♥ should be automatic. If partner can't move over that you should not be in slam.

Double, too strong for a direct 3NT.

I'll do the amazingly ridiculous bid of 5♦. That's where I want to play, and that's what I bid. :P

2♥. 2nd choice pass, 3rd choice double.

I really don't understand why south thought he had to double twice. The first doulbe was borderline, but acceptable. All are commenting the NS bidding. I don't like east's bidding - to me it's obvious to raise 2♠ to 3♠ with double support - constructive if partner's got somethin, else preemptive. West would then bid the game whatever south bids over 3♠ (pass should be obvious).