Halo

Pass If we have slam I expect to hear something other than 4H from partner.

I felt somethng bad would happen to our entries after winning King of hearts. Don't see how we untangle to cash the last diamond at the end.

I'd win Ace of hearts (costing the defence a heart honour) and finesse the Jack of clubs. If I lose a club trick I'll play for a spade heart squeeze against East.

Duck the diamond. I trust partner doesn't have 4 diamonds, and I'd like to limit declarer to one play from dummy.

Encouraging auction, but how can I be forced to bid with nothing here. Doesn't make sense to me.

I'd play the 'technical' line - spade finesse and all. I admire the play to the club King, just would never do it.

In real life I think I would play West for Qx(x) of spades (running the Jack and then playing to the King). If he has Qxx he can have diamonds xxx,Axx,Axxx. If he has Qx spades, then he can have Ax,Axx,xx,xxx,xxxx of diamonds. Not very exciting I know.

I find that 1♣ has some preemptive effect I agree. I like to open weak hands with long club suits. Doesn't have a lot to do with a fistful of hearts missing AK. Somehow I find that 3H is the three level preemptive equivalent of a weak two diamonds. If it's your hand you would have had it anyway. If it's their hand, you boost them into close games. Given any excuse I will bid 4H, and lose the golden opportunity for +140.

4H I don't find that 3H preempts anyone when it matters.

I would have doubled. There has to be a line oppos can't cross undoubled, otherwise you just lose.

5D = 10

Pass, Pass, Pass, 3S. In general I favour pass as a way of showing a minimum hand. The exception is when I have a supported six card suit.

This may be a confusing post as the auction was not shown in the initial post, but for me to double the 4♠ bid and then free bid my suit at the 5 level would show a much better hand than what I hold here. I can live with pass but not double followed by passing 4NT or 5D.

3D I never feel happy with this bid in natural systems, so I'm quite sympathetic to anyone with a better idea.

Fun post. When I read it there was no 5H and no double. Double, then 5H if necessary and then pass.

Wondered if I was completely out of touch with MPs rather than just mostly. Reassured that pass is still possible.

3D I've noticed that cue bids on this forum are rarer and more specific than I imagine they are. This may be a good thing, and then this hand will be one that got away, since a more flexible cue bid is clearly advantageous.

Very difficult hand. People talk about 'extended restricted choice'. Here we have a heart versus a club continuation. I'm finessing, because I don't believe any of my opponents are that good, including the ones I've played in dburn's class. On this layout I don't feel very confident and would tip my cap to opponent in the next room who 'got it right' if he did.

First impression is that with Jx I will always win by playing the x, partner ducking from K9xx (since the earlier discussion established that declarer will finesse the ten into my Jack to cater for KJxx opposite xx). In fact whenever I have jack, no King and an x it looks right to play the x. So what about J9. Looks like I have to play the nine and partner wins the King.

OK David, these excellent defenders have increased my enjoyment of the game. Now I wonder if I was wrong to disregard my intermediates after all. Maybe I should just play West for two or three of KJ9 - finesse all the way. Probably not quite optimal, but looks maybe good odds versus treating 87 as xx.

That's not the normal policy. Instead, you should play small to the ten if the queen holds. I'm surprised David. Doesn't finessing lose two tricks to Kx on the right?

If I have the 3H bid I'll use it, since it seems to cater for partner preferring NT. Otherwise I'll Stayman and play in a 44 spade fit.

Despite the intermediates I would intend the normal policy of small to the Queen and back to the Ace if the Queen holds.

If partner plays x from Jx you can never succeed on this layout. Of course. I'll look forward to a better solution.

Instinct says East plays: QJ Qx Jx Then West works it out.