Halo

Interesting post. I voted 'inappropriate question'. You can ask what the 3H means and you can ask what 3NT means. No agreement is an answer. It's not psychotherapy. You can call the TD, and in this case I think the TD was very sensible.

Pass. Unless partner can say something interesting, I would rather defend with this hand.

2S We might win the contract, we might beat their contract at the three level. I think that maybe this outweighs helping oppos to to bid more accurately or place the cards in the play.

Pass I can't see a better contract.

4S My hand is OK, but not IMO good enough. No high spade honour and no high diamond honour.

3H I imagine I've got no more than partner is hoping for. Did it mean anything that partner didn't bid 2D? Would that show 54 majors? So he is now 64? Is partner permitted to cater for me passing with his double if I have diamonds and the 1NT oppo has some of my clubs? Anyway, I seem to have a 3H bid followed by pass over 3S.

1NT (12-14) but not if partner has passed.

I would have taken redouble as a suggestion to play, and turned it down. 40% South and 60% North.

In my jurisdiction I'm not allowed to open 1S. Looks like I've got lucky this time and can pass.

Double. There are downsides but that is not unusual.

These are not 2:1 odds. A good player would always lead the J from QJ, never the Q. And this is based on the proposition that noone would ever lead the singleton Queen, or consequentially Q from QJ. So if you see the Queen you 'know' it is from what? If the answer is that we never see the queen, then I'll start the fashion and play it.

3H This could be horrible and I'd still bid it next time.

The beginning of his line was fine but then he didn't get the squeeze position right. If he starts that way and LHO has short clubs (and trumps broke) the double squeeze is 100%. He is losing to 6331 and 6232. Agreed, I thought ruffing out clubs was the only chance in this dire contract, but you would have beaten me when the double squeeze worked (and not the single) and probably have got a lot of MPs

Wish I'd got there first like benlessard.

6C I feel I have to, but I don't feel particularly confident. I wouldn't think partner owed me much if he had AK to seven and King of hearts.

2C followed by double on the next round. Agree with the Skaeran view.

I should imagine you are misreading, since West does not have the spade six. Thanks The six hearts - just good enough to win against 4135?

Am I misreading or do you need to take away West's spade six as well for 4135 in North to beat declarer?

As far as touching cards go, you can also get to the correct answers just by imagining your eyesight isn't too good, and you can't tell which was played. This approach also saves you dividing things by two, a bonus typically for the sort or people whose eyesight is poor.

I sympathise with East. Next time he should call the TD immediately and give himself time to think. Maybe then the TD could also suggest NS (edit) learn their system.

Agree with dburn. After a 2NT opening West may be reluctant about non trump leads for perfectly good reasons.

Ok, I'll bite. You hold AQJ10xx xx xx Qxx: your call over 3♥? For me if I am too weak to bid spades on your hand (or weaker for me) then I don't double.

Very interesting thread. I agree with Hannie. In a competitive auction double and 4S after 4m is exactly this hand. Doesn't make double right, but I'll stick with it.

3NT All non vul, I'm not being talked out of game. They could take the first seven and another one, and I'd be -200. I can live with that.

Double. Not a brilliant spade suit. Don't care if he passes.