Halo

I think the simulation indications + strong arguments for 5♦ forcing make this a very good demonstration of accurate natural bidding to a slam - been educational.

I voted for 5♦ despite the fact that the first average hands I imagined for partner don't make. I am interested in the argument for letting partner double or bid four spades, and maybe that is the winning approach, but I'll stick with bidding.

Pass Pass I feel sure the these bids are correct, and if my partner showed me the hand record with 2S and 3H bid by me, well...that was yesterday.

Geza Ottlik/Hugh Kelsey refer to 'rescue' squeezes where there is entry shifting of a sort but no material sacrifice - just getting to the tricks you have.

I voted for double. I can give partner quite a good hand and still need spades 33 to make nine tricks.

3H is to play. You have a very good hand. If you choose to go for game, OK.

At both I will win the diamond, ruff a diamond, ace of spades, diamond ruff and play ace and another trump.

After 2C, whatever your keycard is and 7NT over the response (wouldn't argue much against 7♣). I think sometimes the target really is the size of a barn door.

3♠ No special agreements. I would pass 3NT because my spades are fairly strong.

3C - I think this probably suggests the hand I hold.

The worrying start is club, club ruff, heart - one off, 3NT making.

I would definitely bid the slam. My hand looks very good after 5♥. I don't dispute the proposition that I may be wrong, could clearly be true, but I am not ready yet to pass out this auction.

3NT I seem to have a good hand for the auction so far and I'm the one who can see that 3NT might make. With my balanced hand I think 4S usually goes off when 3NT goes off.

Pass. I could have bid six clubs,, but I chose five. I don't go any further in outbidding my weak partner.

I was the one vote for a spade. Feels OK to me because I think it is an aggressive lead.

1NT

Looks a good auction. South did well to cue, and then to hold back after the heart bid was good call in my opinion. North showed a bit extra with 2H and for me was right to pass 2S.

Double. No point pretending, it's what I would do - and apologise if necessary.

I like this and I'm going to agree it with all my partners. Advantages look to outweigh the disadvantages by a long way.

I remember an expert being asked what the problem was with weak NT and 4 card majors (eg old fashioned UK Acol). He said it is too predictable, so too easy to play against for an expert. So the issue isn't (despite my trying 'Italian' 10-12 major two bids twenty something years ago) point ranges, and accuracy. That has not been the issue for a long time. For a long time the issue has been competition in the auction. Maybe weak twos have become less effective, as weak NT became less effective. I know people who have reverted to 8 point plus superlight one level openings... The game is played by human beings, and they are supremely capable of adapting: there is no ideal bidding system.

I come from a rule of 19 environment and would open: AQxxx,Axxx,xxx,x

Natural. I don't this bid is commonly enough accepted as artificial for my expert partner to take such a risk without agreement.

I've voted for 2NT (though I assume it was a joke). Absent this level of scientific precision I would bid 2S, because after they open and we compete I play cue bids as high cards and fit, rather than forcing or inviting game.

Yes, when I said ...think again it was ambiguous, but I meant I had to think again. I can't see anything, and it does seem certain that the squeeze on declarer is the feature of the hand. In the end it is worth considering testing clubs first, in that West can't do you any damage by ruffing in and East may switch to diamonds if he ruffs in with clubs holding five - or you may play him for the ace of spades. However its not clear that this is better than the altrnative end position, and there is certainly no point at all in testing clubs if you haven't already foreseen declarer's discarding difficulty.

Yes I think you were right and testing clubs is no use. I missed that I don't need to take the ruff and discard if clubs are 5-1, I can let him make the fifth club and he is still thrown in to give me a tenth trick [edit: no you said that didn't work.. think again]. Too late for me to consider the play with clubs 6-0...