Halo

3S looks sensible with an honour. Doesn't stop you playing 5D.

3C On the specific hand this needn't have turned out badly, but I would much prefer this to show three cards, with 2NT as a negative.

Draw trumps and club to the Queen. I have enough entries to allow for the unlikely singleton King on my left. RHO is a little more likely to have three clubs, so I'll play him for 10xx if the club Queen holds (return to hand and play club Jack).

0-3 hearts is not of course a bad break.

Why is that false? If I only fail to ask when I have a clear pass, then I am giving UI when I fail to ask. Passing is AUTHORIZED information. Knowing that partner has a weak hand from a pass is legal. Knowing that partner has a weak hand from his failure to ask a question, and using that knowledge, is not. I will always ask in a competitive auction, and I always ask prior to my second call in the auction. I just think this is more difficult than is suggested here. 1. There is no basis for telling a player he must ask questions when he has no intention of bidding. 2. There is no way unless you have supernatural knowledge to know that someone passed because of lack of values, rather than because he already knew what the bid meant. 3. 'Always asking' may seem like the whole answer, but I have never played against anyone who manages to do that. Anyway, it is clearly legal to ask questions - and even giving UI is not illegal typically. This is all just a practical difficulty because there isn't usually time to study the opponents system in detail. And I don't believe there is a perfect and practical way out.

Double and pass seems clear cut to me.

The argument that you give UI by not asking seems false. It's like saying you give UI by passing.

Double Passing the buck a bit, but it's partner who knows whether he is looking at three small diamonds, a singleton diamond or something in between.

5D 4S is interesting, but maybe oppo is just itching to pass and take it down.

Pass. Can't think of a way to progress it. Not odds on in my opinion.

2C Seems clear. Is the field really bidding 1NT? If so, I reckon I have the odds with me.

Small diamond. I can see the advantages of leading the queen, but I'd be worried that partner may do the wrong thing by misreading my holding.

Key thing for me is that if South had 4C as a natural club bid below game he should have welcomed the chance to use it.

I expect to play in 4H because I will bid it. Interesting to see conflicting hands (this isn't one) versus the accepted wisdom of playing in the relatively weak hand's seven card suit.

Par contest from the 50's, too easy for double dummy.

3D I doubled showing hearts, and I have a really good hand and really good diamonds.

"73 C. Player Receives Unauthorised Information from Partner When a player has available to him unauthorised information from his partner, as from a remark, question, explanation, gesture, mannerism, special emphasis, inflection, haste or hesitation,he must carefully avoid taking any advantage that might accrue to his side." I don't think selecting a call in the hope of getting round Law 16 absolves you from Law 73.

I'd play three trumps, three hearts and another trump. Oppos may discard badly, but there is the legitimate chance that LHO started with four diamonds and a club honour, and is squeezed without the count.

I think you will be caught on 70 something or other. 16 is for TDs

Hand and vul appears clear and 5D seems normal. At the apparent vulnerability you should not (normally, without agreement) be bidding 2N on a hand that does not want your partner to go to five. The implication of your post is that you should have been doubling to show strength rather than 2N to invite a sacrifice.

Well, I'm not sure. This is the expert forum, so let's ask: "What does your partner know about your hand". From previous posts, I think that you are potentially weak with 4 diamonds and no five card major. I would normally have five diamonds, but there you are. So basically, partner's double is well nigh impossible. He cannot have a double.

Well put I'd say, TimG-Stevenson, there is no fancy escape.

I open 'rule of 20' so I would pass 3S.

3S Since I'm not sure that I've shown a 6-card spade suit, I think I will just do that right now. These are not my methods, but then, so what.

8♥ If partner hasn't got very strong hearts and an entry, at least I'll widen my horizons on the meaning of this auction.