Halo

Try for clubs. Looks like better percentage than West holding King of clubs and Queen of hearts and not finding another switch.

I'd go for 5D with the information I have been given. On the other hand, what would I do without much system after the 1NT opener? I'm tempted to just bid 3NT.

2NT (natural). 2S may be unassuming, but I'd rather not be holding KQx and small hearts.

Generally wouldn't stupidly interfere with my opponents rights make their own decisions. Wouldn't comment on partner's revokes. Wouldn't manipulate partner as dummy.

We are in game investigation zone. Double = 10 Everything else fails to score at all (not even 0).

Agree with whom? Do we get the hand.

3S would be a pleasant surprise for me, showing an invitational raise in diamonds. Four hearts is an alternative contract, and four clubs is natural, a sort of a long suit game try.

Absent any special undisclosed idea, I'll bid 4H.

Natural. With these old methods I personally favoured double as values to double the 1NT opener. 2NT is invitational in that context.

I think double is winning Pairs here. If partner is risking -200 or more to push them to a three level we can't challenge, I have to wonder what he was trying to achieve in this auction.

Since West can unblock spades, I'd play spades to the queen without cashing my diamond stop. I think this will leave me better placed later, in general.

All very sensible. But how do we expect partner to show extra values missing three or four Aces.

I think right now we have to choose five or six clubs. OK six, sorry partner.

Without specific agreements (and good luck to those who can manage this situation unambiguously) I think East should bid 3H on the second round. As West I will raise to four.

I'd like a (lonelyish) king. Don't feel like provoking the opponents on a balanced weak hand.

Happy with 4C. The rest depends on agreements. For me this is RKCB and 5C from me. It's more logical for 4S to be RKCB, but less simple.

2C I'd like to go slowly and elicit some club support later.

I'd open 2C. If I was forbidden from bidding 2C, I'd never bid 3C in this auction. I don't see how partner could come close to placing my hand. If I played 3S NF, I'd bid 4S at my second turn.

3S over 3H and double over 4H. I need to do something, otherwise we prove the value of bidding 4H with any excuse. Don't like ignoring a five card spade suit, but I'm not unilaterally bidding 4S on this.

I play the method you describe. I would treat this hand as too good for 1NT, and therefore take my chances with 2H followed by 3H.

I think you misread me - vote then read is what I said. I know what you mean of course - the ditto, agree with.. etc. I guess it is inevitable that people with a track record will be listened to. I try to read all the posts on their merits. It helps that I don't know most of the people and that I don't believe there is a correct bidding system, or even method within a system. With leads the answer is mostly unlikely to be obvious if the problem was worth posting.

I think this is the only honest way to participate. Interesting cultural idea that I must think over. I had imagined a forum as more interactive. I can live with 'post blind' as the concept, though I don't notice that it happens. Only honest... no idea what that means.

It is a matter of taste, but I prefer to vote, then read the contributions, then post maybe. By the time I voted, the arguments for diamonds and against spades had been made and still seem valid enough to me. Spades would have been my second choice.

I can't see anything better than 3D and then 3S over 3H. Do we know that we don't belong in 6H from this auction? Would partner jump somewhere with AKQxxxx of hearts and an outside queen or so?

Double all three. Is there some standard science to distinguish the hand types?