Apollo81

If I can bid exclusion then I'd do that. I don't think I can on this auction, so I'll just bid 6♠.

no other call comes close to describing this

3♠; I don't think where you put the card will affect my decision....maybe if you put it in spades then I will consider 4.

♠K catering to LHO having led from ♠10xx.

This 2NT would normally show minors, but that looks impossible given the actual hand.

OK I didn't think I'd hear any dissenting opinions. The player who had this hand faced a different auction...when I asked what he would do against this one he said "i don't know" to which i replied "riiiiiight" (he's one of the most aggressive bidders in the field) accept the transfer right of course, this time you have 10 and they have 9

[hv=n=sakjxxhdq10865c1097&w=sq872hj98xxdaxcj8&e=s9hakqxxdjxxckqxx&s=s10xxh10xxdk9xca6xx]399|300|[/hv]

♠AKJ53 ♥--- ♦Q10865 ♣1097 unfavorable, MPs pass-(pass)-1♠-(2♥) 2♠-(4♥)-???

♠KQ982 ♥9 ♦64 ♣AQ732 All Vul, MPs (pass)-pass-(1♥)-1♠ (2♥)-2♠-(4♥)-??? Is your answer different if opponents are playing Precision?

3♣ is safe

This is the only "plausible" sequence I can come up with, and it requires playing a 2M opening as 10-13. p-1♠ 1N-2♠* 4♠ *14-16

I've spent enough time playing with students/clients to know that people are generally happier if you make the safe bid at the table and discuss the "right" bid after the hand is over. (At least in the cases where you have a safe alternative like this one) This is "beginner and intermediate bridge discussion," I think it's reasonable to assume that a poster's partner might not know that a raise is forcing here. I am basically disagreeing with the assertion that the right bid is the one that should be made at the table.

pass, then pass again

♥A, ♥K, ♦A, run the ♦J If the ♥Q doesn't appear then RHO must hold the ♠K for me to have a chance. The nice thing about this line is that if LHO has the ♦Qx then I make (by overtaking and then finishing the diamonds) regardless of who has ♥Qxx.

I would sooner bid 7♥ with your pard's hand than 4♥. Unfortunately, a lof of people don't understand bidding after reverses. If you think pard could pass a 3♥ raise,....try this: 1♦-1♠ 2♥-3♣ 3♦-3♥ 4♣-4♠ 5♦-5NT 7♥-pass

The 2♥ bid makes it a lot harder to find slam here since, at the point where opener bids 3♠, responder does not have much extra. I think that if the auction were to begin 2♣-2♦-3♦-3♥-3♠, and 2♦ is waiting, then 3NT is a terrible bid. I think 2♣-2♦-3♦ should show extra values if you are playing that a 0-count can respond 2♦.

I don't like 3♠ over 3♥. because with you holding the ♣AK if partner doesn't have the club Queen to legnth, you probalby just missed you best spot of 3NT. I think over 3♥ with these clbus/spades you really hve to rebid notrump. just suggesting a way to get there 3NT is probably the better bid

TOSR 1♣(1)-1NT(2) 2♣(3)-2♦(4) 2♥(5)-3♦(6) 3♠(7)-3NT(8) 6♠ 1 strong artificial 2 4+♥, GF, 2+ controls 3 general ask 4 4+♣ 5 general ask 6 3514 7 asking about spades 8 Qxx or better, minimum HCP

I think the hand is actually harder to bid in Precision: 1♣-1♥ 1♠-2♠ 3♦-3♠ 4NT-5♦* 5♥-5♠** 6♠-pass *1/4 **no ♠Q The 5♠ bid is the tough one here...but I think it is justified by the fact that the fit is one fewer card than expected and the hand is generally a misfit.

2/1: 2♣-2♦* 3♦-3♥ 3♠-4NT 5♦**-6♠ *waiting **1/4

I would blame North 33%, the methods 33%, and bad luck 33%. North's hand is hardly a guarantee that they won't take 5 tricks in 3NT, so one could argue that he should bid 3♦. OTOH you can argue that 3NT is a heavy favorite to make and that North shouldn't get partner too excited with a 3♦ bid. Here North chose incorrectly for the actual deal. I think South's hand is too good for 3♦.

I agree entirely with this post.

I think this is a tough decision. I would bid 4♥ with no confidence at all. My confidence would be higher if I was playing 5-card majors. This goes against my instinct which is to pass.

I would say Kxx is safer than Qxx, and Q9xx is safer than Kxx, but I don't know that there's any point to analyzing leads without any context.

If partner has a strong NT hand, why did he not bid 3NT over 3C? the strong NT in question was Qxx QJxx AQ A10xx