Apollo81

I'm concerned about partner having a minimum with long clubs and Hx in hearts. He'll probably pass in this case since he won't think I have a penalty pass, and bidding will seem very dangerous. Meanwhile 3NT rates to make since the clubs rate to run. If you moved even one of my club honors to another suit, I would pass since now the clubs do not so strongly rate to run in 3NT. Furthermore, if RHO has solid hearts and no outside entry, we can completely eliminate him as a threat by holding up in the heart suit. I realize there's no guarantee of this, but isn't pass a little risky as well?

Takeout doubles show opening values, assuming the shortness in their suit is pulling its full weight. Thus the minimum HCP for such a double is 10 if (4441) -- counting the shortness as 3 points or so. Thus this hand isn't appropriate for a double because it's too weak.

hm should I have started a new thread about this?

Slightly off topic: Could the software support an "agree" button along with "quote" and "reply"? I was thinking that there could then be a link that would say (e.g.) "7 concurrences" and when clicked it would reveal the IDs of the posters who clicked "agree". This would cut down on the number of replies to OPs but at the same time allow the people that like posting "agree" to be satisfied.

2NT/3NT

My first instinct was to double, but I sort of like the sick 3NT bid, putting the presumed diamond void on lead.

Yes.

Always double. This strategy is a little risky on hands like this, but it sure makes it easier for partner to pass it out when I don't double.

Win ♠A, cash ♥A and lead small heart to dummy. We almost surely have a loser in ♥,♦,♣, so we cannot afford a spade ruff. We have to hope RHO started with 1228 or 1318 and the ♥K.

I'd cue 4♥ with this.

The only reasonable choices are 4♣ and 4♠ since we have a game-forcing strength hand. I prefer 4♣ because it leaves partner room to try for slam at the 4-level.

When partner opens 1 of a minor and you hold a 4-card major, you should respond 1 of the major unless A- you can force game AND B- you have 5+ cards in the other minor or C- you qualify for a strong jump shift If A and B are true, you should respond in the other minor and then bid the major at your next turn. In this case, the above didn't apply, so you should have responded 1♥. Remember that a new suit response to 1 of a suit is forcing for one round. Thus you can bid as such with very strong hands as well as with 6-counts.

For future reference, you may want to format posts like this: <vulnerability>, <form of scoring> ♠<spade holding> ♥<heart holding> ♦<diamond holding> ♣<club holding> <auction> <your question>

Pass. My diamond cards are of dubious value, and the extra high cards I have are offset by my poor trump support.

I'd assume natural. Responder could have bid 3♣ with a maximum and club support.

I answer "no agreement"

I'd push a little on all 3 hands: 1. 4♥ -- partner could still have Hx or 3-card support, and even if he doesn't he might pull to a making 4♠. 2. 2NT, then hearts 3. 3♥ -- IMO the risk of 'all pass lose a partscore or game swing' is higher than the risk of getting to a bad game.

Pass. Most partners deserve a nice dummy once in a while, and partner may have already guessed our minor shape by looking at his own club length.

Partner's most likely shape is 5-2-1-5 (else he may have bid the hand differently) and we know he has ♠A, ♦A, and ♣K. That's enough for me to gamble on the grand.

agree with small diamond for previously stated reasons

nice -- my record is 7-card support (Axxxxxx) for a 3-minor preempt This was a MP hand from 2000 or 2001 -- 4♦ was the limit of the hand for our side. We declared 5♦X-2 for -500 at unfavorable.

I don't have a strong preference between a spade and a club, but I think a heart has little/no merit.

squeak. The relevant cases are: 1. we go for 1100 2. partner bids 6♣, and that goes 1100 or more 3. partner doubles 5♥ making 4. we go for less than 500 5. they bid 5♥ and go down one (doubled or otherwise) Personally I think 1 thru 3 combined are a lot more likely than 4 and 5 combined.

I am sure partner's majors are either ♠AT9 ♥Q, ♠Axx ♥x, or anywhere in between. I'm still fairly optimistic about slam in spades or hearts. I would rebid 3♥ and see how partner reacts. edit: just saw what partner does over 3♥. I did not expect a 4♣ bid, so I have to ask if I really trust partner. Honestly I think this should be an advance cue for hearts. However I am skeptical about what is going on, so I will just bid 4♥.

To an extent, I feel that game-invitational auctions always involve a bit of guesswork, so systemically I prefer to focus on the game-forcing sequences. Thus I prefer 2/1 GF to 2/1 one-round force, which applies whether I'm playing Precision or not.