Apollo81

I like a 4♣ bid. This seems like a nice balance between safety and preemption. I think if you bid 5♣ they will just double you most of the time, and they will be right more often than not.

It's either a 1♥ rebid or a 1NT rebid (I don't know what your 1NT means).

The reason that ♥A, ♦K is wrong is that declarer may hold ♠AJ ♥Kxx ♦Q9xx ♣?xxx Partner will be unable to continue diamonds on trick 4 no matter what you do. Declarer has to have a hand similar to this for winning and switching to gain over just encouraging the suit.

The worst call was the 3♦ bid by far. You didn't promise ANY defense with the 2♥ bid, and you had an ace! The 2♥ bid was also wrong because of the diamond support. I would respond 1♠ on this hand so we can play in 2♦ if partner rebids a minor. The weak reverse flannery response should only be used when opener could rebid a NF 2m and you would want to bid a NF 2♥. This isn't the case here.

1. This is pretty annoying. I guess I lead a club. 3. I would just bid diamonds again. Pard's clubs are not necessarily good. He might even be 3523 and be looking for 3-card heart support. If pard bids 3NT next I don't think I can pass either; I'll bid 4♣ and see what happens. 2. Par on this hand appears to be 9 tricks. I could draw trumps and play on hearts. I'll make 9 tricks when trumps play for one loser and it doesn't go club club ruff after they are in with the trump ace. I might make 10 tricks if I find a lucky heart position (cash ♥K first) , and might make 11 if this happens and the opps dont cash their club honors after getting in with the trump ace. Alternatively, I could hope clubs are breaking 4-3, there is no lucky heart position, and trumps aren't playing for 1 loser. In this case I can make par by setting up clubs first (lead low to ♣J now), ruffing a few diamonds, cashing ♥A then ♥K, and then leading out my high trumps. I think I would go with the first option.

IMPs both vul, opps bid 1♠-1N-2♣-2N-3N pard leads ♥Q dummy is KQ7xx 106x 4 AKQx you have xx Axx KJ65 9xxx

Partner heard you bid 2NT, didn't bid game, and didn't double 5♦. I wouldn't be so optimistic.

I wouldn't double. I don't want to tip them off to who has the ♦J/diamond length, which may be the key factor in whether this contract makes or not.

The first auction. It is called pre balancing for a reason.

I'd probably have bid 5♣.

I would bid fav MPs where 500 could be a huge win, but not here

I agree with Josh and Justin. 4NT intuitively shows the ♦K and 5♣ the ♣K. That's as deep as I think either player should go.

I voted about the same. In auction 2, LHO could have four spades behind me, so I don't think this is a "no risk" auction like some people are implying. edit: in my area, RHO could also have 4♠ lol

For the record, I believe (can't remember for sure) my answer when given this problem was to bid Keycard, as much for the preemptive effect as anything. I'd probably have bid 4♣ fit jump if that was an option.

Assume you are playing whatever conventions you'd like. Alternatively, if you'd like the problem similarly to how it was given to me, assume you're not playing fit jumps, 3♣ is a WJS, and you have no other specific agreements.

♠6 ♥A6543 ♦8 ♣K109654 1♥-(1♠)-? Both vul, IMPs

If we're not going to raise with this hand, what WILL we raise with?

Spade probably ups the chance of partner being played for the ♣Q a little bit.

This statement is fundamentally wrong. Assume youre teaching someone who is playing their third time ever and they pick up 11 balanced with 2 spades. Partner opens 1♠, they bid 2NT. You're going to tell them thats not what 2NT means? This will confuse them and turn them off to the game. Likewise students intuitively respond 4M to 1M when they have a minimum GF with support and ask what to do when they have a GF with extras. Teaching them preemptive raises right off the bat will also confuse them. Likewise if you believe your statement then you have to teach negative doubles right away, etc. The people I teach are smart, but dont devote much time to bridge. They understand the concept of a language and conventions that overwrite the natural meaning of the bids in the language (I'm not saying 1M-4M is a convention). This is the right way to teach these type of people, in general.

I think this is the sort of situation where you need to know whether RHO could have intended 2♥ as a transfer. If I think that is at all likely then I'd pass. Otherwise I'd bid 4♠ since it's highly unlikely that partner's major is hearts.

Beginners that don't play very often can only absorb and remember so much information at a time. Preemptive raises to game are a lot less important than a lot of other things. Think "what's an attitude signal?" "how do I respond to partner's minor opening?"

This thread has died?

So if partner has a 1444 minimum he will pull?

What kind of hand would pard have to have to leave it in with a singleton spade?

To the doublers: do you think there's any chance of partner passing with a singleton spade?