Hanoi5

As I see it the 4th-suit-forcinger wanted to either: a. Show 5 hearts with at least F.G. values, or b. Find out whether opener had any extra lenght in any of his/her suits, or c. Find out about the spade stopper which he/she was missing. d. Support one of opener's minors looking for a slam. I think 4♦ would have been support with slam ideas and probably so would have 4♣. Then 5♦ should be some kind of slam query for hearts, like exclusion KC. But I'm just guessing.

You pick up this beauty at white all: ♠QTx ♥87x ♦J9xx ♣9xx It goes: Pa 1♠ 2♠ 3♦ Pa 3♠ Pa 4♦ Pa Pa X Pa Pa Pa Your partner's 2♠ showed a good Heart-Club two-suiter. What do you lead? Why?

5♥ and ♠A.

I need to print this as proof and I want to do it right this time. It's a butler tournament, screens are in use. North deals while his side is red against white opponents: [hv=d=n&v=n&n=sq3h63dak975caj96&w=st652hjt952d6ck84&e=saj94hdqt843ct732&s=sk87hakq874dj2cq5]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv] Bidding was: 1♦ Pa 2♥* Pa 2♠* X 3♥ Pa 4♥ Pa Pa X* Pa Pa Pa 2♥ is a convention called three-way: slam-going support in ♦, 13+ notrump hand without 4-card Majors or at least 6 solid or semi-solid hearts in a 13+ hand. When the tray came with 2♠ West asked South what it was, and he said it was natural. When the tray came back with 4♥, West asked South if he was sure 2♠ was natural, South said yes and West called the Director explained that she knew 2♠ is normally a relay but that she was explained it was natural in this case and the director told her to act upon what she had been alerted (I didn't know this till today either), and then she doubled. Upon seeing dummy the Director was called again (I don't know what the lead was!). If North's 2♠ is natural, East's double shows some sort of take out hand with diamonds and clubs (maybe some spades). When 2♠ is a relay (which was the case here) the double asks for the lead. I think I'm leaning towards taking away the double, not only because of mink's post, but also because the Director was called before the double and everything. How would you rule knowing all this?

I made a mistake with the bidding, East doubled 2♠.

Would you consider that given West's experience (World Class), the double could have been made as a win-win situation: 1. If they go down, I doubled. 2. If they don't go down I call the Director and will have a score change. If you think this is the situation, what would you rule?

Butler tournament, screens in use. North deals while his side is red against white opponents: [hv=d=n&v=n&n=sq3h63dak975caj96&w=st652hjt952d6ck84&e=saj94hdqt843ct732&s=sk87hakq874dj2cq5]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv] Bidding was (I had to edit the bidding as East doubled 2♠): 1♦ Pa 2♥* Pa 2♠* X 3♥ Pa 4♥ Pa Pa X* Pa Pa Pa 2♥ is a convention called three-way: slam-going support in ♦, 13+ notrump hand without 4-card Majors or at least 6 solid or semi-solid hearts in a 13+ hand. When the tray came with 2♠ West asked South what it was, and he said it was natural. When the tray came back with 4♥, West asked South if he was sure 2♠ was natural, South said yes and West doubled. West calls you and explains that her double was based on the fact that she held the hearts (and clubs?) and her partner should have diamonds and spades covered, how would you rule? Does the 2♠ double change your ruling?

Butler tournament, screens in use. Your opponents are red and you're white: ♠T652 ♥JT952 ♦6 ♣K84 It goes: 1♦ Pa 2♥ Which they alert as showing one of three hands: solid or semi-solid hearts 13+ HCP, balanced hand without 4-card Majors 13+ or ♦ support slam going hand. It continues: Pa 2♠ X 3♥ You ask about 2♠ and find out it's natural (extra question: does this sound normal to you as an expert?) and 3♥ shows the heart hand. Bidding goes on: Pa 4♥ Pa Pa You check again: 'are you sure 2♠ is natural?' 'yes, it is'. Summary: 1♦ Pa 2♥* Pa 2♠* X* 3♥ Pa 4♥ Pa Pa ??? 2♥ showed 6+ good hearts with 13+ HCP's. 2♠ was natural. I had forgotten East doubled 2♠. Please change your answer if needed. What do you bid?

I don't like Pass so much; what if partner is counting on a somehow good hand on my end? He wouldn't have many spades and could be expecting us to have a penalty pass.

Why don't you just write down your state/city and the fact you're looking for a RL bridge partner?

She says she spends only a couple of hours a week.

I assumed the x's were 2345's so I'm not bidding 2♣ on this one. Unless I'm desperate. Or Justin.

3♥ sounds interesting but I just thought about 3♠ (after 2♣-2♠, of course).

So the TD had to do something even though players never noticed? If I'm walking by a table as TD and have a look at an irregularity going on, do I have to correct it? Am I not 'a kibitzer'?

3♣ and 4♠ later.

♥10? Win the spade continuation with the ♠K and continue with another heart finesse (in case it's needed). I make at least 9 tricks.

If there is not a clear regulation you should try talking to him. And also talking to the other players. They should start guessing what's going on with the guy. Anyway, did you win the tournament?

That's where I got this idea from. I was often told not to put a likely trump suit first in a NT contract, so I usually put my shortest suit which happened to be the one they led quite often. But then I thought about putting always the suit led first and they I wodered what if my partner knows what I'm doing, and that's why I was asking but I seem to be assured it is not cheating.

I'm gonna try to ruff a small card in each minor suit before taking out trumps if they are 3-1.

Exactly, and if I know the suit they led at the notrump contract is the first in dummy , isn't this an aid and therefore cheating?

Let's say I, when being the dummy, always place the suit led on my right. If my partner is playing I place the suit led right next to the trumps. Are we cheating if my partner is aware of this situation? What if I place the suit that I think should be played soon or set-up on my right? Would that be cheating? What about writing down the lead (e.g. ♣5) on my scorecard as declarer and checking it while playing? What if I do a weird play that will make my partner aware of certain situation he might not know on his own while being declarer? Let's say I have K432 from dummy and I ask for the 4. Would this be cheating? Thanks for your input.

Why? You want to move?

I reached 4♥ on these layout: ♠AT9 ♥KJ8x ♦AKJxx ♣x ♠Q8xx ♥Q9xx ♦Txx ♣Kx Bidding went: 1♣ Pa 3♣ X Pa 3♥ Pa 4♥ All Pass I received the ♠6 lead which I believed to be a doubleton. I did my best to find a way to make the contract but I sort of gave up for 1 spade, 1 heart, 1 ruff and 1 club meant 1 down. Anyway I played small and RHO won the ♠K and played ♣A (♣J from LHO) and another club, which I won in hand while throwing a diamond from dummy. I had the feeling that hearts were not gonna break well so I played a small heart to dummy's King and RHO's Ace. Back came the dreaded spade to LHO's ♠J and dummy's Ace. ♥J showed trumps to be 1-4 as I had envisioned and I cashed a high diamond, drew trumps and cashed spades to reach: ♠ ♥ ♦KJ ♣ ♠ ♥ ♦Tx ♣ What would you have played? Did you count only the distribution to arrive to your conclusion or did you also count the points?

Ok, but you're not gonna like it: http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=35112

[hv=d=w&v=b&n=sqxxxhq9xxdt8xckx&w=skxxhatxxdxxcaqxx&e=sjxxhxdqxxcjtxxxx&s=sat9hkj8xdakj9xcx]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv] Bidding went: 1♣ Pa 3♣ X XX Pa Pa 3♦ All Pass The redouble was alerted as showing a good hand, North's pass showed acceptance to play in any of the other suits. After the play was over West said his XX showed acceptance to play in 3♣XX not a good hand. He claimed it was the same anyway. What would you rule?