Hanoi5

However, I'm not sure it'sgood to have the deer running behind the dogs...

[hv=s=saxhjtxxxxd8xcakx]133|100|[/hv] Bidding goes: 1♦ 1♥ 2♠ ??? 2♠ shows 18-20 at least 5♦-4♠. Where do you foresee the auction going? Bonus question: What if partner had bid 1♠ only?

Ok, exactly the way I played it. The key thing however comes from the bidding, the missing points and whether you believe East or West have the ♦K.

♣9. ♦3 was my second choice, but even if PD ruffs I can't see the second defense trick (though my partner should have it).

After a minor suit operning there are many conventions that can be played in order to support the minors: 1m 2m Inverted minors, 11+ and support (?) 1m 3m Pre-emptive support or 6-10 (?) 1♦ 3♣ (?) 1♣ 2♦ (?) 1m 2♥ (?) 1m 2♠ (?) Splinters (How strong?) What are the differences? Can you play all of them? Thanks for your help.

♠ 10 ♥ K6 ♦ ♣ 10 ♠ ♥ AJ10 ♦ 4 ♣ You want to reach this ending at which point you'll play your last trump and RHO shall keep the club (or else the Ten in dummy is the 13th trick), so you throw the ♣10 from the table and then play a heart to the King. Depending on the discards you'll either finesse (LHO had 5=1=3=4) or play for the drop (LHO had 3=3=3=4) in case the spade in dummy isn't a winner.

Go with the flow. I wouldn't say utter nonsense anyway. It's like being on a group where people are talking about God and saying: Now as you all know, the existence of God is complete and utter nonsense You can't prove it either way (the existence or non-existence). Zodiac signs (not the daily horoscope) are like the enneagrams of personality, some stuff will be true, some will not.

[hv=d=s&v=n&n=s8xhajtxxdaqxckxx&s=sajxhxxd9xxcajt8x]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] Bidding went: Pass 1♠ 2♥ Pass 2NT Pass 3NT All Pass Y received the ♠Q lead (Rusinow) and I held off. The♦J came next, up to you...

[hv=d=s&v=n&s=sxhjxxxxxdxxc8xxx]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] You're West and bidding goes: Pass Pass 1♠ X 2♥* ??? Two hearts is alerted as one-under, showing a 7-9 HCP support hand in spades. So, what's your bid? and what do your options mean?

I'd bid 5♥ now. Not sure about bidding 3♥ before, though.

I'm not completely sure but I believe the second hand isn't suited for a support double. As I understand it you use the SD only with minimum hands (12-14). I might be wrong though... Another thing is that you should treat the SD as a simple raise, so if you just bid 2 of the suit you mean you want to play there and might not even have 5 cards. Anything else is natural and forcing (except 2NT, which should show a limit hand with a stopper in the overcall suit).

But it promises honors in spades, right? I'd still lead a small spade.

Why 'might have 3 in a quite bad hand'? Small spade for me, please.

Yes, much better, partner will correct to 5♣ if there's no fit in the Majors. (Though I'm expecting partner to pass, mostly).

I'd double for takeout and pull 4♥ to 5♣.

Some partnerships play that as asking partner to bid 5NT (to play there, two aces are missing), but in this case 5♦ would have been to pass, so I bid 6♦.

Playing 2/1, Forcing NT, what's the difference in HCP in the following sequences: 1♥ 1NT (forcing) 2♥ ??? 3♥ ??? 4♥ ???

Over 3NT responder can pass. Any other bid at the 4 level would be forward going, meaning 10+.

Bidding 4 of the Major. You'll have to define a little stronger, but if he's weak he can jolly well bid his minor being non-forcing. As Hearts are very important let's say 3m after 2NT is sign off but not 3♥, which would show the 10-12 hand with at least 5 hearts.

What if partner's 2♦ promises at least 4?

[hv=s=s65hqjtdj5ckqjt96]133|100|[/hv] It goes: Pd You 1♠ 1NT 2♦ ???

So obvious you can't even mention them?

I assumed 2/1 GF system which needs a forcing No Trump structure.

The sequence: 1M 1NT 2NT is used by many partnerships to show a balanced 18-19 HCP hand, reserving 1M 1NT 3NT to show a solid 6-card Major suit with 16-18 HCP. However, some people play the first sequence as showing a balanced hand with a strong no-trump range (which wasn't opened as 1NT because of the 5-card Major) and the second one for bal. 18-19 HCP. Is there any downside to playing this way? Is there a standard way of playing it? What does one way have over the other in terms of reaching bad contracts? Is the second version I described 'unplayable'?

Playing 2/1 what would the meaning of the following action be: 1♥ 1NT 2NT ??? 3NT ???