Hanoi5

You can also play a club to see if you get a ruff and discard. If there was a way for North to know how unvaluable his singleton club is, he'd stay out of trouble. Other than that I don't see any way for North not to get excited.

This was played with screens. North alerted her own bid to East. After East passed and the tray came back with: [hv=pc=n&w=s3hdajt932ct97432&d=w&v=0&b=8&a=3d4h(Not alerted to West)pp]133|200|[/hv] West is kind of a busy-buddy. So he bid 5♣...

[hv=pc=n&e=sak875hkqj92d4cj6&d=w&v=0&b=8&a=3d4h(Hearts%20and%20Spades)]133|200[/hv] Imp's. I thought it was clear, there'll be a follow-up, though.

Teams, both: ♠98x ♥xxx ♦Axxx ♣xxx 2♣-2♦ 2♠-??? 3♠ or 4♠? To clarify, 2♣ is the only game-forcing opening in the system. 2♦ denies a good 5-card Major or good 6-card minor or 9-13 with 3 controls. 2♠ is natural. (would there be a difference if 3♠ sets the trump suit or shows 4♠+5 or more ♦?).

Teams, both: ♠98x ♥xxx ♦Axxx ♣xxx 2♣-2♦ 2♠-??? 3♠ or 4♠?

All white, MP's: ♠AQTxx ♥Qx ♦JTxxx ♣x Pa-1♦-2♥-???

MP's, all red: ♠T9x ♥QJ ♦Kxx ♣AKQxx 1♣ or 1NT? After: 1NT-2♥*-2♠-3♥ ??? *5+ hearts 4+ in a minor If you weren't going to pass 3♥, would you bid 3♠ or 4♣? Do you consider the pass normal? (2♠ is a sign-off)

[hv=pc=n&s=sq542hq9dt7652ckt&e=st3haj75dj4cj9765&d=n&v=n&b=5&a=ppp1nppp]266|200[/hv] MP's. Partner leads the ♥2. Dummy plays the 5, what should you play? Your leads are 4th best. Partner may be leading from the King or the Ten.

MP's, All red: ♠J92 ♥QT2 ♦Q ♣AT9764 Pa-1NT-Pa-??? Do you pass, invite or get to 3? You can't transfer to clubs unless you just want to play 3♣ (or 5).

MP, all white, partner dealt and you hold: ♠QT7xxx ♥KT ♦J8 ♣J86 1♣-1♠ 2♣-??? What do you bid?

I don't see any other play than ♠AK. If I wanted a safety play in spades I should have played clubs before spades.

I'd give it another try after 2♣. I have 2 bullets and a 4-card support. If I played Bergen then I'd bid 3♦ showing 10-11 and a 4-card support and THEN I'd pass (regretfully) partner's sign-off. But I'm not prepared to pass this hand at the 2 level. Being white you don't have to push so much for game, but I think it'd be more than sato play at the three level with this hand.

I'm a little worried to be playing MP's and finding out 3NT was the last makable game. But I voted 3♠/4♦, 'cause maybe that's always right.

A club, of course? Maybe ♠A and a club? Never small spade.

I don't think the line you could make the contract with is normal. Although the heart switch was kinda strange.

When I answer this kind of poll I always get surprised. Today I'm part of the majority so this must be easy.

Why not?

I recently asked what you would do with this hand: Both red, imp pairs, you deal and hold: ♠--- ♥KQ9xxx ♦A87xx ♣xx And I received the expected answers; yes and no, one and three. Not for novices. Not experts from certain countries. Etc. Our dealing program must be a little off since a week or two afterwards came this: Red vs white, imp pairs, RHO passes and you hold: ♠xx ♥KQ8765 ♦KJ8xx ♣--- Is this the same as the other? I don't like the fact that I hold no ace but I'm not opening weak. If you opened the previous one, would you open this one, too? Anyway, on Wednesday this other came up: Both white, imp pairs, you deal and hold: ♠AJT986 ♥KT864 ♦97 ♣--- Is this one taking it too far? The thing is you hold both Majors and if you think as I do that it isn't worth the first bid, how do you plan to get to slam when partner opens 1♣ with: ♠Qx ♥AQ ♦AKQT ♣QTxxx So, where is the line drawn? Do you guide yourself by the 'rule of 20' like a robot? Do you go by instinct? Do you use a formula or just go with the flow? And what tools would you use, if any, to make sure partner won't take you for a not-so-good hand after you passed during your first turn?

I made a TERRIBLE mistake. I wrote 'North writes in a piece of paper that the first double was for penalty.' when I meant that North wrote in a piece of paper privately to West that the first double was for penalty. There was no way for East or South to see what was written on the paper AND they might not even have noticed the note was written or shown at all. Does this change anyone's decision? Wasn't this clear from the first post?

Imp pairs: ♠8xxxx ♥AQx ♦xx ♣xxx ♠AQJT ♥xxx ♦AK ♣AKxx ♦Q led. Say you win. Play the heart finesse, which loses and get the ♥J return. You win on the table and finesse spades, which wins, no 9 in sight. What's the best way to continue?

Both red, imp pairs: ♠--- ♥Q62 ♦T76 ♣AQJT852 (Pa)-1♠-(Pa)-??? If you were playing SAYC, what would you bid? Would you bid the same if playing 2/1? 1♠-1NT 2♣-??? Partner bid our suit! What now?

Red vs White, imp pairs: ♠--- ♥AKx ♦AQ98xx ♣AJTx 4♠-5♦-5♠-Pa Pa-???

I accept that. But no comment to what happened at the table? Isn't one of the doubles alertable?

Red vs White, imp pairs: ♠--- ♥AK76 ♦KJ986 ♣A962 1♦-1♠ 2♣-3♠ ???

[hv=pc=n&s=sq72hajt5daj84ca8&w=skjt654h4dq73ck97&n=s98hkq76dkt6ct654&e=sa3h9832d952cqj32&d=e&v=b&b=10&a=p1n2s(Natural)d(Not%20alerted)p3hpp3sppdppp]399|300[/hv] After the bidding ends, West asks South what's the meaning of the doubles. South explains the first double was for take-out and the second for penalty. Before leading the ♥Q, North writes in a piece of paper that the first double was for penalty. The hand is played, West finesses spades into South and goes an extra down. He calls the Director. What would you do as Director?