Hanoi5

I was sent this hand today and I think the 'best' solution is to cash a spade from dummy, cash diamonds and hearts finishing in hand and then cash clubs throwing red cards from dummy. If nothing interesting has happened (no heart Queen, no diamond Jack, no spade discard or discard on the high spade) there's only one opponent's hand that could have held 4 spades originally and having: ♠KT9 ♠A87 You just play accordingly (If West could have it you cash the Ace, if East could have it you cash the King) I think what's interesting about the hand is that everybody thinks a squeeze can be tried but I think it usually fails.

2

Bidding goes: 2♣-Pa-2♦-X Pa-Pa-Pa Dummy leads, the defender tables his hand and 2-3 tricks later somebody notices the mess. How is this treated?

I play 1NT-3M to show a sing or void in the bid Major and at least 9 cards in the minors, 10-14 HCP's. Here it would have worked wonderfully. Being MP's if you don't play that you might as well just bid 3NT, partner rates to have some spades.

W vs R, MP's: ♠QJ986 ♥AQ42 ♦T6 ♣96 P-P-P-???

There's a zone of HCP/distribution division where game should not be tried. There's a big difference between Rubber and MP's and IMP's. There are at least two kinds of rubber bridge: Chicago and old-time rubber bridge. I think Chicago is better for the people of today. You don't have to play till someone gets two games, you just play four hands, try all four vulnerabilities and change partners. MP's/IMP's, i.e. Duplicate Bridge, can be more fun as you comapre your results and play against different people.

Red vs Red: ♠KTxx ♥AQx ♦Jx ♣Jxxx P-P-3♠-P ???

4441 it's terrible. 3541 might be acceptable. So I voted for 2641. Anyway the hand is pretty lousy having a singleton in partner's opening suit and AJT in partner's short suit. But I love playing slams...

Another pass.

1♣ and 4♣.

♠x ♥J9xxxx ♦9xxx ♣AJ White Vs Red, it goes: Pa-3♣-3♦-4♠ 5♦-Pa-Pa-5♠ Pa-Pa-Pa Would you have bid 6♦? What do you lead?

♠Q9xx ♥AKxx ♦x ♣Kxxx Red vs White, partner opened 1♥. I debated whether to bid a Jacoby 2NT (but I'm against doing it with an unbalanced hand) or bidding spades and then supporting hearts and I went for the second: 1♥-Pa-1♠-2♦ X*-3♦- *Support double I usually get in a mess after a support double. Had my RHO passed the double I would have bid 3♥ (or is 4 better?). At this point I should have bid 4♥. But the thing is I don't know what I'm supposed to do after the support double with many different hands: - If partner support-doubles and RHO passes 2 of the supported-through-double suit is to pass showing a very bad hand or not even a fit. What if a have great support for partner's opening bid suit and a not so great hand in terms of HCP's? Should I just bid 2 of the Major? Is 3 (or 2 if available) of partner's suit forcing? - How should a cue-bid/4NT be treated? As having found a fit with the 3 card support or just showing a great hand while supporting opener's suit? - What does opener do with a 18+ hand? What are the hands with 3 card support that won't double? - 1m-(Pa)-1♥-(2om)-X-(Pa)-??? What if responder doesn't have a 5 card suit but does have 4 spades? - Is there any material online or buyable or in this forum about support doubles and continuations?

[hv=pc=n&s=sa72ha2dqt82cj654&n=skq9hj63da53cakq2&d=n&v=e&b=9&a=1cp2np4nppp]266|200[/hv] ♥7 is led. You try the ♥J which is covered by the King and a small heart is returned after you give away the first trick. West plays the 8 under your ace. You try clubs next. RHO has 4 to the 10. LHO lets go of a diamond, and two spades. You cash 2 spades and LHO plays the J on the first and another diamond on the second one. RHO is 3=4=5=1, LHO 4=4=1=4. You're at the table and play the last heart and throw two diamonds on the hearts LHO cashes. A small diamond is played back. Do you play the Ace or a small one?

What double?

So, does 4♣: 1- Show where our strength is so we (partner) can make a better judgement over 4♠? 2- Show a better lead than hearts in case they sacrifice? 3- Show a great hand with great clubs and an interest in slam? 4- Show one of the above depending on the Vulnerability? Is this a matter of agreement? If options 1 and 2 are usually right then how do you try to get to slam?

"So pissed I'll post it in bbo forum and make you look bad "

I think 1♠ looks better in both cases. The second one looks better for a 4♠ opening in third seat. Both might be better for a 4♠ opening bid without the side queens.

They got to 4♥ at both tables. Partner doubles if you overcall and doesn't if you don't. It went down 2 at both tables.

Red vs White, Pairs: ♠Q74 ♥AK6 ♦432 ♣JT52 2NT(20-21)-Pa-???

East could have done more, I think.

The easy answer is that there is not much profit in playing in minors when the auction will be left at low levels. And if the auction will get us very high 'cause we have plenty strnegth for that, then we can bid diamonds.

Is that a trump criss-cross squeeze?

I'd like to play. Fluffy said he woulld too but there's the playing time issue ...

The problem might be getting used to different approaches, but other than that I think it's fine.

I blame North. But it really depends on the agreements. Is 3♦ showing a slamish hand? Then 3♠ shows interest and 4♠ is not good enough, South needed to know about the club control. South has a great hand though so maybe he had to go on over 4♠ if North showed his hand in their system. By the way 4♦ is probably better, the slam in the minor is safer. I guess this was Mp though.