Hanoi5

3NT. 2NT if I feel scientific.

Was the redouble showing clubs or just asking opener to bid 2♣ in order to pass or do something else? If the former you could bid 2♣ as a cue-bid(?) and if not you can do it over 2♦. You could also bid 3♠ directly or over 2♦.

I play splinters in the minors as 14+ HCP's. Is this wrong?

I was taught and I teach that holding a 4-card Major was a inhibitor to weak openings. The main reason for this was that a 4-4 (or 5-4) fit in that Major would be overlooked by partner as he wouldn't expect that many cards in that suit. I even noticed sometimes players who wouldn't pre-empt with 3 cards in the other Major. However I've seen lately (last couple of years) an increasing number of breakers of this 'rule'. Is it because a 7-4 (or 6-4) hand with a good 7-card suit plays better in said suit than in the 4-4 fit? Is there a way to find about the possible Major? (Once I played 2♦ as weak with the possibility of a 4 card Major, 2NT would ask). Is there anything else to this (position, vulnerability, etc)?

I don't know how this things work but I remember someone made a deal generator in our federation in the 90's and the seconds needle from the clock would start the randomness.

The problem here is probably the system. If North had been able to show the 4th card in support of spades South would gladly go to game. Not knowing about it bidding 4♠ is still a possibility but a LST in diamonds is also a possibility. I think North should accept the try, having 4 good spades. I might be biased by looking at all four hands so maybe it is better to post these probleam showing only one hand (and a couple of days or weeks later the other) or just the two hands involved, the bidding and ATB.

0 spades.

[hv=pc=n&s=saq64hq84d8643c93&n=s8ha962daqt75caqt&d=w&v=0&b=8&a=1sdp1np3nppp]266|200[/hv] ♣4 is the lead. Imp pairs.

1-0

Red vs Red, imp pairs, you get as dealer: ♠--- ♥Q87532 ♦KJT52 ♣A9 You can resist opening, and it goes: 1♥-1N-2♠-3♣ ???

Showing off, aren't we? Nicely done though.

I like 4, partner's HCP's are probably in the blacks. Hopefully RHO is not waiting with 4 spades...

I would not open 1♠. I'm between 3 and Pass.

I have a player of international record tell me that each hand dealt by the computer has been played before. She's always saying how she knew this was gonna happen, how she should have done this or that, how his/her partner should have known, 'don't you remember this hand?' etc.

This seems like a great idea. I know that when you're opening a table you can open it as a minibridge table, but what if there are no other people interested?

Leaving the Water Cooler? These Fora? Bridge? Life? Are you a dolphin?

So far 4 vs 4. Nobody cares about opponents, only partner. Partner has 12-14, he wouldn't get to 3NT with 14.

I have DealmasterPro. Got it for sixty-something bucks and I have really enjoyed it. One of my best buys ever. I know some people cook their own programs. But if you're asking about ease of use I bet you're better with DM. You can create hands for tournaments, you can create hands using constraints, you can input a hand or two and ask the program to deal several hands with some constraints but that fixed hand or hands. This is what a simulation would consist of.

All white, butler: ♠AKQ2 ♥AQ83 ♦QJ5 ♣98 You're in 4th seat trying to remember whether you play better minor or short club when you see: (Pa)-1♣-(2♥)-??? You decide to double and try to find the slam in spades: (Pa)-1♣-(2♥)-X (Pa)-2NT-(Pa)-??? You can't believe what you see, so for lack of anything better: (Pa)-1♣-(2♥)-X (Pa)-2NT-(Pa)-3♥ (Pa)-3NT-(Pa)-??? What would you do at this stage? 6NT, no way you're staying out of the slam 4NT, let's see what partner opened with Pass, if RHO entered the bidding he must have something in a suit which is not hearts (for apparently he doesn't have good hearts) Would your decision depend upon your opponents? Is it the same if you're playing against the best pro in the club than against some random player?

When we're the only ones bidding this applies. When they intervene this agreement changes, I believe.

When I said 5♠ asks responder to bid 5NT Imeant it in case 4NT was asking for aces. But since 5♦ is natural 5♠ could be natural as mentioned earlier.

I would say it asks for the trump queen if 3♥ showed fit. It asks partner to bid 5NT if there's no agreement to having a fit.

Shouldn't partner have doubled with that?

♥9. The lack of double puts some hearts in partner's hand?

Do we have a road to show self-sufficient spades over 1♦? Apparently not. I'd bid 6♦ not very convinced.