Hanoi5

♣-ruff, ♠-ruff. Am I making this slam if LHO holds 5 spades? I don't think so.

handviewer?

What is 3♦ supposed to mean? The reason I don't like entering the auction is mainly the possibility of hitting a misfit. Opponents seem to have spades and we won't be able to outbid them; however this might not be so bad since partner is likely to have 4 spades. Also 1♥ looks better than 1♦ if we're not gonna play the hand; but there's a 3-card difference between those suits and it may lead to misunderstandings. I might regret not bidding because we're vulnerable but spades are such a menace that I prefer to pass and have my 'I'm sorry' ready.

IMP's. all red, you hold: ♠A ♥A ♦T9xx ♣KQJ6xxx Pa-1♣-Pa-1♥ Pa-???

White vs Red, you're dealer: ♠9 ♥A ♦K9xxx ♣AJTxxx What do you open?

Pass.

Is that the reason why I overcalled 1NT with such a lousy hand? I'd win in dummy and play a club to the J. Then a heart to the J in dummy. If it wins a spade from dummy.

4♠

Looks to me like North has an easy 4♣ over 2♠.

I don't like 2NT, under the conditions I prefer 2♦. I don't like 3♣ I prefer 3♦. I don't like Pass over 3NT, I prefer to support diamonds. 75% to West, 25% to East.

1N-2♣ 2♦-3♥ 3N-6N After such start it is hard to find the club grand-slam.

The ♥ lead is sort of a bummer. I could win in hand, unblock diamonds cross to dummy in hearts and ruff a diamond, then play the last ♥ honour and throw a club from the table. If this goes fine, ♣A, club ruff, diamond ruff, club ruff, diamond ruff. If diamonds are 3-3 I could play a the last trump from dummy to a high honour and then the heart. But that sounds too easy to be good.

Care to elaborate? I don't remember the exact numbers but I think a vulnerable game should be bid at a 45% rate of success. A non-vulnerable game is closer to 50%. So yes, bidding is more aggressive than during Goren's days but they're not 'bad games', they're just more edgy to get closer to the success rate.

16-18 is not a common range. If partner has the maximum we should be in game, especially if he shows up with 4 spades. If he shows 4 hearts I can invite (2NT), if he shows 4 spades I'd be tempted to drive to game right away and if he bids 2♦ I'd be tempted to pass. 2♣ for me.

[hv=pc=n&w=skj93h64dkq97543c&e=sa72haq75dackt965&d=n&v=e&b=9&a=p1cp2cp3cp]266|200[/hv] 2♣ is a diamond transfer with at least 5 cards. 3♣ is natural. Is it OK so far? How would you continue?

I'm torn between 5♠ and 5NT. I'll probably choose 5♠ which is more natural and with a thinking partner will get us to slam when it's on. 6♣ it's dangerous, what will we do over 6♥? How do we win the postmortem when partner says 'I thought you had 4 hearts'?

I'd love to be able to bid 2♠ and have it as some sort of natural invitation. We have a non-minimum hand, clubs seem to be well placed and if partner has some help in spades we might make 10 tricks. However if partner will take 2♠ as a 'reverse' showing a very strong hand (for an overcall) I'd prefer to bid 3♥.

1♥-1♠ 2NT-3NT 1♥-1♠ 3♦-5♦ P 1♣(16+)-1NT(Bal 8-13) 2♥-2♠ 3♦-4♦ 5♦-P

You mean: [hv=d=n&v=b&b=13&a=pp1c1d2dp3cp3s]133|100[/hv] Then you were dealer. You passed originally, yet you made a cue-bid which usually shows support and at least an 11 HCP hand (maybe 10 in this case). I don't understand 3♠ it looks forcing unless 2♦ shows the Majors, but that's not normal. I'll have to get creative to find a meaning for such a bid: 1. More spades than hearts 'cause 2♦ was Michael's (?) 2. Spade cue-bid. 3. Spade stopper ask for 3NT 4. 4 Spades and 5 clubs offering the second black suit in case opener holds 4 cards (?) Weird. I guess I'd bid 4♣, but this will prompt a discussion with partner or a log-off after finishing the hand.

2♥. I'd probably double if my other suit was a minor, but with 5♥'s why would I want to show a 4-card suit?

Both red, teams: ♠76 ♥JT6 ♦KQJT5 ♣T32 1♣(16+ ANY hand)-(1♠)-??? 2♦ would be natural and GF (8+), X would show 5-7. Can partner stop short of game if you give a positive with this hand?

Say partner opened 1♦ (11-15 could be 2 cards), you hold: ♠KT83 ♥Q5 ♦AJT74 ♣62 Next player intervenes with 2♣, what do you bid? Would it make a difference if partner opened in 3rd or 4th seat? How likely are you to reach game on this hand? Teams, all white.

Teams, they're red, you're white, and after 2 passes your RHO opens 2♣ and you hold: ♠KQ6543 ♥J9 ♦964 ♣KJ Do you enter the bidding? Why? Why not?

Red vs White, you hold: ♠KQ862 ♥8 ♦J85 ♣AT85 RHO deals and opens 1NT (15-17), you play DONT, do you enter with 2♣(clubs and another)? What about playing Woolsey (2♠, spades and a minor)? If you pass:

A different black queen? Both 3♠ and 4♠ have merits. If being vulnerable gives partner a better hand for this double than 15 I guess 4♠ is fine. But if partner is just competing and may have some 15 and occasionally 14 and even 13 then 3♠ is enough.The club Q looks so wasted and values figure to be with RHO for the overcall, so it is not clear. I think I'd go with 3♠ unless I'm craving for imp's.