Hanoi5

I voted no but now I'm not so sure. Even if partner is not helpful 800 seems out of the question so 4♠ looks normal. I think I allow it to stand, I wish I could take my vote back.

I don't think I'll leave the result stand. The only reason for doing it might be that the players are novices or maybe they don't know about asking the queen after a 4NT answer. I think the comment (or something else at the table we don't know about, like Phil pointed out in the other thread) did definitely influence the outcome. So, if these players are novices I'll reprimand them for their actions and tell them to read law 16 and learn it by heart. If they're not and they knew about queen asks I'll change the contract to clubs (or 6♥) and whatever result it gets (if it worse than 5♥ of course).

Over 1♠ I'd bid 2♥. 3♣ is another possibility. I prefer (and thought it was standard) to use the 3NT rebid to show a solid (or even semi-solid) opening suit and these diamonds, although seven, do not look solid to me. So, is the 3NT rebid that or just 'I have a bunch of good diamonds and enough for game but not exactly balanced'?

I'd punish E/W but would probably leave table result to N/S. They can actually defeat the contract, although it's hard after such an opening bid, so I don't know.

This is why these guys are not playing bridge: On topic: Family and work will remain the top reasons. People learn the game, they live and before dying they return to it.

[hv=pc=n&s=sa2haqj3dqj854cj6&n=sjt943h5dat6cak87&d=n&v=b&b=13&a=1sp2dp3cp3hp3np4np6dppp]266|200[/hv] You receive a ♣2 lead and remain wondering how to explain your partner that 3♣ shows extras. Out of the trance you play a small club from dummy and take RHO's 10 with your Jack. So far so good... How shall you continue?

♣A was well placed and clubs broke 4-3. Spades were 3-1. I lost a club, a heart and a spade. If you win the diamond lead in hand (or the spade lead in hand) and start setting up clubs you'll get to 10 tricks eventually.

Partner never supported ♥ so I'll take it he's asking for the ♣Q. (As Free said partner should have forced or bid some other way if he wanted to play hearts). Anyway the way I bid now depends on agreement: 1. If the next available bid denies the queen and any other shows it with a specific king (with 5NT usually showing the queen with no outside king), I'd bid 6♣. 2. If returning to the trump suit denies the queen and any other shows the queen with specific kings I'd bid 5NT. It's a matter of agreement, I guess.

[hv=pc=n&w=sak963h7653da87c9&e=sq875h4dk43ck8764&d=s&v=b&b=7&a=1d1sd2sppp]266|200[/hv] Even if east supports with a cue-bid, should west continue?

[hv=pc=n&w=s976hakt5d987cq65&e=sak8432h6d652cak7&d=w&v=e&b=16&a=p1d1sd2sp3dp3hp4sppp]266|200[/hv] Game tries can be a two-edged sword. In this case who did worse? East or West? Is it better to play short/long suit tries?

I agree with han.

[hv=pc=n&s=sqt732hdakj952ck8&n=sahaq8dqt4cat9742&d=n&v=b&b=13&a=1cp1dp3cp3sp3np4sp6dppp]266|200[/hv] Is there a choice to 3♣? Does 4♠ describe South's shape and strength? Is there a better way to get to the slam? How do you play after a diamond lead? I forgot to ask, is 6NT better than 6♦ from North's point of view? I might post some continuations depending on the line chosen. Oh, and I got it from a teaching table at BBO (random hand, not prepared), not a textbook.

You're white against red opponents: ♠KTxxx ♥x ♦AKQTxx ♣A 1♦-1♥ ???

I agree with double but I'm sure some people would prefer 3♣. The question is what would you do over partner's rebid of spades. I like 4♥, I suppose it sets up clubs as trumps. I'd ask for KC now. I hope they don't come in with 5♥ so I better have a good understanding with partner on what to do. Asking for KC will allow me to find if we have 7 but that's not easy for it needs partner to have 3 KC's and the ♦K/great spades. I wouldn't mind a jump to 6♣ either. Also some people play 03-14 responses when clubs are trumps, so that's something else we have to be clear about.

I think the TO double rules apply a little here. With a minimum hand you overcall at the lowest level (2♥ here). Of course when responder bids, minimum is no longer 0-8 but probably a good 6 to a bad 9. With an in-the-middle hand you'd jump (3♥ in this case) to show some 10-11. And of course with a much better hand you'd cue-bid opener's suit. The thing with (1x)-Dbl-(1♠) is that sometimes responder is just psyching or trying to rob us from our spades or just bidding a lousy 4-card spade suit. So double shows spades and 2♠ very good spades and a better hand.

I'd play for the drop.

If the red suits were reversed the double would be easy. As it is, it depends on the pair's style, how weak will partner re-open? I think I'll double for it is the best way to reach 3NT if that's our contract, but I'll be really afraid of hearing 4♦ in front. Or redouble on my left. Or am I being too pessimistic?

South can't KC with a void in diamonds, s/he can either bid 5♦, 6♣ or 6♥ the choice between the last two might depend on whether you're playing MP's or IMP's.

Pre-empts are used because they work but if we can't penalize them, will we leave them to play undoubled? Would you double after 5♣-pa-pa? Partner can figure what's useful or not in a heart contract so I think the double, although optional, shouldn't be made with a hand where 5♥ looks better. So partner passes 5♣ and you'd double? How is this situation forcing? Doubler held: ♠J9x ♥Txx ♦Axxx ♣ATx What do you recommend?

The reason for not posting a whole hand is that people are rarely objective. Most people would 'result' and I suppose that's what's being avoided by presenting only one hand.

Red vs White, imps, you hold: ♠Q7x ♥KQJ8xx ♦KQxx ♣--- 1♣-1♥-5♣-X Pa-???

Double is usually used as penalty oriented in either one or in both suits. You have two (known) cue-bids available, you can use either one of them to show a forcing or inviting hand with clubs and the other with diamonds. You just have to agree which Major shows clubs and which diamonds and what strength they show. Normally you don't want to play in any of their five-card suits (even if you had a fit) so bidding a Major naturally should be out of the question.

I'm short in HCP's for going to the 2-lvl and missing one honour (and maybe also a couple of HCP's) for the spade suit to be biddable at the one level. I'm sure these questions have a point, I wonder what it is...

I'll try the diamonds for 4 tricks, 7 to the Ace and 2 towards the Queen.

I haven't read through all the posts but, aren't there already time constraints for matches, rounds, etc? Even chess with a clock is a different game! I agree clocks could be used in bridge but it's so hard to measure, people comment the previous board, claim at the beginning, claim almost at the end, play till the last card. Also, I didn't kibitz the whole American Trials but, wasn't one of the members of the Rodwell/Meckstroth pair one who usually took a lot of time and was constantly being sorry for taking so long? And they didn't win so, how did that affect the other teams?