Hilver

Well, all of You who did reply, thanks. Partner (East) held: ♠ K Q 8 5 ♥ Q 7 3 ♦ K J 9 ♣ K 6 4 Declarer (North) held: ♠ A J x ♥ x x ♦ A Q x x x x ♣ A x At the other table opponents ended up in 3NT +1 :angry: So, obviously I made a mistake by not doubling. And, almost all of You would have made a double. My motives not doubling: 1. Partner does not have a 15-17 NT with a stopper in ♦ 2. Partner did not make an overcall in ♥ or ♠ 3. North did not open a 15-17 NT, so he has a strong 18-19 HP or a strong unbalanced hand with long diamonds.

Teams N / all vulnerable Sitting West You hold: ♠ 7 4 2 ♥ A K 9 5 ♦ 8 ♣ Q J 9 3 2 W N E S - 1♦ p p ? 1♦= 3+ card diamonds (Best minor) An overcall of 1NT by East would have been 15-17 HP and a stopper in ♦ EW don't play Raptor Well, Your bid please? And why?

Pairs / all white You hold: ♠ -- ♥ K Q x x x x x ♦ K Q x x x x ♣ -- The bidding: 1♣ - (4♠) - ? 1♣: Big club; balanced 21+ HP or more or less unbalanced and 16+ HP; not a balanced 16-20 HP with a 5-card major. Well, your bid :unsure: Thx

Well, first of all thank you for your replies. As regards about 2♥, maybe I indeed should have used the term non forcing relay as OH may pass it. Well, why posting this bidding problem? Just because I was wondering what bid you would make if 2NT really is unusual. I do understand why some of you doubting whether 2NT really was unsual. Some of you choose to bid 4♣ and some 3NT. But no one made a bid of 3♣! In practice 2NT was alerted and explained by the 3♣-bidder as being unsual. But the holding of the 2NT-bidder was: ♠ A Q 10 ♥ Q 10 8 3 2 ♦ K J 9 ♣ 5 4 So it was meant as natural. In practice 3♣ was bid, and the 2NT-bidder now bid 3NT (?). So I have my reservations against the bidding. In my opinion, 3♣ is underbidding and 3NT isn't allowed after having heard partners explanation of your 2NT-bid.

Pairs/ all vulnerable You hold: ♠ 6 ♥ J 9 7 ♦ Q 7 5 4 ♣ K Q 10 9 3 The bidding: 2♦ - pass - 2♥ - pass 2♠ - pass - pass - 2NT pass - ? 2♦ = Multi coloured = weak ♥ or ♠; semiforcing ♣ or ♦; NT 22-23 HP, balanced 2♥ = relay, less then 15 HCP 2♠ = 6-card ♠ and 6-10 HCP 2NT = unsual NT, 5+-5+ ♣ and ♦ Well, Your bid and why? Thx Jan

What about this: * 1NT - 2♠ = transfer to ♣ With at least 3 clubs and one honnour in ♣ and a maximum NT, OH bids 2NT * 1NT - 2NT = transfer to ♦ With at least 3 diamonds and one honnour in diamonds and a maximum NT OH bids 3♣ * 1NT - 3♣ = Puppet Stayman, asking for 4- or 5-card in a major; GF * 1NT - 2♣ = relay Stayman, not necessarily promising a 4-card major Jan

As a follow up to my first reply on 1♣ - 1♦: First respond and meaning 1♥ •Relay • 4- 7 HP • 4♥-4♠ or 5♥-4♠ or 4♥-5♠ • Nonforcing 1♠/1NT/ 2♣/♦ •Transferbid: 1♠ = ♣, 1SA = ♦. 2♣ = ♥, 2♦ = ♠ • 6+-card, second 4+-card is possible. No 5+-5+ ♥/♠ with 4-7 HP. • 0-7 HP 2♥ •4-7 HP • 5+-card ♥ and 5+-card ♠ • nonforcing 2♠ •5+-card ♣ and 5+-card ♦ • 4-7 HP 2SA •Transfer to ♣ • 7+-krt ♣ with 2 honnors • 5-7 HP • No points in sidesuits • Rebids OH are natural (4♦/4♥/♠ after 2SA is a controlbid).: 3♦ after 2SA is natural! 3♣ •Transfer to ♦ • 7+-krt ♦ met 2 honnors • 5-7 HP • No points in side suits • Rebids OH are natural (4♣/4♥/♠ after 3♣ are controlbids). 3♦ •Transfer to ♥ • 7+-krt ♥ with 2 honnors, 5 -7 HP in that suit • No points in side suits • rebid OH of 3♠ is natuaral • rebid of 4♣/♦ is controlbid and ♥ set as trump suit 3♥ •Transfer to ♠ • 7+-krt ♠ with 2 honneurs, 5 -7 HP • No HCP in siede suits • rebid OH of 3♠ is natural • rebid of 4♣/♦ is a controlbid and ♠ trump suit 3♠ •7+-krt in ♣/♦ (Gambling NT) • No points in side suits 4♣/♦ •4♣ transfer to ♥ • 4♦ transfer to ♠ • 7+-card with AKQ; no HCP in side suits 1♦ With all other distributions and HCP AH may be weak or even very strong in HCP Jan

Take a glance at ''Hilversumse Klaveren'': www.clairebridge.com/textes/Hilversumse%20klaveren.pdf . Although this systembook is written in Dutch You will understand the bidding after an 1♣ opening bid. Start reading at page 71. Jan (one of the authors ;) ) In a second reply below You find the responds to an 1♣ opening bid.

3♠= transfer to ♣; may be weak or strong 3NT = 5♠- 4♥ 4♣=transfer to ♦, may be weak or strong 4♠ = Ace asking, CRM (1-4, 0-3, 2 same colour, two same rank, two mixed) 4NT = quantative, 5♠ and 4♥ Jan

@Hanoi5 I gave only these two options because according to our system agreements that are the only two options for opener in this biddingsequence. Otherwise the 4♥bidder would have made a different bid then 4♥.

Teams W / all white Sitting West You hold: ♠ A K Q 7 5 3 2 ♥ 7 ♦ K 7 ♣ 10 7 2 The bidding, opponents don't interfere,: 1♠ - 2♥ 2♠ - 3♥ 3♠ - 4♥ ? 1♠ = 12- 15 HCP, 5+-card ♠ 2♥ = 5+-card ♥, game forcing What will be Your bid?

Matchpoint pairs West dealer / all vulnerable Sitting South You hold: ♠ 10 8 7 3 2 ♥ A 6 ♦ A K 10 9 6 ♣ 9 After displaying the STOP-card from the biddingbox, West opens 4♥. After West removing the STOP-card after 10 seconds, North still thinks about 10 seconds and then passes. Your RHO, East, passes too. Should South pass or is South still allowed to double, or make a bid of 4♠, 4NT or 5♦? Thx Jan

The auction, opponents don't interfere,: 1NT - 3♣ 3NT - 4NT 5NT 1NT = 16-18 HCP, balanced 3♣= puppet Stayman 3NT = no 4 or 5-card major 4NT = quantitative (no ace asking bid!), invites to bid 6NT with a maximum. 5NT? How do You interprete 5NT, what is this bid asking for, what should be it's message? Thx Jan

My pard and I use the basic principles of John Montgomery's Revision Club. It is a well documented bidding system. At least Foreword and Introduction of his free book should be read by every serious bridgeplayer. John has done a great job! Stubborn as my pard and I are, we used his basic principles in developing our own bidding system, the Hilversumse Klaveren (in Dutch :-(). Just Google the name. It's fun using John's basic ideas. We owe him much. Jan

Your opponents play Bergen raises. What should be in Your opinion the meaning of a double by Your side in the auction: (1♥/♠) - pass - (3♣/♦) - double. Should the meaning of Your double on 3♣ or 3♦ be: 1. take-out, or 2. lead directing? What would be Your advice? And how do You interprete 3♥ by Your side in the auction: (1♥) - pass - (3♣/♦) - 3♥ Thx Jan