goobers

Wait, what's the problem here? Isn't this about standard strength for a reverse? I mean, the stiff ♥Q is yucky and your suits aren't as good as they could be, but if partner bids hearts, there's a nice chance that it's a useful card, and if he bids spades, then your secondary support is likely good...

I would also like to see some forcing pass scenarios... and not ones that are obvious where in 2 bids you have established a game force. I read that 1x - (dbl) - rdbl creates a forcing pass, and also 1x - (1NT) - dbl, but I currently play it as non-forcing, though highly suggestive of whacking their contract. Is this played as forcing in standard?

Oh what the, mark me down for the reverse too! I got into the mode of thinking that it would be a huge problem and convinced myself that nothing could be right.

Ughhh, everything I do is wrong. I will open 1D and rebid 2C. It lies about my shape, but it doesn't lie about my strength... I just happen to be super max for this bid. If partner makes another move, I will buy him/her a drink, and if not, hopefully we haven't missed anything. If partner responds 1S, I will still rebid 2C. If I had a minimum opener, I would be happy to raise to 2S, but with this good a hand for the minors, I will still try 2C and give my partner the spade raise later, if it magically comes back around to me. Edit: 1NT is tempting :)

Partner opens 2♣ in the following auction 2♣ - 2♦! 2♠ - 3♣ 3♠ 2♦ is game forcing, promises at least an ace or any 5+ HCP. My hand was: ♣AJT987 ♦xx ♥xxxx ♠x What would you bid if 3♠ sets trump? If it doesn't?

That's a great idea. A wiki sounds like a good tool to use, but I heard that the official wikipedia is going down by the end of this year... has anyone else heard the same? I don't know if it was a rumor or I've just been misinformed, but it's definitely something to check first.

I think FSF is a great tool and not that hard to understand. You can agree to play it as one round force (invitational+) or GF... style is up to you. Whatever you decide to play it as, responder's jump rebids should have the opposite meaning. The auction you posted is slightly different, in my opinion, since it's a cuebid. I would probably interpret that as a GF, no matter what I had agreed to play with partner. But back to FSF... I think it's fairly easy and not that hard for BI players to pick up (Hey, I did!) Opener just has to find the correct third bid that best describes his hand. 1. Delayed raise of partner's suit This is VERY desirable. Say the auction goes 1D - 1S 2C - 2H* 2H is completely artificial, showing inv+ or GF, whatever your agreements. FSF often expresses doubt about the best contract to play. If you have 3 spades, you should support partner now to let him know about it. Very often, responder has a 5 card spade suit and is wondering where to go. 2. Stopper in the 4th suit Since the 4th suit bid is artificial and promises nothing in the suit, rebidding a NT promises a stopper. 3. Other natural bids Say the auction has gone as above 1D - 1S 2C - 2H* Lacking the ability to do the above 2, or if you have no desire to declare NT, you probably have a natural rebid. If you have 6 diamonds and 4 clubs, rebid the diamonds. If you have 5-5, rebid clubs. Maybe you even have 4 hearts and will decide to "raise" hearts (remember, hearts have not truly been bid.) Once in a while, you honestly have no good rebid, and then you just have to find the smallest lie. Anyway, I'm sure players much stronger than myself can answer this question better, but I felt that it would help if I let you know that you don't have to be an expert to play FSF :P

*hops on the pass wagon* Dubious ♦Q yuck... and besides, I'll never hear the end of it from my regular pard for opening this B)

If you open 1♣, I think your rebid is easy when they miraculously don't interfere :P I'd be worried that it would be 4♠ by the time it got back to me if I opened 1♣. I open this hand 4♣... but I'm a coward.

I dunno, 4 of a minor? If partner had spades, he would've bid them.

omg So when is the CD coming out

Ah okay, thanks everyone. I gave it a long thought at the table, I guess just envisioning nightmare things where we just lose 3 clubs and a trump, but this is too pessimistic.

These exact thoughts ran through my mind when I first saw the hand... does that make me an expert? ;)

Lol. Maybe both major suit finesses work, the SK drops doubleton, and the DK is onside. There, a legitimate line. Hook the SQ, hook the HQ, cash SA dropping SK, run the DQ. It also can't work since RHO has spade length. Oh well, I give up. I need to stop talking and let some good players actually answer the question ;)

Wait, how does a stiff K in LHO help you? Diamonds are blocked, as long as they don't give you your spade entry, you're still stuck.

Sorry, I was mostly joking when I posted that. Edited now with a semi line of play. Another edit: Maybe you can play for more misdefense. If a major suit finesse works, you have 4 tricks in. If the DK is onside with Kxx, maybe you can run the diamonds through and he'll hold up the K until the third round, letting you score your diamonds.

Play low to the DQ, then lay down your hand, claiming smoothly. Honestly I have no line of play for this... looks beyond bleak. If LHO shows up with DK, that is a blessing, maybe you'll get to run the diamonds and then take a major suit finesse. If he's clairvoyant, maybe he'll duck the K once. I don't think taking a major suit finesse immediately is useful... the diamonds are blocked, and you MUST bring in the diamonds to make this. Dummy has no entry outside, unless opps are obliging.

Of course pard's hand is better than that, having made a freebid, but can you be so optimistic as to give him no club wastage?

I dunno, is there anything to do but draw trump (overtake the HQ with your K), cross in diamonds, cash em, ruff a diamond, and then just trying to guess the club suit? Hopefully something revealing will have happened when you drew trump and played 4 rounds of diamonds. You also have a hint as to how the spade suit is, but you can't really know for sure.

4th seat, all red, MPs. You hold ♠Qxxxx ♥AKQx ♦-- ♣98xx (1D) - p - (1NT) - x (2D) - 2S - (3D) - ? Question 1. Your bid here? I chose 3S at the table, so now it's this: (1D) - p - (1NT) - x (2D) - 2S - (3D) - 3S (4D) - x - (p) - ? Question 2. Now what? Edit: I screwed up the auction a bit. Fixed now.

Ow. Cappelletti double is penalty right? I like 4♥. Maybe your p doubled on AKQJxxxx and a little something outside, saw that 1NT doesn't really have a shot so just doubled it...

Unfavorable, partner opens 1♠, opp comes in with 2♥ (or dbl). You hold Axxxx xx Jxx xxx. What would your bid be at MP? Any difference if IMPs? Does RHO's interference, be it double or H, affect your decision? What if your holding were Axxxx x Jxx xxxx What now? Oops, fixed first hand. Pretty irrelevant spot card missing.

So what would the 'safe' bid be here? 4H? 6H?

Ooh, can't wait to see it if it ever comes out, mikeh. Right now I'm just playing structured reverses too... I hate reverse auctions.

What's wrong with pass? You told partner that you have a useless hand outside of hearts... if he wanted 5♥, he would bid it himself, but he chose to double instead.