bluecalm

4♦ if that's forcing (I hope it is). If not then 5♦. I hope not... Jesus this "standard" bidding is so complicated. I assume 2♦ is 4+ diamonds and then 3♥ is 6 hearts.

I meant doubling, sorry. Editing my post.

I would like to play a style where it's 2♠ bid. Unfortunately all my partners insist on playing weak twos as "small preempts" so I have to open 1♠ with them ;) Passing is very bad. Maybe not crazy, it just shows very poor bridge judgement or very poor methods.

+1. I think we make very often and sometimes if we don't they do. To me the choice is between 5♥ and 6♥. Doubling sounds like a joke to me.

Do you really prefer to accept those weak 2 level openers just to save some memory work which Gazilli requires ? I would just go with what Italians play: 2♦ = 18-19 balanced 2♥/2♠ = weak two and learn Gazilli :lol: If you really can't accept Gazilli in full form then I would at least change multi to 18-19 balanced and give up weak twos altogether. This way your strong bal hands bidding won't be completely screwed.

1♣ 1♦ 1♠ 2♣ 2NT - 3♣ 3NT -pass 1♣ = 16+ 1♦ = 0-7 1♠ = 4+♠, F1 2♣ = 6-7 without ♠ support 2NT = nat, GF I guess N can mastermind a pass after 3♣ call (he knows partner is 6-7 with 5+clubs and most often 6 of them) but I prefer 25hcp = 3NT approach.

It's the other way around. If you think lead gives you advantage the way to keep it is to play diamonds the same way as field does. If you are somehow sure that ♥ lead will be very rare and that field will be in 3NT then you should play diamonds on top because that's the way field will play so you will beat them all with your extra ♥ trick. Unfortunately you can never be sure of those things.

If you play like Meckwell you have 2nd round transfers anyway so you don't need those fancy jump to 5 level. It goes like this: 1NT - 2♥ 2♠ - ??? 2NT = ♣ 3♣ = ♦ 3♦ = ♥ Now you have 3 bids available for various hands with 6+ spades or 5-3-3-2: 3♥/3♠/3NT From what I remember Mekwell use one of them to show choice of games, one of them to ask partner to convert to 4♠ with 3 spades regardless of rest of his hand and one of them (3♥) to show 6+ spades. I love this structure as it makes easy to search for 4-4 fit on the side as well as making slam attempt with 6+♠. I think partner should only accept transfer with 4 of them. Bid 3 of first transferred suit with 3 card support and bid naturally without one or the other. Now if partner shows fit for one of the transferred suits you can make a cuebid (or whatever you play) and if he doesn't you have quantitive slam try available (4NT). I am sure Meckwell play something more sophisticated though. The cost is that you need other way to show balanced invite with 5 spades (Meckwell uses stayman -> 2♠ for the purpose). With 5 hearts you bid 2♦ and then 2♠ (transfer to 2NT, balanced invite).

Yes, right. It was unsuccessful attempt to make fun of US bidding methods. I succeeded at making myself look like an idiot though :lol: I think some of them do but standard (and imo better) way to play is that it promises 4 of other major. NFB bidders are not immune to this problem. They have it at 3 level (cause most people don't play NFBs at 3 level), for example: 1♠ - 2♦ - ? xx xxx Ax KQxxxx Somehow those hands are rare and having dbl promising 4 of oM is much more practical.

There are many layouts where declarer is trying to steal 9th trick (2♠ + 4♣ + 2♥ if partner has ♥KT/♥KJ or 2♠ + 3♣ + 3♥ if partner has ♣A/K). Playing A♦ only costs if declarer has ♦KJx and AK of clubs. I think playing A♦ is better.

5♥ for me. I am not doubling them without trump stack having four card support. Color me yellow.

Yeah...

Standard when playing NFB's is playing 3♦ as natural, game forcing without 4 of other major so it's not like you hide 6♦ in any sequence. Anyway discussion about NFB's probably won't be too fruitful. If I somehow were to play standard I would insist on playing jumps as weak and natural so I could bid 3♦ with this hand. One thing I refuse to do is bidding 2♠. There are positions where raising with Hx is both safe and profitable but this is not one of them as risk of partner misevaluating strength of our combined resources is too big.

Safe play because you already got friendly lead and on average you will beat people who try for 3-3 break anyway (because 4-2 is more likely). Seems really basic to me. Am I missing something ? EDIT: I guess the argument for playing ♦'s on top can be made. If you are somehow sure almost everybody is in 3NT and that people in general will receive different lead than you then you may try to beat all of them by playing ♦'s the same way as them (having extra ♥ trick). For that to work though you basically need to have mind reading skills. It's possible for example that everybody will receive this ♥ lead. Then if you play diamonds on top you will be making -EV play. There is also thing about going +. People do many stupid things like being stack in partscore. You need +400 to beat them.

I like dbl. It would suck to pass and hear something like: 1♥ pass 1NT pass 2♥ ? 1♥ pass 3♥ pass pass ? 1♥ pass 2♥ pass pass ? happen; I think it's better to double now and be done with the hand.

+1 I think if you splinter then pass is in order. Your hand is for sure at lower end for splinter (if it qualifies at all) so no reason to do anything than pass imo. I don't think anybody is seriously suggesting that partner's pass if forcing here. If you choose 4♥ instead of splinter then x makes more sense as partne won't double himself with extras and they will be more likely to bid 4♠ on insufficient values after 4♥.

I play negative free bids in all partnerships so this problem is completely unknown to me. Do you "standard" players really pass 7carders here ? ;)

5-3-3-2 = no 2 level overcall basically

My opinion is only about your forum self of course and "always" refer only to posting history I am familiar with (not that long).

I've learnt that there are no "wtp" problems on this forum but this can't possibly by anything other than wtp 1♦ opening.

Really ? He always seemed to me to be quite penalty happy. I remember at least one hand when he converted negative double which seems unthinkable to me.

If you reason this way then standard 3/5 leads are "dual signals". Low is either 3 small or 2 small with an honour. High is either 2 small or 3 small with an honour but then also one smaller and one higher.

JDonn, if you went over/under 90% it's amazingly close...

My main objection is "sure 200 maybe 500". Partner may well be 3-1-7-2 or 4-1-6-2 with weak spades. Hands like: Qxx x AKQxxxx Ax or: Qxx x AKJxxx AQx or even: Qx x AKJxxx AKxx mean 3♥ often makes when we often make game ourselves.

I have a problem here. On one hand seeing you guys passing reasonable approach is to assume I may be wrong. On the other hand I am so sure and this is so "lol so ezy" case for me that I mentally unable to change my attitude for now. It would be great if some of you who know some elite players could ask them about this problem and post. I really want to be more open minded about this problem but for now I am just unable to :)