bluecalm

1000 hands simulation assuming opener is 12-14balanced without 5M and 7m and responder is 12-16 without 4+ card major or major shortness (people usually play methods to show those): Winning lead: 3♠ - 135 9♥ - 234 5♦ - 120 J♣ - 128 Adding the possibility of responder being any 4-3-3-3 (including major): Winning lead: 3♠ - 116 9♥ - 212 5♦ - 139 J♣ - 120 It looks like ♥ works almost twice as often as any other which isn't surprising to me at all as I did many simuls of this kind and old adage of leading majors from weak hands against 1nt-3nt auction is very reliable. Same simulation at MP's (lead which is the best trick wise not taking into account setting the contract) : Best lead: 2♠ - 613 9♥ - 727 5♦ - 562 J♣ - 578

Easy pass in my opinion. If partner had 6diamonds and say spade void or other very offensive hand he would go to 5♦ himself as double should promise at least 2 diamonds and we have 3 here on most cases anyway.

Yeah I am not happy with penalty double here at all. I don't know what it should show though. Few possibilities: a)just extras B)4 spades c)shortness in their suit I am happy with c) but I play limited openings. No idea if that fits if opener is still in 11-22 range.

I tried unchecking "enable emoticons" like 3 times. It doesn't work. I thought it work as on other computer (the one I was posting from) displayed "b" that's why I left the post in actual form.

1)puppet stayman; I think passing with such hands is bad. If there is 8/9 ♥ card fit playing in 2NT is disaster while playing 3NT can't be that much worse on average than 2NT. So I bid 3♣ planning to play 4♥ if 4+♥ is found and signing off in 3NT otherwise. I would say passing at imps is terrible; passing at MP's is just a mistake, probably not that costly. 2)2♠ if that's natural, why would I bid 1♠ which isn't even forcing ? Now I bid 4♣ and then show my void whatever method I play and bid grand opposite AKQ♥, 6 otherwise.

Recent thread about weak twos was very interesting to me so here is another thing I need help with. Common sequence is: 1m - 1M 2M I play precision so 1m is 1♦ and it doesn't promise diamonds. Same situation is very common in polish club where 1♣ is 12-14unbal. I guess the system after better minor 1♣ isn't that much different. So what do you play here which allows to comfortable slam exploration as well as inviting/choosing games ? Take into account that we almost never raise with 3M here (the only exception is exactly 3♠-4♥-5♦-1♣ shape after 1♠ response)

To use cuebids you need to have agreed suit. Jump to 4NT is useful as natural slam try in NT, not in diamonds. This is especially useful at MP's (beacause there aren't that many hands which can't set up diamonds and want to invite slam at IMPs, not to say there aren't any). No insult but it seems like you need some basic education in standard bidding theory. If you use 4NT after cuebids it should be always RKC unless you have some special agreements. Also how the hell is opener supposed to "use rkc" intelligently as he knows almost nothing at all about responder's hand after 4♣ cuebid, he just bids 4♠ in your example to deny ♥ control and to show ♠ control.

a)not opening N hand b)passing 2♣ :P is obviously more terrible as we may still have 28hcp combined (playing standard); as to a) I feel that if people just count points and open every 12, every 11 with 6+card suit or at least 5-4-3-1 distribution they would do a lot better than "using judgment" or all those "rules of 20" etc. There is nothing wrong with S' bidding. Maybe 1NT is better, maybe not. This is difficult problem which can't be answered by simple reasoning. Not everybody wants to hide 6♣ which will frequently lead to worse partscores/missed slams. 2♣ rebid is normal in standardish methods. You just don't pass it with 10's and most 9's.

4NT = natural invite. There is a very simple and useful rule: If no suit is agreed jump to 4NT is natural slam invite. If you want RKC just set the trumps one way or the other. If we showed 7+ card major 4NT is rkc in that suit because bypassing 4M is pointless. Simple logic again. I guess we live in different bridge world but absolutely none of my bridge friends would take 4NT as rkc here. It just doesn't make sense without some special agreements and ton of discussion about what you do with natural balanced invite if you don't have natural 4NT available in various situations. This is especially important in "standard" like systems where 3♦ has very wide strength range.

Well, it seems that the responder should declare as often as possible almost regardless of his holding in x'ed suit (unless it's low xx/xxx but even 9x is worth protecting) so the agreement which makes opener a declarer more often is probably bad. I would prefer playing pass = w/e hand rdbl = support other = superacceptance (just don't choose our suit for this). This way x'er will be on lead every time we end up playing in transferred suit which seems to be awesome.

Pass looks good at MP's. Invitation is possible I think (although I wouldn't do that). Bidding 3NT is lol bad.

1. Pass 2. Still Pass 3. Yes, on much stronger hand 4. Probably yes, but I have to think about it 5. I don't think we need go beyond "takeout" it may depend on form of scoring, opponents, vulnerability etc.

Meckstroth choice was 4♥. My simulation shows it's very very close. 3NT is making a bit more often (5%) but I am not sure which is better IMP wise (420 to 400 is an imp etc.). I was very surprised by this choice. It seems the poll shows that 3NT is standard. Note to: Jlall: I digged up some old Meckwell convention card and indeed they play that 4♥ is to play here and 4♦/4♥ are SI+ (while 4♣ being Gerber). I don't see any reasons to play that way though.

So I have limit raise and one of the options is limit raise. WTP ? 2♣ sucks because if I bid ♠ then partner will think I am smartly showing Hx spades, 6+clubs and maximum hand.

4NT seems normal. I don't know what kind of defense you play against multi, in the one I prefer I could dbl (t/o assuming spades).

Btw I wonder why it's the case. As well as opening 2NT with 19-20 instead of 20-21. As their 1NT range is 14-16 it seems that their system could easily handle "intermediate" zone of 17-19. For example: 1♣ - 1♦ 1NT would be 17-19 and: 1♣ - 1♥/♠ 1NT would be 17-19 or say 22+ Maybe there is some problems with range that wide after their quite common 1NT/2♣ responses to strong club or maybe they just think opening 2NT is profitable contrary to common belief and they want to do that as often as possible. Thoughts ?

Yes. I saw thousands of hands already and it's pretty common for them to open 18's at 1/2 position with decent 5/6carder in minor.

I doubt it's standard in most places in the world. For example Italians use 4♣/4♦ transfers to indicate slam try (leaving one more step for exploration). You also could have a hand which is not interested in slam if partner doesn't superaccepts. I don't know anything about standards in USA (or about standards anywhere excepts pairs who played their share on vugraph) so I don't doubt you are right. Meckwell change their system often so I don't know how they play now but there was definitely a time in near past they played 4♥ as "to play" here (or one of them thought they play it:) ). Let's assume they play 3NT and 4♥ to play here (I am sure one way or the other Meck had a choice and this is key point in this hand).

Bermuda Bowl, w/w your partner deals. ♠9 ♥KJT62 ♦9543 ♣Q86 2NT - 3♦ 3♥ - ???? You choices are 3NT (which will be converted to 4♥ if partner has 3♥) or 4♥ accepting 5-2 heart fit. 2NT is basically 19-20 but partner often upgrades 18's. Meck bid something different than I would (what a surprise !). Thoughts ?

I auto lead spade after this auction.

No but he will also open x xx Qxx AQJxxxx for example (I think). Opposite KQJTxxx and out I want to be in game.

3♦ for me. I hope it's natural. I hope partner won't automatically signoff with something like AKJTxxx and out. I am bidding 5♣ after positive response from him and 5♦ if he shows ♦ supp. I think passing is reasonable but game will make just too often opposite vulnerable preempts I am used to.

For me it would be unimaginable for partner to pass 2nd double without at least ♦KQT8 at imps. Some lighter passes probably are possible at MP's but I would consider it very undisciplined.

This is a hand from Polish Mixed Pairs Championship final (yeah !). Opener has: ♠KQJT862 ♥QT9 ♦62 ♣2 Most pairs achieved 4♠. I am not familiar with the actual auctions though. I guess proponents of passing would choose something different with this hand than 3♠ ? If so, what would you do with say: KQJTxxx xxx xx x; 2♠ and 4♠ seems awful to me as does passing.\ I would prefer to play a style when I could bid 4♠ with problem hand opposite even w/r opener (and I am not that old !)

I fail to understand the double over their 4♥. N's hand is weak and responder's hand is weak (2♠). N also doesn't have a trump stack. What the hell? Just pass and try to beat it. It doesn't look like we have profitable sacrifice.