bluecalm

Thanks for that B)

I think it may be right. I simulated 100 hands so far and I would prefer bidding 2♣ with minors either way (5-3, 3-5, 5-4, 4-5) than 1NT on those hand. As you said, the main argument is that we often find better partscore than 1NT especially if 1♠ could be light. Well, there are quite few shapes: 1-4-4-4, 1-4-3-5, 1-4-5-3, 2-2-4-5, 2-2-5-4, 1-3-4-5, 1-3-5-4, 1-2-5-5 and that's not including strength and ♥ stopper. I think it's still kinda difficult to bid after 2♣.

While I didn't take it seriously someone did :) I just thought it would be useful to give some possible meaning of 4NT here.

If I were to make that agreement I think only considering the suits which we promise 5+length in (or 8+cards combined) should be considered "ours".

So do you bid 1NT with stiff ♠ and transfer on 5 card suit and weakish hand (KQTxx xx xxx Qxx) or pass as Helen suggested ? I really don't like passing. I thought that's the basic reason it's standard (I think) to require 2cards in every suit for 1NT rebid, so partner could go to 2♠ with just 5. Yeah, actually I like that part very much. It's my goal in life not to play in 3M or 2NT :)

The problem with this is that I believe that partscore on 5-2 spades is very often better than 1NT and if partner has 3 (we never raise with 3 on balanced hand) it's always better. 1♦ - 2♥ = 5♠-4+♥ below invite 1♦ - 2♠ = as above but 10-12hcp 1♦ - 1♠ 1NT - 2♥ = wasn't used at all.

Precision, 1♦ promises 2. So the bidding goes: 1♦ - 1♠ 2♣ Here not only 4-5, 5-4, 5-5, 4-4, 3-5 in minors is possible but also a hand like: x Axxx KJxxx KJx struggles to find anything different than 2♣. As we play jumps to 2♥/2♠ as 5♠-4+♥ I thought about handling this situation in the following way: 1♦ - 1♠ 1NT* - ??? *1NT may be stiff ♠ if exactly 1-4-5-3 or 1-4-4-4. Now : 2♣/2♦ usual 2 way checback. 2♥ = 6+♠ either signoff or GF (this was basically o bid without meaning before) 2♠ = exactly 5♠ to play opposite xx or better but asks partner to remove to 2NT with stiff. Advantages: -We won't play in 5-1 ♠ suit anymore and still have a chance to find our 5-3/5-2 fit -We will sometimes get to play 1NT instead of some possibly silly minor suit contract Disadvantages: -We will sometimes be in 2NT on not too many hcp -another system thing to remember Thoughts ?

2♥. Most people I know don't like this style and I would have to pass playing with them. I think raising with such hands is winning strategy though.

I passed. I think it's not a good decision. If partner has 5card suit I am happy to play there. If I pass he may even pass with 6carder which would be a disaster. I guess they sometimes make but not too often and I certainly have enough in playing strength to not disappoint. Thanks all for answers :)

I think you partner had clear double with that hand. I think 4NT here should be a slam try in ♣.

I am advanced by bbo criteria. I am better than 90% of bbo experts though and worse than most "true" experts. I like when people expect more from me and I don't mind berating and laughs when I screw up so I put expert in the profile :) Funny thing which happened recently: I was playing in random TM with my partner who is European University Champion for 2009 (and he topped the butler there) but he had "novice" in his profile. TM instantly broke up as our opponents before the very first hand left typing "where are the experts?" in chatbox :)

Wow, I am surprised by the answers. It's almost automatic 4♠ for me. Kx is the best possible holding facing long suit try. I don't understand why I would ever play them if I am not accepting on this hand. I mean, partner is 5-4 in majors we will often win this even if we lose 3 tricks in minors.

5♦ for me. I really hope it's natural. It looks like they have double fit very often (partner didn't double 3♥ which I think he often would with 4-1-2-6) and no wasted values in ♥ (partner would often bid 3NT with ♥ stopper and 7 clubs) so I think we will have good play in 5♦ on average.

At this vul automatic 4♠ for me, especially if partner knows I may be stretching and won't invite/bid a slam assuming better values. Do you realize we are nonvul and they are vul and not other way around ?

I would like to play a style where I can bid 3♥ with this hand vulnerable. I am worried most people wouldn't expect that powerful a hand though. 2♥ with them. 3♥ with myself :D

2♦. Maybe I will have a chance to show ♣ later. I hope this is non forcing (overcaller may pass with hand up to 9-10hcp or something like that). Some of my partners want to play it as forcing. My opinion is that even if you agree to play it as unlimited, forcing it's still right to pass as overcaller with weakish hand.

Are there any other resources than bbo vugraph archives page and vugraph project page ? http://www.sarantakos.com/bridge/vugraph.html http://www.bridgebase.com/vugraph_archives...ph_archives.php I vaguely remember someone was advertising some kind of database service but I am unable to find the details now. For people who are vugraph addicts like me, do you use anything else besides those two ?

I don't get it :P Opponents were older pair. They have good hand for sure for that bid, nothing crazy.

Conservative, sane opponents. Both sides vulerable. [hv=d=n&v=b&s=shkt42dq8632cj532]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] 1♣ - 4♠ - it's our turn; dbl now is basically points 4NT would be 2 suiter (ok ?) If that's clear one way or the other (it's not clear at all to me) how would you need to change the hand to make it close ? I will post my action later. I am not happy with it.

Thanks, your response was very helpful :) Yeah, that's what I mean. My chances to either right side the contract or to play in partscore on 7♠ or partscore/game in ♣ are basically gone. Well, I have too little experience to say but my intuition don't like it. I am going to try it more often and see :)

You play 1NT 14-16 and 2♦ opening as 3suiter if that's relevant. 2♣ is 6+♣. 1♦ opening is 10-15. We open every 11hcp. First position: AKJx xx xx AQTxx I thought opening this with 1NT is a bit too much of a stretch. If open 1♦ I have easy rebid after 1♥/1♠. After 2♣/2♦ system will handle this hand too. What to do after 1NT though ? Partner can still be 11 (we bid 2NT basically with 12hcp) so passing is a bit pessimistic. So, what's the plan ?

Interesting. I am afraid I will not collect enough tricks. I have no idea how often partner has Jxxx ♣ there (I guess 10%?). Another danger is that sometimes they will bid 7NT and collect 13tricks when partner has this Jxxx of ♣. I am not bidding it but I wouldn't be surprised if it's slightly +EV vs sane opponents. Thinking about it more, responder should have a lot of hearts which may require a ruff to be established (hence no 7NT bid). In that case we are guaranteed to have a decent fit it would be sad though if partner was 6-3-2-2 or something and we take 3 tricks in diamonds having 7 or 8 in spades available.

I have nothing against say 0-37hcp range but saying "unknown" is against the rules of full disclosure imo. Why ? How would you feel if opponents bid to game after such "unknown range" and said after the hand : "well I KNEW you got to have something for vulnerable overall, guessed it's 6-4 too !". Few hands later they stopped in partscore depiste responder having 16hcp. "I knew you don't have much this time !". If someone wants to play 0-30hcp range that's ok with me but I want to be sure they will bid with that exact assumption and not with some others which I don't know about.

. Yeah, they don't. By Italians I mean Lauria - Versace and Sementa Duboin (who basically play simplified LV). Fantoni Nunes open their 12-14 1NT with everything resembling balanced shape :)

Wow, this sounds great. We were considering only finesse vs playing two top hearts. Your line seems to be big improvement over those, thanks ! This is how I played but unfortunately as you don't have reentry to dummy you will lose even if clubs are 3-3