bluecalm

QFT. I mean I really can't see any problem. I play the double as penalty but I admit that after 1♦ it won't come up too often (or never). In similar sequences : 1♥/♠ - pass - 1NT - pass 2♥/♠ - double as penalty is much more useful though and I don't want to break the pattern.

In those situations I play: Suit preference to obvious switch suit = can stand switch (top honor, depending on situation; Should be A/K/Q if dummy has xxx). Suit preference to not obvious switch = can't stand obvious switch. If it's known from the bidding that I have a lot of pips then middle pips don't carry strong message. S/P to obvious switch is still the same. And S/P to other suit ask for switch to this suit (if it makes sense). I don't get the problem. Partner is supposed to know if our pitch is S/P or enc/disc for original suit based on overall situation. It's clear from A lead that we have a K, so what's the point of encouraging ?

I was more interested in general problem in those situations. I just made up those hands as an example. If you think it's automatic 2♠ (it probably is I was asking about responding style too) then make it : ♠T9xx ♥AQx♦ x ♣K9xxx Is it still automatic 2♠ ? If yes, what about same hand with Q♣ instead of K ? What should partner bid with : AKxx Jx Axxx Ax ? Surely nothing at 3level. What should he bid with: Kxxx Jx Axxx Ax ? I am asking about solution for this situation. Is 1♠ 0-10 ? Is 2♠ 11-17 ? I am not that much interested in specific hands. Just make your own to fit your style. Maybe with your style there is no problem at all in those situations. If that is the case I would love to know what this style is :-)

The problem is that with 15-16-17hcp and 4-2-3-4 or somethign you don't want to go to 3level facing possible 0hcp.

Let's say it goes : 1♥ - dbl - pass - 1♠ 2♥ - 2♠- pass- ? Now responder has a problem. Partner can have 12hcp and standard t/o double with 4♠ or even 15-16hcp. On the other hand responder can have 0hcp or even 10 (correct ?) Some examples: ATxx Kx Qxx QJxx KQxx xxx Axxx xx Responder has maximum for 1♠ but still is afraid to invite a game because the doubler can have the above hand. On the other hand the doubler can have: ATxx Kx KQx Axxx And 11 tricks is very probable. Do you have any thoughts or solutions to this problem ? In general it occurs after t/o double and raise of major suit by the doubler. Take care B)

5♥. Partner should know we can hav weakish hand. 4NT here should be reserved for slam inviting hand with ♥ support. He won/t shouldn't take us to silly slam. I think 4♠ OR 5♥ (or both) are making too often to pass here. At imps I wouldn't consider it close. At MP's I am not that sure.

Double downgrade is close. C'mon I have a hand which can't make game opposite 3 aces of my choice :ph34r:

I fail to see how it has anything to do with the hand. North has easy 1♥ response after which you are cruising to the best spot which is 4♥. The only person to blame here is N, he just made weak bid. Nothing to do which the system played.

3D is limited. If he has slammish hand he always have a cuebid ♥ or ♣. That's why maybe I should've open 1♣. I have too much for 1♦ probably. I don't understand this. How it is artificial system ? 1D = diamonds, 5+ 1S = spades 4+ 3D = invitational to game 5D = to play ? I don't see how you would be any better off in 2/1 or sayc or whatever you consider "natural". If you mean polish ♣ as whole it's more natural to me than any other system the same way better minor is natural to Americans and Acol is natural to English players... For me playing 2/1 or sayc or SEF is "bothering". Just keep that in mind that "natural" is very subjective thing. Yeah I agree. I don't defend this agreement. The problem is we try to play simple natural system and only introduce special treatments when it's really needed. Raising partner's suit after he made limited bid is invitatinal, it's basic principle of natural bidding which applies almost everywhere and we didn't find it necessary to change it here. Maybe (probably) you are right about 4♦ being better as slammish but then again, it's another thing to remember and we didnt' have this treatment at the time the hand was played.

2NT = 6+♦-3 in responder suit. 3♦ denies 3♠.

Lol, I've never thought he would. I am just talking about 5card overcalls in general. Overcalling on the OP hand is ridiculous I stated it many times in this thread.

My first impression was that 1NT is terrible but now I actually like it. Nothing intelligent to add. It just seems that it works well when I went through the hands. Yeah... While watching past vugraphs yesterday (my greates addiction recently) I saw Lauria overcalling 2♦ opposite unpassed partner and being vulnerable with: - ATx T987632 Txx, he should take some beginner lessons :-), or maybe he just likes straight flushes... (Vanderbil final 2004, segment 1, board 9, maybe it was a misclick by vugraph, but that seems unlikely seeing rest of the bidding/play). I also saw them overcalling 2♦ with all sort of crap like : xxxx A KJTxxx JTx on regular basis but I am yet to see them (or any other world class player) overcall 2♦ on 5card suit with 5-3-3-2 shape. That just won't happen. I actually doubt 5card overcall is in the menu at all. Axx KQxx AJxxx x is double opposite 1♠ for Italians all day long (they play equal level conversion). I don't know about A KQxx x AJxxx though, it would be very useful to actually hear some world class players talking about it more and not just making wild guesses from seeing hands without commentary/knowing their agreements. It seems that not everybody shares this view though : http://viewsfromthebridgetable.blogspot.co...x-and-more.html This maybe some ammunition for 2♦ bidders :)

Well, we have some general principles according to which : a)4d is invitational as a simple raise B)3♥ is two way: -natural suit/values to 3nt -cuebid in ♦ (then you bid 4♣/4♦ after 3♠/3NT The problem with this is that if responder ir 5-5 in majors we have problems. Note that 5-3 spade fit is not a problem because 3♦ deny 3♠. We have 2NT rebid for invitational hands with 3♠ and 6+♦. One of the good things about polish ♣ (or systems with Gazilli and Mexican 2D as played by Italians) is that 2NT rebid is free for other purposes. Also 3♠ is forcing after 3♦ so 6-2♠ is possible to find. Now : I see the problem. I see that it's impossible to three things simultaneous : -find 5-3♥ -find 6-2♠ -check for stoppers in 3NT Maybe there is a solution like reversing the meanings of 3♦/2NT. I really didn't thought about it. We try to have some meta rules and many agreements but we decided not to add conventional solutions to our systems. This is simply not where the majors leaks are for us <_< Anyway, thanks for interesting discussion. I passed, my partner had: AQTxx x Q9xx Txx and slam was a laydown.

I don't want to think about what partner will peg me for if I overcall 2♦ with that...

My way to improve my intuition in such situations is to generate deals with 1S opener and our hand as 2nd to act. Then I just go hand after hand looking at all 4 hands and see how different actions fares. Sometimes it's not clear after many hands. Sometimes it's too difficult to predict what would happen to draw conclusions. Sometimes it's obvious which action is better. I agree that maybe you will land in worse partscore often after a double. Maybe even 2♦ leads more often to the best partscore (but I think it's not true), so what ? You will have many disasters which costs 10's of imps like not finding 4♥ game or 9+card fit when they preempt while disasters (like missing 5D game) after a double are rare. I don't believe anybody who tried this exercise can believe in 2♦ overcall anymore. Of course different people will draw different conclusions because of their style. I play that 2D overcall almost promies 6 card suit. Overcalling on 5card suit is rare. Partner of the overcaller will be very happy to go to 5level with good distribution and 4+support. Opposite this hand he will make phantom sacrifice quite often. Even taking into account all this I am sure that if you just go hand after hand and see on your own eyes how dbl fares comparing to 2D you will just hate it as most people on this forum do.

What I am sure of is that we play it as invitational. I am not sure at all if that's standard or better :o

3D is game forcing unbalanced, basically without ♠ support (if balanced you can bid 2NT). This one of the problems in polish club because 3D response is high and it's difficult to bid precisely after it. There are some solutions as multimeaning 2♦ relay but we don't play them and they are not standard. NO/YES. 4♦ is slammish. He can also bid 3♥ as values to NT or cuebid in ♦. In polish club if you open 1♣ with strong hand (18+) and hear anything else than 1♦ you are forced to game. Partner can't pass 3♦. If you mean : 1♦ 1♠ 3♦ 4♦ we play it as invitational to game. Partner can bid 3♥ or 4♣ if he wishes to investigate slam in diamonds.

Yeah. Actually I generated some hands for 1S response and I am convinced 1NT is just better rebid, especially if you play 1D as promising 5+ (or 4♦-5♣). 2♦ Too often leads to 5-2 diamond partial instead of 6/7-2♣ one or just 1NT if responder is 4-3-2-4 or something. If you play 1D promising 5+ it's even more comfortable as partner is free to correct to 2♦ with only 3cards if he/she feels like it.

Strange. The lead really looks like singleton but on the other hand would E overcall with only vulnerable: Kx QJ9xxx KJxx x Probably yes but he hold this exact hand (or 3-6-3-1 or 2-7-3-1 etc with exact honor cards). I doubt he would lead from Qxx/Kxx or even xxx holding either diamond shortness or QJ of hearts so I base my play on the assumption his hand looks like the one I pictured. So.. I play A♣ then K♥, then small spade to the ace. Then ♦ finesse and A♦ to discard a club. Then ♦ ruff, heart ruff (praying W don't overruff), ♦ruff back, ♥ruff with T♠, last ♦ ruff and Q♠. I lose if hearts are 7-1 and spades 2-2 but I win on many probably layouts.

Just to add something to the discussion. Holding : J8 AT82 AKJ65 J3 Versace rebid 2♦ instead of 1NT in European Champions Cup 2004. They play basically simple natural system. I wonder.. maybe there is something to it. Unfortunately no way to ask him :-)

Hi, I am watching a lot of hands of top players from vugraph archives. After seeing literally 1000's of hands played by Balicki, Duboin, Versace, Meckstroth I am yet to see straight "You are wrong abour your double" redouble. Plain: we bid game, you double, we redouble. Does it happen at all in top level bridge ? I know it happens a lot at my much lower level :P (my partner is especially happy to reach for the blue card).

Imps. We play polish ♣. 1♦ is in 11-17range. K7 AJ3 AKJ7432 5 1♦ - 1♠ 3♦* - 5♦ ? 3D denied spade support. I was tempted to open 1♣ with this hand. We tend to jump to 3♦ with 14+ and good playing strength so here I am very heavy for my action. I know I am not supposed to bid slams if made non forcing bid earlier and partner bid game but it's really tempting this time. Anyway, would you bid 6♦ now ?

Blackwood would be nice if we were 1-6-6-0 or 0-6-6-A♣ :-) especially if playing 5♣ as 0 keycards. Not here though.

As almost everybody plays 2C precision in Poland I have some experience against it. I think 2NT as natural is a must. You can sure pass if non vul vs vul and hope to collec t a lot of 100's or 1000's if partner reopens (especially if 2C may be only 5clubs and responder stretches to find major fit often) but most of the time you need that bid. I think that jumps to 3D/3H/3S should be natural and constructive, not preemptive. One of the most common bidding accidents in Poland though :P Yeah, this is the very reason I prefer constructive jumps. Opener too often has xx xx QJx KQJxxx especially 3rd seat and it's difficult to bid reasonably without constructive means (especially 2NT). As to 3C I would play that as majors. Not frequent for sure but overcalling 2S with AKJxx AQJxx x xx really sucks.

The problem is with hands : ATxx KJx Txx 9xx Do you really want to pass ? I don't think you are happy with 2♠ on earlier round either. ATxx Qxx Qxxx 9x Not happy 2D bid I believe... Would be better to double (if t/o). We will land in superior 2♦/2♥ quite often after dbl.