effervesce

In practice, it will likely make when rightie keeps the guarded Q of hearts. With perfect defense, no.

Since your 1♦ - 2♠ is weak with spades, it doesnt make sense to make 1♦-1♠- 2♦ - 2♠ as signoff. Thus: 2♥ = to play 2♠ = GF OR invitational in NT. Opener bids 2NT with min, shows controls with max. After 2NT min, 3♣ is the controls ask. 2NT = puppet to 3♣ - correction to 3X as invitational, 3NT as mild slam try in clubs 3♣ = invitational with clubs 3♦/♥/♠ = GF, setting trump 4♣ = GF, setting trump The main problem with the above is the inability to play in 2♠ when responder has an hand with 6 spades that might have invited if there was a fit - but hey, 1♦ - 2♠ should cover that problem most of the time. It gains on the other schemes given by others in that you can still _invite in NT_, a problem not solved by the other schemes posted so far (and especially important at MPs). Also, you get to relay at a lower level, as well as have slam tries in a minor sorted at a lower level, allowing you to stop in 3NT.

It looks like a hand where you make alot of tricks or go down alot. 3NT for me.

My memory may be wrong, but I seem to recall reading somewhere that before they banned the woodson NT it had a huge IMP average gain (just like Wilkosz 2D) even against players prepared against it. In fact one of the reasons it was banned was because it was too good.

6♠.

5♥, exclusion keycard blackwood.

If the minimum is 14 or less, pen. Isn't is better to use the minimum as a criterion? They're much more likely to be on the lower end anyway...

It said 1NT = 12-15 for both the direct and balancing seat 1NT. An X in either seat is 16+ any.

I took the low road, and we ended up in 5♦. The full hand: [hv=d=n&v=b&n=sqjth653dt76ckt64&w=s5hajt7daj8cq9872&e=sak9643h4dkq542c3&s=s872hkq982d93caj5]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

Actually, you were right Ken, the 2♠ opener was constructive, and LHO does have the Q♣. The full hand was[hv=d=w&v=b&n=s85ha2dkj9865ck52&w=skqj7432h5dt72cq9&e=st9hqt9876dq3ca86&s=sa6hkj43da4cjt743]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

This time, p's misunderstanding was a gain. 3NT and 4♥ are both lucky makes, though 4♥ is superior. [hv=d=s&v=e&n=saj64hkj6dkt5ct52&w=sq5ha9843dj42ca63&e=skt82ht72daq97ck9&s=s973hq5d863cqj874]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

[hv=d=w&v=b&n=sk9832ht74dtckt42&w=shkq632daqj75432c&e=sjt5ha85dk6cq8753&s=saq764hj9d98caj96]399|300|Scoring: IMPs[/hv] After opening 1♦, it is still tough to find out not only about the A of hearts and K of diamonds, but partner's heart length to bid the grand. In any case, what are you going to do - double exclusion keycard for diamonds? I opened 4NT, and we reached 6♦.

What did 2♦ show? Take a look at the options for the 1♦ opening. It must be a diamond-major two-suiter or three-suited short clubs.

We ended up playing in 5♣, down one. 6NT is cold if played by west. [hv=d=e&v=e&n=saq953ht965dq7c32&w=sk764hakj73dtckq5&e=sj82hqdak86caj976&s=sth842dj95432ct84]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv] On reflection, playing in clubs is a poor choice given south did not raise spades, making partner odds on to have 2-3 spades.

I passed. The winning action was double. South actually ran out to a two card suit, and dummy couldnt get to hand, leading to two spade losers and thus two down. [hv=d=s&v=e&n=sajt8hatd6cak8763&w=skq53hkq32dj7cqt5&e=s6hj986dakqt84cj4&s=s9742h754d9532c92]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

Bidding 4♠ payed off this time. The full hand: [hv=d=w&v=n&n=sthk72dj8763cq653&w=sqj97542hjdaq4caj&e=s8haq9854d52ct942&s=sak63ht63dkt9ck87]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv] 4♠ made five after a heart lead, hooked, diamond finesse and ruff.

What does it mean when partner opens 1♦ then bids and rebids clubs? Could partner be 1345? Why wouldn'the have ever raised hearts? Could he have a 4cM plus 5 clubs? Why didn't he raise hearts or spades (or bid some number of NT over 2S if he didn't think it was natural)? What would a double of 1♠ shown? I think we need more information to figure out what we would do here. X = 1345/1354/0355 2C = 1255/2155/3154/3145 3C should be 5 clubs, may have only 4 diamonds.

Yes, LHO turned up with a singleton heart - thus making it unbeatable. Also, even if LHO has two hearts, you can still play the K of hearts and endplay east in whatever suit he bares (unless LHO is 7330).

Looks like an ew system to me too. Isn't there a strong 2♣ or 2♦ opening which you can rebid 2NT with?

:blink: Surely it should be the other way around - pass for MPs and 2NT for IMPs? The chances for a couple of hundred after passing are pretty good...

2NT looks normal, though pass may be winning.

Okay, it loses, LHO following. The 10♥ is returned. It appears that LHO has KQJxxxx of spades! Continue? Well, that's nice! The club Ace is assuredly to my right. So, I'll win the heart King and play the club Jack toward dummy, planning to finesse. I hope this forces the Ace. If not, I still have the hope of catching the heart Qx with LHO, in which case my heart Jack will promote as a stopper/trick, "squeezing" RHO into deciding whether my heart Jack or my club King will produce the 9th trick. I think that's my best chance. I decided to win with the A of hearts LHO following, and run the diamonds. Does LHO showing up with 3 diamonds influence your line of play? Looks like there is a 100% line to me...

Why 3NT? Surely 5♦ is at least as good as 3NT. Should a 4♦ bid be forcing? (I think not, given the 1NT, but partner disagrees). Besides, slam looks very possible....

For crap hands 1NT - (X) - 2♦ would be diamonds and a major. For stronger hands - no we dont have cheaper minor stayman and there is no way of handling diamonds and a major easily. Well, if partner makes a call that makes NO SENSE, unless, of course, he has a hand pattern that cannot easily be bid with the existing system, and if he later makes a natural call that makes sense as a possible solution for that trouble hand, then assume he has that hand. Making this assumption, I think passing 3♦ was probably a bad move. You probably should have bid 4♣, asking partner to bid his hidden major. Now that 4♣ has come back to you, hopefully he will take 4♥ as "I'm slow partner, but now I get it -- pass or correct, please." What does partner do with a diamond suit, no club stopper?

Did you notice LHO overcalled your 1♥ with 1♠?