flytoox

Mauro, thanks very much for your kindness. I do have the workbook and the contested auction. But my opinion is slightly different from yous. :( I actually think the contested auction is a very very good book, it really helps me to understand how to bid when opps interfere our opening bid. This book is not only for 2/1 players but also for any system players in my opinion. A must read for everyone. cheers Hongjun

I have the book, and I don't think that it is good for the players like you. I have been searching Lawrence's 2/1 uncontested book for long time. someone told me he is suing the press and the book is out of the market. have u read this one?

I think only if you have convention with pd that you play canape style overcall. Otherwise, it is dangerous. Short heart is a warning sign.

I think I would dbl 2C showing 3card hearts. Now I will pass. Pd has some invitational hand and u r min. We dont have a game. 2c-1 shld be a good result. If it makes, no big deal here.

Do you have details about the xfer response and their follow-up and how to handle the interference? THanks in advance. Looks xfer response really got its momentum.

Just want to clarify some question I am not sure. We all know in competitive auction it is utter important to find a fit. We all know to raise pd's major suit. The question arises when Pd overcall a minor suit AND you have some fit and a major suit. What do you do? When do you raise pd's minor suit, when do you bid ur own major suit? 1. [hv=d=w&v=n&s=s1087hkj952dj7caj5]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] 2.[hv=d=w&v=n&s=s1087hkj952dj7caj5]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

Ron, the first claim is not true. Playing Texas doesnt imply that is not forcing. The reason you didnt bid 3H is there is still room for Texas.

I think this has to be forcing pass. Two reasons: 1. RHO limited his hand by 2S, so 4S must be for save. 2. We bid a game. Of course he may be walking the dog but I am not going to worry about that all the time.

never lie to pd.

It's just an insane sequence. 14 HCP guy doesn't bid and 9 HCP balance then 14 HCP guy doesn't force to game. Are you guys really serious on this issue? This original one is jsut a normal sequence and you don't get good luck because opps preempted. It's just like opp opens 3S, you bid 3NT with 18 HCP, down 3! then some come to ask "can you do better". Yes, you can in this hand, but you are a huge loser in a long run if you don't bid 3NT, or if you balance with 9 or 10 count over 2H or if you pass partner's 3C overcall. Well pass north hand is not unusual, though I admit reopening with south's hand is a bit aggressive.

How about 2H-P-P-X-P-3C-All pass? Playing Lebensohl 3C shows extra.

Ben, I think even play Raptor, perhaps it is better to bid 2C here. IF it is 5c 4s then would be ideal for raptor. what about 7c 4s? just curious.

I think both 5C and 5D are questionable. Pd should pass 4HX. 3H is kind of waste bid, pd is marked with short heart and I dont think he will have Qx doubleton, he is more likely to have singleton. I like 3D after 2H. After LHO's 4H, pd is basicly stuck. So i think he should pass ur dbl. IF he wants to bid 5C, he shld do it after 4H immediately. But again, I wouldnt remove to 5D, broke suit, pd didnt promise fit either. Always let pd to play what he bids, at least u will win the post-mortem war:)

2C, then bid s.

Cannot agree more. I was hoping China's match would be lived all the time:)

Junyi, there is no 5C available cos RHO bid 5D. I agree 2s is better than 3C, but here after 5D. What do you do? Noboby says 4H is forcing. I agree it is passable. BUt many think it establishes forcing pass.

Ben, I tend to regard this book as the most beautiful book in bridge. In my opinion Lawrence's complete book on overcall is the best book. Alfred in the forward says: if u read only one bridge book a year, that is it!

Perhaps it is time to show the full hand. Pd holds: S: KX H: A9XX D: X C: AQJXXX Note that 6C is a very nice slam. Without RHO's 5D, I will cuebid 4S to cooperate and then we will reach 6C. After RHO's 5D, holding doubleton D, I am worried if I pass, pd will bid 6 even without D control. So I doubled 5D and Pd passed it. A lot can be said about this hand. 1, Raising pd to 3C actually open the door to slam. If I bid 2s, then after LHO's 4D, it will be very difficult for us to bid a game, let alone slam. I think this shows how important it is to raise pd whenever you have a fit. Of course, the better solution here is to play 3S as fit bid, which was pointed out at the table by srg502. 2, 4H should establish forcing pass. Many poster here have already pointed out it. And it perhaps should show slam interest, as Ben said here. Another point is I think 4H should imply D control. I didnot find this clue and made dbl at the table. IN the range of 3C, my hand is excellent, so perhaps I should pass here. 3, What should 4N be here? After responder's limit bid (3C here), perhaps we should revise the response to 4N if it is RKC.

Agree with Eric. North was on the margin to overcall 2S over 1NT and pass is OK. To pass 2D, North earned the bottom. As for West, pass 2D was OK, though I agree 2H was better. Hehe, no, North's passing over 1N is wrong. Mike lawrence said when auction goes like 1X-p-1N-? Bidding 2Y is always right if Y>>X. His answer to this kind question is: Bid! Dont look at ur hand:)

suppose you raised pd to 3C, as I did here. The auction continues: Vul.: NS Dealer: W W N E S 1D 2C P 3C 4D 4H(1) 5D ??(2) (1) What is pd doing? (2) What do you bid now?

Hmmmm.. Any system that forces you to respond 1♠ with this hand must be seriously flawed. The problem with 2♣ followed by 2♠ is not that 2♠ is "fourth suit" forcing, but that is shows a much better hand (reverse). For me, 2♣ and if partner rebids 2♦ I then bid 3♣. Even if partner bids 2♥ over 2♣ I rebid 3♣. Ben Ben, so u plan to hide ur spade suit? Isnt it more important to look for major fit first?

1, pass. Many good things can happen, opp may balance. game reward is low. 2, 3H, pd could bid 3N if he has singleotn K or J. If he doesnt have it, we will retreat to 4C. IMPs i think we should try hard for the vul. game. 3, 2s. Death trap for LOTT. Hongjun

Many players choose private coz they dont want to be a world class in ur eyes, but they think they r better than `expert` on BBO, which is true most of time..

Norht should overcall 2s after ur 1N. Ur success is mainly due to opp's failure to take action.

pass, pd has 4 hearts. Opp might balance, then u can profit from it.