flytoox

Sitting south, you hold: S: AKJT H: KQXX D: XX C: KXX Pd, as dealer, passed and East opened 1S, what do you bid now? I choosed to dbl, then auction went: W N E S - 1S X 2S 3D 3H X 3S - - X - 4C - - X - - - Pd holds: S: X H: X D: KJ8XXX C: T8XXX Pd think I should bid 1N over 1s. What do you guys think about it? Thanks in advance. Hongjun

Ben, thx very much for this sound analysis. I like your suggestion of pass, pass and dbl. The reason I didnot make a neg dbl at first round is that I dont want my pd to compete too high. If I dbl at first round, pd is very likely to compete to 3 level with one major fit. Or dbl opp's 3 level contract. THat would be a disaster. Thanks again. Hongjun

DOnt think i have enough for dbl 1d at first round, i have only 5 hcp, and two j are very likely useless.

I met this hand yesterday and wonder if this is an example worth to discuss, which i think is sth like delayed neg dbl, but not very sure. Sitting south, I have: S: KTXX H: J9XX D: JXXX C: X playing 2/1, none vul, Pd opened 1c, the auction goes: W N E S 1C 1D PASS 1N 2C PASS PASS 2D PASS PASS ? I finally choosed to pass, pd's hand is: S: AQXX H: KX D: X C: AJT9XX I thought about dbl, but worried pd may take it as penalty. IS dbl in my seat in this situation penalty or neg dbl?

Now I gave pd's hand here: S: AKXX H: AKTXX D: XXX C: K I did consider the possible s fit, it turned out 6s does have play. The morale I learned here, i think, is not about bidding theory, but some practical consideration when play with random pd. I think some famous player said it before: Never test your pd. Here I did it and got a bottom. The best bid is 4H, not because it is scientific, but becauze it causes least mistake.

;D So I am wrong. I thought about 4h, but think my hand is too good for it. How about 4d?

Playing Precision, I hold: S: JTXX H: QXX D: X C: AT9XX pd sitting north as dealer, opened 1c, i responded 1d, LHO came in with 2d, pd 2h. I think my hand is to good for 3h, to bid 4d would need one more heart, so I bid 3c. But Pd passed my 3c. Is my 3c forcing? Thanks very much.

Over an opening bid of 2D (not 1D), double is right. The reasons for this is that the suit (Axxxx) is not good enough to overcall at the two level. In fact, on the original hand, if the opening bid had been 2D (instead of 1D), I would double as well. Here is a good rule for take out doubles... the lower the level, the MORE SHAPE specific they should be. A double of 1C or 1D should surely be shape specific or a terrific hand too good to risk a simple overcall. The higher the level (after preempts and such), the more liberties you can take with the shape specific nature. Ben Hmm, this makes sense. Thanks a lot.

ON yesterdays's San Paulo final Campos vs Chagas, Boles(?), sitting east, did dbl with similar hand after north's weak 2d: S: AXXXX H: QXX D: QX C: AJX

If 3N is worthy trust, then he should have at least 7 casrd akqxxxx and a side honor, so what is the point to bid 4d? If you want to show slam interest, then leap to 6d. you know the problem lies in club. If pd has c control, it is laydown. So best chance for slam is to leap to 6 directly. This hand is not appropriate for fine bidding, i think.

While you guys criticized 3N, nobody mention the 4D bid. I agree that 4D should show slam interest. But my question is, does east has a hand to show slam interest? Afterall, his hand is really flat, min opening and flat shape.

No. I not only disagree, I strongly disagree. I would make the simple 1S overcall. But let's make the hand even a bid more in favor of a doube, bu making a small diamond a small heart.... S: AKXXX H: QXXX D: X C: AJX Now the double is stand out, right? Nope... I would still bid 1S. While I think the majority of players would bid 1S instead of double with the first hand you showed, I think a huge majority would double with the modification I show with four hearts. I am not trying to convert anyone to the correct way (it is ok with me if all of them bid wrong :-) ). I think you owe it to yourself to read chapter 5 in Robson/Segal's excellent book on "partnership bidding". One of the BBO regulars, Dan Neill has a link to an online version of this out of print book on his webpage at... http://www.geocities.com/daniel_neill_2000/sys/ Ben Yes, with the hand u gave, i would dbl, how about with: S: KJXXX H: AQX D: XX C: KTX

I am reading Porten's Introductoin to defensive bidding. He siad you should dbl with such a hand after RHO bid 1d: S: AKXXX H: QXX D: XX C: AJX Do you guys agree with it?

Raise with three card if 1) no better alternative, 2) you have ruff value. 3C here should be 4 card spt, coz 2c here is very likely to be 4 card suit. Also 3c is constructive, it should be about 10-11 HCP hand, after pd's 2c rebid, there is still hope for a game, otherwise, pd will pass 2c. Correct me if I am wrong ;D hongjun

2N is not my favorite, I did consider 3S, finally gave up, hoping pd will try sth then I will go to game. Not sure if Reese said we can add 1 point here, but i think it deosnt matter much. THe reason we dont want to open 1N is we dont want this hand to be declarer. Believing this is correct, i think spt pd's S is correct. I do have ruffing vallue. As for 2H, I dont like it. It is really off shape bid. Next round you will spt S, right? Then pd will imagine ur hand being 5431. Not very good.

Yes, I think I shouldl open 1N, but i remember I read Reese mentioned this kind hand somewhere, not very sure though. I raised to 2s, hoping pd will take further action, but pd passed. His hand is: S: KJTXX H: XX D: XX C: KXXX 4S has quite good chance.

Playing Sayc, you are fourth to speak, holding: S: AXX H: AXXX D: AXXX C: AX Having read Reese's book, you opened 1d, bearing in mind pd may respond NT, which you will be happy to hear. However, pd bid 1s, what do you bid now? pass-pass-pass-1D pass-1S- pass-?

You will be rewarded for that magnanimity. If (s)he is a true beginner I will consider if I want to play with him/her. But if (s)he is in fact a better player, may I say that I dislike that kind of humility ? Erkson The novice and the beginner know that they are novice or beginners. That part seems clear to me. It is true there is one gold star player who list himself as a beginner, but I think this is an abboration. Few good players list themselves as beginners. On the otherhand, there are people who never once played in a tournment or read a book who "always win" when they play with their group in their little small towns. They truely think themselves experts, everyone they know tells them so. Sure they never heard of a jacoby and wouldn't have a chance of reconizing the simpliest of simple squeezes, and they have never counted out a hand other than for trumps. But they truely consider themselves experts. A few weeks on the BBO should resolve these delusions, but of course it doesn't.... the reason they lose here JUST HAS TO BE the oponents cheat or the partners they get are so bad what chance did they have? :D Unlike you, Ben, I am nobody on BBO, so when I first labelled myself as intermediate, which i think is very appropriate, nobody is willing to play with me. At the same time, I notice many adv or expert play not so good as I expect. I finally change to adv, now most of players will accept me, at least try a few hands to see if i am fake or not ;D Guess quite some players are like me, being forced to flate skill level, though I clearly know I am not an adv player

Sry to reply a bit late. Inquiry kindly posted the hand already. 6H is not that good contract, but 6c is excellent.

Yes, after this sequence. we may reach 6c, which is much better than 6h.

To be honest, in the actuall deal, 1c opening would work very well. 1c-1d-1h-1s-2h. Then pd has much clearer idea about my hand.

:D seems I need to take some solid training in bidding. The reason I bid 2h over 2d is that 3c takes too much space and I think I dont have extra value. The reason I bid 2N over pd's 2s is that if I bid 3c, then it is very likely pd will bid 3N, then I dont know what to do. I admit here 2N is very problematic, but dont know if 2h is or not. The more important question here is probably that should I open 1h or 1c?

As dealer, you hold: S: X H: JT98XX D: -- C: AKQT98 (1) What do you bid? (2) Suppose you open 1H, opp keep silence during the auction. auction goes: 1H-2D-2H-2S-2N-3H-? what do you bid now? 5H, 6c? Do you try H slam? How to find out the suit quality in this case?

I would simply bid 1s. Opp is unlikely have slam, given my two aces. Opp hopefully have a game in heart. If you phyic 3h, and dbled, u will run, then they will find out it. So i think 1s may work well.