vuroth

Huge thanks to mikeh and clee for clearly expressing their viewpoints. I've always been pretty stodgy/old fashioned in my NT ranges, but this was food for though. Also lol@jlol

[hv=d=w&v=n&b=12&a=p1s2d2s3dpp]133|100[/hv] Now what? Are you a believer in the Law, and planning on competing to 3♠ here? If so, why not just get there now, and deny opps the opportunity to show a fit? Unless 3♠ promises something different in your partnership? Of course, I may be way off base here.

I understand what you're saying, but I bet it would be easier for me to get 50 points online than 5 silver points. I have no problem with the ACBL holding the fact that I have 0 silver points over my head, holding me back. It's not going to motivate me to attend sectionals or even club games, but I suspect it works on most of the membership, which is fine.

Overcall [hv=pc=n&n=sj9542ha65dakj9c2]133|100[/hv] would be a better question, maybe?

Is not opening 1♠ really worthy of criticism in B/I land? I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but it's not really insane.

I am deeply embarrassed that I missed this until now. Congrats to both of you. W

When you start noticing a lot more mistakes as you're making them, you're getting better. Being a beginner is hard on the ego....

A partner who counts and has sensible judgement and is pleasant is worth a thousand conventions at this point. Honestly, I've made the most leaps forward in my game when I could TRUST partner's unexpected lead/bid/discard/signal, and it either led me to the right play, or should have. Bridge is about the process of deduction, not the process of memorization. All that said, get the system down first. You can't make sense of what's going on if you don't understand the language.

Late to the party but....

Doesn't the fundamental question really boil down to: "If 7NT is on, why didn't partner try for it?" Seems like we're trying to rescue partner from a bad decision here, which is never a good idea.

Nice ggwhiz. I missed that line. Not really sure what pooltuna is trying to accomplish - isn't 3-3 split more likely than a useful 4-2?

I'll grant that the sample size probably isn't one anymore, but does the method really seem sound?

4-1 splits happen 3x as often as 4-0 splits (not to mention 5-0s). Basically, the difference in likelihood is around 20%, or 1 in 5. If I'm reading that right, it means that 1 in 5 times you choose a 4-4 over a 9 card fit, you've given yourself a trump split problem you didn't previously have. Does needing a pitch as your only hope really come up that often. ...seems like good advice to me.

♣

Honestly, I think it's a tougher problem from east's side of the table. How many easts would win the queen and slam down a club on the table (assuming we led the 2♦) without so much as a thought.

bridgewinners has video of the second and third sets.

Thinking

Declarer is never 4324, I think, because partner would lead his singleton club at trick 2. I'm stuck on the notion that partner may have

I'm only just getting to look at this now.

Pickup, I think 1♦ 1♥ 2NT 4♣ would be taken as G. If opener had started with 1♣, it probably wouldn't be.

1. Definitely drop the K when you hold KJ as south. :) 2. AD, AH, small H. I'll be sad if partner can't ruff a heart, but I'd be sadder if partner ruffed a heart and south then claimed a bajillion major suit tricks. Sure I can signal, but why make partner guess?

9 spades in S/E at the start, E having even count. 5/4 makes no sense (we'd be defending 4S), so 3/6 then. So partner is 6313, declarer 3244. Even if south holds QJ87♣, he can't avoid a club loser if he has to break the suit. Any club I lead could potentially give him 3 club tricks, depending on his holding. I may be trashing partner's QS, but I'll continue with a heart. Assuming that's right, though, I'm not sure I "get" the diamond bid.

Small spade. I'm either hoping we take the next 5 tricks in spades (say if declarer started with Jxx or Qxx in spades), or that partner has spade help and the ace of clubs, and can help me establish spades then return a spade to me when he gets in with the club. I can't find a case where I need to lead the ten instead of small, but maybe there is one out there.

Agree, trump promotion seems like the best shot. 2♣

Agree. With a minimum opener, south passes over 2♦ I think. Opposite anything but a minimum opener, north wants to be in 4♥