CSGibson

I'd bid 2NT, upgrading to a balanced 18-19 count, but I have no problem with 3 NT. As for playing to trick one, I would play small to the ace. You can always finnese later if you feel it is right, but I am interested in seeing RHO's discards after I run the reds. His double probably does indicate AK of spades, and if he has the Q of clubs, you can end-play him (as established by other posters). If he's discarding clubs freely and easily, you may decide to take the finnesse. All about table feel and judging your opponent at that point.

Low heart to the queen. If you don't take the finnesse now, you'll never get back to the board to try it again.

[hv=d=s&v=b&s=shaqtdak8532cq843]133|100|Scoring: MP No interference: 1♦ 1♠, 2♣ 2♥*, 3♦ 3N, ? *artificial game force[/hv] Do you agree with South's bidding? Do you make another call? What is the call you make?

I have a question about the 2/1 auction 1♥-1N*-2(♣or♦) *Forcing Using the common convention that 2♠ is a strong raise of partner's minor suit, what hand would I be expected to have for 1) 2♠ vs 2) 3♣

What is that I see? Is that 11 minor suit cards, and a chance to jam the auction? 4♣

You should be aware that there are divergent opinions as to how to handle 5-5 hands with clubs and spades. Some people insist on opening them 1 club, others 1 spade, and others still will have it depend on the strength of the hand. So never is not necessarily accepted fact, but merely an opinion of that poster. The fact that I share that opinion should not close your mind to the other methods available.

I'll give you the full hands [hv=n=sakxhxxxdaxcaqxxx&w=sxxhqtxdt9xxc9xxx&e=sjtxxhakxxdkjxxxc&s=sq9xxhjxxdqxckjtx]399|300|[/hv] The agreements I gave were not actually what we had at the table; it was a partner I had only played with one other time, and I explained the agreements that he thought we were playing. I made what I thought was a takeout double of 2D, swish, making 4 on the layout when declarer guessed diamonds right. I know that the X does not look like penalty values, but that was what was explained to me when I asked, so that's what I gave you guys. It just seemed like an interesting problem if we were actually on the same page with partner's agreements.

Out of curiousity, why play the first double as takeout? If my clubs and diamonds were switched, I'd want X to be penalty, and partner to pass with xx. I feel that after making the redouble, saying I want to penalize, it's important to actually have a penalty double available from either side. Of course, my feelings led to this particular bidding problem, so they are quite possibly incorrect in every way.

I agree. I took the XX call. It went 2D pass pass to me. Now what?

This is a two part question, and I'll give the second part in a bit. [hv=d=w&v=n&s=sqtxxhj9xdqxckjtx]133|100|Scoring: IMP Pass-1NT-X*-? X is for penalty[/hv] 1NT is 15-17. Your agreements are that XX is business, with the next X by either side as penalty, 2C is stayman. If you pass, doubles are convertable, but primarily take-out. What is your bid with the given hand?

Minimum of spade shortness and enough to double the first time. At this point you are balancing, because your side has approximately half the deck and probably a fit somewhere, since they have a fit and stopped bidding.

Why should they assume you are prebalancing? Wouldn't you bid 3 spades on a much more reasonable KQxxxx AQx xx Ax? You have to have some standards for bidding here, especially when you don't have diamond shortness. The best and safest way to get to 3 of your major, where you belong if it truly is your hand, is to pass now and let partner balance. Otherwise how is partner to know whether his hand with Axx of spades and another useful card has a decent play for game? Also the idea of using assumed fit methods are only useful if you make a flexible call. 3 spades is not flexible. You are not getting to your 9 card heart fit when you bid 3 spades. You are playing in whatever spade suit your partner has, because partner will assume that you will do something normal like PASS THIS CRAP HAND when you have it to give your side a chance to go plus.

Funny undo story: Playing on Bridge Base, IMP Pairs: xxx Jxx x QJ98xx first seat white vs white. Decide that it is worthy of a 3C opening. So you open.... 3D. Whoops! Well, LHO has QJxxx amongst their scattered 4-2-5-2 13 count, so they happily pass. Partner is certainly not acting on his 2-5-1-5 9 count. Which leaves RHO to act. Meanwhile you hit Undo, which neither opponent is willing to accept. So, RHO with his 4-3-6-0 14 count decides he wants to defend 3D. All pass. You buy xx AQxxx x KTxxx in dummy, and correctly chose not to take the heart finesse. Down 8. Minus 400. A stone cold top against all of the 420s and 920s when opps played in diamonds or 480s for those playing in spades.

Plus I cannot stand an abhorrent 3 level overcall on Jxxxx. What rubbish! No respectable player will overcall at the 2 level with that trash, much less the 3 level. You're asking - no, begging - for them to get 500 points off you when they don't have a thing their way. And when it does go pass - 3♦ - 3♠ - X-Pass-Pass, are you bidding 4 hearts and guessing again? Bidding is trash.

Here's the problem with bidding (and it's not the only one, of course): If partner has a fit, he's going to bid on and you'll go down. If partner doesn't have a fit with the suit you guess to bid, your still going down, only this time you are doubled. Not only that, but you are giving your opponent on your left, who was probably dealt the best hand at the table but who also probably doesn't have a fit for his partner, many more options for a plus, big or little. The only way to be in 3 of a major when you belong there is to pass and trust partner to balance when it's right.

Now 1NT after a 1 spade bid is definitely a bid I would hate - you don't have the shape and your hand is better than expected by a queen. Lying about one club seems like less of a bridge sin than lying about both shape and HCP - there's no way to recover intelligently on a subsequent auction, while if you are passed in 2 clubs, at least that could be your best spot.

I actually like opener's auction if it is agreed to play very strong reverses. I hate the 1 spade bid. Just bid like a human being - 1NT.

[hv=d=s&v=n&s=shkqxxdakjxxxcjtx]133|100|Scoring: IMP 1♦ - P - 1♥ - P - ?[/hv] I read in Hardy's 2/1 book that a 4♦ rebid here is showing 4 card hearts, 6 card diamonds, and most of the HCP in those two suits. Is that still a standard treatment, and would you use it with this hand?

I'd like to smack my RHO. Not with a double, but with my hand. This is annoying.

Pass. Why am I taking them out of their 7 card fit to play in our 7 card fit? What plus score am I protecting? If they were vulnerable, then double has upside, but NV? Am I expecting to beat them 2? Just let it go and be grateful partner got his lead director in.

For those of you that don't believe in God or religion, think of it in terms of mathematics. The square root of -1 does not exist- it is illogical, impossible, whatever- but it is still a tool that we use to make better mathematical structures. Even if you believe that religion and God are illogical, impossible, or whatever, that doesn't mean that it doesn't make for a tool for a better structure of life. I am a lapsed Christian Scientist, and though I have strong doubts about the truth of my religious upbringing, I will try to expose my children to those beliefs because I believe that the belief structure encourages a lifestyle that will ultimately make my children better people. The underlying moral code that can only be understood by emmersing yourself in a religion is what you hope sticks, not necesarily the specific beliefs. Oh, and I also feel as though the question you posed is loaded with unnessesarily negative connotations. Use indoctorinize instead of brainwash, please, if you are truly interested in what people have to think. Or, I guess if you are merely trying to make your own point, then do whatever.

I like RKC over 4 clubs. I'm assuming that the club bid is a singleton, so the ace of clubs is still important. I hope our partnership has a way of saying 2-with-a-void. 6 spades is easy to bid then, assuming that I'm not partnering a loon who would make the bid with Kxxx AKJxxx Qjx V.

Help! What's LTTC? Is the concept important enough that I should research it?

I have not played Rusinow leads yet, so cannot comment on their effectiveness. I like playing the jack denies lead convention. While it is true that it helps declarer, it should help partner as much or more. Defense is harder than declarer play because you cannot see your side's combined assets. Alerting partner to where those assets are or are not early in the play has got to pay dividends in the long run. After all, that's why people have extensive defensive agreements. If it was better in the long run not to have informative agreements for fear of helping declarer, there wouldn't be such a large number of these conventions out there. I also like journalist leads in situations where there is Qxx in dummy, partner leading through declarer to your Axx, as it clarifies the position much better.

no. that's a perfect direct 3NT overcall :rolleyes: A 3NT overcall should be a running tricks and a stop in the bid suit, not a balanced 20 count. Double is right, obviously, and 4 NT natural seems right also, since you have a 4 spade cue bid for all hands interested in club slams, although I understand that others may assign a special meaning to the 4NT bid, like a spade ask.