andy_h

I don't understand South's pass.

Although I'm not confident in either passing or bidding, I think I will bid 4♣. Partner's action double suggests 1345 or 1336 and it feels that the former is more likely. If that's the case and we defend 3♠X the declarer knows where to pick the trump queen with the hearts breaking favourably. If I knew the clubs will be breaking 2-2 then the prospects of defending increases but if they are 3-1 then I'm not liking my chances in defending at all. If partner has 1336 then I definitely prefer to be in 4♣ than to defend. I don't expect 4♣ to be making in any cases but it will likely to produce a smaller minus score. We have a 9 or possibly a 10 card club fit so I doubt the opponents will be doubling us. As to our initial double, the hand is not a thing of beauty but I would double. If the opening had been 1♠ then I pass. Oh, if West had psyched 1♠ then I give up bridge.

Double and 2♠.

It's because some of us might prefer support for 2♠ (assuming some weak raises might begin with 1NT) but assuming that's not the case, there is no reason to be pushing to play in a 5-2 fit when we are looking at AK10x of trumps. Nothing is wrong with defending and also partner didn't make a takeout double which makes 2♠ contract less and less attractive. We are also not 100% sure that 2♥ will go off so we pass and take what we can get.

Negative double. You'd like to get hearts into the picture with these good values and we don't mind a 2♠ response by partner as we have a doubleton support (he would bid it with 5233 hands, and some 53(23) will bid 2♥)

I don't have any experience in kickback (except for hearts) but isn't it normally used when a fit has been agreed and then you can kickback? Here it seems weird for North to have signed off in 3NT and now wants to keycard for clubs. When South is inviting slam, their partner should have bids that suggest a place to play (here 4♥ and I think 4♦ would be agreeing diamonds as some 3541 hands might not raised 4♦ previously] and given North has bid 3NT, a 4NT bid should also be regressive. That leaves 5♣ signoff and 4♠ as keycard, and you don't get any bids inbetween for a cooperative cue. Basically at the end of the day if you decide to agree on kickback you would need to have a lot of discussion because they can cause a lot of misunderstandings. Over 3NT my auction would probably be something like: 3NT-4♣ ? I think 4♥, 4♠ and 4NT are plausible given if it's a signoff hand you don't particularly want to be in 5♣ at matchpoints. Maybe responder with 1246 might've bid 4♥ over 3NT as a NF slam invite but with more he would bid 4♣. The 4♣ bid doesn't have to be that strong as well, maybe Ax x AJ10x AK10xxx and slam doesn't seem great so North should probably bid 4NT regressive but try 4♥ with a AQJxxx suit. Although it seems a bit hard for South to stop but after a regressive move from North, south won't bid on given it could be a 6-1 club fit. Also if south has a pretty good hand with 2146 say something like Ax x AKxx AQJxxx and wants to know about a club fit he might bid 4♠ over 3NT to show he probably doesn't have a singleton heart honour.

I agree that it's important to have a bid that shows both majors over 1m-(1NT) I normally play 1m-(1NT)-2♣ to show both majors and 1M-(1NT)-2♣ to show (52) in the majors so this sacrifices the ability to compete in clubs which might not win at the end of the day anyway.

Don't really consider any other alternatives to 2♣.

I think the confusion is that it was the 4th seat who doubled, not the 2nd seat.

I agree with this. There just seems to be lots of stages you can go through and usually end up settling on having judgement being the dominant factor not (heavily) influenced by these rules.

Han, if South bids 3S (natural) and North bids 3NT, surely the only meaning for 4D is self setting hearts since 4C would be something like 2515?

I think one the typical examples that you'd switch to low discouraging is when partner leads an Ace and dummy tracks with xxx(x) and you can't afford an honour from J10x. Anyway back to the topic. I agree with helene about standard being a little easier for B/I as a high card usually draws attention - that's how I can think of the reason of why I was also taught high encourage at first. Some people might disagree if their country has only 1 'standard' form of carding and that becomes more intuitive for them.

I agree, why didn't I bid 3♦ the last round?

I think North is the one to blame. Assuming that 4D is the only bid to set hearts and a slam try, North needs to visualise South with at least x6x4 given that North has only shown a doubleton. I guess South can be pretty aggressive slam trying with a 64 shape with something like (lets assume worst case of doubleton diamond) x AQxxxx xx AQxx? That's a bit pushy, how about x AQxxxx xx AKxx? I think the 5 level should be safe most of the time to warrant a kick from North after 4D. As to what to bid? At first I thought 4S might be a suggestion of strain but after South has set hearts it should be a cuebid. Interestingly enough, maybe on another auction South can bid 3S over 3H to "bid around the shortness" but I honestly don't know how the auction would go on from there. Edit: Bidding around the shortness doesn't really make sense as that's what South would do with 2524 and no diamond stopper.

2♠, second choice 1♠. I don't feel so good passing with this hand at 1st favourable but I understand its risks.

1) A passive spade. Definitely not a trump and I don't quite understand a club lead - it seems masterminding and it can easily blow up in our face since LHO has the (potential) clubs and we have two honours. 2nd choice would be the ♦A although I'm not big on ace leads either. 2) mikegill's reasonings were exactly my thoughts. The non 1♥ overcall doesn't mean much to me at all. I'd like to lead a heart through dummy and hopefully when (if) partner gets in he can push a club through. I am a bit scared the opponents may take all the diamond+spade tricks (if partner doesn't have diamonds stopped) so I find a heart and ♣A a bit close, but I still choose a heart.

Certainly not the best collection but I would always raise to 2♥.

All the best mate!

4♣, not close.

5♣, always.

Pass. Likely that RHO will double us if we bid, and even if we do (assuming Lebensohl) I have no idea how we're ever going to find our fit...if we have any that is.

If you think 2♦ being a reverse screws you more often than not, think about the times when you actually hold a reverse hand and you bid? If you load that in 2♣ rebid then that transfers the problem to partner, and if you bid 3♦, good luck to the rest of your auction! And also if you can bid 2♦ showing minimum, you are sometimes forcing your partial to an unnecessary level if responder prefers clubs.

Agree with 5D.

4H

That's a new one. Personally I also think a club lead would be termed 'aggressive' and a spade lead 'passive'. Basically if you don't lead a club there's a chance that declarer can set up spades and pitch his club(s) (before their club ace is knocked out) on the spade winners.