andy_h

I'd always open this 1D. You have an easy rebid and the auction is very unlikey to go 1D all out. I hate 2C because it takes away too much room to show your true nature of your shape, and not to say it is prone to interference given our lack of round suits (and we have like only 0.5-1 defensive trick?). I won't open this 1S because I am not going to lie about my shape - Spades is the boss suit, you can easily out-bid anything if you start with 1D then bid some spades later. In your auction, I would also bid 2S over partner's 2C. Whether that shows reversing values or not, is up to your partnership agreement. For me it would show reversing values and partner's 3NT would tend to show a crap hand as it denied further bidding space for investigation. I would like to bid 5H over 3NT now, as it probably diagnoses my void but if partner won't pick that up I won't try it on him. Maybe I'd bid 4D, and go from there.

4NT, but just. Partner's allowed to have a 5cd suit. Really don't like 4333s though.

2C for me.

Pass with East, X with West

1NT is perfect

Not happy selling out to 2S. I would bid 3D first round

1NT in 4th seat is perfect!

3D looks about right, await partner's next move.

2D then spades

1) 5H. Looks like 5C could be making, or we could be making 5H on a good day. 2) Hmm, is it really definite that they'll be bidding 5D? Maybe partner can be aggressive at this vul? Anyway, without any discussion I'd bid 4S because we're not a passed hand and don't see how it imples spade support.

eek :\ Hate it when partner tortures me. From our point of view, it seemed like we were cueing for D's but 6S wtf. If he wanted to find out about more keycards he could keep cueing, or ask about trumps with 5nt or something, so I don't know how partner expects us to figure out what 6S is. From my general principles of that if I don't know what partner's bid means, I won't pass so I guess I'll bid 6NT. Maybe he thought our 4D was a cue agreeing spades..

Without any agreements, RKC

a) definitely pass, who says they'll go slamming? Since 3NT contains a wide range of hands, let them figure it out themselves. B) Pass again. Don't want to be going for -800. They may not even know what their system is over the 3NT.

Welcome to the Forums! XÐ

Well, my guess is that if partner had a weak NT he would rebid 2NT (presuming that doesn't show extras?) unless he had concentrated red suits. If he had 1453 with SA he probably won't pull out a 4S cue of clubs, and he can cue a red suit anyway. So I'm guessing partner has a 2443 and 4S is just a preference.

hmm I dunno.. If declarer has 5H and 4D he may have played a heart to his Q? So I might place him with 5H and <= 3D's. If he has 2 or less spades it probably won't matter what we do, so it is when he has 3 or 4spades that we have to worry about. If he has 3S+2C with no SJ I want to attack spades. If he has the SJ I can do anything but a spade, unless if declarer has SJ98 and decides to double hook which is probably unlikely. I think i'm going to go for a spade which will only lose if he has 3532 specifically. But all of this, I am assuming declarer has the CQ even though he did open 1H in 3rd seat..

Hmm tough. I think I would X this and switch to HA.

I would 7NT it.

Agree with 3NT. I think I would just take my 12 tricks. It's probably true that if LHO has the HA he will not take it but when RHO has it, he sometimes will work out what's happening given that his partner did not lead a spade. The field will probably be in 3NT too and some may even lead a spade if the dealer had passed and the 19count opened 1C. So I will take my 12 tricks and hopefully yield an average plus score. We still beat those 5D+1 if the HA is onside, but lose to 6D= no matter what. Though I don't know what's best at these pairs - try for tops on every board, or cruise along with avg+ scores and your tops naturally but when there's a choice between either one on a single hand, opt for avg+ option.

If I have 6-4 in the majors, I would always bid 2♥. But with any other suits I tend to look at my suit quality of both suits and decide from there. You can play that rebidding your original suit to limit your hand, but sometimes you have to rebid a rotten 6card suit. Sure, you can decide to bid your 4card suit then, but the follow up sequences may be different since sometimes partner will now 4sGF (in the auctions when he responds 1M) and now you show your 6-4 shape, but that might show extras given you didn't 'limit' your hand earlier.

I'm definitely not passing. We are NV and it seems like partner has a few diamonds. I'm not going to X as it may make on some days given our void and lots of major cards, so I will bid 2♥. Game may still be in the picture, or we could be going off in it or 3♥ when 2♦ may make so it's not such a big deal. Partner's seen my original pass and the lack of re-opening x so everything should be a-okay.

4S, with no slam thoughts whatsoever

I will bid 5H now.

Why? Not trying to change your mind about this particular hand, but why don't you like to overcall 1NT in general? It should be as much fun as opening 1NT! ;) Overcalling 1NT is dangerous. We do it because balanced 15-18 needs to bid something and is impossible to describe otherwise. If partner has a constructive hand, or a long suit, he is well-placed to act. Two things change when you overcall 1N instead of open it. 1) Partner is much more likely to have nothing. 2) LHO can hit 1NT very easily. If partner has balanced garbage, this rates to go for a huge number (500+) when they weren't even bidding game. Totally Agree! Overcalling 1NT is pretty scary for me - especially if we are vul. Hate going for large numbers when the opponents probably don't have anything on. This brings up a hand I had a few months ago. ♠AT76 ♥QJT ♦A53 ♣KQT We are unfavourable and LHO deals and opens 1♥. RHO raises to 2♥ would you act? What if you switch the spades and diamonds? Obviously X is the most flexible and bidding 2NT natural is like suicide since you don't know if you're about to get robbed or if partner has actually nothing.

I'll take the 8hrs photocopying! Don't think I would be able to stand the toilets as I would probably need a gas mask otherwise I would start throwing up. And besides, we are still able to have small breaks or converse with other people whilst photocopying? I don't mind the extra 4hrs!