kayin801

"Expert": Could partner have the minors 5/5 and no good way to show it? If your agreement here is that 2NT directly would show the two lowest unbid (majors) then partner with both minors but the desire to interfere is improvising (if your partner likes to do that). Though why you'd want to show 5/5 in the minors on this auction is beyond me. On that same line of thought, and more likely, if the opps play a short club, maybe he has hearts and clubs, 5-5, and again no good way to show it, and the heart suit is too crappy to overcall hearts. 1D tends to show SOME length here but the clubs could be 2 or 3 cards and partner has something like Ax, Jxxxx, x, KQJxx (bad example hand, but you get the idea) then I think partner is improvising. I think I'd lose my partner if I did this too often, but just saying some people might. Intermediate: Either partner forgot 1NT isn't strong or partner thinks 1NT is still strong and is super-accepting your club xfer (if you play it)

I like th LoTT, but if someone claims he is obeying the LoTT, when he bids 3S with 4333 just tells me, that he has no idea about the LoTT and just uses an argument to defend something, but does not understand the argument, which means I can stop listeng. Because there are some add. paragraphs like neg. adj., which mean you have to lower the number of expected total tricks and a 4333 shape is certainly a major neg. factor. With kind regards Marlowe Well, I don't think I'd always super accept on a 15 4333. But let's suppose for a second that your agreement on super acceptance was a max and 4 card support. Then, after a X, might you allow a jump with SOME mins with 4 card support, like a 4234 15 or something. Rather, would you downgrade your requirements at all in this situation?

Isn't the real question that's being asked here not whether a 15 pt 4333 is a super accept or not, but whether or not to obey the LoTT right away given a known 9 card fit? Specifically, regardless of having any idea of what your partner has, is there a difference between these two auctions: 1NT-P-2H-P-3S and 1NT-P-2H-X-3S On the first one you better have a max to bid that, a 4333 15 is definitely wrong for that IMO. In the second case though, should you bid 3S with 4 and a min immediately given that you know you have 9 trumps and make life hard for the opps in the situation that your partner has a bust? Or does it make sense to just bid 2S and compete to 3S if they compete in hearts?

I somewhat understand it looking at the competitiors for USA2/Italy/Netherlands, but there seems to be little love for USA 1? They CLEANED UP at the US trials for the most part, is it really that hard to keep the momentum going? Plus Doub-Wildavsky are stone cold killas.

If 5C is a cue and if you'd normally cue spades if you have a control there, I'd bid 5C, says everything at once, otherwise try RKC and hope partner doesn't show 2.

As an alternative, the browser version works (I think) on Ubuntu, so long as you're okay with using that. (I prefer the Windows client too, but when I'm using Ubuntu I settle for the web version)

@gnasher: Interesting, it does better retain communication. (I assume you had them exiting a diamond after the club to the K and A, as good as anything, a club or heart gives it right away) As the cards lay: [hv=w=s97xxxhqxxdkqcaqx&e=sxxxh10xdjxxxcj9xx]266|100|[/hv] It goes down, same as what I did, if a 4th spade is led from LHO before two rounds of trump are drawn. (We won't mention the 'obvious' line of leading the ♥J) I guess I had two more thoughts: 1) As LHO defended as I played the hand up until I ruffed the 3rd club, if I assume his defense was accurate, should it indicate he had the ♥Q? 2) Is there any merit to starting with 3 spades pitching my diamonds and then starting clubs from my hand, thus retaining options in hearts? I can afford a spade ruff and 2 club losers so long as I have no heart losers. Or does it seem silly to give up on leading to the club K?

Okay, that was the first check, just making sure I wasn't crazy to do that. Next couple tricks: Low club from dummy, small, K, A Diamond K, A, small, small Small heart to A, both following (agree?) Two rounds of spades pitching my diamonds from dummy, both following, 9 of spades doesn't pop out I exited a club, won by LHO with the Q (check two: agree here?) Low club returned, 8, 9, ruff Position left, to lose only one more trick: [hv=n=shk98xdc108&s=s10hjxdxxxc]133|200|[/hv] Now I guess the question is to whether to play LHO for the 4th club and crossruff or to play RHO for 10x and lead the heart J. Does LHO's failure to return a trump indicate the 2nd line?

[hv=n=skhk98xxdaxxc108xx&s=saqj10hajxdxxxxckx]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] Contract is 4H after a 15-17 NT and a transfer. (I don't remember dealer and vul, but there was no interference). Lead is ♠7, 2/4 leads. Opps are strong players. What's your line?

3♠, extra spade makes up for cruddy suit.

Related question on this auction: is there any merit to a pass by south at turn 2? (if you invite a cue) 5D(cue)-5H-6H also fine by me. (On original sequence, I kinda like 5S, especially if it's exclusion, but the next bid by N is 6D if he must cue, and 6H is better, 7H is terrible)

Agree with jdonn on all bidding choices. You can subtract 2 points for the shape just so long as you add two points for the fact that you should expect to make (as you calculated) on 58-60% of the hands on perfect defense and perfect play. Clearly if your partner is declaring you can't give them this upgrade :( (no, I have no idea who your partner is)