kayin801

sohcahtoa and I are going. Quite a bit further for us (MA and VA are our homes) but it's "summer vacation" so why not?

Your partner made a X no one who posts here regularly would have made, since we all play takeout doubles in your partner's position. That's what got you to an insane contract. RE: the play, I would have been trying to cash as many tricks as possible and take spade ruffs since my trumps are so small. Aiming for 2 tricks in each side suit, plus a diamond ruff would get you to 7 tricks, and maybe leading a 3rd ♥ toward your hand to try to score a small ♠ will get you 8, but you will need some luck since if they switch to spades you are dead.

You didn't read the alerts on the auction. I think W can safely double after having not bid 3♦ the first time (agree with Free's interpretation), but I don't think I'd get there and I'd probably X with the E hand on my second turn. We're the ones with ♦ shortness after all.

My gut says to win in dummy and immediately take the ♠ hook. If it loses we're really constrained on our remaining actions; we need the diamond hook and a ton of luck with the distribution. If it wins we have a choice of plays, and we're better suited to picking up a distribution where we need to hook twice. Then again, that could just be the tacos I had for dinner.

On the play S pitched a heart at trick 11 (with complete count no less) setting up declarer's hand (see diagram). Yes it's cold so long as declarer doesnt try to do anything fancy with diamonds and just attacks hearts.

3♠, sometimes they will end up in 4♥/5m when 3NT is better or vice versa.

Agree with this, plus with the ♣A replacing the Q and the possibility of a little more shape (2542 maybe), even at MP LHO may have stretched to 4♥ to give us the last guess.

I would do this at all forms of scoring. Edit: I also have no problem with opening 1♥ and rebidding 3♦, but at that point I echo everything han said.

Agree that carding info would be nice. How about playing for a layout like this: [hv=pc=n&s=s97652h4djt63cak8&w=skj4hk53da9752c32&n=st8haj96dk84cj975&e=saq3hqt872dqcqt64]399|300[/hv] If N has 5♥s we're screwed I think, so for his penalty X I think he probably has the ♦K, unless South's overcalls are really really sound. I tried to make the crossruff work (especially in the 5-0 trumps case), but they always come to 2 clubs, and then the ♥A and another ♥ in the endgame. Unless of course S is the type to overcall on 9xxx of spades :) If we give N the hand above then: 2: win ♠ in dummy 3: ♣ to 10 and A 4: ♠ won in dummy 5: ♥ towards hand covering N's card* 6/7: ♦A and ♦ ruff 8/9: ♣Q pitching a spade and ♣ ruff 10: ♦ ruff 11: ♠ ruff with K And we pick up the last two tricks if N overruffs by covering N's heart or we lead a ♦ toward hand if he underruffs to score a ♥. If N goes up with the ♥A at trick 5, then we win a non-trump return and crossruff, pitching a spade along the way on the ♣ winner so we can trump coup in the end (I think this works? I've already spent too much time on this post) If N goes up with the ♥ A and send back a low ♥ (strongest?), then we win in dummy, pick up trumps, and pseudo-squeeze N in the minors? (I GUESS he could have KJ10, now I've gotten bored :)) There is probably some other really complicated variation if S has AKJ of clubs, but I think it involves ruffing out his winner to pitch a spade. *Waits for someone to point out what is wrong*

[hv=pc=n&s=skj872htdq65caq98&w=sqt96hkq9654dt94c&n=s3ha873da732cj542&e=sa54hj2dkj8ckt763&d=e&v=0&b=14&a=1c1sd1n2cp2hppdppp]399|300[/hv] The E/W bidding was suspect. My thoughts were right in line with Han's, nothing looks well placed for them. It's not like we have any place better to be. But we need a club lead to beat it? and that is unlikely. Bad luck that we're screwed with the spots? That partner couldn't have the 9 of hearts? That declarer is void in clubs?

3♠, I don't want to ruin partner if they've made an offshape double based on point count/texture.

When I first started to play "bridge" I would always cash all the winners in my hand regardless of whether I was declaring or defending! I'll echo what the others say though, only if it's part of a trend is it evidence.

[hv=pc=n&s=skj872htdq65caq98&d=e&v=0&b=14&a=1c1sd?2cp2hpp]133|200[/hv] Format is matchpoints. Opponents playing Standard American. N may have bid 1NT at the table but I can't remember. Please indicate if vulnerability makes a difference. Will post the full hand later.

FWIW I think at IMPs 6♣ is completely obvious and nothing else even remotely comes close to being acceptable. Any hand that partner has lesser spade support should also play well in whatever minor we land in. And ZOMG this time Adam's partner was the overaggressive one! At MP I think it's tougher since we want to end up in spades whenever partner has stiff K or better so I think bidding 6♠ has a little more merit. Off-topic: Adam did I run into you at Sturbridge on Tuesday, say hi randomly, and walk away and not recognize you? If so sorry :P

Overcall.

I've gotta say 1NT (10-12)-6♣ is tempting :P

6♣, I'm endplayed.

[hv=pc=n&s=s98hkq43dt4cat865&n=sq762hj75d63cqj74&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=pp1dp1n2cdppp]266|200[/hv] EDIT: Sorry, format is MP. Imagine kayin801, a huge jerk, came up to your table and made this call without your permission, then ran away giggling. W's 1♦ bid shows 3+♦s and his X is penalty. E's 1NT denies a 4 card major. West leads the ♦2 (2/4 leads, UDCA) to East's A, and East sends back the ♥6. Regardless of what ♥ you play, West will play the 8. (you can win in hand or in dummy). How are you playing clubs, and why? Assume opponents are competent players. A/E please hide answers to start.

This. If they find the spade switch after maybe winning the ♣A and cash out 4 tricks, nice D opps. Obviously it's not the technical line but it definitely puts the most pressure on them.

X seems super duper obvious. If W wanted to give an option of two places to play he/she would have bid 4NT, and it's very hard for E to pull on this auction. Edit: OR W could have doubled again, OR with some sort of freak or really long suit E might have taken a bid at this point. Unless we're getting fixed by sketchy bidding, I can't imagine the auction doing anything but going P-P-P after our X. I would rather bid 5♠ than pass.

Pretty sure they led the ♦6, 2/4 leads.

[hv=pc=n&s=s5hq43dt953cqj843&d=e&v=0&b=14&a=2sp4sppp]133|200[/hv] Format is matchpoints, but please comment if you would lead differently at IMPs. Sorry if this is obvious. Please rate different leads from this hand. Partnership agreement is 2/4, top of honor sequence. Any comments on passive vs. aggressive leads against this type of auction are welcome as well.

Yup, anything but a ♥ is horrid. I admit we're almost lucky that we have no diamonds on this hand, cause I would have lead one if I had it! Even with opener saying he had a good suit. That having been said, I can understand why maybe leading a diamond on this auction is a bad idea, maybe it's just too robotic of me.

[hv=pc=n&s=sqj9ht62daq3cat65&n=sa732hak5dtcqj874&d=e&v=n&b=12&a=p1c3ddp3np6cppp]266|200[/hv] North is a semi-maniac, but the slam looked better after a diamond lead and E put up the K. Until... Not so spoiler to leave until after you've made your first club play: Edit: fixed random spots

♥A, though I doubt it matters much which red ace I start with. RHO may have tried harder to X with some heart length so the heart is less likely to set up tricks or provide dummy ruffs. And this is probably a gross over-analysis. If we were playing a 15-17 NT I would have opened 1NT. And I would have Xed 2♣ for takeout on this auction.