sailoranch

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The best line I could come up with was to play ♠A and a spade toward the jack. We win immediately if West rises or the ten drops. If the jack holds, we can try clubs; otherwise, we still have a quick entry to pick up 3-3 spades. Here's the actual lie: [hv=pc=n&s=saq5ha872dk4ck854&w=s63hk9653dqj962c9&n=sj984hj4dt73cat73&e=skt72hqtda85cqj62&d=s&v=n&b=15&a=1nppp]399|300[/hv]

I'd assume the opponents are good, alert enough to falsecard.

[hv=pc=n&s=saq5ha872dk4ck854&n=sj984hj4dt73cat73&d=s&v=n&b=15&a=1nppp]266|200[/hv] Unfavorable at IMPs. The opponents are playing Landy. West leads the ♦Q, East playing an upside-down ♦5. If you lead a club from hand,

If partner really did lead from doubleton, he probably wanted a ruff. My other guess is that this was a pickup partner, double was intended to show a four-card heart suit, and the lead was third best. In that case, declarer is probably 6223 or 7222 with no way into dummy, and partner thinks that you've cost a trick by giving declarer a finesse she otherwise couldn't take. It's between that and a ♠Q exit, which will salvage a club and get two trump tricks for our side if partner has ♠9xx or ♠Jx. Or, declarer has a third diamond and partner is left wanting his ruff, which would be unfortunate and hilarious.

[hv=pc=n&s=sj75hk7d9caqt9842&n=sthat3daqjt82ck53&d=e&v=b&b=10&a=p1c1h2dp]266|200[/hv] Both vulnerable at IMPs. What's the best way to reach slam if the opponents remain silent? The agreements are first or second round cues, Last Train, and Kickback if a minor is explicitly agreed, but feel free to use your own methods. (I would also love to see Zelandakh's relays. :) )

If North weren't a passed hand, I'd put it all on South. He can expect some trump quality, and the spades should be able to provide the diamond discards from dummy.

I'll pin the blame on North for not opening. There's no way South is going to play partner for that hand.

Is there anything keeping us from 3NT after 1NT - (2♥) - 3♠? Responder can always correct with six spades.

One practical thing to do is to pause at trick one as RHO to give yourself time to think. If you keep forgetting to work out the hands, this habit will remind you. Also, your user name is awesome.

I can certainly relate, and I'm sure the struggles you mention are common to varying degrees. I think one of the problems is that we get stuck thinking in a certain way early on in our bridge development, and it's difficult to shake habits that have gone on for years. Book problems are great, but you can cheat a little bit because you know that there is actually a problem, and if you are reading Kelsey, it's likely to have a sneaky solution. Bridge at the table isn't like that, of course. To go along with the time pressure and the social pressure, we know that book-type problems don't come up on every hand. There isn't always a brilliancy or a blunder waiting to happen, so when they occur, it takes us by surprise. You're aware of this, I'm sure. The practical bridge advice is to practice, and to treat every defensive hand like Kelsey is sitting over your shoulder waiting to yell "gotcha!" This is hard to do, especially when you're frustrated. So my general advice is to be mindful of your bridge experience. Be fully active in the activity of playing. Notice when your concentration slips or your emotions are pulling you away from the game. Most importantly, do not judge yourself. If you make a mistake, do your best to let it go and continue. You can take note of how well you're doing in order to determine a strategy, but do not ruminate over your score. This is as much about getting better as it is about enjoying the game. The best way to improve is to adjust your focus to a balance between the two, which will make it much easier to practice mindful bridge.

Thanks for your comments. I don't think we can run a heart and then play for an endplay. They get a heart, four spades, and the ♦A; they exit a diamond and we're stuck with a loser.

[hv=pc=n&s=s64hat754dkqjcak7&n=skhj93dt752cj9543&d=s&v=b&b=7&a=1nppp]266|200[/hv] Both vulnerable at IMPs. The lead is the standard ♠8, and you catch a break as the ♠K holds, East playing an upside-down ♠2. Thanks for your replies.

[hv=pc=n&s=sat653ht9dak2ck82&n=s9hak4dq74caqj754&d=n&v=e&b=9&a=1cp1sp3cp4cp]266|200[/hv] Favorable at IMPs. The agreements are 4♦ = RKC, 4M = first or second round control, and 4NT = Last Train. What is the most reasonable way to 7♣? Thanks for your replies.

I play Exclusion as one level above a (game forcing) splinter or a control showing cue. This normally takes us above four of our suit. 3♠ would be a cue, so 4♠ is Exclusion. With the singleton, you'd just cue 3♠ (if you're playing second round controls).

This happened to me at a regional yesterday, and I was the one shamed on defense as a result of thinking this sort of hand was not possible. I considered appealing, but our place in the standings eventually made the point moot. The (friendly) director did give me an info sheet (dated April 1992) detailing what constituted a permissible 2♣ opening: "If, in the view of the bidder, there is a reasonable chance for game in hand with little help from partner." This and the example hands that were included would have driven me to pursue the appeal. On the other hand, I'm glad I didn't because everyone's telling me it would have failed. As an aside, I think it's fine if partnerships agree to open 2♣ on hands like this, but I feel that this style is enough of a deviation from normality that it should be agreed (and the opponents informed). In this case, the opponents' agreement seemed to be a general notion that bidding 2♣ on playing tricks was okay, but the exact number was unclear. Thanks for your insight.

[hv=pc=n&s=sakqjt765h962d5cq]133|100[/hv]

[hv=pc=n&s=s862hak62dacqj984&d=n&v=n&b=5&a=pp1c1d1s4d]133|200[/hv] Unfavorable at IMPs. Double would be for takeout. Is it right to act? Thanks for your replies.

Thanks for your replies. I was wondering how everyone would open the South hand. To me, both 1♥ and 2♥ have flaws, but I'd probably open 1♥. I normally like some quick tricks to go with my rule of 20, but a weak two also seems like a fib. After 1♥, my clones would probably go 1♠ - 2♠- 2NT (limit+), similar to what others have suggested. Since 3♥ is available and would show some offense without being too forward going, I think opener would choose that over passing. Likewise, West bids only 3♠ as he's already overcalled on shape. North has an obvious 4♥ now. I guess East passes? Defending seems like a reasonable prospect, and if the North-South bids are anywhere close to being believable, West should be minimum (with shape). Of course, there's something to be said for a simple 2♥ - 4♥.

Pass for me. Will partner get to ruff a spade?

[hv=pc=n&s=sq9hkj9652d9742ca&w=skj843hdkt6ct9752&n=s762hqt873dajckj8&e=sat5ha4dq853cq643]399|300[/hv] East-West vulnerable at IMPs, South's deal. Everyone's playing 2/1. How does your auction proceed?

Thanks for everyone's help. I chose double for its flexibility as all of you have suggested. These were the hands: [hv=pc=n&s=s7ha9876dajt8ct72&w=st654hk54dq96cq96&n=sj3hqt2dk32caj853&e=sakq982hj3d754ck4&d=n&v=b&b=13&a=p1sp2sppdp3c3sppp]399|300[/hv] It ended up not mattering which action I chose, as long as I did something to push them a level higher. Well, 4♥ actually makes, but I imagine if we landed there and made it, someone would call the cops. I really don't think pass is an alternative on these cards. My values are prime, and there's a good chance I'm turning a -110 into a plus score (for 5 or 6 IMPs), which seems much more likely than going for 500 when we are likely to find a fit and they may have trouble penalizing.

[hv=pc=n&s=s7ha9876dajt8ct72&d=n&v=b&b=13&a=p1sp2spp]133|200[/hv] Both vulnerable at IMPs. Balancing seems clear to me, but which action should I take? Thanks for your suggestions.

[hv=pc=n&s=sjhaqt9862dqck874&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=2dp]133|200[/hv] None vulnerable at IMPs. Among your available calls are a forcing 2♥ and 2NT Ogust. Thanks for your replies.