oldman5757

In a local game, IMPs, unfavorable, LHO bids 2♥ and P doubles. You hold: Jx, Qx, AQxx, AKJxx. What do you bid if RHO bids 4 ♥? What if RHO bids 5♥? :P

I'd double 1♠ when it comes to me. There's at least a reasonable chance that we might get 200 (or more) with no game on our way, if P has the right hand. We won't if I don't double. When P bids 2♥, I'd probably pull to 2NT, giving P a chance to pass or, much more likely since he couldn't pass the double, take a minor suit preference. Obviously, there are hands where passing 2♥ could turn out well, but IMHO, it's taking too big a position. B)

P didn't bid ♠'s and didn't ask for aces, and my hand is limited by my failure to jump. So, I think his 4 ♥ bid at least tentatively agrees ♦'s as trump, shows a ♥ control, and asks me to show a control. I'd bid 5♣, which should enable P to make a good decision as to whether slam is likely or not. :lol:

2♠. 4-4-4-1 hands don't play that well, and if P can't make some sort of game try over 2♠ very unlikely we've missed anything. B)

I'd open 1 ♦ in 1st or 2nd seat, might give some serious thought to 2♦ in 3rd seat, and would definitely p/o in 4th. On the auction as given, I think 3♣ is bad bid, forcing to game with no fit identified. Despite the singleton ♦, 2NT states the values and shape much better. In SAYC, 2NT can be passed, and in 2/1, I play that it is forcing one round. In either case as opener, I'd rebid 3♦. B)

About 40% of the blame to South and 60% to North. Once North bid only game over partner's raise, South has little reason to go on. The fact that P didn't bid either 3♦ or 3♠ should convince S that game is enough. BTW, altho it is close whether N should bid 3♠, the 4 bad ♦ would convince me not to do so. Once S bids 5♣, N should retreat to 5 ♥; N is still looking at two or more ♦ losers, with no promise of 1st or even 2nd round control. 5♥ could easily go down. Sounds to me like N was trying to catch up for not bidding more agressively earlier. There is no "good" way to reach slam should N hold ♦ Qxxx instead of Jxxx. However, should N elect to bid 3♠ with that holding, S can now bid 4♣. When N retreats to 4♥, S can take one more push by bidding 5 ♣. Now, N may judge that S must have the ♦K, or perhaps a singleton, and bid the slam. I said it wasn't a "good" way to bid it -- just a possible way. :)

5♣ for all the usual reasons. We might make it, it might be a good sac, maybe with a perfecto P can bid slam. If I get x'd and am -800 against + 620 or 650, that's not too bad. If I go -1100, they likely have a slam, altho they may not be able to bid it. I think the worst results will be when I am -500 or -800 and they have no making game. Oh, well, been there before. 4 ♣ is acceptable, but I'd prefer to just get the hand off my chest in one bid. One ♣ just makes it too easy on opp's. B)

A 2♣ bid here likely causes more problems for the opponents than it creates for us, so why not. :)

I'd pass at both MPs and IMPs. I'm thinking that, if P reopens with a X, we'll likely be +500. If P reopens with anything else, we'll likely be at least +400. If P can't reopen, we'll likely be +100 instead of going minus. :)

Yes, I'd double the 2nd time, altho it could very easily be wrong, since you have no extra values for it. Not vul, however, seems right to compete for the partial. I don't know any director anywhere who, after about 2 seconds of deliberation, would allow you to do anything other than pass after the hesitation. What you would have done without the hesitation is irrelevant; you must take the hesitation into account. Since the hesitation suggests action, and since pass is a logical alternative, you must choose it. :P

An adv/exp P will surely have AKQxxxx of clubs, maybe AKQJxxx, and a little outside, maybe the ♥ A but maybe only QJx, or Q10x, maybe a little something in ♠. P is clearly hoping you have the ♦'s stopped. Making 3NT could depend on whether P has the J of ♦ as a 2nd hand entry, or the J of ♣ so the suit will run with one entry. There's a pretty good chance you'll go down in 3NT, but it's certainly not clear that moving will be be any better, and even if moving is better, it's not clear how to do it. Pass. I'd expect a bi/int P to have a good 18-19 hcp, with something like Jxxx or J10x in ♦. Slam in ♦ is possible, but not likely. Pass. :)

Both x's are wrong. On the first one you are risking allowing the opp's to play in 3♦ x'ed. Not likely they will, true, but you can't risk it. On the auction given, the second x is even worse. Surely P can (and did) pass this. You must at least bid 4♠, and 5♦ is much better. Regardless of what it should mean, I'd start with 4♦, planning to pull a 4♥ bid to 4♠. P should have a clue now, and may appreciate the value of his ♣and ♠ holdings. If S bids 5♦, and it comes around, I'll bid 5♠. Either way gives us a fighting chance at least to get to 6♠ on the auction. 7♠ is the best possible result, but probably not the best result possible. B)

Penalty dbl, but P can still pull. 4nt is T/O. B)

I pass at IMPs. We don't have a game so pretty much any plus will be ok, and P can still compete for the partial. I think you must dbl at MPs and compete for the partial directly, even tho there's a very good chance we'll go minus because P will bid too much. :)

P has to have diamond length and some values somewhere, and isn't interested in 3NT. P is too good for a 3♦ competitive call, but not good enough for a 3♠ call showing strength and a ♦ fit. Maybe he has a club card and some length, along with ♦? I just don't see what P is supposed to do after I bid either 4♥ or 4♠, and 4NT could be passed as natural. 5 ♦ is a safe and pragmatic choice, but we need very little from P to have a good play for 6♦, so I am just bidding what I think I can make. :)

My first post here, really just a judgment and style question, curious what everyone thinks. At IMPs, favorable, you hold ♠Q10 ♥KQJ10xxxx ♦ ♣xxx RHO bids 2♣ (strong artifical, forcing). 4♥ seems obvious, but is there a serious case for 5♥? I bid 4♥. Around to RHO who bid 5♦. Do you bid 5♥ now? I didn't, and LHO bid 6♦. RHO then bid 6NT. Is it time for 7♥? :)

Yes, I'd double. I think we are more likely to set the hand on a ♦ lead than on the almost certain ♥ lead we'll get if I don't double. Only if declarer holds specifically AQ is the ♦ lead likely to be "wrong," and even then we still may have chances to beat the hand. :)

Hand one is a definite pass. You've pushed them to the 5 level, and it's not at all certain that you even have game your way, as P in 3d seat couldn't cue bid ♥, or jump to 4 ♠. That suggests wasted ♥ values in a ♠ contract, but priceless on defense. You also have good defensive cards. Easy call, I think. Hand two is much tougher. I really don't like the 4♠ call, which misstates your defensive values, and your shape. I'd have bid 2NT, limit. Now that you've pushed them to 5♥, I think you have to live with it, and hope you've gotten lucky. You certainly can't double with your 1 defensive trick, so just pass in tempo and hope P can guess what to do. :)

At IMPs, I'd lead the ♦2. QJX, or even Q10x from P could be enough. If I lead a spade, I need P to have something like Axx or Axxx, and even that may not be enough. ;)

If you're opening really light in 1st and 2d seat anyway, then Drury is of dubious value. My preference is to play that after 3d or 4th seat opens 1 of a major, 1NT is semi-forcing, and that 2♣ or 2♦ shows a good suit, and not much else, with tolerance for opener's major. :)

I pass. If you bid 4♥ this light, how can P ever know what to do after LHO bids 4S? Or if LHO passes, how can P ever know whether to make a slam try? But it's very close, even the 10 ♥ might convince me to change my mind. I'd bid 3♥ over 2♠. :D

4 ♦ seems clear.

I would have thought about opening 4 ♥ with this hand, but agree that it is probably too good for that bid. In the auction given, 2 ♥ shows only a minimum opener, so N must find a 3♥ call with this hand. The 3 small ♠ are less of a concern after P's neg x. Then S has an easy raise to 4♥. If N mistakenly does rebid 2 ♥, then S should consider a 2nt call, which states the values and shape nicely. The call could backfire, but I think you should stretch to invite. B)

agree 100%. I've done all I can do. It's up to P. I wouldn't be too surprised to see RHO turn up with running ♣, and some stoppers. So, even if P does double, the auction may not be over. RHO could run to 3♣, and then I'll have to decide whether to bid 3♦, or try to go plus by beating opps. :)

agree. I'd lead the 8 ♥ if I felt like I needed to go against the field at MP's, otherwise, 9 ♠.