peachy

2, but it requires high degree of ethics so as not to add "body language" or other UI when signalling. I would guess that most advanced partnerships use some form of 1, and even if ostensibly using 2, experienced partnership has rules there as well, so in the end, it is not just guessing.

Did you agree that Dbl is takeout even?

You hit the one layout where you got burned. 9 out of 10 (my estimation from experience, on both sides of the auction) creates a problem for the opponents, so keep doing it. If you start guessing when to do it and when not to, you are left at the mercy of guesses. IMPs, a little more conservative.

1!D (2!C) is one of the most difficult auctions for opponents to handle. Therefore, 2C should be bid whenever it is remotely a possibility. Here, it is clear.

Club, in an effort to avoid giving declarer anything. The choice is by no means clear and can backfire in several ways, but so can any other lead since we don't have a clue in which suit partner has help.

Can you give a reference in one of his books? Not doubting what you say, just asking for the reference.

Could well be. But the hours?

Both you and dburn are right! But what to do when the average club player does not see his obligation to not base his action on UI - I say, educate, and then make the appropriate ruling. IMO, it serves no purpose to let it slide if TD is called to the table and there are laws that prescribe a ruling. But that happens at clubs anyway when both sides engage in the same UI tactics in ignorance of the laws (or even just choosing to ignore them although aware) and TD is not called...

leave it in. Responder has something to tell: he is maximum with defensive hand.

I prefer a 2/1 auction (even other methods) to begin 1S-2C-2S. Opener is not good enough for 2D with such a quacky hand outside the pretty spades. Normally, it is better to describe 9 cards instead of just 6 cards, but this is really an exception to that. Consider the diamonds as baby spots rather than a *suit* for the time being. Whether responder should bid splinter, or clubs followed by spades, is a matter for discussion and there are resources guide you, here is one, though I don't think there is any reason not to bid clubs first with this hand, but the expert discussion is interesting anyway. http://www.districtsix.org/Articles/Article%202006-06.aspx

Lot of negativity in your essay. IMO, there is no way to force your mind to do anything. You will end up in the looney bin if you try :) You say "stop being nervous", but try thinking of getting in the habit of being relaxed. You cannot stop one habit by just dropping it, adopt a new habit instead. Much of what is called 'performance' is like "fake it to make it" and "get back on the horse after you fall". Anyway, enjoy the game and unless you are paid to play, try to shift focus on the game instead of the scores!

1D was the right call. Some might bid 1NT if a flat ten-count is acceptable to partner, or 2NT if 10-12 agreed and strictly point counting, but I like the 1D bid. Did you have an agreement what the Dbl was?

Fast tip: Read the SAYC card, assume SAYC and standard carding, and expect lots of disappointments. In ACBL indy the disappointments are less frequent; SAYC card is mandatory and posted for you if players do not post their own (GCC compliant) system card instead of it. Other fast tip: Smile :) Do not expect to do well in an indy with strangers.

I would Stayman. My card often has Puppet Stayman which IMO is better over 2NT than regular. The hand has aces and kings and a ruffing value, all indicative of suit contract or slam. Despite its balanced shape, with a major suit fit I would rather play in a suit contract, expecting it to play at least a trick better than NT.

I open 2D, a "weak two with extras", an opening hand with a six card suit, the quality of which should resemble the traditional weak two suit quality. Even if I had no agreements whatsoever with partner, it is just bridge logic that in 4th seat there is nobody to preempt from doing anything, the best way to guarantee they don't get a plus score is Pass with a hand that would preempt in any other seat.

No need to make "meta-ridicule" of ACBL, really. Read what bluejak wrote, downthread.

I accidentally upvoted this when meant to reply :) System notes - sometimes quite voluminous - are part of the SC. This is true whether the SC is on one page as in ACBL or two pages or both sides of the pages.

If partner's pass was forcing, then what does opener do when he has minimum and responder (as here) has minimum? Is opener forced to Double? Just curious.

I bid 2S. There are days when they don't have slam or don't even have game and we go for 800 in 3S. For bidding 3S. I should at least have a singleton somewhere if suit is only six cards. If my partner bids 3S with this and if it leads to -800 against mere game, I will understand and hope he won't do it again or if he will, he is lucky:)

Here we touch the terminology problem that seeems to be common. HSGT is definitely not the same as natural game try. After 1M-2M, when using HSGT, opener's new suit bid is typically Jxx, Qxx or even xxx. The aim is to avoid three quick losers in this suit and responder gives s positive with xx, x, Axx, Kx or similar. Using natural game tries, opener bids s second suit which typically is KJxx, Axxx, QJxx or such and responder upgrades honors, even lower honors in this suit.

Pass with this!! Double when you think they overstepped, and you do not need a trump stack for it, just some defensive tricks (nor can you even HAVE a trump stack in this auction in most cases). If your opponents sre inexperienced, OR, if they play limited 1M openings (Precision, for example), be careful not to assign any specific meaning to the 4H call; it does not have to be weak although for most players it is. From my bridge logic, neither the opening side nor the overcalling side is in Forcing Pass situation, by whatever FP rules they live. Here is a link to an interesting expert discussion about FP - http://www.districtsix.org/Articles/Article%202009-06.aspx

I thought up the line with hand first, suit second was standard. Heh, what do I know... 3C = BHBS 3D = BHGS 3H = GHBS 3S = GHGS 3NT = solid suit There is also a modified Ogust, which works well if your weak two style is very undisciplined, where 3C response covers all fivecarders and 3D then asks further. Whichever methods you decide upon, remember to agree what to do with various hands if they compete over 2NT.

One solution is to rebid 3NT which promises nothing other than normal opening hand with a solid sixcarder in the opening suit which can be a major or a minor. It may create other problems on some hands but at least the suit length and quality and opening range is defined. Also, defenders have no clue what to lead against 3NT. With stronger hands and solid suit, or with 6-4, it is definitely better to find something else to do, not 3NT. With the example hand, I like 1S better than the underbid of 3D, even if we had the 3NT available for solid suit.

It cannot be a penalty double if the first double was a takeout double. The second double is best described as "some extra values" with willingness to compete further and the extra values could be in the form of perfect takeout shape so the advancer should consider that possibility. The 1NT bidder nearly never leaves the Dbl in for penalty but it can happen.

2S obvious. Hand is too good for 3S (6-carder + weak hand) and much too good for 1S. The shape is not the best though spade spots and length make this a nice hand so any dreams of 4S should be extinguished asap.