daswallow

I pass, for sure. Bad hand, bad suit, I also like to have (near) opening values for this type of bid. Plus we do not want a heart lead so why bid?

3♠ should make unless they lead a club, then you have to guess well, tho risk of ruff may make you get it right. On another lead, you will be able to find out about the K♥ so play to drop the K♣.

I bid 2♠. Surely this is the right bid playing 2/1?

I would open this hand 1c. I may have to stretch to bid spades later, but at least I have shape and have got this across.

3♥ for me, best description of the hand.

Maybe.... 2c 2d 2NT 3c 3NT 4NT 6NT 2c is strong, 2d waiting. 2nt = bal 23/24 3c = 5 card stayman 3NT = no 4/5 card M 4NT = quantitative 6NT = hope the clubs get us up to 12! However, the 6NT is doubtful, may pass or bid 6NT depending on how lucky I feel.

2NT as mixed raise. Don't want pard to sacrifice thinking I have no defence at all, which he may do after a 3d raise.

Win ♥K (assuming no A♥ on first round, if so then drop K♥). Cash ♠A, lead ♠J to ♠K, cash ♠Q, knock out last spade if 4-1. Then later try to get to dummy with hearts or club to Q.

Maybe I am wrong, but I open this 1♠. If pard responds we will be better placed in the auction, and if not hopefully those nice opps will balance in for me.

Even on a club lead, if spades come in it is cold (take AK ♥ then play J♥, pitch ♣, later pitch ♦ on 10♥. If spades don't come in we need heart finesse, so prob of making is still 80%?

I would definitely not open this 3c. Too easy for it to go wrong when vul. I may open it 3c in third seat, as opps may have slam, but would be ready to apologise if it goes wrong.

I prefer 6d, so pard will not lead a heart if we defend.

In my opinion: The 3NT bidder expects (hopes?) to make opposite an average hand opposite, for the bidding so far. I expect he has a good 18 or so points, fairly balanced. He shouldn't have much more or else would start with a x. He could have tried 2NT with good 14 to bad 17 points. Alternatively, he could have a hand with a long running suit and a heart stopper, and gambling on 3NT coming in. Either way, you need a v good hand in the context of the auction to take any further action. Neither should you pull to 4s with a poor 6 card suit.

Close decision. Definitely not 1NT, so 1♥ or pass. I think I will go for 1♥ due to lead directing value.

I think the x is ok, but the 3c bidder is way too light. Thinking about it, if 3c bidder had his bid, the x is dangerous.

3NT for me, go for the 600. 2Hx may pay off sometimes but I think 3NT is long run winner.

Pass for me. Someone has spades and it isn't us or pd. Maybe 1h is a psyche but I'm not prepared to re-open on the chance, they almost certainly have a spade fit anyway.

I too go for the 4d splinter, vul at IMPs. You have to get to game, and if partner has some values in hearts/clubs then slam could be on. After a 1NT response, vul at IMPs, I would probably just bid 2c as this should be an easy make. If opps get competitive we may be able to x them.

Easy pass. There could be harder decisions later in the auction tho...

If 3♣ has not been agreed as forcing, it is a dangerous bid. You know 3NT is unlikely to be right (I am assuming this is IMPs?) unless there are 9 tricks on top, in which case a minor suit game/slam should be on too. I would probably bid 5d, as the hand has no real slam ambition unless partner has both unbid suits controlled.

It's something you need to decide... Maybe 3h shows a 'minimum' invitational hand and 2s shows a 'maximum'?? Or 2s could be played as a relay to 2NT, so use it on game invitational hands with a minor suit (direct bid of minor is then signoff). eg 1h 1NT 2h 2s 2NT 3c = 3NT invite with good clubs and 1h 1NT 2h 3c = signoff. Does anyone play this kind of structure? It won;t come up all that often.

With a hand too good for 3h but not good enough for 4h?? The bid is usually used after eg 1h 1NT 2d 2s* now 2s shows a v good diamond raise.

or 3c even..

Partner surely doesn't have 4-4 in the majors as he would xx then. So i think either he has 4-4-1-4 or 4-4-4-1, or has mis-opened! I would bid 2c.

I also used to get confused over who we/they actually are until someone wins the next trick. I didn't realise that North/South were always "We" when kibitzing. Now I do, hopefully no more confusion! Thanks Fred.