rogerclee

1) 1S. 6-4 is an enticing shape. 2) I think pass is obvious. If it goes 2S back to me, I'll have an easy double. If it goes 4S back to me, I'll be glad I passed. 3) Pass. I'd rather x than bid 2C; in fact, I don't really understand what it has going for it. If partner takes any action except pass throughout (well ok, 2S wouldn't be so bad), I am going to be extremely unhappy about overcalling.

1) 2S is enough for me. The cards outside of spades are really poor. I will bid 3S if 3H comes back to me. 2) I have no idea why I did not bid 4S the previous round. I guess I'll do that now. I tend to believe that at these colors, my opponents prefer not to give away free candy against potential partscores.

I have a better hand than partner has the right to expect (AK A in the majors guarantees no major losers if partner is 1255, though I suspect he is more likely to be 6-5 in the minors on this bidding). I think with a minimum hand with the minors, partner would not have bid this way (bidding 3H and pulling 3NT is a strong action to me). 5C instead of 5D also indicates slam interest. I bid 5H for now and don't have any problem passing 6D.

With no trick source, no diamond stop, and a scattered 5-count, you make 3NT more than 50% of the time opposite a takeout double which could be as light as a 4414 12-count? I am...skeptical.

Agreed.

Updated with exact cards.

I might be (easily) wrong, but if we are calling this hand a minimum, I greatly prefer 1NT to 2H.

4C makes me feel the least sick (by a lot).

1) MPs, All Vul 2) IMPs, All Vul 3) IMPs, Red against White ♠AJ76 ♥A8765 ♦2 ♣AK9 In first seat, it proceeds 1♥-1♠-x-P- ? I think the even-remotely logical choices are 1NT, 2NT, 2C, and Pass, not in that order. Edit: Added third scenario. Edit2: Added exact spots.

IMPS, Red against White ♠AQ542 ♥652 ♦AQ4 ♣A4 RHO opens 4♣ to you.

4S. I have to act, and partner may be worried about spade control.

Well, I ruff with the T at T2. If LHO pitches, I play him for KQx of diamonds and try to take a heart pitch. If LHO overruffs with his marked A, he does best to fire back a heart, which I duck. Now I must play for a red-suit squeeze on W (requires him to have either any 6 hearts or KQJT as well as the KQ of diamonds or RHO having stiff honor), keeping the ♥5 menace in dummy by ruffing a club back to my hand if necessary. I hope there is a line much better than this one, because this one is not going to work =/.

Is it possible to make this without defensive error?

Nice problem. I think these sorts of plays (which get pretty darned complicated, as in Reese's Master Play) are particularly elegant.

1) Pass. I think since partner is a PH, 4M making is sort of an outside shot, with such bad major holdings. We also seriously risk going for a gigantic number in something doubled if I bid. 2) Pass. I assume partner had 3H or x or something available to him as showing values/a spade raise. I think we may have done okay to push them to 5H, and if partner thinks it is right, he can x, though I don't think this is going to happen.

Seems like a pretty clear double to me. I'd like to be playing lebensohl here.

it's so dumb even mike cappelletti doesn't use it!!!! Agree. When I play a weak NT, the first thing I want to be able to do is look at the opponents' card and see that they play Capp.

I admit that I have perpetrated this myself. I don't really like it though. I think on most hands, partner will cooperate with a super-accept if you guys can really make 4H.

1) I think partner's most likely distribution is 2434, but this isn't really for sure; if he's not 2434, it's strictly better than 2434. Anyway, I'm a 4C bidder. If partner has the goods, he can bid 5. Move a heart to a spade and I'm bidding 5C. 2) I'll bid 3H (stop ask) (edit: or 3D stop showing) and if partner bids 4C, I'll raise to 5C. Initially, I was going to cue for 6C if it was indicated that partner had little heart waste, but in retrospect, I think this is too aggressive.

I bid 3N expecting to either make or go down 3.

MP, White vs White ♠ Q8xx ♥ void ♦ K9xx ♣ A9xxx You pass as dealer and it proceeds: P - P - 1♥ - 1♠ X - P - 2♣ - 2♥ 3♣ - P - P - 3♥ ? I took an action at the table which I am now convinced is wrong, but I'd like to hear some opinions. Partner has opened a 4-card major in third seat before, but even NV, he is expected to have five.

I don't believe so, which bid? I thought the only requirement was that bids 2♦ and higher have to promise at least one known suit. I think this is a decent defense. I wouldn't prefer it, but it's better than a number of things out there. I may have jumped the gun. I thought "2C -> forces 2D, to either play diamonds, or any major plus club hand" was midchart, but this doesn't make sense, since it would also ban Capp from being played.

I'll be the first to say that I like it. If you play in the ACBL, though, I think this is a midchart defense.

The two most common responses are feature and ogust. I personally find it hard to say that one is better than the other. If you play ogust, it may be a good idea to give your good/bad responses relative to seat and colors.

I'll double. It's unrealistic to try to find 6C now. Partner could have 4 spades, but he chose 1H instead of x, which reduces that probability by a fair bit. I'm not going to be shocked if this makes, but I don't think I can pass. I agree that playing a forcing pass here is pretty bizarre.