rogerclee

I'd double even opposite an unpassed hand. With 2524 and the same hand I would pass.

I don't know what you mean by "really" strong, but I would double with a hand like AQxxx AKxx KJx x, it is just too easy to miss 4H (or any heart fit) by overcalling 1S. With a hand like AQxxx AQxx KJx J I would just bid 1S.

lol

I feel like I should elaborate. One of partner's most likely actions if we pass will be to double back in (or bid something). Obviously we are not sitting for this, we are going to bid 5H. How does this compare to bidding 5H directly? Bidding 5H directly shows something like this, since we did not do something stronger like starting with 4N or 5D (see above post). By passing and then bidding 5H in this scenario, we are not describing our hand, and if partner has a magical hand like void AQxxx Ax AKxxxx there is no way we will get to slam, let alone 7, whereas he has an easy 6H bid (at least) over our 5H. Basically, when partner saves us by doubling back in (likely), we will usually push against passing but will occasionally miss slam by our failure to act, so it is bad to pass in this scenario. How about if partner cannot act? Then we are defending 4S opposite mediumish strength 5-5 hands (probably good, but unclear) or mediumish 5-6 or even 6-6 hands. Why would you want to do that? A hand like x AJxxx x AQxxxx would never come back in and this is just almost certainly a game swing if not a double game swing. x AQxxx Kx AQxxx is another hand where we will just be defending 4S ridiculously while we are just on a hook through the opening bidder for 5H, and sometimes they are also just cold for 4S. I guess there is not much else to say except that passing 4S is absurdly bad in my view. If you play a style of Michaels where passing is reasonable because partner could have anything, then maybe you should reevaluate. If you are only taking 9 tricks when you catch your partner with Kxxxx of support and a side working doubleton, maybe you shouldn't be forcing to the 3 level!

Just a theory thing by the way, it's important in this auction to have two ways to bid at the 5 level. For example in this auction, I would play 1S 2S 4S ? 4N = p/c for your minor, I am bidding to make 5C = p/c for your minor, I am just saving 5D = strong 5H bid 5H = weak 5H bid

"Passing seems like a deep view to me." -Han Peters

If kenrexford says it, it must be true.

1) Pass obv, the opps have given you a way to not go minus 200 on this hand, just take it. 2) Pass, our chances of improving the contract are not so good with this shape 3) 2H, this is just normal. We are playing MP, we can't just be playing 1S in our 5-1 fit when we have a 5-2 or better heart fit, thanks for allowing us to be a passed hand to make this even clearer. 4) Queen of diamonds, just gonna take the expected trick-maximizing line. Would have bid 3D btw. 5) I'm thinking, why did I play back a club instead of a trump. 6) 2D, normal, partner can still have a good hand. 7) I lead fourth from my longest and strongest. 8) 2C seems fine to me, not sure why I would bid anything else. Let's find out some information about partner's hand.

IMPs, w/r, 2nd seat Axxx AJ9x Jxx Kx 1D X XX* 2C 2D P 3D P 3N AP *4+ hearts Your lead.

Interesting discussion, thanks guys. At the table RHO had QJ7x Qxxx void AQT9x, so only a small spade (not the ten) continuation beats the contract. Every other card gives declarer something.

Like almost every single other thread posted about whether or not a hand should be opened at the 1 level, my guess is it doesn't matter that much either way in the long run. I would pass though.

It's a general principle that if your side has a stopper in their suit, and you are very likely to be able to get to 9 tricks without setting up your 4-3 major fit or 5-2 major fit or whatever, just play 3N. That couldn't be more obviously the case here, so thinking that it's right to play a 4-3 spade fit is pretty crazy.

[hv=pc=n&s=sakt62hkt8d2ck632&w=s4ha962dakt9843c4]266|200[/hv] West deals, R/R IMPs 1D P 1H 1S 2H P 3C P 3D P 3H P 4H AP You lead the ♠A, partner following with the 9 and declarer with the 3. No carding agreements discussed except UDCA in general. Your play to trick two.

This thread is kind of a mystery to me, seems like playing the ♥A is fine.

Matchpoints [hv=pc=n&s=skqj4hj74daj75cak&n=sa963hkt8dt8cj973&d=w&v=0&b=8&a=ppp2np3nppp]266|200[/hv] Maybe you don't like the bidding. LHO leads the ♣6 (attitude) you play the 7, and RHO plays the T.

I'm not sure why you think the fact that it applies in only one auction makes it easy to remember. Personally I have never played this agreement in any partnership I've had because I am worried about forgetting it, and I play similar things in other auctions, like transfers after 3C interference over our 1N.

As a side note, there is a lot of merit to switching 4C and 4H on this auction.

I have noticed that in general, people are more aggressive than they should be on this type of auction (1m-1M; 2M).

There is certainly no shortage of people who would like to think that bidding is 80% of bridge.

I didn't make any statement about one line being better than the other.

Say west has a hand like AJ9x xxx QJ9 Txx. Draw 3 rounds of trumps and play a low spade out of hand. Say west ducks, we duck and let RHO win cheaply. If he refuses to cash his second spade, then they are blocked and we can set up our long diamond, so he must cash both spades and exit a diamond. We pop king and now LHO will get squeezed on the second to last heart, forced to either unguard a suit or sever the club communication, in which case he will just get squeezed in spades and diamonds. The same thing will happen if west does not duck (he must either block the suit or allow us to set it up by force) or if east hops king instead of low (if he plays back a spade then we set up a spade trick by force, else we have killed his entry and can now set up diamonds). I don't think the hand can be made if LHO has something like AJ9x xxx Q9x Txx.

never mind

If I led a low heart I would follow through on my plan by pitching the ace on the fourth round of a side suit.

Fixed my post, I'm not sure what caused me to write this.

Bridge is easier to think about when you are given a problem and can think things over, especially when the alternative seems so intuitive/routine. To me a play like the ♥Q now at the table is too much to ask a non-expert bridge player to find. It's part of most people's routines to think about if they can endplay someone in this position, but it's not part of most people's routines to think if someone has been guard squeezed. Also I'm not sure I follow your logic dellache, it sounded to me like you wrote a lot of words that argued for banging down the ♥Q, and then concluded that it was a guess.