rogerclee

I would agree if it was extremely cold, but if it was, as you say, only pretty cold, I would say result stands.

I like Donn Inversion. The ACBL approved defense to 2♥ = majors has a 2N bid as 15-18 with normal systems on, so I assume there is at least some merit to this treatment, though it is intuitively unappealing to me. It is so hard to judge whether 3N or 4M is a better contract with known bad breaks that I would rather just lump all of these hands into "bid 3N and pray" while having good ways to bid my strong minor hands. Also I think the people who would like to play systems on will agree that this treatment has no merit at favorable vulnerability, since your LHO is probably 5-5 or 5-4 with strong suits. As an aside, a 2♥ opening as weak in the majors is very effective when it comes up. I'm not sure it is the best meaning for this bid in the context of playing multi 2♦, but I bet it's up there.

3♦ is a very poor choice, it lies about a side 4-card major and, more importantly, you will miss a 5-3 spade fit when partner is too weak to bid again. It is not hard to be playing 3♦ on a hand where we are cold for 4 of either major this way. 2♥ is a much better bid because it announces strength while keeping all strains in play; we can wait one round to rebid the diamonds. Starting with 2♥ makes it very easy to get to 6♠.

Simple, but there it is.

Hope your trip goes well, Maggie. If you happen to be around southern California, let me know, and I can direct you to some nice places near the coast. And most of all, happy birthday!

3♦, don't care how I play 2♦, don't care about RHO's hesitation.

4♠, willing to go to 5♠.

2♠, pass is not an option at these colors.

I would double if you changed the ♦Q to the ♦K. Given that our alternative is to defend 3♥, we should be making doubles very very aggressively with this kind of hand.

4♠, I have the nuts. Agree with 2♦ the first round.

2♥ was totally normal, now pass is totally normal as well.

Shows extras, I really think this is a must.

Don't like 5♣. Having failed to limit my hand with my first four bids, it seems time to stop stretching this 10-count now.

2♦ just barely.

Really? It is not hard to construct hands where this will get us too high, it is much easier to construct hands where this will get us to a bad 6N than a good 6N, and occasionally it will get us to a bad 4N (or are you accepting a quant invite too? ;)). Anyway, I would have opened 2N, now I am happy I didn't.

2♣ = weak seems like a superior treatment to me. Being able to preempt a 2♣ opener is not as important as being able to show a lot of playing strength. Oh yeah, I would raise with the west hand if we treat 2♣ is preemptive, but this is far from clear to me. Obviously if 4♠ is wide-ranging then I would not.

I would agree with Jdonn if our clubs were actually running, but we don't seem to have the jack! Gambling on clubs to run to bid a grand seems really wild.

Not me. (And I am an expert, just check my profile on BBO. :D ) Whats your bid with: ♠ AKQ53 ♥ AQ42 ♦ 97 ♣ A6 Edit: Off course, if it is 2/1 you can bid 3♥. Yep, assuming it's 2/1 then that hand just bids 3H. I guess kfay did not specify that, and I just know that he only plays 2/1 because I have played with him. You would be right in a SAYC setting.

4C is obviously club shortness and a heart fit, I would expect any expert partner to understand this.

Pass unless I can open an 11-15 1♠.

Preemptive is not unreasonable, for sure you have to open a hand like x Ax KJx QJT9xxx because you just rate to go plus on the board, but you definitely want to block the opponents as well. I could see playing a 3C opener in 4th like this. More typically I've seen it played as something like x xx Axx AKQxxxx though, inviting 3N.

It's regional. Americans do it a lot, players from other countries do it much less. Older players also tend to bid their major.

I don't think there is an invite. 3♦ by partner said "if you are inviting, I accept." 4♦ really is some sort of slam try and is definitely forcing. omg just as I edited Lol I feel like there is a conspiracy against me lately. Wait, either that or I'm paranoid. I forget which. Obviously though I would say 4♦ = invitational is definitely not standard. Lately I've noticed an increase in "screw it" as jdonn's logic to bidding something. :lol:

I don't think there is an invite. 3♦ by partner said "if you are inviting, I accept." 4♦ really is some sort of slam try and is definitely forcing. omg just as I edited

I'd open 1♣ in 4th.