rogerclee

IMPs, Red vs White ♠Jxx ♥void ♦JT9xxx ♣Axxx 1NT - 2NT 3♦ - ? 2NT = ♦ 3♦ = likes diamonds You play 4♦ = invite here (standard?).

I was afraid partner would have something like this!

1) I think this problem is interesting, and I am a 5♥ bidder. Maggie I think you have this backwards, we should be more inclined to bid 6♠ over 6♦, since this is partner's weakest bid which he will make with all kinds of nondescript hands. It is only when partner makes a strong move over 5♥ that I am comfortable playing this in diamonds. I am surprised that there are so many 6♠ bidders, what do we lose by bidding slowly? I think this deserves to catch partner with a singleton spade that he would have told us about over 5♥. 2) Abstain, there was no reason to play the ♥K at T1. 3) Obvious run, two very bad things can happen by forcing xx. In general I am critical of runout structures that don't allow playing 1NTx. Edit: Just saw the hands, on hand 1, north had a 4♦ opener.

Agree with 1♠, now 3♠.

Wasn't my plan to double and then bid 3♣?

What's the cost? Wrong-siding the spade contract? The cost is that responder says nothing until opener finishes describing his hand, so the auction is much more cramped. Responder can't introduce spades at the 2-level over hearts, and his 3♥ preference after opener finishes describing his shape can be made on a large variety of hands (strong raise, weak raise, doubleton preference). Basically you lose a substantial amount when you have hearts. One fix to that problem is to open a lot of the weaker hands that are strong with hearts (especially hearts+spades) with 1♥!

1♥

I would open (2).

2♥ for me, willing to miss some games in order to often play the best partscore. I am not as optimistic about missing my 26 HCP games as Adam, but this is still my choice. 3♦ puzzles me at matchpoints. Josh, did you see the form of scoring? I think the losses from 3♦ on our partscores are too great to seriously consider this call.

i'm a baaaaaaaad mother ducker

no

Club trick seems most likely to be the one to vaporize.

Disagree, it is not really necessary, I have never found myself at a serious disadvantage from not playing kickback. Minorwood is one of the most abused (and worst) conventions in bridge, it is only useful in very specific situations.

Agree completely with pass and the first statement, disagree completely with the second statement.

1c

Yes, the point of this problem was to not take the awful line. If any B/I player saw to play for the spade-heart showup squeeze rather than try to ruff a bunch of things or take finesses, I'd basically give that answer full credit. Crunching through the percentages will yield that line 3 by awm is best (though there is no reason to cash the top heart). The point is to combine chances and not lose to 5-0 clubs while not paying off to 6-1 spades.

lol

[hv=d=e&v=n&n=s2hakj653dk842cq4&s=sakq63h84dcakjt32]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] RHO opens 3♦, and with no more opposition bidding, you get to 7♣. LHO leads the ♦9, plan the play.

I would bid 3♣ at IMPs and 2♠ at matchpoints. Edit: Han berated me until I admitted I was wrong. 3♣ always now.

Yeah, if you are going to bid a grand, you obviously would have done it before the queen ask. I just thought it was easier to ask it this way than "Plan? What if partner says no Q?" I admit at the table my reaction was to ask for the Q without thinking.

IMPs ♠AJ9 ♥AKQT ♦Axxx ♣AQ Partner opens (!): 1♦ - 1♥ 2♣ - 2♠ 2NT - 3♦ 3NT - 4♦ 4♠ - 4NT 5♣ - 5♥ 6♦ - ? Your partner almost always has 5-4 and not 4-5 in the minors for this rebid. Partner has 1 keycard, no ♦Q.

If you bid a new suit you are indicating strength in that suit, so obviously partner won't bid 3N with weakness in the other suit. Obviously with a minimum and strength in both other suits you can bid 3N. These bids are not necessarily about "stoppers" as you may be looking for slam also, but could definitely just be about making sure you have stoppers.

Great job, vuroth, but I can't say I'm surprised!

1S was fine, now pass.

A better contract like 3♦? 3♥? 3NT?? My partner doesn't usually have ♣AKx on this auction! "Diamonds are probably a slight favourite to play better, but on 2♥ partner will occasionally bid again, sometimes taking us to a better contract." Ok, just to be sure it says what I mean The point is that you have this completely backwards. If partner bids again you probably should have passed 2♦.