655321

Easy Pass. Partner heard us double the first time and chose to pass (twice). If more reasons are needed, doubleton ♠K sitting under the Spades is not good.

It is a better slam if you win, cash the ♦A, draw trumps ending in dummy, and claim.

I follow the crowd and vote 4♠ (instead of Pass) as the worst bid. Would 3♠ (instead of 2♠) be a serious slam try? If so, then South's 3♦ (does it confirm the ♦A?), opposite a hand not good enough to rebid 3♠ must show a good hand. It would not be crazy for North to keycard at this point, instead of bidding 4♣. Do you cuebid first and seconds? Perhaps South bid 4♠ thinking he was off the first 2 heart tricks. Anyway, I must confess that I have seen (and perpetrated) much worse auctions than this one!

1. 3♥. I would never open a weak 2 with AJT to 7. AJT to 6 and an outside king is a weak 2, changing the outside card to a 7th card in your long suit does not give you an equivalent hand to be opened at the 2 level, it gives you a more preemptive hand that needs to be opened at a higher level. 2. 3NT. This is interesting because LHO is a passed hand, making it less likely that they are about to bid and make 4♥. Nevertheless, 5♦ looks a long way away, and whenever I think of reasons not to bid 3NT on these hands, the opponents always do get to their 4M game.... so 3NT it is. Sometimes it even makes! 3. Win ♦A, play ♣ to hand and take a ♥ finesse. It is possible that LHO chose a ♦ lead away from the King because he had the Ace of Spades, but I think the singleton is more likely. I notice (3) looks like the companion hand to 1, in which case my line does not work. Still, Ace and another only works when Hearts are specifically 2 small with LHO and Kxx with RHO.

Great hand Gerben! I was reading the relevant chapter in Love just 2 days ago, but have never seen one of these at the table.

Agree with all this.

Answer hidden, think before responding thanks :)

I play 2NT as minors. 2NT as lebensohl I can understand. But if 3X is forcing, 2NT could be quite strong, I assume? What are the gains from this? In my lebensohl sequences, 2NT would be no more than about 7HCP - hence 3x, while showing some values, would not be forcing.

(Edited after I realised the ♦ are on my left.) :P Auction similar to (2♦) X (3♦). So X is not penalty (to me), and I therefore pass. If partner re-opens with X, I will pass. I don't like 3NT with sub-minimum values, no tricks, and ♦ sitting over the KQ. Bidding ♥ doen't feel right on this hand, with 4 small, and half the hand in ♦.

What Frances said.

What Roland said.

I also don't know what is right here. I like the 4♥ bid - Some days 4♥ is cold, other days it has no play. You have given the opponents a guess. I double now hoping they have guessed wrong. I am certainly not bidding at the 5 level on this hand, so the only choices are Pass or Double. On the plus side, when 4♥ was cold and 5♦ goes down, double protects our score. Always sad to get +150 when we were about to get 420. If 5♦ is making, double does not cost much more than Pass unless they send it back.

West's initial double was fine. Now, over South's 5♣, you don't have a problem. Double is absolutely automatic. Don't even consider any other call.

Hilarious :) West, after making the opponents guess, took a bad unilateral save at the 7 level. East wanted to defend 6♠. So he helpfully took a preference to clubs, in order that partner might learn from the experience.

I assign more blame to East. I don't much like 5♠ (my choice for worst bid), 6♦ or 7♠. If East just bids 4♠ instead of 5♠, the auction might continue: ... 4♥ 4♠ 5♣ 5♦ 5NT and West could learn about the missing ♠A. I don't like 5♠ because it is unclear - presumably it asks for good trumps - but what are good trumps in context? East knows that AKQ are needed for a grand, and West will be able to see those cards without being asked about them. Effectively, 5♠ gives up on 7, and asks West to choose between 5♠ and 6♠.

I agree with jdonn. No proof, but my strong preference is always to transfer. Also, not having to think on these hands means that I can save my limited brain cells for more crucial decisions.

No, 3♣ does not 'show' 5 clubs. It is true, you will often have 5 clubs to raise here. But this is a competitive auction, opponents may be about to bid 4M. If you have 4 clubs and the values for competing, it is important to let partner know.

Right, we have a free shot on finding west with the singleton ♥A. I think we should cash ♦KA (and ♠K) before we lead a heart up, though, so we don't lose to west's 5224 with ♥Ax and ♦Jx. If west then wins his singleton ♥A, he will have to play a spade and squeeze partner. Yep, that is an improvement. I don't see any better line for the contract. Phil, how did the play go at the table?

Ruff a ♠ to hand. Play ♣Q and another Club. West gets out a ♦ or a ♠. Win (pitching a ♥ on the top ♠) and play a ♥ to the K. We make the contract when East has the ♥A, and when West has the singleton ♥A because East will be squeezed in the red suits.

♣6

No, bidding is horrible here with 3 card ♠ and an 8 count. Should be unanimous :)

Lead my appropriate ♠ pip (4th, 3/5) according to agreement.

Pass or 2♠ seem reasonably normal. You could try 1♠, it might work. If you want to be a comedian, opening a strong NT can also work.

Agree with 1♠. Now, I am not happy! Partner will usually raise ♠ with 3 cards. So...is he 3433 and doubling for penalties? Is he 2245 and doubling for takeout? I bid 3♣ here, and hope for the best!