miguelm

If you started with a Double you can't double again as that would be for penalties IMHO.... nor can you cue 3S (at least I don't think you can without a club fit of some sort...). Anyway, what is so wrong about passing the first round of the auction...? 2D.....P......2H......P 2S.....P......P.......? Now, all you have to do is to bid the way to show you strenght, which for me is a direct 3NT. That followed by 4C (Baron) will surely put you on your way to slam where you belong

The nature of the bid is quite simple actually. It asks partner to evaluate his hand as if you were playing with a 30 points deck :) I have been using Splinters all my Bridge life, but only recently I started to use them with some rules. After a Major opening bid, if you hold a GF hand with support for partner's suit and you play 2/1 you will have several ways to bid your hand. So, IMHO it is just reasonable that you define the overall features that define each path. As for Splinters, I like to: - only splint with singleton, never with void (this is just a matter of personal preference...) - have all side suits controlled. - hold at least 4/5 italian controls. - have always 4 card support. - deny a good 5+ cards side suit. So, attending those hands in the first post xxx, KQxx, x, AKJxx This one always starts with 2C. It holds a good side suit. Moreover, it fails to control the other. Axx, KQxx, x, KJxxx A splinter, although a minimum.

Pass. I hate to bid 1E just to find out later (while defending against 3NT) Clubs were the best lead, and this is usually underlined by partner's remark "Pard, I had a natural Club lead" :) Pass. 2C, but only because this is MPs :)

[hv=d=w&v=b&s=sxhjxxxxdaqxxckxx]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] Your LHO deals and it goes: 1♠ - 2♣ - 2♠ - ? You have the following options, please rate them 3; 2; 1; 0: 1 - Double. 2 - 3♣ 3 - 3♥ 4 - 3♠ Thx in advance :)

The 5th level seems pretty safe, so..... Partner's bid of 4H denotes a problem in the Diam. suit in which we hold the Ace. Of course we can bid ask for keycards now but I would think 4S as a more sensible move (it shows the Spade Ace and a Diam. control) because our hand is all about aces and kings, and those values are easier for partner to find out about if that is the case. Please note that partner can still hold KQxxx AQxx xx QJ This hand makes 7 cold but only partner can tell because we won't have ways to find out about those golden Queens of his.

Not sure what exactly your agreements are, but assuming no agreement for this specific sequence I would read a Double as the balanced hand type, so I will bid 4H.

Ditto (assuming Imps... playing MPs I might switch them)

Long time no see Art :D I play attitude leads against NT with my regular partner. These are not intended to be binary, at least not IMO and surely not in the way we try to use it. Otherwise, I make Art's words mine, you better stick with the 1-2-4 leads.

Okay, just two different definitions of cold :)

The former is a try for grand. The latter is not. Okay :) So, what should be the difference between that (5H followed by 6S) and 6H :)

First, some food for thought..... - what should a double be in this position...? Surely not for penalties... - what should 4NT be in this position....? Do I hear "pick a minor"...? Is that the best (in terms of frequency) treatment here...? - what is the difference between 5H followed by 6S and bidding 6S directly....? - what a jump 6H should be....?

I don't like to base arguments on results, and I won't do that here as well... but I can't stop myself from comment that "cold" game, in which you had to face with 3 losers after trick one, which can become 4 if you handle the Diams. the wrong way (and it is far from clear which one is the right way lol). :)

Pass is too much passive for MPs I guess, but I wouldn't be surprised if it turned out to be the right course of action.... A Double here is surely penalty (consequence of partner's bids). 2NT should be something like "pick-up" a minor as you sure are favorite to hold them both (you don't have 3 hearts, you probably can't have 3 spades, and since you didn't bid a minor....). 3C/D should be natural and to play. I don't feel confortable with neither of those. But by far the one I like less is double. I don't know what exactly pd bid 1NT with, but I still have a difficult time to figure where our 7 tricks will come from (especially if one realizes that we probably have too many stuff concentrated in opponents suit).... Having said that, I bid 3C. Pass is too passive for me.

Right :)

Are you sure he got the hand correctly..... it really surprises me... a poor 13 point count, the shape is far from ideal, and the points are concentrated in opponent's and in the singleton suit. Anyway, this is MPs, so I guess everything is possible :)

I Pass just because I don't have anything to bid.... usually, that is a good enough reason :)

lol Hei, I have been called retarded.... thanks pclayton, long time I didn't get one of those... and as an argument I have to say it is really convincent :)

Minor suit slams I bid on every excuse :) Here 6C/D rate to have some sort of play. I don't think partner will have an easy time evaluating what exactly he can like/dislike by bidding 4S. By the way, shouldn't this imply a Heart fit...? Anyway, shoot me if you must but I am bidding 5NT.

I also like to introduce as many suits as I can, but not when I hold such a nice Major and still have a fair chance of getting to game. I also don't think I have enough to double and bid Hearts later, far from it. We don't know the scoring, but either way, 3H is likely to be the percentage bid both in Imps (Hearts game is the most probable one) and also in MPs (if we don't bid game it will probably 140 versus 110 or 170 versus 130). The downside of bidding 3H is the associated risk because you know if you double you always will land on your feet.

In Imps, it is important to score at your side of the sheet. As it goes, I think I will more successful achieving that goal by Double. The risk of 4E making is minimum. I have two defensive tricks and I am favorite to ruff one Diam. It is very likely that partner will contribute with a Diam and a Heart trick and if he is short in Clubs (e.g. 3451) we will be very sucessful. Although I hold a very offensive hand, 5C should show more (I hold a 7 losers hand) or, at least, a better suit.

#1 I rather promote my hand to GF than anyhting else available. If all those aces and kings aren't enough to promote it I don't know what will ;) and with this bid I am also likely to be with field (the field bids 2NT and most likely will end in game). #2 I think people tend to complicate things... I open 1S and keep my energy for when its worth :)

4D shows a solid Diam. suit plus a good Heart fit (at least that was the way I learn it). This gives two interesting inferences. If you splinter, either you Hearts aren't good or or suit isn't solid. If you bid 4H, beside the previous you also deny shortness.

Partner has a Heart hand... something along the lines of what ulven posted, not necessarily with a Club suit. Pass.

I don't like ogust nor feature. I like this following scheme because it tries to combine both :) 2NT = ask about trump quality and possible feature. After this: - 3C = bad suit and 1 feature outside. - 3D = bad suit and 2 features outside. - 3H = good suit and no feature outside. - 3S = good suit and 1 feature outside. - 3NT = extra good suit and no feature. - 4H/S = solid suit. Bad suit = lacking 2 of the 3 top honours. Good suit = holding 2 of the 3 top honours Extra good = missing the Ace or King (e.g. AQJ10xx) Solid = headed by AKQ

IMHO they are both to blame :) N for not bidding 3NT right away. S for rebiding his Clubs. I prefer 4E. Anyone for 4D...? Doesn't this imply 5 spades....?