Flameous

Highest and other has been known as Michael's Cue in Finland for as long as I know but I've never heard of Bailey's Cue. Anyhow for the actual hand, I pass in first and second. On third I open 2 or 3♦. Playing precision or other weak opening system, I open with 1♠. I can't reverse in to spades and I don't want to put myself into position where I would have to. True, it's not so big problem with ♠s but still comes up.

What is direct 3m? It can change the meaning although it doesn't have to. It's suit and forcing, that's for sure imho. Although I have played it as invitational from passed hand so it's possible.

First I though we were on the balancing seat with this collection cause there was that second P already :) (1NT clear) Here also I think 1NT clear. But my style is to raise with three cards only when I have no other bids possible.

Partner likely won't have double based on trump tricks. (If he does, the opps suck so much... or are trying stuff) I think most likely partner has something like 12-15 count balanced with one certain trump trick and 2-3 other likely(certain) tricks. We have one ace for pard so pass is clear cut. Without that, I would be pulling of course.

My main area to suck at is defending, which is mainly due being lazy. I can always think about ways of signaling my partner perfectly of my hand, yet I never read my partner's signals well enough or think them through. I also can't visualize hands or think of the end situations right in the beginning of the deal. I actually think I don't suck (atleast much) at bidding, but my bidding style is quite out of mainstream, and it's hard for me to adapt to others' style. I rather make people bid my way. That's why I often totally suck with anybody who I haven't played a lot with.

I tend to forget all the deals but I remember the first time I claimed on squeeze just a year back or so. Nothing fancy on the deal in anyway, just a simple squeeze but I claimed it on a trick 7 and I indeed had never claimed on a squeeze before, I always had to play them to the end to see if it actually worked :)

Earlier I used to X these hands. After seeing one too many times to being overcompeted for me to not being able to show my hand, I decided to go back to basic principle of Larry Cohen and many others: "Show your support"

RKC but with the exception that anything pard bids afterwards is to play. (Except ♣ bids) Sometimes it would be better to be just blackwood, but more often RKC is better. Last time I discussed this was when p opened 1♥, overcalled by 1♠ and I hold Ax x - AKQJxxxxxx. Yeah, blackwood would make it sure (actually exclusion in ♦ would be ultimate but it wasn't discussed) but also with AK in ♥s the 7 is cold. Well of course this time p held ♥K and ♦A... tough luck.

N ♠AKQJ ♥AK ♦AKQJ ♣AKQ S ♠xxx ♥xxxx ♦xxx ♣xxx W ♠xxxxx ♥QJxxx ♦xxx ♣- E ♠x ♥xx ♦xxx ♣Jxxxxxx On this layout 7♦ is making on any lead. Swap south's trump and east's spade and defence crossruffs first 7 tricks. Was this something you were thinking of? Sry I can't use those hand diagrams :unsure:

I accept and splinter with 3C.

1♣ - 1♠ - 4♣ - 4♠ - 4NT - 5♣ - 6♠ - 7♠ Nat - Nat (3)46(7) in blacks, main focus on clubs - No red cue, no good club support, so usually 5♠ I have red suits covered, 6 keycard 1403 - Just 1 of six Seems enough with a club loser and not sure about trump Q - No red suit losers, no club losers and partner chose ♠s as trump instead of clubs, so probably no ♠ losers either.

This is really interesting hand in strong club where 1♦ is usually 4+ and 2♣ 6+. There I'd probably open 1♦ but never playing natural.

This is a bad hand for anything but diamonds, and even then not so great one. So I'm showing a weak hand. I just wonder what would ... 2NT - (p) - 3C - (p) - 4D show. Cause it could well be something like this. Over 3NT I bid 5D, if pard has AKx in D, bad luck. Atleast we have better chances of making 5D... Over 2NT I just bid 5D and hope for the best.

This is really a borderline hand. I play gazilli so 1♥ - 1♠ - 2♣ - 2♦ - 3NT would pretty much show something like this. But more likely slower stoppers in minors... 2♣ isn't far but I'd like to have Q or even 2 Js more there. "Something little that's always needed for a good slam." I also like my 2♣ opening to have 4-5 defensive tricks and here I have 2-3 and spade shortness. (Of course if playing against noobs who fear 2♣ opening, it seems a lot better) Namyats is quite clear Vul vs. NV. In other zones this is bit too much.

4♣ fit jump clearly stands out here. (Or 3♣ FNJ if you play it) The only way to let your partner make right decisions after 5♥. Obviously it seems that kind of bid wasn't available if partner took 3♠ wrong. With these options I'd pick either 3♠ or 4♠ depending on table presence and mood.

Dbl is support I'd say. Could also be looking for penalty though.

I don't dare to double, I bet p will pass it or something. 3C is my poison.

Pass stands out, especially at MP. I'd like to bid 3♠ if I knew p won't raise it to 4 but it seems so likely he will.

I'll try a specific ace ask. After 5♣, 5♦ and 2A I'll try 6♠. After 5♥ I'll try my luck in 5.

Agree there with Ken. Gazilli sort of approach makes this rather easy to bid, giving the same advantages strong club has keeping the bidding low. This gets more interesting though if we change the !S 9 and J. Then I think it's really hard to bid the slam so that it's known to be good.

Ok, some results merchanting as I saw the deal :P I think these would be my preferred methods. (At least the basic structure) 4♠ puppet to 4NT, after which 5♣ and 5♦ are EKCB and 5♥ looking for ♣ control. 4NT is EKCB in ♠. 5♣ shows spade suit, slam invitational too. 5♦ as I said in hidden text. 5♥ I don't know, asking for great trumps might be one use, perhaps some quantitative type raise, asking for two side controls or something.

lol, ken was the first one to give straight honest answer ;) But we all gave it a try!

This is a really hard slam to bid. First I went through all natural sort of systems with all gadgets I've ever played and one sequence was where it might be _possible_ to bid it. However in strong club/pass this can be found, but even then it's more about luck and how the specific methods happen to work. Some results merchanting is definetly assumed here :rolleyes: Here is the most succesful auction I could think of. Pass! - 1C! (Art 14+, 4+ctrls, Art GF, 3+ ctrls) 1H! - 1S (Relay reversal, 4+H or S single suiter) 1NT! - 2C (4+S, two-suiter or H single suiter) 2D! - 2H (5+H, 4+S) 3D! - 3H (Specifically 4531) 3S! - 4C (4 controls) 4D! - 4H (AK in H) 4NT! - 5C (King of diamonds) 5S! - 6H (Both major queens found, let's roll to the six) This auction requires a lot of little things to make it possible. First and the most important thing is that responder does the asking, because he can basicly due the reversal be sure of good trumps quality holding JT. Also very luckily the answers on relays can't take you too high here.

Agree with 1H. 3!S now. Over 3NT I bid 4C, this must be forcing. Over 4C I think I'll just bid 6C, I doubt any RKC or cuebidding can tell me if partner holds specifically H ace. Over 4D I take the negative route of 4H.

Break the NT ranges to different minor openings. I use 1C = nat/ 13-15bal/ 18-19bal 1D = nat/16-17bal/20-22bal (2NT being 55 minors or majors)