OleBerg

Generally agree. At MP's you need a very good hand to move, normally including four-card support. At IMP's, 2♠ should show a little, but still be non-forcing. A weak nt with 3-card support should pass more often than not. Agree with the Leben/Ruben considerations.

If you want a specific bidding plan, and want to see if we choose the way you chose, you have to specify the methods in use. I have one partner who would commit this hand to spades. I have others who would allow partner to make the guess. I would never show diamonds myself, but I prefer 2 way stayman over this range of 1N, and if partner showed 5 diamonds, I'd get excited: there are a lot of hands on which 6♦ will have real play. If playing transfers, I'd offer a choice of games. Could work out very badly. Been there, done that. Well, I wanted what you gave me, so thx.

Lol, would you mind telling me whom I am playing with? Ok, 99,9% certain. In the last 0,1% he is sandbagging, and will bid 6♥ regardsless of your bid. So concentrate on the first scenatio.

We are red, they are white. Imps. (1♣) - pass - (1♠) - 3♥ (3♠) - 5♥ -(5♠) - ? ♠Q109x ♥KJ109xxx ♦Q8 ♣ - You are 100% certain your partner will not bid again.

♠AQJ10x ♥Axx ♦7xxx ♣x Red, imps. Partner opens a 13-15 nt. Plan?

All red, imps. (1♥) - pass - (1♠) - Pass (2♦) - pass - (2♥) - ? ♠A98x ♥8 ♦KQ10 ♣A108xx 1) Do you agree with the first pass? 2) Do you bid now?

Agree with 2nt. It is very clumsy though, to show a singleton as the last step below game. I'd really love to be able to make a slam-try below game. As it is, I bid 4♠.

I guess there is not yet any "standard". I play it as "Forcing/non-forcing", meaning that the 4♣ bidder must get another chance to bid, but it does not establish a force if opponents bid. (More relevant in the direct seat.) KQJxx KQ10xx would make it a wtp for me. No upper limit.

I am. If partner will not expect more, I find the bid obvious.

You (OP) mention some points-limits. Are you sure those points were not Vienna-points?: Ace: 7 King: 5 Queen: 3 Jack: 1

Easy 3♠ for a compulsory overbidder like me. (Assuming a splinter in 3♣ is not available.)

With my usual partner, this is a wtp 2♠ (for me, not for my partner. :lol: ), but if partner expects 6 spades and 4-10, it's obviously insane. (Voted: Risky, but likely to cause problems.)

On which I find an initial double mandatory, even if the convention says "13-15 balanced". It should really be: "13-15 with no good bid."

In this thread: http://forums.bridgebase.com/index.php?showtopic=27256 you voiced the concern that, when void in hearts, the minimum requirements for a double would be lower. I agreed in that thread, and here the danger is even bigger. I pull to 3♣ and I dont find it close. With no good spot to play in, I'd revert to strongest play: Pass and prey.

1) 5432 2+3) No. 4) I might choose to bypass a four-card heart suit, if I find the hand better suited for a raise to any number of diamonds. Suit quality in hearts is a parameter. ( I would never, and have never, bypassed a four card spade suit, unless 1♦ was doubled by RHO.)

Pass. The real problem arises when partner doubles.

(1♠) - pass - (pass) - Double (pass) - 2♣ - (pass) - 2♠ (Double) - 3♣ - (pass) - 3♦ (pass) - 3♠ - (pass) - 4♣ (pass) - 5♣ - All pass

I would expect this to be parallel with: 1♦ - (pass) - 1♠ - (2♣) pass - (pass) - 2♥ As I play that as non-forcing, I would also play the sequence in question as non-forcing. Forcing hands start with a double.

Pass. It is partners responsebilety to protect here. (In the pre-balance seat.) Tougher at MP's where +50 might suck, and opponents are more likely to bid again.

That's exactly what happened at the table. We landed in 4S, great spot. R U on drugs or R U pulling Kenrexfords leg? Don't know what Ken has to do with this but I was joking, I assume so were some others. Guess Im just to slow. Have to stick to passing and praying.

That's exactly what happened at the table. We landed in 4S, great spot. R U on drugs or R U pulling Kenrexfords leg?

Pass and prey. (Business as usual.)

Of course it is not difficult to imagine 2♥ making, even with an overtrick. The danger is that partner has reopened with a void in hearts. It is perfectly reasonable to reopen with: ♠ EJ10x ♥ - ♦ KQJx ♣KJ10xx Here we are guarantied nothing but one spade and two diamonds. (Declarer will probably be down to 9 tricks, due to handling problems.) However with the very same hand, we might have three spades, three diamonds, a club and a heart, for 800. Exchange the ♣K with the queen, and the double is still reasonable, allthough now we can only expect 500 in the best case scenario. We can exchange the minor suits, and the result will be aproximately the same. So there is danger lurking. Nonetheless I definately believe pass is the percentage call, espescially at imps. (As opposed to total-points.) I would consider anybody advocating a pull, to be second-guessing that it is the right move, because the hand was posted as a problem. Anybody pulling at the table, would be in deep trouble, if partners bid was out of tempo. (Well at least if I was the TD.)

Pass and prey.

Down at the table obviously. Playing for West to hold 5 diamonds seems quite against the odds.