MarkDean

I think it is close. I voted double, but pass is ok with me too. I would not bid 2♣.

Congrats!

Ah, I had not realized they disclose 14+ to 17, think it is closer to the mark then (but I would still open 1♣).

I am watching the finals of the USBF trials. I know that the trend is for players to upgrade more and more 14s, but Weinstein just opened 1NT 1st seat white/red on: QJ4 AKQ T4 QT843 To me that does not look like a good 14. Does Weinstein have a different view, or do they pretty much open 14-17 white/red 1st?

I agree with hanp

Obvious 2♣. /Rexford Tough hand, I guess I will try 1♠, but I could be convinced that 2NT is better.

I would bid 3♠ if that is highly invitational. If it is preemptive, then I would bid 4.

Hmmm. Seems like this match could be going for quite a while then.

How many breaks have there been in this fifth set?

English. I used to have a second language, but I am sad to say I lost it somewhere along the way.

I am still not modern enough to double.

Somes times I play it differently as a passed hand. If I am playing Landy, agree that as a passed hand double is clubs (why we do this and do not make 2C nat and double the majors is not clear to me: I guess that is more likely to end in a forget?)

In a swiss event a few weeks ago, all red, I was dealt a hand like: Kxxx void Txxx AQxxx I passed in second seat and doubled the 3H opening on my left when it came around to me. At the other table, LHO opened 4H and the people I was discussing it with agreed they would double with this hand as well. Would you open it or go quietly?

Club for me: could set up a trick for pd, or just beat it on a ruff. I do not see a future in spades.

I would pass - not close for me.

High spade for me too.

My hand is not good enough for 1NT, and I am not modern enough for double, so I would pass.

Spade ace.

I am definitely going to have to merge-sort my hand next time I play live bridge.

Pass for me.

Maybe it is because I still have this crazy notion that doubling often has shortness in the suit doubled, but I think that 3♣ is a substantially better bid than 1NT. If partner has a minimum, likely either is a safe contract. If LHO has long hearts (which is somewhat likely on the auction so far), I would like to make him bid them a level higher and not alert him to the fact he should finesse instead of playing for the drop. If we have 3NT, it is likely because partner has heart help, I think we are likely to get there via either route. However, if we have 5 or 6 clubs, I think it will be much easier to get there if we start with 3♣. Old-fashioned again I guess: bidding my long suit.

3♥ and raise for me. I cannot imagine not bidding game with this hand.

I know I am old-fashioned like this, but I like to bid my long suit: 3♥ for me.

I don't play 1♠ as forcing in this auction so 3♣ can't be you are in a very small minority, to play 1♠ as nf. Most of the rest of the world has learned that having to start all good hands with redouble is sub-optimum. Is it not standard, however, for 2 of a suit to be NF if they double partner's 1♠ opening?

I had not heard that 900 guns per 1,000 people statistic, so I looked it up. This was the first hit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/people/f...udy_art29.shtml. Figure was not quite that high, but still scary. 200 million guns among 60 million owners for 300 million population. So kfay, just think, 1 in 5 Americans own a gun...but I do hope the number that have one in their car is much, much lower.