sectorzz9

Another reason that you might want to open 1NT is to protect vulnerable holdings from the opening lead/conceal them later in the play. By vulnerable holdings I mean unsupported honours or broken suits like KJxx or QTx. This hand has none of these which suggests that NT may play better from partner's side. A similar holding is Qx(x) in one hand and Ax(x) in the other. In this case it can be very helpful to have the lead come round to the Q as people often lead from Kxxx or similar.

This is division 1 of a local league.

What are the opponent's leads and what did RHO play at trick 1? If he plays the J under the Q then I'm worried about taking a losing heart finesse and conceding a club ruff if LHO has found a club lead from xxx.

I would open but I think it's very close and don't mind a style of bidding where this is a pass. Having not opened, I would double as I'm happy with partner retreating to spades and I want to compete to the 3 level in a minor if partner has some length in a minor.

[hv=pc=n&s=sak2hq5432d8caj62&w=sq73h97dkqjc98543&n=sjt9864hjt8d32cqt&e=s5hak6dat97654ck7&d=s&v=e&b=3&a=1hp1n]399|300[/hv] I played the hand shown above playing with GIB and the 1NT bid was described as showing "3- H; 3-S; 6+ HCP; 11+ total points. This doesn't seem to match up with the hand on spades or HCP.

You make a good point about the 4th spade being valuable - in my eyes this is the only thing making hand 1 marginal. But w/w at MP in the passout seat you can often afford to take liberties with your bidding and come in on hands that you would pass at other colours.

Looks fine to me. If this is the worst game you ever get to, you'll be doing fine. I suppose West might have bid 2♠ after downgrading for the KQ doubleton but 3♠ looks like a normal bid.

I would bid 2♠. It has useful pre-emptive value and I don't like to suppress 4-card support if given a choice. I think bidding more if that's available in your system is too much vul at MP. My main effort by bidding is to deny LHO a 2-level bid (or 1NT) so 2♠ is enough for that.

I pass, because I doubt we're making game and if we are I think we probably get a better score defending 3♠x anyway.

Either of those work.

Send me a pm and I'll give you my e-mail - send me what notes you have and I'll look over it and I'll try to give you a BBO game some time.

First forcing, second NF for me.

Looks like partner has hearts, and I certainly have hearts, so I'm bidding 3♥.

4♦, and I am a junior.

5D. The suit isn't solid and we have an outside void, which is unattractive for NT. However I wouldn't be surprised to be told that 1D works out a lot better on this hand.