sultro

Playing weak NT, this isn't even close, yes always. Playing strong nt, I like my bid less, but I'm still popping it open a diamond. It's a little better if we are at least playing Spiral. Regular partner will never believe I have this much strength if I have passed.

I earned my TD card many years ago, and they have changed the laws many times since. One thing I am still sure of. Call the director as soon as an irregularity is discovered! not after you think they have done something compounding the error. your partner is entitled to know what his options are in accepting the insufficient bid. left hand opponent is entitled to know what options exist if the call is not accepted and what the penalties for exercising those options are. This is a classic example of why the director should be called immediately. left hand opponent has now had 2 chances to pass information to his/her partner before the director got there. This particular option is the best one in the game. If I want to raise partners hearts without raising the level he bid at, I can accept the insufficient bid. If I want to make an overcall below partners bid, I can also accept. and If i don't, I get to make the opponents find a nearly equivalent bid or bar their partner. As far as the ethics of accepting the insufficient bid go. You are at a tournament, consider the ethics of not playing to win and giving this opponent an unearned advantage.

at matchpoints i would have voted every day that ends in y. at imps it is a lot riskier. you have to collect +2-3 imps a lot of times before the -14 for getting doubled and going down 4 evens out. state of the match matters, and quality of the opponents. if you rate yourself to win the match, don't risk it. if you think the match is close even, don't risk it. but if your playing a far superior team, a couple of these risky bids that work out can tip the balance in your favor.

a void in the splinter suit is considered useful. partner knew when he asked for aces that it was a possible response and should not have asked if it wasn't useful. a void in a suit partner has bid naturally is usually not considered useful. no comment on all other situations.

4333 hand i would bid 2nt. you have no distributional values to add. if partner has distribution, he can still take another bid. that bidding is pretty old fashioned, but it works. jump in nt shows more than an opening no trump, and opening nt distributions. so, it perfectly describes this hand. change even one card so that you are 4432, and 4 hearts gets a lot more attractive.