nekthen

i think north has to act in pass out position. no argument with previous passes. I vote double. I think that should describe a hand like this. Unable to double or bid 2N on previous round partner can bid or pass.

I was playing in an individual at the club recently. I had xxx-xx-AKxxx-Qxx green v red and RHO opened 1H. I decided to overcall 2D this was passed around to RHO who bid 2S which got raised to 4S and made. If I had passed, LHO would still have passed with Qxxx-xx-xxx-Qxxx. I dont know what this tells us except to be wary of weak overcalls!

As a side note. I think this shows why you should first ask East the meaning of 4♣! I agree partner should double for a spade lead. Originally I thought a ♦ was mad, but it may garner an extra trick and is less likely to cost a trick

S A 8 4 H A K 9 D A J 8 6 4 2 C 3 This is the sort of hand that can consider a 3 card reverse. We have the strength for 3♦ but the suit is ragged. 1D 1S 2H 3H 3S We know when p bids 3H that he has 5 spades. If our black suits are swapped we cannot reverse because 3N could be a disaster over 3H possibly we could get to 4H or 4/5D That makes it borderline between 2 or 3 D The other sort of hand where opener may rebid a 3 card suit is S 4 H A J D A K J 9 7 6 4 C K Q 8 I would open 2D multi but if that is not available and 2D is weak, you have to open 1D and after 1S 3D not strong enough and 4D by passes 3N. Solution is to bid 3C. Again you can't do this with the hearts and clubs swapped and you would not reverse as you are way too strong so have to choose between 3 and 4 d

Really? 5 losers 7 clubs what else do you need to bid 3♣? I agree with the gambling 3N in which case 3♣ shows similar values but a non running club suit. I know there is a tendency to rebid 3 with any old opening hand with a 6 card suit, but in acol at least you can rebid 2 and p will be expecting 6 cards anyway

My thoughts went like this If p had not bid, 4♣ over 3♣ opening generally shows a desire to play in one of the majors. So what is the difference on the actual sequence? Partner actually had a 4441 hand and 4 of either major would roll home. However, he chose to believe that I was showing ♦ support and we wound up in 4♦ I was 5512. I thought my shape and power wrong for a double and did not want to bid 3♠ and find myself passed out' I suppose that all the viewers who have not commented agree with Apollo1201, so I stand corrected

Partner opens 1♦ opp bids 3♣ you bid 4♣ Pick up partnership playing SAYC allegedly What should your partner expect to see in your hand?

I like multi 2♦ 3 way weak major or strong minor or balanced. it leaves room for 2♥ and 2♠ to be other weak hands. I use them both for Muideberg a 5 card major plus a 4/5 card minor weak. I am ok passing a weak hand with both majors because most of the time I get to bid later. from a memory / consistency pov it fits with Multi landy which I also use

I! would imagine my first double would show less than 4 cards in each black suit and 8+ hcp I do not see the point of a responsive double in this situation The second dbl is then clearly penalty. I think -1 is better than our part score or -3 is better than game. I probably have 4/5 diamonds and 3/4 hearts

For me Michaels is weak or strong. So i bid 1S with opening values. My partner knows not to bid on over 3N. Swap major honours and you will not be taking 3N down. Action is marginal. The 6th spade swings it for me to bid

As partner did not double one spade, we pass. Now p can re open with a double with the 2353 8 count and we can bid 3D. Trouble is he may be 2344 how do we know? I know he is 2344 because my p would bid 2D with the 2353 hand. So much easier playing a system where I am known to have 4 clubs

Jerry I think you are missing the point of Vampyr's reply. 5NT does not just ask for kings. It confirms all the Aces are held and that partner is interested in a grand slam. It is not possible that partner has bid like this missing all four kings. So you can bid 6S with confidence. In fact, you may as well bid 7N as you can see no extra chances available playing 7H. If 7N is not making then your partner is at fault for bidding 5N when 6 was the limit. I would love to know how many tricks were actually available

Maybe we should look for a club ruff. Any tricks available in other suits are not likely to disappear.

I think that defenders should not claim. Maybe the software should only allow claims by declarer

What a can of worms! I vote for a double. We have 3 cards in each of the unbid suits and doubleton heart. Replace heart honours with xx and its 2 clubs. Replace with x♠ and x♥ and its a double. Kx♠ and KQx♥ and now it is 1N.

The 2♠ should be count, so p has 3♠. What was 4♥? Would he encourage with the 10? Is he giving count, because the K has been lead? If the ♥ were 33 declarer might have held up the A. Why did p play the 4 if they are 33? Maybe he has 1043 and did not want to play the 10? If p has 4 he has the ten as he did not play the 3. If p has 2 cards he may have the ten I assume East has a 12 count and p has 4. Any less and he surely runs and there is no room for more. Can we defeat this contract if p does not have ten ♥? Seems unlikely to me. I would play the 2♥ next. This only costs if declarer started with A10(x) which seems unlikely on the play to date, although I do not know the methods well enough to be sure

Agree with those who say open 1N. I would with 2524 and the right values, but not with 54 in the majors. After 1♣ -(P) - 1♠ - (2♦) 2♥ is still a reverse, but values may be shaded A double would show 3 card spade support

On reflection the computer is wrong to bid 4♥; 3♣ is game forcing in most partnerships so he can bid 3♥ to show 55 and i can bid 3♠ to finally set trumps for rkcb

Agree with all of South's bids. Hate all of North's bids except the initial pass :D

I have a general question about the sequence 1♠ p 2♦ p 2♥. Presumably, 4N is RKCB for ♥, how can I bid RKCB for ♠? Lets assume we are not playing 2 over 1. I had a practice hand on bridgez.net where p had 55 in the majors and I had 3244 and a 17 count. I tried 3♣ and of course the computer bids 4♥ and still 4N is rkcb in ♥. Would 3♠ be regarded as forcing? My slightly old school style assume that 3♥ and 3♠ are invitational I used to play the old Blue Club and here 4♣ would show slam interest in ♥ while 4♦ would show the same in ♠ So the question is how do you set ♠ as the trump suit and keep slam options after the sequence 1♠ p 2♦ p 2♥?

I play a different version, where I bid 4♣ and after partner replies I bid 4N which is EKCB with a club void. If partner bids 5♦ over 5♣ you cannot ask him about the Q♥, but I can :) If partner bids 5♣ over 4N I have the 5♦ bid as a relay and p can bid 5♥ without the Q If partner bids 5♥ over 5♣ we clearly want to be in 6. Now how do we find out if he is suitable for 7? I can find out about the Q♥ by bidding 5♠ and if he bids 6♣ I know he has it but no clue if he has the dreaded xxx in ♦ so last bid is a bit of a punt. I suppose I can bid 6♦, and surely p will recognise the value of the Q♦, whether he can recognise that xx is also great...

At IMPs you would be trading a loss of 10-13 imps against a gain of 1 or 2 if it is off. So you need to be very wary in this situation. At MP you are gambling a bottom against a top so you can be more aggressive with doubling. So I place no blame West double is absolutely fine. East double is aggressive and West has no option but to pass, but them's the breaks at MPs. At IMPs a double by East would be criminal

3♦ is definitely lame, some sort of super accept has to be correct. I would like to know what 1N 3♦ means. I would think it is natural and stronger than 3♣, in which case it seems a better bid than 3♣

What were your partner's options? If you can make 4♠ I would think he should have doubled.

Matchpoints and playing leb. I think I would have doubled myself. I am a point short of being able to bid 2N, I think I need 15-18 for that. After my double partner can bid a suit which I pass or use leb. Worst case scenario is an immediate 3♠, which I convert to 3N or 3N which I pass. Once I have passed can partner place me with a 14 count? 2N seems like the right next move, but it would be nice if we had an agreement as to what it meant! Natural, Scramble or Leb