nekthen

i refuse to answer as first double is just wrong. 2♥ is correct

If you had 3 card support, you should double instead of 2♠ on hand 1. Hand 2 is more a law hand. 3♠ indicates a six carder and the indicated 10 card fit means North should bid 4♠

Hand 3 I think south should add a trick for having a suit longer than the trump suit

You should make a one trick adjustment for a ten card fit on hands one and two

I agree 1♠. My first question is does partner raise 1♠ with a 3154 hand? I would and with 2245 I would open or rebid the appropriate level of NT so partner is either 1354 or 12(21) 55 or more minor cards or possibly 1444 and unable to rebid 1N. Partner should take any excuse to open or rebid NT rather than get trapped into rebid of 2♣, because we have many better gadgets available after 1N. So I now bid 2♥ F1 not GF. Take away a Q and you have a real problem. I still bid 1♠ but will rebid 2♦ Even worse, swap your minor suits now you have to pass and leave p in a probable 42 fit and hope opps come to the rescue!

Assuming that x is not the fatuous penalty double made by a large number of partners on BBO... Then i think it is a clear warning to partner that the original 1♠ overcall was defensively oriented and please do not bid 4♠ unless your hand is very offensively oriented Partner's choices are pass - a minimum overcall with a good spade suit 4♠ - enough to accept an invitation i.e. opening values or better x - a moderate hand but a poor spade suit You could choose to reverse the meanings of pass and 4♠ but imo this lets the 2♥ bidder off the hook as it seems someone at the table has their rose specs on

North may fear that EW have 5422 opposite 3433 While a 9 card ♥ fit is likely, I would not bet the farm on it. I think S has not appreciated the value of his club holding given the very likely secondary club support from partner. I bid 4N just in case partner can show me 3 aces as a grand then seems very good. Though I doubt p can have the A♥, maybe he intends to bid 6♦ if I cannot do anything better than bid 5♦

There are enough cheats on BBO already. Can you imagine the increase if ratings were at stake? Sad but true

When partner leads an Ace and the Q appears in dummy our signal is suit preference not attitude or count. Partner should now continue the A♣ as it would be embarrassing to under lead the Ace to partner's singleton! Now we must hope that partner has the Q♣ and unblock the K

As a match play question I think it is clear to open 2♦ even if you value this as a 20 count. Opps are going to open 2N and we want to do the same if we are allowed. Without the match play scenario I open 1♦ :rolleyes:

This is the problem area if you play 3 weak 2s. The problem with 2N is that you will never find 6♦, which, in this case, is a much better bet than 6N. Playing pairs it is a practical bid. If you can't bring yourself to do it, then either make 3♦ forcing to 3N, which in turn increases the range of the 2♦ rebid or play the 2N rebid as artificial and GF. As noted this is the N & B forum so I suggest that strengthening the 3♦ rebid is less of a strain and I would then be getting a top as the only pair to bid 6♦! My bid over 3♦ is 4♣, which is a cue bid agreeing ♦. As others have said, even if 3♦ is only invitational, you are a King better than a minimum so must not pass.

Perfect hand for my style. 2♣ 2♠ pass 2♣ may include 8 playing tricks in a major 2♠ I cannot contribute any tricks opposite a strong hand with spades as trumps (but I do have a trick opposite hearts) Assuming "normal" methods I would not open 2♣, for me this does not have game on its own as clearly demonstrated. If 2♣ has been debased then there has to be a get out option, like 2♣ 2♦ 2♠ 2N 3♣ 3♠ pass

I do not blame the system; it's what I play! I think the singleton heart takes on value on the bidding and should cause East to bid one more. Occasionally, this will result in opps bidding a making game, that they were not going to bid. More often, I think, they will bid 4 as insurance. Just don't lead the A♦ if they do!

If partner has bid the suit freely and not just as a response to my opening bid, I am going to lead the Q

This is a multi 2♦ for me. 9 playing tricks in a minor. Assuming that’s not available I rebid 3♣ 1. I want partner to declare 3N 2. I do not want to give up on slam Clearly 3♣ and 3N show similar hands, I think 3N indicates more of a gamble with stoppers that need protecting

No lead the K. Next time partner will get it right. Bidding 2♣ will score if you can stop in 3 as 1N is only -1.

[hv=pc=n&n=sa74ha6dakq2ck432]133|100[/hv] How do you bid this hand? 1S x 2S 3H 3S ? Pass double or 3N?

As you passed 2H, maybe there is a case for 2N lebensohl style over 2S puppet to 3C Either way I now bid 4c and pass thereafter

1♠ - 1N - pass - 2♥? Transfer to ♠ ??

After the sequence 1♠ - 1N - pass - ? What are your agreements? After 1 minor - 1N - pass I can see the value of using the same system as after an opening 1N, but what if opps open 1 major?

a) I adjust for this distribution. So firstly if xxxx is hearts d not open a weak two except in 3rd seat. Second, ruffing values are not worth so much when you are playing in your 6 carder, so maybe I am cheating but I think of a) and b) as weak 2s and both 7 LTC b) The point of "The Law" is that you bid immediately to a level that gives your opponents the tough decision. Unlike LTC it is not saying that if we have 10 trumps we can make a 4 level contract. It is saying that opps probably have a 10 card fit somewhere and if we can't make our game, they can probably make theirs

I find LoTT also useful when deciding what to bid responding to a weak 2, so with 3 card support bid 3 and with 4 cards bid 4. If you have a strong hand then bid 2N to discover whether partner has a good or bad weak 2. I think the given matrix is a bit conservative, a 6 loser hand can always be opened at the one level. So I would go: Weak Strong Favourable 9/10 8 Even 9 8 Unfavourable 8 7 At Even or Favourable open a 7 loser hand at 1 level Given that you play rubber or Chicago, you should consider what the implications are of part scores a simple example if you are +70 then a two level opening in a major is STRONG looking for slam while a one bid may well be weak looking to sneak that 30 points and partner will pass hands that would normally bid. Part of the joy of rubber that has been lost to duplicate players!

My rule of thumb is make the cheapest available bid So West agree double East 3♦ your K♣ is waste paper and you don’t want to give up on 3N yet I do not understand why North has not bid 5♣ but it sure helps

Is there a case for 1♦ 1 any 4♦ being RKCB in ♦? Unfortunately, on this hand partner may bid 4♥ 0 or 3. I can then bid 5♣ and hope that partner will realise that he should bid 5 or 7. Not very satisfactory. Also, if he shows 1 or 2 I have to assume that he has the A♠ and set the final contract conservatively. The MP issue also raises its head, so if partner responds 1 ace it may be wise to bid 6 as there is a danger of being out scored by the 3N crowd.

1N x p ? pass weak no 5 carder or happy to play xx or 2x transfer 2♠ weak long spades after pass 1N bidder redoubles with flat hand or bids his 5 card suit By all means work out something more complicated with a regular partner, but this works for casual partners