jmcw

E/W are out to lunch. I agree with the 1♣ bid, I can live with the 3♠ bid under some pressure, 1♠ is not my style. 4♠ is terrible and 5♠ not much better. North and South both had opportunity to DBL 5♠. I blame North mostly.

1♠ = 10 3♠ = 4 2♠ = 1

I dont play Kickback and jumps to 4 of a M are to play unless specifically agreed as a splinter. 4♠ to play, partner will pass, and I expect to have a play to make.

It sure feels like East is fooling around!, but it's far from certain. If you bid 3NT immediately it may go pass. pass. DBL. On a ♥ lead your -800, 4♥ will not fair much better if at all. Call me a wimp but I'm passing....who knows the ops may be on their way to 4♥and I'm not inclined to beat them to it.

No. 2 additional Kings would give me at least 25 points, which I cannot have. Presumably, partner wants me to sign off in 6NT without a King.

I would not pass any. Open 1♣ DOUBLE Bid 1♠

I could have passed 4NT, now partner is inviting 7! Did I lie to partner about Aces or did he read the 5♥ response as I had hoped. Assuming partner would not invite 7 missing an ace I feel compelled to respond as per our agreements. So with 2 Kings I'm bidding 7 of something, probably ♣.

2♠ wtp?

Dont start a tournament you are not prepared to complete. Legitimate disconnects should be prepared to rejoin and complete all deals. Computer problems/crashes etc. are often a lame excuse for folks having a bad game, not wanting to continue. I would like to see BBO apply a penalty/ban on people who run out of tourneys.

I'm not sure what North "should" do. I would bid 4♥ but I'm uncertain if this is correct. I can imagine many layouts where 4♣X is our last chance for a plus.

I would open the North hand with the obvious bid of 1♠. I see no danger in this, it's a full value call, but I would not accept an invite opposite a limit raise.

Double = 10 3♦ = 5 Pass = 2

3♥ 4♥

Bid 3NT, you have the values, the stops, and no interest in playing anywhere else.

6♥ ought to make so I will just bid it.

I don't care for the 3♥ call. I prefer a simple raise of 2♠ to 3♠, doubling twice and raising feels about right with these values.

Looks like a ♠ pre-empt to me! My choice is between 3 or 4. Either could be right, but I go for 4♠. It might make or it might get the opponents too high.

If 3NT agrees a balanced ♠ fit, then, 4NT is RKC. If 3NT can be with only 2 ♠, then, 4NT is quantitative. Simple enough and it works, no need to complicate with cue bids in order to "set" trumps.

I have a game going hand with shortness, thats a splinter response for me. If partner shows no interest in going beyond game I will respect his decision.

Very good response by Helen. But! When the opponents correct back to ♦, how best to maintain communication? Are subsequent doubles penalty? or something else. Are we in a force?

I play this double as penalty, some partners prefer it to show a hand of equivelant or better, which I do not care for. Playing as penalty I would pass all balanced hands regardless of strength. With shape, I have the option to pull (system on) when game values are likely to produce a better result. Pulling when you think you side might make 3NT is as close to nuts as I can imagine :rolleyes:

Agree with the splinterers.

I would not bid 2♥.....ever!, therefore I blame West 100%. Opposite a third seat opener, I think 1NT should be automatic with ♠ tolerance. Since you didn't open 2♦, or 2♥ in 1st seat then bidding 2 of a red suit is virtually impossible! If West bids 1NT then East should pass and go from there.

Can partner really have a hand that is wide open in ♣?, as some have suggested. If you say yes, then I would like to know why he isn't just as likely to be wide open in ♠?. I say responder must have 2nd round control of ♣(with length) for his 4♥ bid to make sense. Similarly, responder needs to have a control in ♠ for slam to have a legitimate chance. In this scenerio, I expect partner's ♣ length to provide a parking place for my losing ♠'s, failing that the AK♥ might let me shake his losing ♠. Practically, I would commit this hand to slam, I just don't see an intelligent way to stop short. I'm bidding 4NT and going to grand if he shows 3 keys.

Agree with this, having 1 person at the table behaving inappropriately is already too much. You may have made matters worse.