maggieb

2N, 3N is our most likely game. I don't think this is really close.

If I played the kind of 3♣ puppet stayman where 3♦ doesn't say anything about 4 card majors, I would do that. Otherwise, just 3N.

sorry misread

And speed is no longer a factor right since there's a set amount of hands so we don't necessarily have to hog? You have to hog anyway, GIB is a really bad declarer since: 1) He plays on a pretty fast setting and consequently takes some very anti-percentage lines sometimes. 2) He doesn't know it's matchpoints. 3) BY FAR THE BIGGEST REASON: GIB doesn't know how to exploit GIB's weird defensive tendencies. Also GIB defends terribly when you misdescribe your hand.

Agree with josh about everything except on hand 1, where I would just settle on 1N, since it's best hand.

LOL LOL

The answer to your question must exist, but as MattieShoe points out, it is not particularly useful on any particular hand. To take an extreme example: JT9xxxxxxx x x x vs AKx Axx x AQJxxx You have 5 losers to cover in either case, but of course it is much easier to cover the losers in the second hand than the first hand. The first hand's losers can only be covered by extremely specific cards, whereas there are many ways to cover the five losers in the second hand. That is why this method of hand evaluation is not effective if used blindly.

1) 3♣ in my opinion is the better bid, there are a lot of hands where partner is heavy in the minors but is uncomfortable about exploring slam opposite a 5-4 hand. 2N is a thoughtful bid though, and I would be interested in hearing some other people's opinions about this. 2) 3N of course, the diamonds are a huge liability in 5♣. Partner wants to play 3N and we have a minimum with ♥AK! In fact now I am very happy with my decision to rebid 2N instead of 3♣.

I would bid 4♦ anyway. I think it's really important to preempt in these kinds of auctions. You don't get penalized a ton (sometimes even when you should), and this gives them a really nasty guess sometimes, especially when the 2♣ opener is heavy and/or shapely.

1) 3♣, re-stayman. No point in mentioning the diamonds, we are either playing this in 3N or 4♠. 3♦ risks getting raised, in which case I just wanted to play 3N anyway. 2) I would've started with 2♦, but given that I responded 1N, now I have found out that partner is very likely to be either 5233 or 52(42) and minimum (I wouldn't pass 2♥ with basically any hand with heart shortness, but I'm aware that this is not completely standard). Anyway I would just guess 3N and try to get lucky. Edit: Changed my mind to problem 1.

IMO _P = 10, 1♠ = 9 An argument for 1♠ is that we have both majors and some shape. We walruses believe that 1♠ is flawed because we have few points, we don't really want a spade lead, and we may get another shot if opponents protect. imo Pass = 10, 1S = 0 Hi Ron. :rolleyes: Peggy and I tend to pass on such weak hands as well, but I have noticed that some of the pairs I admire the most, bid on hands even weaker than these! Could you elaborate on why you feel so strongly about this issue?

That is the price you pay for abusing hands like this! :ph34r: The thought of opening 1D with a decent 5-card club suit and 4 nondescript diamonds really hurts. Why would anybody want to do such a thing? The idea of two people agreeing to misbid these hands systemically... brrrr On this particular hand you have the stiff ace of hearts so anything but opening 1C and rebidding 1NT strikes me as way off. But that's just my humble opinion. :rolleyes:

I just double checked. Okay, good, I did post this in the advanced/expert forum after all.

I was studying some hands and ran across this: [hv=d=w&v=n&n=sqj75hj9dq7652ct7&s=sathaq843dajckj53]133|200|Scoring: IMP (P) - P - (1♥) - X (P) - 1♠ - (P) - 1NT (P) - 3NT - AP[/hv] Your opponents are very strong. You receive the ♣2 lead (attitude) to RHO's ♣Q. If you duck, he returns the ♣4 to LHO's ♣A, and the opening leader then plays the ♣9 with RHO pitching a spade, so you can take over from there. If you win the ♣K at trick 1, plan the play from there.

Although double does not show a trump stack, in this auction it is very likely that partner will pass. I would expect 4SX to go for 300 most often with frequent 100's and 500's. Once in a while 4S will make. 5H is far from a lock, but I think it will make considerably more than half the time. I think bidding is the long time winner. A rough double dummy simulation (where assumed that partner always passes) suggested bidding 5H wins 4.09 IMPs on average.

Maybe you should post low level decisions in the B/I forum. :) I would double, planning to bid clubs next.

All vulnerable at rubber bridge. J108x xxx QJxxx Q 1H - 1S - 2H - .. Possible choices are: 2S = single raise 3H = mixed raise 3S = preemptive What is your choice? :)

That makes you an anomaly. :D

Although transfer gerber might theoretically be best, unless you are going to spend a lot of time discussing your gerber auctions I think you are better of playing just mini-maxi gerber or rainbow gerber. :)

That makes one wonder what your nebulous openings would look like!

Now Ron, don't shorten yourself! :D I must say I still learn a lot by reading these forums.

Which opponent is going to sac in 6S? The one who has already bid 4S or the one who has short spades? :P

1) I think 1NT is much better than 2C. I guess I don't see Art's obvious flaws. 15-17 HCP? Check. No shortness? Check. No weak suit? Check. Playing notrump at matchpoints? Check. Not underbidding with 2C? Check. :ph34r: 2) I would compete at any vulnerability. 3) Gotta agree with Art here, 3NT seems clear.

Although I think that your partner should appreciate the fact that you try not to double with a doubleton in the unbid major, I would double with this hand.

I'm bidding 5NT, which Peggy and I play as "pick a slam". We might belong in spades, diamonds or clubs, and I don't feel like picking our suit B) . 5NT is the only bid that keeps all strains in play. I'm confident that partner will often be able to choose our best fit. I estimate that we belong in some slam about 60% of the time. Given that 4S may go down on some of the none-slam hands (heck, 4S might even go down when we do have a slam!), I think that 5NT is the best bid. My other choices (4S, 4NT and 5C in that order) are close and I think they are all reasonable. We might still reach slam after any of these bids but I think the chance is slim. By the way, I think that after 5NT partner can guess my shape quite well. With 2 spades I wouldn't keep spades in the picture and I would either double or bid 4NT. Clubs must be longer than diamonds and with 3-1-4-5 or 3-1-3-6 distribnution I would likely double.