maggieb

When words have no meaning You say what you want You simply cannot be wrong What it lacks in rigor We make up with vigor Containing all beauty, so strong We can wiggle and babble Scribble and scrabble Nonsense, it may seem to some But the joke that you see Is science to me Oh metaphysical, here we come Maggie B.

I'd take a ruffing finesse in clubs. ;) Alternatively I'd duck a diamond and later pitch the spade ace.

Let's not go there. In my opinion this place will become less pleasant if we start publically discussing the relative strengths of the different forum members. I am sure both of these guys can beat me with their eyes closed and that's enough for me. :huh:

Edit, sorry, didn't realize this was the B/I forum. :(

1♠ by a mile.

I would go for the normal endplay (cash two hearts, all the diamonds, one club, and throw whoever has the ♥Q in), since East could easily be falsecarding. He is already playing around as it is, showing me his ♠J for free.

I don't understand south's bidding, I am having trouble constructing a hand where 6♥ is better than 6NT. North bid his hand fine, he did well to fish for a doubleton diamond, though I am not sure it was wise with such bad trumps.

I will just try to strip squeeze west now.

Reverse attitude and standard count is fine, but I would play upside down count at trick one if you're going to do this.

double

2♣, the normal bidder, would only bid 1♠ NV at MPs.

Really? Here is a defensive problem, for you, ♠xxxx ♥xx ♦KJxx ♣Axx :). You also have a legitimate make whenever LHO has all the entries.

Mike, why is your partner frequently bidding 4♠ on 2335 shape (I admit that this is possible, but why should it be frequent enough to worry about it?), why would he interpret your 5♦ call as natural, why would he be inclined to bid 6♦ instead of 5♥ with basically all hands with slam interest and a heart control, why would your 5N after 5♦-5♥ be pick a slam between spades and diamonds instead of a grand slam try in spades (since we have never offered diamonds as a strain!)?

I would just play the ♦A (and ♦7 from hand) and play a club off dummy. I'll pay off to a spectacular diamond lead.

I would just ruff, play a heart up to the A, and play a spade to my ten.

Even Josh Donn would bid 1♠ with this hand. I'm not sure what the best call is playing ELC, since I have never done so, but I would probably still bid 1♠.

1♣, but this is mostly just a style thing. If we have a fit, my hand is pulling its weight and then some.

1♥ for me. I don't play inverted minors by a passed hand, though, but I'm still bidding my hearts.

This problem is very computational! (ugh, stupid liberal arts degree :)) I think I changed my mind, I agree with your start. The bidding makes it too likely spades are 4-1 to overtake the ♠K, though I would do this with no opposition bidding. After your start I would just try to get back to hand with a club. Yes, there is no legitimate layout where this should work, but the alternative seems worse, since I didn't get Lightner'd.

Obvious 2C overcall, now I abstain.

hehehehe, sneaky! ;)

I would pass.

Multitude is a very fancy way of writing "two", Tyler! I would bid 2♥.

Very risky to come in here but I think many underestimate how risky it can be to pass. If I was playing against my friends Susan and Marge I would definitely bid 1NT, we could have slam! :) Against most opponents I would pass, but I consider it close. In direct seat I would overcall for sure.

Double, it's safer (and might be more profitable).