wclass___

Superior bidding methods and bidding judgment win

There is other problem with playing ♣ at trick 3. From bidding it seems very likely that RHO has 6+♠ else his partner would raise him. He also has 2♥. If he has 6♠2♥3♦2♣ i guess it doesn't matter what you play. But RHO might have perfectly normal hand like ♠AJxxxx ♥Kx ♦AQJx ♣x. Good defender might suspect dangers of being endplayed and win 3rd trick with ♥K and switch to ♦ (with Q) to create an entry for partner to get his ♣ winner.

If RHO has 3♣ you probably cannot do much. If RHO has less than 3 ♣'s and both aces, then both ♥ and ♠K continuations guarantee contract. What could happen is that RHO wins your ♠K, cashes ♥K and exits ♣. Next take in dummy with ♣A, ruff ♠, cross to dummy via ♥, take ♠Q (discarding ♦), and lead your last ♠ (discarding last ♦ from hand) to endplay RHO.

Once I posted a defense scheme vs. natural 1♣ where 1♦ was defined as 5♦+4M overcall strength+ or 5♦+ ~16+; Forcing. I went through some boards and concluded that this 1♦ can handle also various 4♦4M32 hands very well. So wtp 1♦ for me.

(moderator note: I have removed the last part of this quote, since these forums are international and the full quote was making a clear political statement -- and one that some woudl find objectional. Also, it was somewhat of stretch to be used in this case anyway. - inquiry)

What an auction! :) I guess opponents have something like: LHO ♠Axxxx ♥xxxx ♦xx ♣Ax - RHO ♠Kxxx ♥x ♦xxxx ♣Jxxx Where you can squeeze RHO. Ruff 1st trick, ♣ finesse, etc. BTW, if LHO really has ♠Axxxx ♥xxxx ♦xx ♣Ax then it seems to me that he has found the only lead that allows 6♥ to make.

meant ♠Jxx :D

=?! Jx KJTx QTx AKQ

5m+4M bids 1M; 1♣-1♦-2♣ 2♦,2♥-transfers 1♣-1♦-2♦ 2M NF

If we assume that LHO has lead singleton ♠, then diamond finesse in trick 3 stands out. (We win if LHO has K(xx) in ♦) But the lead doesn't have to be singleton, we are in grand and opponent might as well lead small from doubleton to mislead declarer. Alternative line is 1. ---- 2. ♣ to Ace 3. ♣ ruff 4. ♦ Ace 5. ♦ ruff 6. ♣ ruff 7. ♦ ruff (Winning if LHO has 2♠ and ♦ Kx or ♦ xxxx )

Trust vulnerable opponents

1♥ is out, 2♥ is crap, and i am afraid i don't have courage for 3/4

RHO's shape is pretty much clear. He must have some ♦ for this bidding (4-5 for sure). I am not afraid of declarers pitches at all, he can't have that many of them. And ♣A is just losing a tempo/entery. But you can't lead passive, or else they might have enough pitches(♠+♥). IMO ♦ lead is by far the best chance to beat this contract. And 3 small ♦ gives you reasonable safety. If partner has nothing in ♦, It shouldn't change anything (either LHO has A, or you get your trick anyway), if he has Qx, they can establish ♦ for one loser anyway.

How is this in interesting bridge hands? It is clear to me that if you play ♠J at trick one you are increasing your chances to make (comparing to playing low) if LHO has QT9+, but decreasing if RHO has QT+. Further assessments have purely theoretical importance. Anyway, some thoughts. 1)If LHO has QT9+ 1.1) If you establish ♣ for 5 tricks - i think it doesn't matter what you play. You are cold in both cases. 1.2) If you don't establish ♣ for 5 tricks 1.2.1) If RHO has KJx+ 1.2.1.1) You played low 1.2.1.1.1)If LHO has QT9x and a ♥ trick, opps can keep playing ♠ to get 2♣+2♥+1♠. (If RHO has either A or Q he can count tricks and if declarer has A or Q he can get entry for finesse anyway. If he has nothing in ♥, he will probably start with ♦ and then after winning ♣K switch to ♠ hoping pard has AQ?!) 1.2.1.1.2.) If LHO has QT9xx, then ...?? 1.2.1.2) You played J 1.2.1.2.1) If LHO has QT9x. Now you have an entry and as you lose 4th trick to ♣J , win ♠ return in dummy, play another ♣, and win in hand ♠ return. Now you have a ♥ guess. Although i am not sure, maybe then can get you down by trying to get extra ♥ tricks. Sorry, i got bored.. it would take a lot of time to finish.

Just bash not a problem

Usually in such situations best defense is to force declarer to make instant guess else he might combine some extra chances. I think it doesn't really matter this time, does it?

How do trumps split? Anyway, i think we should start with 2 rounds of trumps (Q-A) to get the ♠ picture. I suppose that trumps split 1-3. Somehow it is easier for me to imagine that LHO preempted with ♣KJxxxxx♠x and out, than RHO's 4♣ bid with hands like ♠xxx ♥Jxx ♦ Qxxx ♣Qxx or ♠xxx ♥KJx ♦ xxxx ♣Qxx. I don't know who are the opponents and how much they need for 4♣, but i hope he has some values. So... maybe it is better to finesse ♥J in trick 4(won by RHO with J), and also finesse ♦Q as they return ♦. Sure this line loses to ♦Qx(xx) offside, but it wins on ♠xxx ♥KJx ♦ Qxxx ♣Qxx. If RHO has ♦Qxxxx it pretty much leaves RHO with ♥KJ doubleton.

Hmm, why did you delete that line? Just correct Jx to JTxx ...

Sure, but you don't lose if N has stiff Q along with ♣Jx

Some colclusions .. If LHO has ♥QTx and ♣Jx you can't normally win. They have sure 3 tricks, and you can't establish ♣ without drawing trumps and if you draw trumps you don't have a fast entery back. If RHO has ♥Qxx and ♣xx you normally need a ♥ finesse, because of the same establish ♣/draw trumps problem. However if RHO has both ♦AK, then you are still fine without a finesse. 1. ♣J-A-xx 2.♥x-x-♥A-x 3.♣K-x-x-x 4.♣x-x-♥-♥ overruff He needs partner to lead another ♣ to beat contract, so if he has both of top diamond honors, he can't get him on lead. I should probably suggest following line 1. ♣J-A-xx 2. ♥x-x-♥J-x It does lose if LHO has singleton ♥Q and ♣JTxx, but it wins on all other ♥3-1 and ♣ 4-2 breaks on which you had a chance. If ♣ are 5-1 most probably you need to establish ♥ without losers and get one ruff trick. I don't think this should be a book hand, unless there is a clearly superior line which i don't see...

Well, you get one hand type out of your 1♥, it is up to you how you use it in your favor. However I must agree that if you are playing standard 1♥, and make up your mind to play flannery for some days then without changing your 1♥ gains will be really small. For example it would be hard for me to imagine playing this scheme, without having a Flannery type bid. 1♥ -1♠ Various hands with <5♠ or Relay GF ..........-1N 5♠+ ..........-2♣ Various invite hands ..........-2♦ Good ♥ raise++ I also used to be Flannery hater, but it was mostly because other players had come up with conclusion that it is a waste of bid, but having spent a lot of time with making and using various bidding methods i can say that everything depends on how well you can tweak your bidding methods to maximize gains.

I have never understood necessity to preempt with both majors. It is a very descriptive bid(and not hard to defend), so it may as well help opponents more than my partner. OTOH, if you play it in the range of opening, You get improved 1-level auctions, and as you are stronger you are more likely to help partner rather than opponents. I really don't know why some people are allergic against "Flannery"

Once i posted an opening bid structure where 2♦ was defined as (9)10/13 5♥4♠+ or strong hands with 5 +♥, It is not meant to be IMP maker (although it is), but to relief 1♥ and 1♣ opening bids.

Mini NT - FTW!

Low ♥ to J, if it loses to Q and they return ♥ - finesse.