Benoit35

Playing weak NT with my regular pard, this would probably go: 1♣ - 1♠ 1NT (15-17) - 2♦ (GF checkback) 3♣ - 4♣ (minorwood) 4NT (2 w/♣Q) - 6♣ (crossing fingers against ♥AQ offside) Alternatively, the opener might not feel their hand is strong enough for a reverse, and would then open with the shorter diamonds. Then at MP's we might have: 1♦ - 1♠ 1NT (15-17) - 2♦ (GF checkback) 3♣ - 4NT (quantitative, not fearing diamonds so much) 6NT

Opponents know declarer has the queen. I can update the OP... But yes, dummy to the 9 and counting milliseconds before RHO's card falls seems like the way to go.

How about starting with the 9 from hand, intending to cover with the ace to read LHO's mind a bit? Strictly speaking, this is inferior - only 12 for 16, losing against Lefty's KJ8, KJ5, KJ85 or void. However, with KJx(x) LHO needs to smoothly play low under the 9... any hesitation on his part would mark him with something, and we could change our mind and let the 9 slide. Not against the rules AFAIK, but is it ethical?

Sorry, I bad math... I should have said 10.

If I'm talked out of a major game because my opponent opened a 15-17 1NT with this hand... Good bid, you pulled a fast one on us. I won't tell you how to upgrade or downgrade your hand. Fielding is another story. If your partner has a 9 10-count, you had better not stop below 3NT...

Playing 6♥, no losers outside trumps: [hv=pc=n&s=shq9763dc&n=shat42dc]133|200[/hv] Edit: Defenders know from the bidding that declarer has the queen.

The South hand is one badly placed black card away from 4-4 in the suits promised, and has just the right HCP strength for a Sandwich NT. Hardly a "gross mischaracterization" (isn't that the official definition of a psyche?).

We have a pretty wide range for two-suited overcalls... I could have made that 3♣ bid on 5 HCP, non-vulnerable.

[hv=d=e&v=0&b=14&a=1c3c(H+C)3npp4hdppp]133|100[/hv] So, was my 4H bid (♠Kx ♥AQJxxx ♣Kxxxx) ethical, or is pass a LA if I assume partner understood my previous bid?

Yes, I would have. The vulnerability was favourable, and I tend to stick to "Six-five, come alive".

Funny situation at the club last night. Partner and I play modified Michaels which he sometimes forgets. RHO opens 1♣. Moi, holding ♥AQJxxx and 5 clubs: 3♣ Partner: *crickets* The bidding: (1♣) - 3♣ - (3NT) - P (P) - 4♥ - (X) - all pass At this point I signal the failure to alert, the Director comes in and, after assessing the situation, asks us to resume the bidding from my 3♣ call onwards. LHO: 3NT again. Partner (now waken up): 4H. All pass. The game is cold, but partner falls asleep again and forgets to draw out the last trump. Down 1. Midway into the next board, it dawns on me that partner should never have been allowed his 4♥ bid! I would have bid it, and might have gotten doubled again - and I would have been the one playing it What grade does the director deserve?

Approximate hands: W: xxxx xxxxx KJ xx E: KJxxx AQJx xxx K So, yes, the ♦finesse line would have worked as well. A trump lead would have forced me into it, and I would have been even more pleasantly surprised (but a little less proud of myself). dkham: The safer play is to get back in hand by ruffing diamonds high. But in this case, carelessly leading the ♥K from dummy does no harm, as East no longer has a club to return.

Yup. Turns out LHO had ♦KJ, but the double scared me off that finesse.

Exactly. The opponents clapped. :)

I can go to bed happy. Tonight went so-so at the club, but on the very last board... [hv=pc=n&s=saq86h5d4caqjt763&n=shk63daqt7532c852&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=1cp1dd1sp3dp6cppp]266|200[/hv] ... I swung at the fence. A small heart was led. How did I make this?