quiddity

:) So why did she bid 6♥?

[hv=pc=n&s=sat4h84dakq972c52&w=s865hk9d8654cqt74&n=sjhaqt73dj3ckj963&e=skq9732hj652dtca8&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=1s2d2sd3s4dp4hppp]399|300[/hv] I wonder if the title inhibited responses or if people think this is a wtp. Anyway, I bid 4♦ because I thought partner was mostly likely minimum for her double with a stiff spade, and that she would likely pass 3♠ with that hand, and that allowing the opps to play 3♠ was probably not good for us. Maybe it would have been a better bid with the colors reversed? Maybe it's just always a terrible bid? 3NT seemed like a long shot, I need partner to have a stiff honor or 2 quick tricks and I need diamonds to come in. Over 4♥ I have no idea what's right. Majors score better but my hearts are terrible. Maybe I should insist on diamonds?

After 4♦ I would bid 5♣ because.. I have a lot of clubs?

Assuming this is matchpoints, I would bid drury as West. Two bullets, an extra trump, and a ruffing value add up to a limit raise imo. I would not invite over 2♥ as East.

ok, I'll bite.. why 3N? Won't they just set up a bunch of clubs on opening lead and then cash them? And if partner has club help don't we expect to murder 3♣?

I would double - partner doesn't necessarily have 4 spades and our spades are terrible.

Vulnerability? I don't think you can pass here; your earlier double set up a forcing pass and partner could have a strong hand. I would double.

[hv=pc=n&s=sat4h84dakq972c52&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=1s2d2sd3s]133|200|Matchpoints.[/hv] Hamman eggs? Bonus question: at the table I bid 4♦ and partner bid 4♥. Now what?

I passed at the table, mostly as a result of a new matchpoint strategy I've been trying: whenever I find myself in the tank about whether to bid game, I'm forced to pass. (Here I tanked for an extra long time over whether the forced pass overrides the forcing bid or vice versa). Partner was not happy, because the hand was: [hv=pc=n&s=s92hqjt854d854cq9&n=sak87653hdakj3ckj]133|200[/hv] But all was forgiven when spades broke 3-1 and nine tricks was the limit. At the time I thought this was a top-or-bottom action but it turned out to be dead average. The rest of the room was in game with exactly half making on poor defense.

Your ideas intrigue me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

The first time I read the OP I didn't notice West's double of 3♣. What's "expert standard" treatment of a redouble by North? Does it promise the ace or is that just for slam-going cuebids? Does it promise extras? I wonder if it can be used to get South to declare with ♣Qxx for example.

Point taken, but I don't understand a takeout double here combined with the "weak 5-spade invite". What would this show, a 51(34) 8-count? Why would you want to make a takeout double of 3♥ with that?

[hv=pc=n&s=s92hqjt854d854cq9&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1sp1n(forcing)p3dp3hp3sp]133|200[/hv] Matchpoints. (Does scoring matter?)

1. X based on the bullets and the SQ. I'm not sure what to do if partner responds 3♣ - this should almost always show 5+ cards so I suppose I would pass. 2. Pass. I hope partner is 5431.

:) Sure.. But based on the OP ("new partnership, no agreements") this is what I would expect.

I don't think it applies here. The 4♠ bidder is the one who is limiting his hand - he has a one-suiter, too good for a 4♠ opening, stronger than a 3♠ rebid, and too weak for a 2♣ opening. Maybe 18-20 with at least semi-solid spades? By contrast the 1NT bidder has a huge range of shapes and strengths. But I agree that moving past 4♠ with this hand is agressive.

If East has x KQx Kxxxx 9xxx there is no endplay. ♥A ♠A heart to Q club return ducked to west. spade return ducked and ruffed in hand. West comes down to all clubs, East just matches your pattern. You're hosed. If you exit a diamond East wins and pushes another club through you. If you exit a club West just continues clubs.

Here are two hands for East: 1. x KQx Kxxxx 9xxx 2. x KQx Kxxxx Qxxx For the first hand, declarer must play a club before touching trumps. For the second hand, declarer must NOT play a club before touching trumps.

I don't see it. Is there really a 100% line when East starts with a singleton spade and KQx of hearts?

I agree with Fluffy, this hand is a piece of garbage. edit: .. but I might risk an overcall if not vulnerable.

1. 6♥. I would have blasted 6 the round before. Let them guess whether to save. 2. 4♣ fit, assuming we have that agreement. If not I guess I'll try 3♠ splinter. 3. 3♦. 4. 4th best diamond. 5. 2♣ 6. I'd play East for the length. 7. I'd try a double finesse in diamonds, and if that fails then a double finesse in hearts. 8. 2♥ 9. 3♦ 10. ♥T 11. 4♣ 12. 3♠ 13. 2♦, probably to be followed up by 2NT and a quant slam invite.

jumping in diamonds? 3♥ "stopper ask" followed by a diamond bid?

I'd just bid 3D. 3NT seems like a long shot.

These are hard! 1) Pass. I hate doing this with heart shortness and 5 spades but we're vul and this is a terrible hand. I think it's likely that either we're going for 200 or they can make 3H anyway. 2) 1N (forcing). Not vul I'll take a shot at improving the contract. Maybe the opps will miss a game. 3) 2H. My gut instinct is to pass here with no expectation of a fit, but I know from experience that it doesn't work out so well. I'll let suit quality be the deciding factor. Maybe the field will bid.. maybe partner won't hang me because I'm a passed hand. 4) HT. I think East is more likely to have the DK but leading the DQ will only help if diamonds are 2-2 or hearts are 3-2. EW have bid a lot with few cards so I expect shape - quite likely hearts are 4-1 and diamonds 3-1. We already have a lot of equity in this contract; we have almost certainly made the right decision over 5C, we're in the right strain and escaped a spade lead. I'm not going to risk a zero now if West has Kxx of diamonds; I'll draw trumps and if I'm wrong maybe I'll still get some matchpoints for 11 tricks. 5) Don't know.. I'm expecting to see the D2 from partner in which case I'll win the ace and shift to a trump. If partner plays a higher diamond I'll hold up. 6) 2D. Just good enough for me to give (false) preference but it feels close. 7) Feels close between D7 and H2. I'll guess D7 this time. 8) 2C.

If only dummy held a trump card which couldn't be overruffed..