mich-b

In the (rare) individual tournaments of this type that are held around here (same system for everybody) , it is specifically mentioned in the Conditions of Contest : "There will be no alerts , no questions , and no explanations" which I find to be a very sensible, simple and effective approach , since everybody know what the system is, and no agreements have been made otherwise. Perhaps off topic , but I would like to add, that I don't fancy South's reply and attitude , in any other kind of bridge event (non-individual). In an environment where self alerts apply (Online or F2F with screens) I expect the bidder to always tell his opponent if the bid he has just made is natural or not.

"Systems on" over a 2♣ showing majors, does not seem optimal. For example a natural 2♦ bid , is surely more important to have than a transfer to hearts.

Both minors - shapely and/or weakish. Double here is t/o , but a more balanced hand which is ok with pd passing. 2♠ is natural.

This seems obvious for case (b) , less so for case (a) - why didn't he just pass 2♦? I would assume he has something like 3163 shape , and didn't want to pass 2♦, in case opener had ♠s

Seems like a routine 3NT.

Does RHO's 1♥ show an unbalanced hand? assuming the answer is "no" , and his bidding is consistent with 3433 , I would lead a ♣.

I think it makes sense to consider his ♦9 as suit preference , and play a ♠ for him to ruff , playing delarer for 7411. This is likely to save an overtrick (which is important if thats MP), and will set the contract if pd's hearts are Ax or Qx (and declarer later misguesses). On the other hand , if pd does have a ♠ void , he might (should?) have won the first trick with the ♣A , to make sure I dont go wrong when I win the ♦A.

I would open 2♥ , because I think we have a good chance to make a ♥ partscore (though likely not game) if parnet has some ♥ fit or beat their ♠ partscore if he doesnt. Also , since the MP fields I usually play in are not very strong, I would like to give us another chance to do well by declaring or defending , rather than trying to win the board here by passing. (What I mean by that is that in a typical MP field I might make 3♥ even if it was beatable , or they might go down in 3♠ even if they could make it).

I would open 1NT with the South hand, and accept down whatever in 3NT if that happens. And , while I do bid game opposite 1NT with most 9 counts , with this particular North hand I would invite.

I think opening 4♠ is a poor choice on both hands, and I consider doing this "a mistake" rather than a style issue. Having said that, if you are in need of swings (last segment of a KO match) I believe bidding 4M quickly any time you hold a 7 card suit is a reasonable strategy.

I would double. Perhaps the nice spots in Spades and the ♦10 will compensate for shortage of values. Nobody VUL is a good time to bid a little light.

We play 4♠ response to both 1NT and 2NT as "slam forcing" , trying to find a 4-4 fit, asking opener to bid 4 card suits "up the line", 4NT from opener suggesting 4333. If you wish , you can agree that 5NT later by either side is passable saying "since we haven't found a fit , if you are really minimum, we might not make 6 after all".

I agree with this. I suggest agreeing that it shows 5 , though in some special difficult cases (4441) it may be only 4. This is similar to a 1 level overcall - though a 1 level overcall "shows" a 5 card suit , in some special cases it is ok to overcall with 4. This does not make the "shows 5" agreement meaningless - it means that we expect partner to support with 3.

For us , 2♣-2♦-2♥-2♠ shows 5+, we bid 2NT with (balanced) hands with 4 ♠s. A 1♠ response to a 1-level overcall implies in our style 5+ cards , though we can occasionally bid it with good 4. (The likelyhood of this is about the same as overcalling on a 4 card suit).

Since you hold the ♣K , what's the difference? Why can't you Gerber anyway?

[hv=pc=n&w=skt62hakq4da6ckj9&e=s87hj5dqjtcqt8752&d=w&v=b&b=4&a=2np3nppp]266|200[/hv] Teams , expert opps. North leads the ♠4 (4th best leads) and south plays the ♠J. Do you win or duck , and how close do you think it is?

Playing this style is the 1♥ rebid forcing? If opener has the UNBAL type , can he have extras? Does a 2♣ rebid deny 3♥s?

[hv=pc=n&w=skq962h65daj72c75&e=sa4hq4dk8653cakj4&d=n&v=n&b=5&a=2d2np3hp3sp3nppp]266|200[/hv] 2D was Multi. 3H was a transfer. Teams , expert opps. We can all see the final contract was silly.. Perhaps you would have bid differently with East on his 1st or last call , but wait: South leads the ♥2 , North wins with the ♥A , and after some consideration switches to the ♣10. You win with the Ace (South playing the ♣8 UDCA - does that mean anything in the context that he knows his side is cashing hearts?), and try the ♠s, North discarding a ♥ on the 3rd round. You play a ♦ to the King (North following with the 9) , and a ♦ , South following with the 10.. What do you play from dummy , and how sure are you?

Over a Bergen 3♦ , opener should, imo, bid game with almost anything except a minimum 5332 (particularly IMPs Vul). I would bid game without the 3♥ overcall , so obviously would bid game after the 3♥ overcall. As to standard meaning of other options here I agree with wank and paulg : Double = Penalties, Pass = invitational (forcing to 3♠) , 3♠ = sign-off. I think I have seen the top Italian pairs use a double here as showing a ♥ shortage.. but it may have been a slightly different situation.

You're basically asking if 2♥ now should be forcing? I would say "yes". If you're weak (and would have passed without the 1NT) same reasons for passing apply , only more so : opener's 2♦ after the 1NT is surely a (good?) 6 card suit. Agreeing that 2♥ is nf , only "correcting" the partscore , seems to imply you think that you should not explore for (and make) a game once they overcalled 1NT. While the 1NT bid shows a good hand , I dont think opening side should be giving up on exploring/inviting/making game just yet.

Assuming pd would play the ♠J From KJxxxx (wouldn't he?), it makes sense to cash the ♠Q , and watch partner's card (suit preference).

Yes, it seems that nothing terribly bad can happen. However , I am having trouble finding a hand holding which you would be confident that 1NT (or 2m) would play better than 1♠ , but still chose to balance with double rather than 1NT.

We are thinking about how the bidding should proceed after the auction starts with: 1♦ - (2♣) - X - (Pass) 3♣ Obviously opener has to rebid 3♣ with many Game Forcing hands, shapes including single suiter ♦ with no major (and no stopper?), hands with one 4 card major , perhaps also hands with both majors. Responder may have one 4 card major , or both , or a 5 card major , or 5-4 , or perhaps no majors. Do you have any agreements to find fits in this situation? when should responder bid 3♦? Has anyone tried playing 3♦ from responder now as Staymanic, and 3M showing 5?

If pd had made his 1♥ overcall , LOL hand of the century would not have occured.

This conclusion seems unsound. 5♥ would be a sensible call with 2911 shape, wouldn't it?