mtvesuvius

3♣ should be shape showing, both links above are very good threads on the situation. I'd bid 3♠ with the North hand after 2♠, and then South would bid 4♣, North 4♠, South 6♠ (maybe 6♣) or something like that.

I played at the club today with a friend, we had some very fun hands, and a few bad ones as well, the highlight being us collecting 800 against 4♣ undoubled. On the car ride back, partner asked me a style question which I know has varied in popularity throughout the years. So, I figured I'd make a poll and see what the consensus is now. When holding a minimum strength 4-5 in the minors, what do you generally open? I have always preferred 1D unless planning on rebidding 1N, but have been told other methods are better by people who I consider to be significantly better than myself. Thoughts? This is in a standardish 2/1 or SAYC context.

Emphasis added ;) Anyway I hate 3♠, AKJx is not Kxxx, two very different holdings should not be treated equally.

Knowing the VUL would help. This feels like a rulings question though :)

This is a difficult hand. For simplicity I'd recommend a 3N bid. The opponents don't always lead clubs, and even if they do, you still have chances. Besides, 3N is quite likely to be the best game, and getting there quickly and discretely has some advantages. I think at the table I'd bid 3N, not only because I don't want to risk a mixup with a jump shift (or worse), but sometimes putting the opponents on the spot works very well. They haven't taken 5 tricks yet. If you wanted to jump shift, I would jump to 3♣, simply because I am sickened at the thought of partner thinking we have 4♠. Jumping to 3♣ has some advantages, will very rarely backfire, and is also quite likely to prevent the possibly fatal club lead. I think on paper 3♣ is the best bid, but I'm sticking to 3N. And finally, playing any oddball jump-shift gadget is the least of your worries. That's something you should save for when you're really really bored, and quite comfortable with the rest of your bidding. It's a rare occurrence, and just adds extra unnecessary memory load.

Always more fun to be guessing when you could just involve partner by bidding 2♠.

I have the agreement that the other major in these situations is a cuebid, so I'd bid 2♠ then Double after that.

I'd pass, happy to defend, not much else to do. If someone wanted to bid though, it would help to know our NT defense :)

With a beer too if not careful!

I just right clicked and selected "Open Frame in New Tab", it didn't resize the actual diagram, but it brought up a new window with all the info in it, and full-sized. BTW it looks like a bug, two other GIBs did the same: http://www.bridgebase.com/myhands/hands.php?traveller=M-1295863441-24791405&username=manudude03

Nope, will ask him lol

Well the other thing is that splinters need to have some logical limit -- Regardless I think this hand goes over the limit and is way too strong for a splinter. Whether partner should try or not depends on your splinter style... If you could have anything resembling this hand, partner certainly has to move. In my preferred splinter style, I'd probably sign off as well with your partner's hand.

Partner's actual hand was: [hv=pc=n&s=sk6hj764dakt643c9&n=saqt842h8d875cak3&d=e&v=b&b=10&a=p1d2h2sp3d3h4hp4sppp]266|200|I chose 4♠, which did make 6 when diamonds were 2-2, however I am not really concerned about the result, I really did feel that I had the perfect hand for him, and that if there was any time I could make a move, this hand would qualify. I asked partner what he meant 4♥ as the other day, he said choice of games with mild SI. I think this is a textbook hand for that type of bid, and agree with 4♥ -- Thoughts?[/hv]

OK then 2♠, 2N, whatever you use to show a hand that would have bid 2♥. lol

Back when I was 9 and 10, 5 or 6 years ago (the age before speedballs!), when I was trying to make Life Master, I foolishly thought online points counted as Black Points... The only colour I needed. I had a period of a month or so where I played as many online tournaments as my schedule would reasonably allow, anywhere from 1 to 5 a day. I'd pick up partners and hope for the best, but generally did pretty well. Back then I don't remember many incidents where I said "Wow... They really must be cheating". In fact I can remember only one, which was when LHO opened 1♣, RHO bid 1♥, LHO bid 2♥ (With his AKx AKJx AKxx xxx), and RHO bid 6♥ on Qx Qxxxxx xxx A. I didn't make a big deal about it, and I don't remember who the players were anymore. I usually made a note on their profile if I suspected something though. Nowadays, over the past month or two, people have done a lot of things that have struck me as "suspicious", however I do suspect some of it is improvement, and that I wouldn't have noticed these things before. I assume some of it is also just dumb luck, and the opponents really don't have any clue, but just stumble into a perfect contract. But I also believe that at least some of the pairs, especially the ones who do it twice or three times in a round, have a wire of some sort. I guess I'm kinda paranoid, and perhaps over-suspicious, but I can remember at least 2 or 3 pairs that I was 100% sure they cheated. Does this say much? Not really, but I think the rise of cheaters (and bad players lol) in speedballs has been tremendous. Should you avoid speedballs because of this? I don't think so... While there certainly are some people who cheat, most are clueless, and a few know what they are doing. I think of it kind of like a decent club game. I don't believe that the existence of cheaters is enough to warrant not playing... After all, if there was one pair at the local club who you suspected was cheating, but the rest were fine, would you never go back to that club again?

Really? Splintering on THAT? How low have splinters sunk? Sorry but splintering there is 100% double-dummying the hand, and I think that 3♣ or 2♥ is fine. I think I'd probably wind up in 5m though, opener should pattern out with 3♥ over 3♣ IMO, since opener knows 3N needs a little heart help from partner. It's unclear, but North will probably now bid 4♦ and South will bid 5♦ ending the auction.

I like 2♦, since if I splinter and partner doesn't cue clubs I'm kinda stuck. Also, it will allow partner to evaluate better, and we'll keep the bidding at a lower level. We can ERKC if necessary later

I'd bid 4♥ now. Then make one last try over 4♠ with 5♣. I like that partner has a spade fit since if he has 3 trump we have a reasonable shot of having no heart losers. But maybe I'm too aggressive here, idk

Yeah, card showing seems about right. You can definitely convert if you wish, but the double just says that he has extras.

Certainly seems like it, and many people have a rule that when R/W they use forcing passes more often as well.

Because he was confident he couldn't beer, and wanted to let everyone know it was safe to redeal the board.

Clear double, this hand didn't improve much since we first saw it.

It is a very bad day apparently if you have this hand! I'd bid 4♥, and hope for the best.

Sorry but I think people envisioning slam are having a pipe dream. We need Kxxx♠ from partner, plus club fillers and a working 11 count with a stiff I expect partner to have opened the bidding with. I think this is an easy 4♠

I think the exact reverse, balancing (within reason) is a very profitable and useful practice, especially since people open quite light.