mtvesuvius

The main reason to play XX as value-showing is that over majors you'll be able to penalize much easier if you can establish that your side has at least half the deck. The difference between majors and minors is that the opponents have to play on the 2 level usually, and that often is enough to make it profitable to penalize, especially at MPs. Also, people often make slightly offshape doubles, since they cannot overcall a 4 card suit. Overall it's MUCH more likely to want to penalize after a 1M opener from partner. I think it's essential to have XX as values, otherwise you'll get robbed quite often. I know if my opponents were playing something like this, I would start doubling on 4432 8 counts, and watch them crash and burn.

2♦, glad it's NF, and even more glad it's not MPs so I don't have to decide how many NT to bid. As a side note, I usually play transfers here so this hand would be nicer then.

4♠, wtp?!

I think the reverse in the U.S. not sure though

lol?

OK so every time I try to draw inferences or make an educated guess in these situations I am always WAY off, and get it wrong. My instinct tells me to finesse, and further reasoning also says finesse...

I would not have opened this 2♣ since this exact auction is expected. Having opened it 2♣ I'd bid 3N.

2, 4, 5, 6 for me -- And I have explicitly discussed 2 and 6 with partner, 4 and 5 should logically be an awkward takeout type hand by a usual meta-agreement similar to OleBerg's.

3N. Even if it's possible to beat it, they haven't done so yet, and looking for anything else at MPs is silly IMO

I strongly prefer making 2♣ 5 cards, but that's probably not a popular opinion. I find it's more effective to be able to pre-empt/compete accurately when we have diamonds.

Because you could be cold for (a grand) slam? AK AKxx xxxxx Ax lol Passing with Qxx JT9xxxx - xxx is really bad IMO. Over 3♦ you just have to accept it though, and would pass. 3♥ is definitely forcing, if you have having trouble with partner passing forcing bids, you either need a new partner or need to study forcing bids together.

In the first auction I like to play 2N as a raise ask, so I would play just HSGTs here. In the second auction I usually play two-way game tries, so 2N asks what the lowest HSGT partner would accept is. 3 level calls are SSGTs.

Suction over Suction is fun, but leaves for plenty of guessing... My advice would just be X is general values, and pass then X is penalty... After passing, most calls should be forcing IMO Adding to your list as well, defenses to transfers in many situations, polish club etc might also be useful.

♠T for me

I'm kinda tempted by 6♦, but I'd content myself with 5♠

From the 2010 CoC for the US open trials: So no, not even there I think.

It's unclear who is saving against who, and 4♠ definitely would NOT set a forcing pass. Therefore as everyone else said, this hand is a clear pass. I wouldn't have bid 4♠ in the first place, QT doubleton in the opponent's suit, flat hand, side ace, equal vulnerability, MPs... I think 5 reasons not to bid is enough here.

Well there are two possibilities: 1. LHO psyched 1N and has long spades with a weak(ish) hand, not too likely and the auction would probably be slightly different then. 2. LHO has a normal 1N with 5♠... Perhaps something like AJTxx AJx Kx Qxx or AJTxx Kxx KQ Qxx, they could be a bit stronger, but I think the double spade stopper should be enough assuming they don't have controls everywhere... Even then, you'll be able to put them under a lot of pressure on the run of the diamond suit.

Now that's an innovative idea! We'll call it: "Pirate's Law of having an obvious 1♣ opener but typing gobbledygook instead"!

Your friend is probably playing in an ACBL tournament and is on the last round so it appears that specs are allowed... However only people who have played in that particular tournament are allowed to kibitz.

2♠, bad suit, not a great hand, and yeah I think it's pretty clear IMO

4 I would assume :)

I agree, and have no doubt that playing it as GSF is better, however disobeying a meta-rule isn't something good to get into the habit of doing :)

I think it's a fairly common treatment for 5N to "always" be pick-a-slam, and I generally discuss this in any of my serious partnerships. It may not be the best treatment always, however it will simplify many auctions, and removes the risk of a misunderstanding, which at the slam level can be very costly. Here I think GSF is certainly more practical, but based on the rule I like to have established, 5N should be pick-a-slam.

He implied it with the 1♠ comment