Jlall

Given that bridge is almost a century old and that the 90s were 10 years ago, I would think this means that you consider the penalty double to be modern. However, knowing your age, I could imagine that you take the 90s as horribly old fashioned. Which of the two did you mean? (In my opinion, playing this as penalty is very Retro. :D ) Rik Luckily bidding has changed/evolved/grown since the 90s and the best bidders now would crush the best bidders then.

It only happened because of an earlier misbid so it shouldn't count :D 1D 1H 1S 3D 5D seems like a likely auction to me.

The original poster said we're playing "simple standard american". Does that include a way to stop in 3♦? I don't know, I guess not. What is standard american in this auction, everything nat forcing?

If he's 2-3 he will go back to hearts....that is why you bid 4N first and not just 5D?

I'd pass

I believe Frances once posted that she plays this because they always balance or something. Still seems weird/slightly crazy to me.

You don't always gain a trick by playing the 9 even if partner has the jack. They have a club pitch available on the diamond anyways. It MIGHT gain a trick, but it might not, however it will certainly gain a trick to play the queen when partner has the ace.

What's wrong with a 2N rebid? I'd love to hear that, we get to play in 3D rather than 1C or defending! Agree that 3C and especially 2S would really suck though.

Was going to say 1N was the worst bid ever, but passing 2D is even worse!

natural

1N

double

4S is fine, don't see the point of 4C except to give the opps room, enable them to set up a forcing pass, enable them to show a double fit, enable them to evaluate their hands better, and in general to put no pressure on them while still putting your head on the chopping block.

If you never raise with 3 trumps then 4H is fine. If you sometimes raise with 3 trumps then I prefer 3C.

Clee bid 4N against me and I said I would have done the same thing. Partner had Qxx Axx Kxx Kxxx, so you get to 5H and they get a diamond ruff -1. At the other table my teammates also passed the 12 count (no doubt the only 2 people in the room who would do this...) but my hand only bid 3S so there was no similar decision. Just checking to make sure I told him the right thing!

4S obv

Yes, and all hands are easier if you limit what partner can do so that you can restrict the possibilities of what's going on. That doesn't mean you will have better results, partner won't ever be able to underlead an ace when it's right. Surely it is optimal to allow partner to make the right lead and then try to work it out?

X, everything else sucks really bad.

A club obv, I would lead a club from basically anything on this auction. For the 9 to be right you need partner to have the jack rather than the ace AND for the pitch you create for them/trick you give them to matter. That is very specific rather than just playing partner for the CA.

x KQJxxx QT98 Ax, 3rd seat r/w imps. p p 1H 4S X p ? edit: put w/w instead of r/w by mistake.

lol, playing the club 9 is terrible.

LOL hahaha. There is something to be said for raising to 2S on this hand depending on your opening bid style I think.

Another 3C

:lol: Used to play with him a lot back in the day... very sad RIP.

Playing this as penalty is very 90s