nigel_k

LOL I use the browser version mostly but maybe the time has come to switch back to the Windows one.

Trump length Trick source (e.g. AKxxx in a side suit that can be established by ruffing) Honour location - partner is going to be 6322 at least so queen and jacks are useful in the trump suit but not so useful outside Controls Overall hand strength Whether you have a possible ruffing value All of these matter and you have to weigh up their relative value but I've tried to list them in rough order of importance. If partner has shown a shortage or a second suit, obviously your holding in that suit will be important as well.

There's isn't a single standard approach and in 2/1 you definitely can and should use the same methods over 1NT that you would use in SAYC or other system. If using Smolen, you will start with Stayman on all hands with both majors so you can transfer and bid the other major with a single suited slam try. With a shortage you can also auto-splinter, e.g. 1NT-2♦-2♥-4♣. Apart from that, I wouldn't worry too much about 'right-siding' on slam hands. It could be right to play from either side.

I'll defend. Low diamond lead looks best. There's no point setting up clubs with no entry so declarer will play on one of the majors. I don't think it matters which one. West wins and plays ace and another diamond, so they don't get thrown in with diamonds later. Declarer then has to try clubs. The key play is for East to play jack or ten under the king - that way declarer cannot concede the club trick to East. I don't see a way for declarer to cash enough winners to exert pressure on West without using up dummy's entry and then West can discard clubs.

3♥ is plenty with the East hand. Partner can easily have enough to bid one more despite being a passed hand. Anyway it's not a good game. You need diamonds 3-3 or they get a ruff and you also need the club finesse so it's about 18% on best defence. Even against average defence I'd expect to make less than half the time. The main reason to bid 4♥ is that they will usually make at least 3♠ when you go down. But they weren't balancing over 3♥ so that rationale is no longer valid at the point you bid 4♥ instead of 3♥.

The marriage contract does affect the rights of third parties in a number of ways: wills and estates, medical decisions, insurance and superannuation, housing etc. You could argue for a form of marriage that doesn't impact these rights but I doubt that would satisfy same-sex marriage advocates.

I like the waiter/janitor rule.

That depends whether you use 'morality' to mean 'right and wrong' or to mean 'interfering with people's private, personal choices'. Sadly when a politican uses the word it normally carries the latter meaning.

The most valuable convention by far is the takeout double, not Stayman. I don't really know how to assign scores out of 10 but of the listed ones I would say Lebensohl, Texas, Smolen, Gambling 3N in that order and I don't play the others.

Your partner's 4♥ is ok, though a jump shift to 3♦ followed by 4♥ would be better. I would have cue bid 4♠ with your hand because there could be two diamond losers but a direct jump to 6♥ is ok as well because the times you lose the first two diamonds will be partly outweighed by the times they don't lead a diamond because you didn't help them by pinpointing your weakness.

I definitely agree with North's action. 5♣ instead of 3NT is an option for South. I would probably bid 3NT but I think it's close.

In ancient times, a jump reverse was a natural game force. But back then, a reverse after a one level response was nonforcing and splinters didn't exist. When people started using reverses as a one round force, they switched to using a jump reverse as a cue bid. Splinters came after that. My understanding of 'standard' bidding is that a jump one level higher than a forcing bid is a splinter. It may or may not be a double jump.

There are lots of people out there who think a weak two bid requires high cards. Allowing is to be just a weaker version of a three bid, as Justin described, is better in my opinion. But nobody is crazy here - you just need an agreement.

You don't have enough to bid. Sure there could be a thin game if partner has nothing in diamonds but partner is much better placed than you to choose the right level. If I was going to bid I would choose 3♣ because it helps partner evaluate and also keeps hearts and even clubs open as possible strains.

I voted yes but I would much prefer if they also legalize selling it. Most people won't grow their own and there's no reason that only criminal groups should make money off it. The biggest problem with prohibition was the income it provided to organized crime. There are no 'broader principles of Federal sovereignty'. In fact there is no federal sovereignty at all. This particular issue is only subject to regulation by the federal government to the extent it affects interstate commerce. Which is hardly at all.

It should be but it won't be because spending cuts are unpopular and politicians want to get elected. The first step towards a solution has to be finding a way to explain to people how and why high government spending makes them poorer.

Or they psych, as people often do over 2♣ opening bids, and just steal your 5-5 fit? Maybe, but we're still in a force. If I pass and partner doesn't double then often we can still smell it out. And it would be a pity to make a penalty double when LHO was about to raise RHO's pysche to some high level.

If you analyze after seeing all four hands then opening leads are a big shortcoming in everyone's game. Two main pieces of advice are: 1. Read books. In this case it probably doesn't matter which ones. 2. Work on using the bidding to build up a picture of the the other hands

Penalty is standard but TBH I don't really understand the logic behind double being penalty because we are in a force. If I have a penalty double, partner can still double for takeout, or I can double for takeout and show a more flexible variation of whatever I bid next.

I think it depends on the level. The players in the final rounds of the Spingold would probably gain more from being magically granted absolutely optimum bidding skill as a partnership, than from being magically granted absolutely optimum play and defence skill. But I think it would be quite close and certainly depends on the individual. A complete beginner though should definitely pick optimum play and defence if offered the choice.

The opponent on my left could still have a good hand if balanced. My opponents have not necessarily found a fit and may in fact have missed their 5-4 diamond fit and be playing their 4-3 spade fit instead (LHO thinking his partner's suit is clubs). Partner has shown no signs of life in his first two turns to call and could easily have a shortage in clubs. I could have bid 3♣ a round earlier before they settled on a trump suit and nothing has happened since then to make bidding more attractive. They will often have an easy double if I am wrong. I think passing is definitely a logical alternative.

Ok let's say you bid 1♠ and partner has 2533 shape. Should he pass with xx xxxxx xxx xxx (which offers decent play for game). If so, what is the minimum he needs to bid again? Same questions if he is 3433.

Congrats etc. I wonder why Fred thought he needed a swing? I thought they had a decent set at his table. You wouldn't expect to lose often on the hand where slam made off two key cards, and they were in fact ahead apart from that hand.

I don't know exactly how bad they are but probably they can figure out that a nonforcing 3NT followed by 4NT is not Blackwood. LHO can bid 4NT whether I double or not, and 4♠ could even be their least expensive contract so I would just double at IMPS. If it's matchpoints there's probably little upside in doubling and the downside is greater since people avoid 5 of a minor even when it's right, but I want them to be scared to bid against me next time so I would still double.

[hv=v=b&s=sakjxxhakxdjxcakx]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] RHO opens 1♦, you double and partner bids 1♥. What's the plan from here, i.e. how do you find your best trump fit or NT and play at the right level? I assume this is too good to just bid 1♠ now.