Tramticket

Many of us will find a response with that hand.

Agreed

Game chances are relatively small (but not impossible) opposite a partner who can't bid over 1D. But your opponents' game chances are also small. Even at IMPs, a part score swing can be important and a 5 IMP swing on a part-score is worth a fight.

I'm not keen on either 2H or 3H, vulnerable opposite a paseed-hand partner on a semi-balanced 7-count (I would want more shape - particularly a 7-card suit for 3H). I agree with Miamjid that 3H is asking to be whacked. But since it is pairs, I might consider a 2H bid, primarily to attract a lead. Yes, this should promise more, but opposite a passed hand the bid has a wider range and lead direction is important.

If south had interfered with 2H, we would play that double shows the strong NT hand, without a stop*. Maybe this is the best treatment in this auction? East will start to like his hand and support clubs (4C Minorwood, would work, but otherwise 4C forcing and initiating cue bids). *I'm not a fan of Support Doubles in a weak NT context.

You want to skip three rounds of bidding to tell partner that you have a misfit? And you expect to find the best strain and level?

Only if hearts play for 4 tricks.

1S. I'm not doubling with a void.

This is not normal for us!

Thanks all. I would have opened 4♥ and passed thereafter. Partner held the hand and planned to make two bids and opened 3♥, following up with 4♦. Sadly, I was equally to blame when I pushed on to 5♦ over the opponents' 4♠. -300 would be ok if the opponents were making 4♠, but it shouldn't make against best defence and in practice it failed more often than it succeeded.

Ok, I think that I misinterpreted: As a weak hand with two four-card or longer suits. Whereas I think you mean that it a weak-two hand with one four-card or longer suit?

So North has no way of escaping to opener's second suit? What if opponents double?

I don't understand this piece of system, but why would North be sitting 2♦? (a possible four-card suit). I would expect that 2♥ (say) asks for the second suit?

[hv=pc=n&w=shat98532dq9863c7]133|100[/hv] When you pre-empt, you make one bid, then leave things to partner. But rules are there for our guidance - are you tempted to make a second bid with 7-5? What is your strategy at MP pairs (non-vulnerable Vs. vulerable opps)? Are you planning to open 3♥ or 4♥? (or pass? or 1♥ or...?). Will you bid diamonds if the bidding comes back to you at a convenient level? If you open 3♥/4♥:

Thanks Mike Yes it seems wrong to me at MPs. And on reflection wrong too (but less silly) at IMPs. I am wondering about the chances of bringing down the diamond king in three rounds? Something like: [hv=pc=n&s=sat87432ha3djca32&w=s65h2d87654cqt876&n=sj9ht8654daq32ck4&e=skqhkqj97dkt9cj95&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=p1h4sppp&p=h2h4h7hasas5s9sqdjd4dad9d2dts2d5c2c6ckc5d3dks3d6cac7c4c9c3c8sjcj]399|300[/hv] Win ace of hearts, draw one round of trumps and then a diamond to the ace. Ruff a diamond and club to the king. Ruff the third round of diamonds, ace of clubs and a club ruff. If all of this stands up we discard the ♥3 on the queen of diamonds and score 12 tricks as the cards are set up.

Ok, I have just re-visited this post expecting to read Mike's pearl's of wisdom and realised that my initial post was silly and I did not properly read the O.P: I apologise Mike (and others who may have followed my lead) for not noticing that it is match points. I will take another look.

Agree. But I don't think that East has enough for an opening bid in this case? Edit: Maybe XX KQJXX KXXXX Q is just about an opener. I fail in this case.

My initial reaction is that if you can ruff a club, you have reduced your potential losers to three (two trumps and a heart). But this would not be an "interesting hand", so what can we do about West having seven clubs? If we play the ace of spades and both opps follow low, we can cross to the club king and lead a club back towards the ace (ducking if east ruffs). But this won't work if west is void in trumps. So a better bet is to play a small diamond to the ace and lead a trump from dummy, ducking if east plays low. We are ok if West wins. West can't exit with a trump without picking up the other honour. After any other exit, we regain the lead and play a low club to the King then a club back if east ruffs we can pick up the final trump.

I play a weak NT too, so I may be missing something, but isn't 1D-2C forcing to game for those who play 2/1? Why is this an awkward auction when you have club support and close to slam values?

Well, many also use Stayman to sign-off with weak hands (Garbage Stayman etc.). But if Stayman is bid in a constructive sense then it should be at least invitational values. Your robot's 8-count hand is a particularly ugly 8 count (completely flat, no aces, isolated honours). I would tend to down-grade if anything. But I wouldn't invite with most eight-counts anyway - unless it had a bit extra in terms of shape (e.g. a five-card suit) or texture.

There is no answer that will always work. This might work. If you open 2C I think that it is the best plan. But you can't blame partner for raising to 3NT holding QXX XX QXX QXXX X with 6C cold. The other option after a 2C opener is to rebid 2H, but this does promise another heart. At least the hearts are good quality. A Moysian in hearts might be playable. Opening 1C or 1D is likely to be better - as long as someone bids. I prefer 1D, since opps are less likely to pass this out. Having opened 1D, I would splinter over 1H or 2C (yes it suggests fewer values but it is descriptive), I would reverse over 1S and jump to 3C over 1NT.

Did you intend the double as penalties or take-out? It isn't just that you should be more aggressive in the pass-out seat - there is also a good principle that the player with shortage in the suit pre-empted should act if at all possible. So here, North has four spades and no reason to speak. South has a singleton spade and should strain to find the double.

I agree that you transfer to offer the choice of games between 3NT rather than 4♥. But once you have found the nine-card heart fit, I can't see why South would judge to pass the 3NT bid. It might be cold on this hand, but on another occasion, north will hold a small doubleton heartspades. The auction looks like a very normal weak-no-trump auction to me.

Playing a high diamond at trick 1 is a no-cost play. Should East get it wrong? I've no idea because I don't play with robots or understand (or like) their system - what holdings are consistent with a lead from ♦2? On the ♥7 switch, West reasons that the J might be from KJ9, but if the Q is from KQ9 there are not enough points (based on the 2NT opening) for South to also hold the ace of spades - making the switch attractive.

I have played Acol for decades and played against Acol for decades. I can't imagine any hand where I would choose to open a four-card suit ahead of a five-card suit. It simply is not Acol. Let's see what happens if you open 1H: - Partner might respond 2D and things really are horrendous.It might not be ideal to rebid a five-card minor, but it is far more preferable than rebiddinv a for-card major. Any other rebid is awful: 3C shows reversing values, is forcing to game and promises at least a five-card heart suit. 2Nt shows a balanced 15+ and is forcing. A diamond raise shows 4+ support and a five-card heart suit. - Thing aren't much better if partner responds 1S: you can't rebid NT playing a weak NT and a 2C rebid promises 5+ hearts. - Maybe partner will respond 1NT: You might try passing, but opponents have at least 9 spades and you could be very vulnerable once the ace is dislodged. A singleton ace is a poor stop since you can't hold up. Worse is to rebid 2C and hear partner give false preference to hearts with three clubs and a doubleton heart. - Even a 2C response might work badly - you raise clubs but partner keeps putting you back to hearts because he has a three-card heart "fit". Personally I pass. If I were to bid, I would open 1C and be prepared to rebid the suit or open 1NT. Opening 1H is never a possibility.