Tramticket

I chose 2♠, using similar logic: [hv=pc=n&w=sat7hq874dckqt964&e=s9852hakda75ca872&d=s&v=e&b=3&a=p1cp1sp2sp4sppp]266|200[/hv] 4♠ makes, despite the Moysian, but there are 12 tricks available in clubs and 11 tricks in no trumps. Nobody bid the slam (the standard is mixed), but three pairs arrived in 3NT, collecting 80% of the match points. I guess that it can't cost for partner to bid 4♣ ...

Yes, we bid suits up the line, so partner will not have four diamonds/hearts together with four spades. Partner would generally show a four-card spade suit before supporting clubs. But yes, partner will often have a five-card spade suit.

[hv=pc=n&w=sat7hq874dckqt964&d=s&v=e&b=3&a=p1cp1sp]133|200[/hv] System: Natural four-card majors Pairs What is your hand worth? Do you re-bid clubs and if so, at what level? Do you raise spades on a three card suit?

[hv=pc=n&s=saq96hk7dkt6ct874&n=sj4hajt6d9cak9532&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=1n(12-14)p2s(Transfer%20to%20clubs%20%5B6%2B%20clubs%5D)p3c(HXX%20or%20XXXX)p3h(Natural%20%5Bat%20least%206-4%5D)p]266|200[/hv] This is not easy. - Would I bid 3NT now with South? Definitely at pairs, not sure at IMPs. - Should North carry on, even if south does bid 3NT? Again, the form of scoring might matter, but probably not I suspect.

I will probably pass at game all. If they are non-vulnerable I probably bid 1NT. I don't understand other calls. We seem to be a long way short of a double. 2♦ is a two-suited over-call (Michaels/Ghestem) for most of the bridge world because it is a useful bid. I'm not giving it up, just because the opps play five-card majors.

Using the Nige1 scale, I rank: 1. 1NT 2. Pass 3. There is no 3.

Well spotted! :)

To me, this is completely the wrong way round. I'm a fan of a weak (12-14) NT, but the one seat at the table where I am inclined to play a stronger range is in third seat (particularly at IMPs). This is where you are most liable to face a penalty double. Also, facing a partner with two four-card majors and limited values, it seems very likely that you will fail to find a four-card fit in a major.

Play king of hearts from dummy and over-take with the ace before running eight spades. West must retain a heart, else you can discard the eight of hearts, take the diamond finesse, then cross back with the three of hearts to take a second diamond finesse. West will come down to three diamonds and a heart. you discard the Jack of diamonds and then run the ten of diamonds.

How much stronger would you want to be to venture a 2♣ overcall? I agree that North could be much less suitable, but I think it unlikely that opponents have pre-empted to 4♥ on a seven-card fit! I must admit that I think Helene_T and others have it right - North should double 4♥.

What is the form of scoring? It's difficult to judge the auction objectively when you have presented both hands. Partner does have perfect cards (aces count at this level) and even then, 6♦ is little better than 50:50. I probably don't bid 4NT.

Assume East has South's 4♠ - which adjusts the hands to the correct number of cards and makes East's over-call more standard: Early calls look reasonable to me, but if I were South, I would bid 3NT instead of 3♦ at the final call.

The reason why it frequently best to lead an ace at pairs is to ensure that you don't concede an over-trick - you never get many get match points when you concede an over-trick with a cashing ace! At IMPs the over-trick will make little or no difference to the IMPs. You will only do well at IMPs if you defeat the contract and leading the ace will rarely assist in setting up the second trick (unless opponents have bid to slam missing two cashing tricks).

I think that most who play five-card majors will respond 1♠ rather than 1♦. But playing Acol, for example, it is usual to bid four-card suits up-the-line. In this case there are two viable alternatives: - treat the sequence: 1♣, 1♦; 1♥, 1♠ as natural. In this case, you need to jump to 2♠ to show the 4th suot forcing sequence. - treat the sequence: 1♣, 1♦; 1♥, 1♠ as 4th suit forcing. In this case, opener's first responsibility with a four-card spade suit (4414 shape) is to bid 2♠ to show the shape. Both alternatives are playable, but you need to agree with partner.

I accept this, up to a point. On this particular hand the slam is probably a good prospect because North is more likely to hold the king of hearts, given the opening bid. A better way to find the slam might be to raise 4♥ to 5♥ as a slam invite. In general, slams depending on a finesse of the trump king are not a long-run winner. For example, slam would fail on the above deal if South holds the king of hearts or North holds KXXX in hearts (you don't have enough trumps in dummy to finesse three times). There are often other small probability failure chances meaning that a slam based on a finesse comes in at worse than 50%.

Yes, I recommend learning and practicing Roman Key Card Blackwood. It will improve the accuracy of your slam bidding. Good luck.

But if South opened 1♥ instead of passing and I make a standard take-out double I might have only thee spades and partner may have the same dilemma with 3-3-3-4, 3-4-2-4, or some similar shape. Why does it suggest a three-card spade suit?

I guess that this gets to the heart of the question I was trying to ask. If you believe that double promises four spades, then I agree with the auction that you give. If you believe that it shows 3+ spades then double must be reasonable and Cyberyeti's auction is probably a sensible one (well maybe the second double is a little aggressive at these colours in teams?). I was West and doubled. Partner competed, expecting me to hold four spades. (Yes I agree that her bid was overly aggressive). [As an aside, I'm not sure that playing Acol makes much difference to west's decision. I think that you have pretty much the same dilemma playing strong and 5-card majors. The system might affect East's choice, as discussed by Cyberyeti].

4♣ won't get you to slam as partner will devalue for QX in clubs. I am happy to stay in 4♥ on this.

Pass is might end the auction and they are not vulnerable. 3NT gets the vulnerable game, but I suspect we might be in the slam zone. The difficulty is how to investigate slam - I'm tempted to bid 4♣.

Results were 7, 8 or 9 tricks (field was a mixed standard). Double dummy suggests 8 tricks.

Partner can have those holdings. Partner can also hold: XXX, AQJXX, XXX, AX. This will look like a maximum to partner, but even the four-level might not be safe.

With 4-4 we open the major before the minor. Yes, it is likely to be a five-card diamond suit, but a 1♦ opening is also consistent with 4144.

[hv=pc=n&w=sat8hjdakj62caq94&e=s7432hq82d9753c62&d=s&v=e&b=3&a=p1dpp1hd2h2sppp]266|200[/hv] Multi-teams competition (system is Acol if it matters) Two spades went two-off, but three diamonds can make. A couple of questions: - What does double show in this auction? Does it promise a four-card spade suit? - Would you bid with the East cards, even if you assume a four-card spade suit?

4♥ says it all and will end the auction (the opponents have both passed and will not be competing over 4♥). The values aren't there to look for a slam (even game might not be there on some layouts). So why suggest to partner that it might be?