Tramticket

My purpose in posting was to sanity check my own action not to critisise partner's action. I can't remember the exact hand, as they were hand-dealt with no hand records. But his shape was 4-0-6-3 with, I think, 7HCP (mainly soft values rather than aces and kings). Three diamonds would have made our way - but little else. It is difficult to see how we could get there, as I think it unlikely that I would have passed a 3♦ overcall and we don't play weak twos in the diamond suit (and if we did have a weak 2♦ available we probably wouldn't bid it with a 4-card spade suit).

Thanks all. Since I posted it here, you can probably guess that 2♥* made 8 tricks - the only significant swing in an otherwise tight match. I made the 5 obvious tricks in my hand, but these were the only tricks for the defence. I won't post partner's hand, but he took "protection" a bit far in my opinion!

[hv=pc=n&s=skqXXhakqtdXXXcXX&d=n&v=e&b=9&a=p2h(Weak)ppdp]133|200[/hv] Teams match. Even contest (you were 3IMPs down after 16/32). Your bid?

The 1NT was in 4th seat, with both opponents passing. It is difficult to construct a 2♥ overcall that wasn't worth a 1♥ or 2♥ opening. I suppose a 2♥ overcall to shows hearts and clubs is possible. I agree that in the absence of a breal in transfer, pass is absolutely normal.

If I bid, it would be 4NT. But I'm not sure if it will play well with partner duplicating my shortage and the quality of my minor suits so weak. Passing should usually get us a plus score - and on a good day they go for 500+.

Currently I use 1♣, 1♠; 4♠ for the big 4225 hands. Since we are skipping three rounds of bidding opposite an unlimited hand we want to keep the bid pretty tightly defined and I'm not worried that it doesn't come up very often. I can see that 1♣, 1♠; 4♣ is a spare bid and could be used for this hand type. But I still don't understand the logic of leaping on a shapely minimum hand - partner may have values and not know whether they are wasted. And since opponents have kept quite we should try to be as constructive as possible.

This confuses me. For me 4♠ is very definitely "bid to make". Both opponents have passed, so why would I want to jump to a speculative contract? I have always played that the jump to 4♠ shows an absolute monster (19+ points / fewer than 5 losers etc.). The splinter bid may be on bid on shape with considerably fewer points (but still "bid to make"). I thought that this was pretty standard - have I been mistaken?

No, I probably wouldn't have opened (but I wouldn't be upset if partner took the opposite view - its close). Having chosen to bid, I now pass.

As Zel says, this was traditionally non-forcing in Acol, but the modern approach is to treat the bid as forcing. Frances Hinden wrote a great article in English Bridge August 2015 edition (http://www.ebu.co.uk/englishbridge). You already know that you are worth a raise - even if partner's bid is non-forcing. :)

This sounds reasonable. But if the opening was (say) 1D? How would you advance with 4-4 in the majors and a few values?

Kaitlyn was suggesting that a 1NT rebid (after 1H-1S) would show 12-14 (not the opening bid). Actually, this a hand type which works well if your opening 1NT is weak (12-14) because you can open 1H and rebid 1NT (now 15-17) - showing both features of your hand, the five-card hearts and the balanced shape. On hand 4, 2C isn't the worst bid in the world. You do have defensive strength as well as playing tricks. But if you play 2C as game forcing (as I do) it falls a bit short - particularly since your long suit is a minor.

I play transfer advances with one partner, responding to an an overcall, but not in response to a take-out double. The loss of a 1S reponse if opponents open 1H and partner doubles would seem to be a big price to pay.

Yes, I probably pass in 2nd seat - particularly if the x's are small. I certainly double in protective seat, since I'm the one with short diamonds.

4NT ask for specific aces.

Agreed - I must have given this a superficial look.

4 spades. I have an ace-less hand. I'm happy enough in game unless partner makes a try. And I'm giving partner good information if the opponents compete further.

It depends upon your methods. Do you play Lebensohl for example? Depending upon how you play Lebensohl, either a jump to 3♦ or 2NT followed by 3♦ seems about right.

That looks right at IMPs but I'm not so sure about MP. Given that it is MP, I would be tempted to cross to dummy in hearts and run the jack of diamonds. Yes, this may be silly if west wins the queen of diamonds and clears the hearts, but it is likely to be best if East has the diamond queen, or west fails to switch to hearts (it may not be obvious from his side - particularly as you seem happy to play hearts).

Pass for now. Opps are in a forcing sequence. If the bidding dies at a low level you may get another chance.

I don't know their motivation, but: (a) Everyone knows that they play upside-down suit preference, so there would seem to be little deception. (b) The level of Meckwell's opponents probably need less protection than your average club / small regional tournament player.

I come across alternatives to Michaels (CRO / Ghestem) quite frequently, but I concede that this may be a regional thing and sadly many will be deceived. What I objected to in the OP is the concept that you should choose to play a different system in the hope that you will deceive your opponents - I hope that I have mis-read the meaning of the OP, but if there is a deliberate intention to deceive then it does seem unethical. And just to be clear, I even play Ghestem myself with one partner - but because I believe Ghestem to have technical merits - not because I want to swindle the opponents.

If the jump in a new suit shows a fit, then 4♣ seems to be right. If the jump in a new suit is a splinter then 4♦ seems to be right. [Note that partner may well be able to infer that you also hold a heart shortage from partner's heart holding and the opponents' bidding]. If this is undiscussed then I guess you have to cue-bid.

Great reply :) Fortunately, on this side of the pond it is alertable. So your dodgy ethics won't work.

Even if I have a long minor invite, I'm tempted to bid what I hope to make (3NT) and let opps guess what to lead.

I doubt that we would find the slam. The 3S overcall looks 'bold' and I would be glad that we reached a good game rather than being doubled for a number (imagine west with AKQJ of spades rather than North!). Would a 4C over-call be natural? Or 2-suited? I think your best chance of reaching slam is for south to pass and North make the take-out double. But even then, you will both have to make some optimistic decisions.