pooltuna

Outer Space is, while almost empty, "somewhere" B)

South as I suspected was a Killer Klown From Outer Space.

Basically you have been screwed by the auction and it is time to put your guessing shoes on. Partner looks to have no more than 3 ♥ so ought to have useful minor suit cards. I shoot 6♠ and hope his minor suits work out.

How do you play negative doubles over 1♥? You buried yourself with your 4♥ cue bid when you should try either 3NT or 4♣ As my last call I would rather play a 55 ♣ fit than a 43 ♠ fit even if it is one level higher.

I blame the 3 level bids. Either West should bid 4♥ over 2♠ or bid 3♦. The latter implies IMO 6♥ since he could have supported ♦ rather than bid 2♥ and gives partner a chance to show 2 card ♥ support. The 3♠ bid IMO is very ambiguous but then maybe he is used to his partner trying to mastermind the auction.

Mostly South. A 1♥ overcall is the problem. When you have a good enough hand to X and then bid ♥ you should do that to clue in partner who in turn may clue South into the ♠ situation.

Are you seriously suggesting that there is no hand on which opener should bid 2♣? No I am sure I will eventually run across one but in most cases I think pass should be the first option. Again that assumes XX does not guarantee 3 card ♥ support but is instead meant as "this is our hand"

well maybe your pickup partner is a KKFOS and thinks 2♦X suggests a partial in ♦ :lol:

right pointless to play on when you are going down 1

Why bid 2♣. Give the opponents an opportunity to put their heads on the chopping block where you or your partner get a chance to take a whack. This assumes of course that the opponents are not playing "must save" by the bidder after the XX and where pass means "I want to play this XX"

since you would like to ruff another ♣ you lead the K♦ to create an entry to your hand and restrict who can win the trick

yep! can't say it any better than this. Running is clear however does bidding 4♦ suggest a ♣ lead is viable?

let's see what we can eliminate from consideration first. I'm rarely a fan of a singleton trump lead and certainly not in this auction. Partner did not double 2♦ nor make a Lightner so ♦ look very suboptimal to me. That leaves one of the majors and I prefer to try and set up a setting trick so I lead a ♠

Wow I only count 9 probable winners and they take some luck to get. Count me with the R & R team (Rainer and Roland)

This. If south suddenly regains his sanity, then 5♣ is clear at this point, and hope it doesn't go down with 9 cashers ready at NT. This deserves the best response so far award :(

It would only be a constructive raise if you had a doubleton♣

3 card limit raise

Umm, if I am reading this Vizzini-like quote correctly, you are suggesting that 2♥ is a plausible rebid over 2♦. 2NT and Pass look to me like the only choices, personally I like 2NT. 2♥ is a pretty horrible bid. I wouldn't call 2♥. I was just pointing out the possibility that it could work out.

I join the passers

Let's see what partner did not bid. 1♠ hence no 4 card biddable ♠ suit. 1NT means he probably does not have a balanced hand. 2♣ no 4 card ♣ suit.2♥ no 4 card support. 3♦ lacks the strength for this bid. The only bid that clearly could work out is 2♥ since partner could conceivable have 3 card support but his 2♦ bid suggests 6. I would bail over 2♦ and not sweat the result.

Well I think we can eliminate a ♦ and a ♣ so our choices are the J♥ or the J♠. The J♥ will be best if this is a crossruff hand and the J♠ otherwise. My inclination is to lead the♠ since LHO did not raise ♥ immediately but instead chose a fast arrival 4♥ bid later in the auction.

seems entirely reasonable and easy to remember :(

well let's see what it denies; 3♠ & 5♦. I am inclined to believe partner is showing either a 2443 or a 2344 hand which raised ♣ because of no ♥ stopper.

agree. This looks like the best shot to me

agree 4♥ is obv. on the second one how about 4♦ followed by 4♠