wyman

2N as a negative wrongsides NT which is far more likely to be your final contract than clubs after 2C-2D-2S when responder has a bust.

haha, the "he" was me. It was a CtC and I bid 3C (I wouldn't have pulled this in a real event :)) after bidding 1N with something like Q10x / K9x / Q10xx / Jxx [incidentally, I was repulsed by 1D with this, but apparently 1D is totally normal, and I'm a horrible overbidder], and after 2N I figured a major suit partial was probably best (and obv with clubs stopped well, p will bid 3N). Partner bid 3S and I passed; he was like (bad 5)=3=4=1 or something and we scored up 8 for this debacle (4S=10). When I gave this auction to a friend, his immediate response was "clubs, what else? And apparently he lied about his values when he bid 1N." I wasn't so sure, hence the post.

Not to mention that, ignoring RHO's 5 as a meaningful signal, there are 2x as many consistent 5-card possibilities as 4-carders. Of course LHO can have 6 (and there are as many of these as there are 4-carders as well), but 6-carders are less likely in general. Plus, we know RHO has an honor, and the 5 doesn't really make sense from H(H/x)5, but it does look plausible from HH5x.

Ok, cool, I defended and didn't think it was that close. Pard has Qxx / AJxx / AKQxx / x, and I think it's pretty unlucky that declarer is KJx / Qx / x / AK98xxx. Just making sure I wasn't taking a huge position here.

I'd be surprised that anyone plays 2N double negative -- in fact I hadn't heard of it until Phil was talking about it a few posts ago; certainly we're not playing that way. But I've played 2H dbl neg, and I'm not crazy about it. And I know there are definitely WC pairs that play 2C strong, 2H nat, so I'm not really sure I agree with your post at all.

option 3 and 1N for me on this collection. I'm in the "only when I have to" camp of option 3, which means when I have a 5431 typically.

Another one from a weekend teamgame: 10xxx / 9xxx / x / QJ10x w/w 1D (2C) P (P) X (3C) P (P) X (P) ?

[hv=pc=n&s=sa94h752da9873c72&n=skqt5haqtdqt54ckq&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1dp1np3nppp]266|200[/hv] Teams. Opps probably have 1500MP but are not strong. 4th best, "standard" carding. T1: ♣6, Q, 5, 2 You're up.

Anyway, ok, this thread certainly convinced me that this DNE. Thanks.

As a corollary, could it be an attempt to get to the right partial with Kxx AJx xxx xxxx?

Disagree. Points aren't the right metric here. Sure if you have some random 12 count with no keycards, bid 4S. But there are a lot of 12-14 hands that I want to bid 3S with.

So I've had a lot of discussion over the last few days (in more than one partnership) about cue-bids that set trumps. So, I have some follow-up questions to make sure we have (rather -- "make sure we end up with" -- since we clearly don't currently have) a sound understanding: Example 1: [hv=d=n&v=0&b=1&a=1hp1sp3hp4c]133|100[/hv] Example 2 (in a context where cheapest minor is 2nd neg): [hv=d=n&v=0&b=1&a=2cp2d(waiting/neg)p2sp2np3hp4c]133|100[/hv] (1) First and foremost, do we agree that 4C in each auction above is a cuebid? (2) On auction 1, suppose responder holds AQ9xxx / -- / xx / AKxxx or AQ9xxx / -- / x / AKJxxx. Is the normal thing to do just bid a forcing 3S? (2a) opener's followups to 3S I assume are cuebids, so can I bid 5C/6C naturally after opener re-rebids 4H? (2b) Are there even any/many hands where opener would rebid 4H and not 3N? (3) On auction 2, typically the agreement is that bypassing 2D shows a good suit (meaning that it meets some honor requirements, maybe 2 of 3). So responder, holding like x/QJx/xx/A10xxxxx can't bid 3C over 2C (honors), 3C over 2S (dbl neg), can't bid 4C over 3H (Q). Of course, it's not crazy that 6C is the right spot here. So what gives? (4) Do you have any meta-rules that cover when a new suit is a cuebid setting trump and when the new suit is natural? AORN, the best I've got is "Don't look for a fit at the 4-level when partner is odds-on to be short in that suit." Basically it's "it's a cue when it's obviously a cue." Until it's not, of course... Any help appreciated as always.

March 11, Team 4 v Team 5, 1400EST

i would have bid 3N, glo

Mmm pho. Moving from MI to NJ greatly improved my access to quality Asian food. There is some good pho as well as ramen, but man do I love Korean food. We're likely getting a place in NYC starting this summer, which is going to be awful for my diet, as K-town is my happy place.

yes, on the card people often write (14)15-17, and I very often hear the announcement "good 14-17."

Totally fair Aguaman: Make it A10x / K10x / J109x / J8x, or whatever example hand fits your parameters for a 1N advance but is concerned after the 2N raise.

Playing devil's advocate briefly: You hold something like Q10x / K9x / Q10xx / Jxx and want to express your values to partner but think that a jump in diamonds sounds like 5. 1N sounded like a pretty good spot if partner passed, but 3N red doesn't sound so good unless partner has clubs. Heck, 2N doesn't sound great if partner can't help in clubs. So what could partner have? If partner has, say, a 4414 15-16 count (so a 'defective' major-suit oriented 1N overcall), X doesn't seem so crazy, and you probably want to play in 3N. If partner's broke in clubs, it's _definitely_ not clear that 3D won't play well, and it's possible that you can reverse dummy in 3M and come to 8 or 9, scoring as well as 2N. This hand in particular may be a clear-cut pass over 2N, but you can see what the 3C-bidder might have been thinking with whatever he held. On the other hand, it's not at all clear to me that 3C is not a suggestion to play, hence the post.

X is 4 spades. 2S is natural with 5 spades or a real good 4. 2D is your available cuebid. Partner showed the other 3 suits, so we should have the ability to bid them naturally here. edit: @ posts 12-14

Haha, I promise it's not that.

MPs [hv=d=w&v=n&b=12&a=1cdp1np2np3c]133|100[/hv] What's South got (besides some nerve for pulling this crap...)?

Agree with 1H-2D; 2N-3D [north is far too good for a 1N opener] I don't think 3S is a cue (N may be minimal and worried about 3N), so I think N should bid 4D agreeing trump (and not RKC). 4S by south, and now north can bid 4N RKC, after which you'll play 6D (notwithstanding north's inexplicable 5D bid on this hand).

A+

I wouldn't bid 4H over 3H holding 3 keycards. 100% North.

You post like this: And then you get all indignant about ad hominem attacks (need I point out that you disagreed with Wank by saying "wank is probably an appropriate name"?) and about how it's not fair these people picking on you and not reading your arguments. And then you post a sob thread (in general bridge discussion -- wtf?) to garner sympathy? Pretty sick dude. I'm sorry to hear about your girlfriend; no one should have to go through that. But that doesn't change the fact that you are an absolutely terrible poster. I love how Justin's comments can be "dangerous as fire," but you are free to authoritatively claim that your decision is the only acceptable one. It's just unreal how self-righteous you are. But you're right, I'm the obnoxious, offensive, and unacceptable one.