bftboy

oops, yes, 3♠ is right, not x as I voted. for some reason, I saw only 5.

Dbl is easy enough on this round at any scoring. I don't hate 3NT, but it's a total crap shoot. Much tougher decision will come next round depending on what P does. B)

Opening 1 ♣ may work or not work with this holding, but it is certainly not idiotic. If I open 1♦ I expect that about half the time I'll end up playing 3♦ in a 5-2 fit, when I could have played 2♠ in a 6-1, or 3♣ in a 6-2 or even 6-3. I don't think opening 1 ♦ is idiotic, but I'd wait for something like x, Kxx, AKQx, Jxxxx, not the example hand, and even then I'm going to end up in 2♦ in a 4-2 sometimes.

I agree with the discussion, eg, 3M should show abt 16+ hcp and a suit that will play for one (or no, depending on agreement) losers opposite a void. So, a 2M rebid typically (again, depends on agreement) should show 6 cards in the major, but either suit or hand isn't good enough to rebid 3M. What should, say, 1♥ - 2♦ - 4♥ look like? maybe AQx, AJ9xxxx, xx, K? That was a hand I caught the other day. thx

If 1M - 2m - 2M can show a really pretty good hand with 6 card M, then what do or should jumps in the major show? eg, 1♥ - 2♦ 3♥, or even 4♥? thx for advice.

Agree with Marlowe. Had RHO raised ♠ I'd have bid 3♦ on the way to 3♥. My P has only 3 ♥ here, so no big incentive to invite. B)

I don't really disagree that the long-term, percentage, disciplined action here is to pass. That is why I prefaced my comment by asking whether one felt lucky. I do disagree that it's not even close. There are many good minimums that P can hold that will give good play for game if he chooses to bid it (Axx, xx, Qxxxxx, xx), and no, that isn't a vul weak 2 bid. Something like Ax, Jxxx, Qxxxx, xx) isn't crazy. At the other table they are making 3NT because P holds Axx, xxx, Qxxxxx, Qx, and there was no preempt because RHO holds only 6 ♣. The safe pass will win the postmortem but, IMO, 4♦ is only slightly agressive, and may get you a push or a big win. B)

Sort of a "do you feel lucky?" hand. Vul at IMPS, I guess I stretch to invite with 4♦. 5♦ could easily be 40% or better. 'course, we could also go for 800 at 4♦, but lots of folks just won't dbl here. If we're down at 4♦ when 3♦ was making, not a disaster, but missing makeable 5♦ could be. :unsure:

[hv=s=sakq5haq65daj43ck]133|100|[/hv] I just never know what to do with these big 4-4-4-1's. You open 2♣, P responds 2♦, which is GF but denies a 5 card suit headed by 2 of top 3 honors. Now what? I'm inclined to think that if the stiff in any suit is A or K, that argues for a 2nt rebid, which is what I did. It worked out, but any advice or comments? thx, :rolleyes:

Our strong js auction went: 1♦, 2♥, 3♦, 3♠, 4♣, 4nt, etc. we play rkc here is always for the js suit. The hand was played in a small and weakish club game and only 2 of 6 pairs bid the grand. Don't really know why they missed it, as weaker pairs will often barge into blackwood, which works perfectly on this hand. I guess I was wondering where the auction might have gotten off track, but who knows. :D

[hv=d=s&v=n&n=sakqhakq7432d9c102&s=s9hj10dakj1065ca976]133|200|Scoring: MP[/hv] P and I play strong jump shifts over 1m, and coasted to the grand after he opened 1♦. I was wondering, tho, what would be a good sequence for reaching it if you don't play strong jump shifts here? thx, :P

There still a few around who show the # of controls they have over a 2♣ opener. If playing that, then open 2♣. If I had 7♠, I think I'd open 2♣ regardless. :D

I wouldn't open hand 3 in any system. Hand 5 is ok to open in Precision, but I wouldn't open it playing 2/1 or SAYC. :D

I'm not very experienced with excl blackwood, so I am wondering how much you have learned if P shows only one kc. Do you just bid 6♥ and hope the trumps are good enough? What would 6 ♦ show over 1 kc? Also, what is the worst hand P should hold for his forcing pass over 4♠? thx, trying to get better at these high level competitive auctions. :lol:

[hv=d=w&v=b&s=sha1085dakqj74ckj6]133|100|Scoring: MP (P) P (P) 1♦ (P) 1♥ (1♠) 3♠ (4♠) P (P) ?[/hv] what now and why? do you agree with S's 3 ♠ call? :)

I think the ♥ Q lead is either random or Rusinow. If I wanted a ♣ ruff as N, I'd lead my lowest ♥, since EW are unlikely to own the A (no cue). As declarer I just win ♠ A and expect normal breaks. If I'm wrong, well, it isn't the first time. If you think you have missed an odds-on slam that a lot of the field will reach, then you could duck the ♠ shift, hoping ♣'s are indeed 5-0, but that's a huge position to take. :P

As you imagine, passing 3NT was a mistake, altho we got lucky and got a push. P had something like Jxxx, KQxxx, xx, Jx, or maybe ♠ Jxx, and ♣ Jxx. Anyway, club lead, no luck in ♥ or ♦ and down 1. If I had it to do over, as a pragmatist, I'd bid 5♦, and hope that P would bid 6 with a fit and a K. A scientist would maybe bid 4♣. An optimist would just bid 6♦. Not sure what 4♦ would mean here, and still don't know what the "best" call is, or if there is one. B)

I guess lack of responses indicates that it's a pretty automatic 2♣ opener, and I agree. I bid 2♣, P bid 2♥ (5+♥ with 2 of 3 top honors). I bid 3♦, and P bid 3NT. I passed. Was I right? :)

I'm just curious to see whether there's any consensus on how to handle this one. Would you bid differently if MP? Discussion of pros and cons of various openings is welcome. :rolleyes: [hv=d=s&v=n&s=sa10ha4dak109875ca5]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv]

I had a household catastrophe last week and completely forgot about this hand. Anyway, LHO's actual hand was Q109xxx, J9, AK, K102. The play is more complex than this, but the bottom line is you can play ♣Q from hand and pin the 87 with RHO by leading the 9 on the 2d round. You can also drop LHO's ♥J9 and finesse against RHO's 10. The hand was played at a small club game and no one made 10 tricks, but a couple did make 9. just thought the position was interesting. :)

[hv=d=w&v=n&n=s2h876d109543caj43&s=sak7hakq5dj8cq965]133|200|Scoring: MP 1♠,P, P, DBL P, 2♦, P, 2NT all pass[/hv] Just for fun. LHO leads ♠ 9 (0 or 2 higher). The ♣ K is on side but not doubleton, and ♥'s don't break 3-3. What layout do you need to find to make 9 or even 10 tricks? :D

Revisiting this hand generally, I expect that mikeh is right and that the best percentage line is to play for 3 ♦ tricks. As he says, plunk down the K after winning the 2nd ♥, and if the J doesn't fall, cross to dummy in ♠ and hook it. If it loses, we can still make if ♥'s are 4-4, and the ♣ Q is doubleton. The problem with trying to combine chances in ♠'s and ♦'s ( as I did when I played it) is that it will very often create a 2d ♠ winner for the defense to go along with at least 2 ♥ and the ♦ A. Taking the ♠ suit in isolation, it's true that a good LHO holding H9xx should cover if the 7 or 8 is led, so I think now it is probably best to just insert the 10. thx for replies. :rolleyes:

[hv=d=s&v=b&n=sak1052h64d985cj63&s=s87hak2dkq106cak74]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] Against good opponents, you reach 3NT with no opposition bidding. You duck the low ♥ opening lead, RHO playing the 10, and win the ♥J continuation. Problem 1: what is the best way to play ♠'s for maximum tricks? Seems to me, lead 7 and duck if not covered. Am I right? Your ♠ play makes no difference as RHO wins the 9 if you duck and the Q if you play the 10. RHO leads another ♥. The spots are ambiguous, ♥'s could be 5-3, 4-4, or even 3-5. When you play ♠'s, you find RHO started with Q943. Problem 2: what now? what is best play to make contract? are there any real alternatives? thx, :(

wouldn't be too surprised to find that we have only one ♠ trick on def. X is riskier than 5♥, so that's the call. who knows, maybe we'll get a chance to x 5 ♠. ;)

♣'s look like 5-3 to me when rho returns the 8, but I don't see any real alternative to playing a ♠. Maybe ♥'s are 4-1, or the[ DI] finesse is off or even both. down one could be ok, or even better than ok. :lol: guess not, just saw the results!