lmilne

don't you think it's likely that there are two (or more) correct leads on this hand, beside the clubs? i think you are more likely to make the right lead than you think.

edit: nonsense double and lead a queen seems best at first glance

I played 2♥ as 4/4+ majors 5-10 for quite a while in matchpoints. Had some very good results over the years (playing relatively weak players) and very few disasters. The only reason I don't play it these days is because my whole 2-level structure has changed. I used to play 2♣ strong, 2♦ weak 2 either major, 2♥ weak both majors and 2♠ weak 5 spades 4+ minor. Now I play 2♣ 18-19 bal 2♦ GF so 2♥ doesn't fit in there so well. Would still be cool to play 2♦ GF or weak 2 in hearts to free up 2♥ weak both majors. We really did get some fun boards playing that. Judgement is required on the weaker (and balanced) hands...

It's not that great when the agreements are so esoteric that they never come up...

5♠, 4NT is not "minors or something else" because LHO can still bid. It would be dumb if we bid 4NT planning on masterminding the auction later and a) LHO bid 5♥+ or :) partner bid 6m+.

I don't see why this double wouldn't be takeout but happy for partner to pass (as he's advertised values in their suit). No real reason to make a double penalties at a low level when opps have shown a fit and we haven't, right?

Don't agree with either of these statements. All the need is a bit of distribution and the 19 point game will roll home (possibly with an over), and partner is never going to rip the double. OP's partner should bid 5♦. It would've been his mistake to defend 4♠, not OP's passout.

Even though I love opening 1NT with long minors etc (and long majors, bad hands, and a pile of other stuff.... ;) ) the North hand is the wrong 14. Would like it a bit more at fav where you can make opponents pay for intervening and you are more likely to win the partscore. It certainly improves to a rock after 2S though.. 6 card support! AQx opposite splinter is also good, pretty damn close to a try if not clearcut.

poll option should be "bridge be damned, i PASS"

double on the forums, might also get wussy irl vul...

I wouldn't think about anything other than 1♠.

right you want people to spend a few minutes analysis but can't be bothered to spend a few minutes typing in a hand, good work

im sorry maybe i didnt understand were you looking for advice or looking forward to lecturing the whole forums? either way is fine but it's usually better if you pre-alert. :D Sry. Next time I will pre-alert. Just trying to gauge the quality of commentators. It seems they are well-read, but not very well-educated. ♠ leaders might consider buying Mike Lawrence's CD's on bidding and play for a few hundred bucks. One of them teaches about opening leads. You learn a checklist to consider which includes evaluating the auction, counting the outstanding HCP's, etc. Why spent the time to pursue a hobby unless you know what you are doing? whats with all the smiley faces followed by insulting a ton of players who (you would think) have reasons for their plays? btw no one cares what the result on the hand was, that is completely irrelevant. run a sim, maybe someone will listen. i couldn't care less whether best play results in a contract going down. i'm interested in playing best bridge.

if he's captain, then who is the crew?

Most people don't play this. OP was asking about acting after 2♣ FSF. I bid 3♣ in both, show much more of my hand this way. 2NT should be reserved for something different, dependent upon your general style with 4 spades and a balanced hand after 1♦-1♥. No rush to get to 3NT, and partner can bid 3NT after I show him my shape. All of this assumes that FSF is GF.

Thats the chance we take... we don't need the spade queen with north though, Qxx/Qx in dummy is fine as long as partner doesn't have a singleton/doubleton (even then stiff ten or Tx is fine). Qx in declarer's hand is also fine as long as dummy doesn't have Txxx. Even if spades don't work, we can try spades then switch through declarer depending on dummy - even though this is a remote chance (that we can do this and it works) it's still something extra. To people who say partner is going to lead the wrong thing, with my previous partner this double was spades pure and simple. You can play it as hearts if you like, doesn't make much difference. Either way there is a small negative inference available to opening leader with a very poor hand that partner has cards in the suit that he couldn't double for.

lol

I'd lead spade I think, maybe the top one even has some merit ;)

I hate saying WTP, but...

if you have no double to guide you, how do you know the opps are missing an ace and why would you assume they are stupid enough to bid a grand missing a needed control? Isn't he saying lead a ♦ after X? That would be my choice. Club without double.

What risk? Also, the reason is to set the contract and win IMPs, if that makes sense. Even here where the spade lead isn't a guaranteed set, I think the equity is good enough to double.

Yeah, I thought about 2♦. I'm not sure what it is/should be though by PH, don't have much experience with fsf after passing. I also agree with gnasher that 2♥ is awful. If you want to give yourself the best chance of going plus, easy pass. If you want to bid for game, bid 3♣ or 2NT or 2♦ or something. Not hearts!

2♣ 18-19 allows you to xfer to hearts at the two level and thus both signoff lower and play hearts lower. 2♣ GF allows you to show hearts at the two-level in a GF sequence. We play 2♦ GF because we don't get dealt those ;) We play 1X-1Y-2NT as GF forcing 3♣, now opener shows 3/6 or single-suited with shortage or some ridiculously strong splinter that we didn't open a GF. 3NT is balanced with 2 of responders suit, either 7222 or 6322. As you can see, we don't have any fancy stuff with invites. We were thinking of making 2♠ as something with multiple options after 1♣-1♦ (hearts), currently we just play it as 5-6, 10-14. Also 1♣-1♥ (spades)-3♦/3♥ should be something...

obv I GF'd and showed my hand. Some posters want to bid 3♥ though, and that's why I asked... my judgement is hardly perfect. you don't want to know... ... we open 2♣. Hey, at least its not a common hand-type! ;) It doesn't seem to work out too bad in practice, as responder can pass or xfer to 2M so can play 3 strains (right-sided) at the 2-level. Also, having 2NT rebid as art GF = super awesome yahtzee jackpot jenga in a surprising amount of normal auctions...

[hv=d=e&v=n&s=sqxxhakqxxxdxcajx]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] 3 passes to you, you open 1♥. X on your left, partner bids 1♠, RHO passes... Systemically, your options at the table include 2NT artificial GF, after which you can show a] 3♠, 6+♥ or b] a single-suited ♥ hand with a diamond shortage. What say you, BBF?