Walddk

What is the alternative to 2♥ I wonder. When did partner promise 5 clubs? And even if he did, what's the rush? I would bid 2♥ on 5404 too. It's forcing in any system I know. 3♣ would show 5-4 and deny 4 hearts. On rare occasions the raise can be on 3 cards, but then it's unsuitable for a 2NT rebid. This hand for example: AQJ65 82 A95 K106 If we belong in NT, we will get there after 3♥ from partner. Minors we bid, we only play there reluctantly, unless it's at slam level - alternatively, if partner has a small doubleton heart too, and not 2 spades. 8 J9 KQ104 AQJ874 Roland

OK then, 2♦ is certainly best under the circumstances, but let's change it to 2♠ :blink: Roland

I agree, 6NT was an error on my part. Went too fast. Roland

I do opposite Ax Q10x AKxxxx AQ I want to be in 6♦, not any other slam, not even 6NT. It's an illusion to think that you can bid 4♦ over 3♥ now, since partner could easily be 5512. You need a better diamond suit for that. Roland

Toss a coin and bid 3MA. Roland

I agree with everything else you are saying Winston, but it's wrong to use the word "support" in this context. 3♦ does not promise support. Roland

3♦, no problem for me. It doesn't promise support, it's merely "preference". The problem would have been much harder after 1♠ - 2♣ 2♥ - 3♦ Now you have to rebid one of your majors. With the actual hand it's obviously best to huddle followed by 3♦, 3♥ or 3♠, but I don't think that's allowed. Well, it is as long as partner doesn't take advantage of the UI. Petko says that 3♦ may get us to a 4-2 fit. Never in a million years opposite a partner who knows what he is doing. Roland

Italy1 (Bocchi-Duboin, Buratti-Lanzarotti, Ferraro-D'Avossa) win the Yeh Brothers Cup 2005 in China by defeating Shanghai Flag 59-53 over 32 boards. The Chinese were 32 IMPs up after the 1st half, but Italy pulled exactly the same back in the 2nd half. A carryover of 6 IMPs for Italy was then decisive. The victory yielded about $29,000 for the team. The playoff for 3rd spot between Canada and Shanghai Wen Guang resulted in a tie (51-51). No extra time, so the two teams split the honours. Roland

Excellent treatment. Opener should always reopen if short in the suit overcalled, unless, as you point out, her hand has no defence and doesn't want to sit for a penalty if partner passes. Something like KQJ976 4 KJ954 7 1♠ (2♥) pass pass 2♦ It's quite likely that partner has a penalty of 2♥, but you don't want to cooperate and rebid 2♦. That is a warning against defending, and partner must remember. This hand will obviously pass: KQ1054 AJ4 K84 108 Partner can't have a trap pass. I think this treatment is universal and has little, if anything, to do with the system you play. Roland

Which trump promotion? The contract is cold on any lead and defence thereafter. Roland

Yes, you were lucky Wayne. You found spades 3-3 and ♦Q doubleton. I had better not tell you how slim a chance all this is, especially given East's take-out double and West's pass. I don't want you to feel sick ;) Roland

The best line after ♠AK and a diamond switch to the king and ace is actually a simple one, provided that hearts break no worse than 4-1. Heart to dummy, and a diamond to the queen. Let West ruff if he wants/can. No return will prevent me from scoring a diamond ruff, and I will take 10 tricks as follows: 6 hearts (1 ruff), 1 spade, 1 diamond and 2 clubs. This line only requires that RHO has at least 1 club. This is much better than an automatic (against LHO) or double squeeze. If LHO is 5413, 4 rounds of hearts won't work as long as he exits with a club. I can't afford to win the return in either hand! As I see it, only an initial club lead defeats the contract. After just one top spade there is no longer any defence. Roland

Team Canada (Eric Kokish, George Mittelman, Fred Gitelman and Geoff Hampson, USA) have made it to the triangular semi-finals in the prestigious Yeh Brothers Cup in Hangzhou, China. Italy1 (Bocchi-Duboin, Buratti-Lanzarotti, Ferraro-D'Avossa) are already in the final with no losses in the knockout phase. Team Canada and two Chinese teams from Shanghai will compete for the last berth after one loss each (the format is double elimination). The winners of the round robin will meet the Italians in the final, and the losers go to a playoff for 3rd place. We are still hoping to broadcast from the semi-finals and final starting at 9:00 pm New York, 03:00 Paris, 11:00 am Tuesday Sydney, but don't be too hopeful. It may not happen, since I did not yet receive any info regarding an improved connection from China. Roland

I have never asked to become a member of BBO Italia. I have not even played in any of their tourneys, and yet I get those messages at least 5-6 times every day. The worst part of it is that they take up all space on my screen (7-8 lines), because the announcements are made in Italian as well as English. I agree with hrothgar: They are very annoying, not least during vugraph broadcasts when many of us try to focus on bidding and play while commentating. A quick F6 is what's needed, but then you lose the previous comments. And that is also annoying, because you often want to comment on comments from other commentators. The thing is, however, that you can't see those messages any more. I don't have a problem with the ACBL broadcasts. Roland

Another point is that, after winning his ♠K, LHO may try ♠J next. You should not play the queen from dummy now, since it is quite likely that RHO can ruff it. ♠Q must stand up as a trick later. RHO could be something like 2272 2173 3172 If I must guess, I think 2173, but that will not jeopardise my 4♥. At this vulnerability he may not have more than 6 diamonds, which will make it all easier, but it's always a good thing if you picture the worst possible and see if you can make it from there. Roland

Roland, a question on timing here. Leading a spade to dummy feels right, but on which basis you decide to do it right away rather than cashing at least 2 rounds of trumps ? If the spade loses, we risk a diamond ruff :P On the other hand, there may be a bad trump split (J9xx on the left), or, we mightneed a ruff in a minor suit. How do you decide on the pros and cons ? If I cash 2 rounds of trumps first (KQ), I will end in dummy, and that is not where I want to be. Secondly, I may never be able to ruff my diamond loser later. It is better timing if I lead a spade up first. LHO surely has the king. Why else would he lead the ace instead of his (likely) diamond singleton? Roland

Win and lead a spade up. By the way, it's a myth if you think that computer dealt hands are trickier than any other hands. If anything, they follow the average patterns much better than improperly shuffled cards at home or at the club. Roland

The organisers are still facing serious connectivity problems in Hangzhou, China. As you may have noticed or heard, we haven't had 1 minute of broadcast from the Yeh Brothers Cup so far. At this point we are not overly optimistic, but if possible we will try to broadcast from "Knockout 4" and "Finals 1&2". For full schedule, please go to http://online.bridgebase.com/vugraph/schedule.php No promises. Rest assured that I am as disappointed as you are if we don't get anything at all. Roland

It seems unfair to me to arrange another meeting now that Wayne has booked, hired etc. It is also pointless to discuss which is the cheapest place for the get-together. What good is it that Asuncion in Paraguay is the cheapest, if it costs 1 zillion money to get there? It costs £10 ($18.87) for me to travel to London, so I can live with x% higher costs on site. For members living near Paris, Boston, Cape Town, Shanghai, Budapest and Jyväskylä it will be cheaper for them to have the meeting there, etc. etc. Roland

Vulnerability and scoring format please. Roland

I think 4♥ is fine, but I don't think it's fine to go down. Since you can afford to lose one trump trick, the percentage play is to cash the ace first, then enter dummy with a diamond and lead a heart up. On this layout you will even make an ovetrick after say spade to the jack, club to the king and back to spades, ruffed. ♥A, voila!, and 11 tricks. Roland

You may get away with this, but reversing the order is better in case West ruffs the first or second spade. Then he has a trump exit. Roland

[hv=d=w&v=b&s=s5h8643dk75c108742]133|100|Scoring: IMP W: 1S - N: 2S (Michaels) - E: 2NT (limit or better with spade support) - S:??[/hv] Which action do you take now? 1. PASS. I am too weak to act. 2. 3♦. Lead directing against a high spade contract. 3. 4♥. Maybe they will miss the slam if they have one. 4. 5♥. Let them make the last guess. If you think any other bid is better than one of the above, I have given you an "Other" option too. Roland

1. Fantoni - Nunes 2. Sadek - El Ahmady 3. Zmudzinski - Balicki 4. Zia - Hamman 5. Fredin - Lindkvist 6. Lanzarotti - Buratti Sorry Fred ;) Roland

I know that penalty doubles hardly exist any more (maybe a double of 7NT is, but only maybe), but if this double is not for penalties, I give up. If I have support for diamonds or clubs, I support, if I have long hearts I will rebid them, so what else can double be but penalties? On a scale from 1-10: Penalties: 10 points Anything else: minus 100 points. Roland