Walddk

What Frances said. To Paul (cardsharp): I support your wife. It makes a lot of sense to play 2MA as natural in combination with two-way Stayman. Danish internationals Dorthe and Peter Schaltz have done that for years and it seems to work very well. Roland

Spot on. Here is an example from last night's Cayne team match: [hv=d=n&v=n&n=sj109hkj7d109854c53&w=sa63hq1054dkqca1098&e=sq42h9862dj7cj642&s=sk875ha3da632ckq7]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv] pass pass 1NT double all pass A couple of spectators thought that East should have taken the double out, but many more said that West had no penalty double and that East should sit. I agree. This is no double, far from it, and I would also have passed if I had been East. 580 and 10 IMPs away. A good lesson. Roland

Tell that to Michael Rosenberg. He is not exactly a loser, and he is a subscriber to penalty doubles of 1NT. Besides, if you can't double a strong NT ever, the player in 3rd seat NV v Vul has a free route. He can open 1NT on anything because you can't penalise him. On several occasions, Michael, on BBO vugraph, has told the audience that what he and Zia are really interested in when looking at the opponents's convention card is what their defence is to 1NT. Roland

I don't, I pass (read above). If pass is conventional forcing a redouble and that comes back to me I have time to run as pointed out by MikeH. Roland

Exactly right, and that's why advancer should only pull with a hand totally useless on defence. With one exception: no 5-card suit and a bust. xxx xxxx xxx xxx and I pass "happily" (at least until someone redoubles) :P Roland

Excuse me, but how do you redouble over your partner's double? (although I agree that you sometimes would like to) :P On a serious note, I find it wrong that you must sign off at the 3-level with a hand like Jx xx xxx Jxxxxx if 2♣ is Stayman. The same goes for Jx xx Jxxxxx xxx if 2♦ is a transfer. Partner did not open 1NT, so now we have more options in the sign-off department. Roland

I don't like that. I assume that 2♣ would be Stayman and 2♦/♥ transfers? I want to sign off in a minor if that is my long suit with a very weak hand. Moreover, a penalty double of 1NT does not necessarily show a balanced hand, so I can't see why the system should be on. Roland

1. 2♣ whether it's forcing or not. 2. 2♠. I don't have quite enough to sit for it. Add any queen and I would. Roland

What he said. I am prepared to go to game, not necessarily to slam and especially not the dreaded 5-level. If partner signs off, a hand with only one ace has nothing more to add. 4♦ it is for me too. Roland

No reason to laugh at you. Isn't there consensus among expert players? I would also (fit)bid 5♣, intending to follow up with 5♥ over 5♦. That shows the hand very well in my opinion. Roland

I assume you are referring to North America because in continental Europe (except France) udca is "standard". As far as NA is concerned I believe that most top pairs play udca too. At least that's my impression from watching numerous vugraph broadcasts. As to Rusinow and attitude, it's a bit more complex than choosing between "standard" and udca carding. The latter is simply the reverse of "standard" whereas Rusinow and attitude have more added to it and therefore more difficult to remember. Roland

deleted. Roland

1. 1♥, lowest of two 4 card suits. 2. 1♠, highest of two 5 card suits. 3. 1♥, longest suit first. 4. 1♠, longest suit first. Roland

[hv=d=e&v=n&n=skq43hkj65d32cj52&s=sj765ha94dak109ck7]133|200|Scoring: IMP S: 4S Lead: C8[/hv] A most interesting hand from a thrilling finish to the Israeli Teams Championship on BBO vugraph Saturday. As South you are in 4♠ after East opened a natural 1♣. You doubled and no more bidding by EW. The lead is ♣8 to East's ace; a club is returned to your king and the 3 from West, indicating a doubleton. How do you proceed from there? Three lines seem possible: 1) Knock out ♠A. 2) Take a heart finesse. If it wins, lead a spade up. 3) Heart to the king and a spade up. What do you fancy? Roland

Possible, but it is also possible that partner has been kept out with something like ♠ Ax ♥ AJxx ♦ KQxx ♣ xxx Wishful thinking? Perhaps. I tend to believe that opener is very strong and that pass is with the odds. Roland

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7161590.stm An update 8 minutes ago. It seems confirmed.

3♠ x 2, double x 2. Roland

Five trumps, an ace and a singleton. That's how I was taught a raise to 4M should look like. Spot on here. Roland

RHO takes the C, returns S, you cross to hand with H A and ruff C. RHO wins you H or D and plays a 4th Club and you A is ruffed by LHO? True, 1 down, but only if you play carelessly. Must you win the spade return in the dummy? Roland

No, I never encountered a player who leads low from Q8 in partner's suit at trick 1. Roland

Neither do I, They get 2 heart ruffs, 1 diamond and 1 club :( Hi, This is not possible given the bidding as I'm sure you know. Please stop being pedantic, thanks. The good line is not possible from the play on the first trick either. EDIT: Well ok, anything is possible, and obviously clubs 1-6 are more likelly than hearts 7-0, but playing low club from KJ97xx is a bad play, as it is to pas with 7 hearts, so nothing extraterrestrial. You are wrong. If East really is looking at KJ97xx following small never costs. 1) The 8 is a singleton. Doesn't matter what you do. 2) The 8 is from a doubleton. Doesn't matter what you do. 3) The 8 is from Q108. It doesn't matter what you do. 4) The 8 is from Q108x (if they play 3rd). Doesn't matter what you do. South's ace is stiff. So playing low is not bad play at all. Call me naive, but I really thought that at least an expert could do better than that. Roland

Neither do I, They get 2 heart ruffs, 1 diamond and 1 club :( Hi, This is not possible given the bidding as I'm sure you know. Please stop being pedantic, thanks. Well, given that the problem said "Can you ensure 10 tricks no matter how the EW cards are distributed?" I wouldn't call it pedantic. Right, unless hearts and diamonds are 7-0, clubs 6-1 and spades 5-0. Give me a break. East opened 1♣ and EW never bid again. I am sure all this is likely. I agree with Justin. It's pedantic. By the way, advanced or better players like Han and Arend need not take part as I pointed out in my first post. If you do, say something meaningful. Merry Xmas! Roland

You can do better than that, jt. You actually contradict yourself at some point. Roland

[hv=d=e&v=b&n=sajh8532dq10872c62&s=skq10984ha4d5caq103]133|200|Scoring: IMP S: 4S Lead: C8[/hv] You are in 4♠ as South after East opened the bidding with a natural 1♣. West leads ♣8 and your 10 wins the first trick. Not a bad contract. Can you ensure 10 tricks no matter how the EW cards are distributed? (Please remember that this is the B/I forum, so if you are a more advanced player, perhaps you should wait, alternatively use hidden text). Roland

1) Fine. 2) None. Roland