chasetb

[hv=pc=n&s=sak32hq84dajcj852&n=s6hkt72dkt53caq96&d=w&v=b&b=4&a=p1d1s3nppp]266|200[/hv] Rotated to make South declarer. Trick 1 - Q♠ - 6, 4, 2 Trick 2 - 10♠ Plan the play from there. First, what do you discard from dummy? I'll give you one hint:

First time playing this 1♦ option. What is the best bid, and what should be the difference between Pass/4♥/4NT/5♣? [hv=pc=n&n=s92h2dak2cakt8765&d=n&v=b&b=13&a=1d(10-15%2C%202%2B%20unless%206%2B%20!C)1h1s(5%2B%20!S)3hd('Cards'%20with%20defense)p4dp]133|200[/hv]

Starting with a 3rd seat opener, I think my DD bidding would go: 1♣ - 2♥ [Reverse Flannery, 5+ Spades, 4+ Hearts, <10 HCP] 2NT [Ask] - 3♠ [6-4] 4♣ - 4♥ 4NT - 5♦ 6♣ [2nd round ctrl?] - 7♠ 6♣ can't be 'to play' because Opener would have bid 3♦ or 4♣ rather than 2NT, so partner has interest in a Major.

Opener has a nice hand, and should make at least one slam try. However, Opener's hand is still (semi-)balanced, so I think cuebidding is the incorrect thing to do (Stephen Tu nails it on the head as to why I dislike it). If you play that [3M+1] is a shortness ask, then that is perfect to use. Otherwise, I am assuming that Last Train (4♥) is on, and I would bid that. Opener should clearly make a move with 7 controls in 3 suits, and slam would still be reached.

I have heard that 4333 is a pancake, because it's as flat a distribution as you can get. I have also heard the three that you mentioned - the rattlesnake, swan, and death. I also thought Roman was specifically a 5440 hand (since Rattlesnake hands are 4441).

#1 & 2 - I open 1♦, because I have no interest in partner leading a Club, and because I can rebid 2♣ and show my 9 cards in the minors. Mind you, I would rather have 5 diamonds and 4 clubs, but KJxx is better than xxxxx if we don't know what partner's hand is. #3 - I guessed -150 (N-S), and then looked at the spoiler. Yikes! #4 - A modified Work count, more in line with the Four Aces evaluation (essentially 4.5/3.0/1.75/0.75)

I voted for sometimes raising the minor suit (with a minimum), and sometimes making a Splinter bid (with a non-minimum). I hate bids by both players, but West made the most egregious mistake. Signing off with 15 HCP (a King more than minimum), as well as 5 controls, is outrageous!

Before I get to my analysis, I will say that 7♥ is near impossible to get to, because once you bid (and rebid) the Clubs, you aren't finding Hearts. Also, once you find out partner is 4441, you should estimate that your Club suit is only 67.8% likely to come in (3-2 break). Since partner has the 10, it ends up being 71.4%, but I don't expect partner to have the Ten or the Jack (which makes it 96%). In the first auction, I am assuming they are using 2/1. West should splinter with 3♠ over 2NT, but this leaves East with a decision - bid 3NT with a singleton Club (and only Qxxx in the splintered suit), or bid on, hoping that you have a fit in Diamonds or a great Club suit? The second auction looks like Precision, and there are two reasons why 6♣ was bid: (1)Laziness -> NO EXCUSE (2)System notes -> Read on Many Precision pairs have the agreement that once one person has shown a 3-suited hand, that Mulberry (or 4♣/4♦/RKC) applies. If they have that agreement, then there's almost no way to Voidwood or cue for Clubs. However, in my Precision notes, I have this listed as an exception, since Responder in theory denied a 4-card Major. Therefore, 4♣ is a slam try for Clubs (by Opener, 4♦ is RKC whereas 4NT is a slow down), 4♦ is a slam try for Diamonds, and 4M is a self-splinter with a very nice Club suit. Yes, West will know that they have a Heart fit, but will (s)he be able to let partner in on the act?

Since I picked up a computer bridge program, I have been playing/learning Polish Club (wj05). This sequence came up: 1♣-1♥;1♠-2♣;3♥-6NT. Partner had ♠Kx ♥KTxx ♦Axxx ♣Qxx, and while 6NT fortunately made, 6♦ was the best contract (4-4 fit because I was 5341 shape). I don't have the option to change Magister, but with only 4 Hearts and 12 HCP should the robot have even used it here rather than 2NT or 3NT? If the robot uses 2NT, does 3♦ show 18+ points, 5-4 either way in Spades and Diamonds? Thanks for the help.

Using Advanced bots in ACBL SYC game - the two of us that opened 1♠ never has partner go to game! Everyone who opened the normal 1♣ got to 4♠ after partner bid Hearts then Spades if opener doesn't double a Club bid. https://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?lin=st||pn|chasetb,~Mwest,~Mnorth,~Meast|md|3SAKJ2HJT4D65CAT54,SQ83H8DAKQT94CQ62,S97654HKQ9732DCK7,STHA65DJ8732CJ983|sv|e|rh||ah|Board%209|mb|P|mb|P|mb|1S|an|Major%20suit%20opening%20--%205+%20!S;%2011-21%20HCP;%2012-22%20total%20points|mb|2D|an|Two-level%20overcall%20--%205+%20!D;%2010+%20HCP;%2011-18%20total%20points|mb|2S|an|Free%20major%20raise%20--%203+%20!S;%206-10%20total%20points|mb|4D|an|5+%20!D;%204-9%20total%20points|mb|P|mb|P|mb|P|pc|HK|pc|HA|pc|H4|pc|H8|pc|D3|pc|D6|pc|DT|pc|S4|pc|D4|pc|H2|pc|D8|pc|D5|pc|ST|pc|SA|pc|S3|pc|S5|pc|HJ|pc|D9|pc|H9|pc|H5|pc|S8|pc|S7|pc|DJ|pc|S2|pc|H6|pc|HT|pc|DQ|pc|HQ|pc|SQ|pc|S9|pc|D7|pc|SK|pc|C9|pc|C4|pc|CQ|pc|CK|pc|C7|pc|C8|pc|CT|pc|C2|pc|CA|pc|C6|pc|H7|pc|C3|pc|SJ|pc|DK|pc|S6|pc|CJ|pc|DA|pc|H3|pc|D2|pc|C5|

Sorry for bringing this thread back to life, but in the Kokish-Kraft Weak NT system, here's what he wrote up: DBL -> D, but unsuitable for 3D overcall or 2NT 2NT -> 16-19 (3C=Stayman; 3R=transfers; 3S=D) 2M --> NAT, constructive 3C* -> 5+H/5+S, strong 3M --> NAT, strong 3NT -> Strong BAL or based on long-suit: (advance as in other unclear 3NT situations) PRE -> Likely to be an 8-card suit as opener ALWAYS has 4/5C 4D --> PRE Personally, I like DBL to be either 13-15 balanced or 20+ any. I also like to better define the jump to 3M to be like 14-17 HCP, 6+ suit. I have thought about using 3♣ as a good overcall in Diamonds, and 3♦ as the weaker version, but have only very rarely played against Polish or Precision pairs so it has never come up. Also, I think I would prefer using 4♣ as both Majors and 4♦ as Leaping Michaels as we have L.M. in our system notes. The reason I replied was I had an auction last night that went (2♦) - 2NT - (P) and 4th hand was pretty weak with 6 Diamonds. 3rd hand made a sneaky Pass - it turns out that 2NT goes down 2, both 3♦ and 3♠ (by them) make, and 4♦ gets doubled VUL. I know that it's only one hand, but it makes me wonder if 3♣ should be like Gladiator, and be a Puppet to 3♦.

https://tinyurl.com/sg89hfy While it turns out that my 2NT wasn't the best rebid, there's no way that GIB should be raising to 3NT with that hand.

I also disagree in that I think both hands are easy - I have 3-card support with a singleton so I am raising to 2♠. I wish I could pass, but then I wouldn't have a partner to play with! On a side note, I also thought about opening 1♥ on both hands, rebidding 2♦ if partner bids 1NT or 2♣. I do play 5-card Majors, but I much prefer AKQJ over 65432. If partner asks, we 'accidentally' put our ♦2 in with our hearts!

4S makes, and we have a 10-card fit, but not a single GIB bid it! https://tinyurl.com/y3d28m5x

First off, here's a good summary by Karen Walker on Soloway Jump Shifts. In that link is a much longer and in-depth article, I will link that here. I wouldn't jump-shift here for several reasons: our spades aren't quite good enough (I want the 10 or the King if it's only a 6-card suit), we may belong in Hearts (or Diamonds, or even NT on a misfit where we don't have slam), our hand isn't strong enough, and any of the information we need, we could just as easily get via 1♠.