Jinksy

[hv=pc=n&s=shakt875daqj8cj87&d=w&v=b&b=4&a=1s(4%2B)p2s]133|200[/hv] MPs.

[hv=pc=n&s=sak9732h4dj97c763&w=s86hj65dkt862ck98&n=sqjhaqt98dq4caqj5&e=st54hk732da53ct42&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=pp(no%20weak%202%20available)2d2h3dppp]399|300[/hv] This cost us several IMPs in the JEC match even before we royally carved the defence. So, IMP teams. Who gets it in the neck?

[hv=pc=n&e=s6hjt9752dktcaj54&d=n&v=b&b=13&a=1s2h3hp3nppp]133|200[/hv] IMP pairs. Also, do you agree with the 2♥ bid? To be honest I was too groggy from a cold to ask, but let's say 3♥ showed 3-card support.

This feels like it puts pressure on a lot of opener's hands. What do you gain in exchange? North feels too soft to drive to game opposite that for me. Assuming you play naturalish continuations, a 3♦ game try seems to suit the hand pretty well. I keep underbidding in constructive auctions, though.

I would guess that Rainer would be intending to protect on that auction. Still, I need more than sweeping assertions and cast aspersions to feel strongly either way. A bigger risk feels to me like 1♥ 1N / 2♥, where you surely have to pass again as W, and there might be a double part score swing (or, at MPs, missing the chance to go for 100 rather than letting them get 110). Also if I don't bid 1♠, P will be actively deterred from leading the suit vs a NT contract.

Would a 2♠ rebid on B1 promise 3 card support? If so, that's all the hand looks worth to me. As soon as P fails to raise hearts, the hand starts to look worse. On B2, what's the range for a constructive raise?

What would a 3N bid over 2♠ have been by south? It doesn't seem like a pretty way of showing (say) 27-28, but if S had no way to do so then, while N's bidding was poor, it feels like they were at least partly fixed by system. I would think for eg South still had his bid with the QS instead of the K and even with a heart X instead of the 10, but they would surely be impossible to differentiate below 5♥, and I think slam is substantially worse than 50% without them.

Would you consider queens and jacks reasons *against* opening an otherwise marginal hand, or just neutral?

Next question - how do you view points outside the trump suit? As a net positive or negative, and how much so? Eg on the cusp would you prefer a 'pure' hand, such as KQ987x xxx xx xx, or a hand with some outside values to get it 'up to strength', such as KQ987x xxx Kx xx? If the opened suit is substantially too weak, would you open anyway with decent outside values, and does it depend on the nature of the values? Eg QJTxxx Axx xx xx QJ98xx KJx Qx Jx

I agree with all the comments about N being wet, but I think there's some argument for S upgrading Beyond the 25-26 tier, if that's what his bidding effectively marks him as. It's hard to ask for a better balanced 25 count - KNR rates it as 27.25.

What's the worst hand you can construct that you think should open 2♠? Would it be any different (besides suit arrangement) for a weak 2♥/♦?

I want to be in 6♥, and probably get to 3N in (what I consider) standard methods, after 1♦ 1♥ / 3N* P * Effective rebid of 4♦. After 3N I wouldn't be thrilled about passing with north, but I have a generic agreement with most partners that a 4-level rebid of a second suit after partner has shown a single-suiter is a cue for P's suit. System o' choice: 1♦* 1♥ 3♦** 3♥ 3♠*** 4♥ 4N**** etc * 14+, F1 ** 18-20, 6+diamonds and 3 hearts *** Values rather than outright cue **** RKCB, with the missing controls

Is the idea that with eg 5-5 in the red suits, responder would bid a GF 3♦ over 1N?

15-17, 2-3.

But am I right in thinking that over 2N, opener would be expected to show most 4-card suits, unless his hand is particularly unsuitable for a minor contract?

[hv=pc=n&w=skq642ht2dk8cqt72&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=2h(Conservative weak 2)p4h]133|200[/hv] IMPs, nil vul.

[hv=pc=n&w=sk2hak6dkqj72c976&d=s&v=b&b=7&a=p1c(prepared%2C%20with%20weak%20NT)p1d(Hs)p1np2d(GF%20checkback)p]133|200[/hv] I've only recently started playing 2-way checkback, so not sure if there's an 'expert standard' here. Should North show his 3 hearts first, effectively giving up on showing the fifth diamond, or bid 3♦, when chances are good P's only interested in one of the majors? Is the answer strongly based on the respective suit qualities, or mainly systemic?

[hv=pc=n&s=skq96h832d764ckt2&d=w&v=0&b=8&a=1c(2%2B)1s4h]133|200[/hv] IMPs. Think you can take my crown?

What would 2♣ be after 1♥? I would just play it as a UCB.

I wouldn't expect P to lead from some holey Qxxx suit after I've Xed. He's looking for my suit/a passive lead, neither of which is wholly dissimilar. Also, as Nullve said, the double helps us a lot should the auction continue - even if 1N is making their way and 2♠ making our way, the opps don't know that. When we have a club void, the chances are good RHO had a club suit that he couldn't run into because it's not 1940. With luck he'll bid it, and now 2♠ shows our hand nicely.

Is the plan for those voting for N to pass 5♥ that he then pulls an X (presumably to 5♥?) showing extras?

Urgh. Don't like leaping Michaels, don't like the position not using it has left me in. I'll try doubling now. It prob shows a stronger, flatter hand (though if he has two he can hopefully read me for a stiff), and I won't be thrilled if P passes, but hopefully he can limp into 4♠ or maybe bid 4N. If he bids 5♣ I'll correct to 5♦.

Undiscussed, as per OP. S believed he was showing 3 card support. N believed he had been shown 4. Neither was doing anything wrong in that respect - it just wasn't discussed.

[hv=pc=n&s=s942hq2daj6cak543&n=sakqt65hdqt2cqt98&d=w&v=n&b=12&a=p1s(14ish%2B%2C%20F1)2h2n(inv%2B%20S%20raise)4h4sp4n5hdppp]266|200[/hv] IMP pairs. No discussion over what the final X showed. (also N was expecting 4-card support for 2N. I suspect it doesn't make much difference here, but say if you think relevant to his decision) Multiple choice poll in case you think both should have acted differently.

Gotcha. Well, that's part of why I prefer to start with 2♠. On this kind of holding I'm willing to insist on it as trumps in theory, but much less keen when there's a second denomination we could plausibly be better off in. If I get to rebid 3♦, I should get more of a sense of P's spade holding than if I insist on them immediately.