Jinksy

I've heard the same rumours. It doesn't interest me too much either way - I doubt they designed their whole system around the 'full power', and whether or not they did, it's been very effective for us.

Added 4♠ to the poll.

Ok, sign me up.

Sure. Obviously the theory is you gain more from the opps' uncertainty than you lose from yours, which our experiences have borne out so far. I do think W is pretty close to a 1♠ opening, too - in 2/1, what would your first call be on KJ9xxxx xxx Axx - and how close a decision would that be?

You can't. With only 5♠s, W would have a singleton.

[hv=pc=n&w=s94hqj863dqj762c7&d=w&v=b&b=4&a=pp1s(F1)p1n(0-9ish)3cpp]133|200[/hv] 1♠ shows a hand about a king stronger than normal, and is F1. N/S are a comparatively weak pair in a fairly strong room. Do you reopen? If so, with what? How close is it?

[hv=pc=n&w=skj96432hqj4da42c&e=sq7hat73d97ckt963&d=w&v=e&b=16&a=2s(10-13%20points%2C%205%2BSs%20%5Bwith%20singleton%20if%20only%205%5D)3dppp]266|200[/hv] Butler IMPs. Game isn't laydown, but at this vul we surely want to be in it. A 1♠ opening by west would be about a king stronger (lower limit) that a 2/1 1♠ opening. Double by either E or W would be takeout. I still don't really have a strong feeling about this. Either hand could have been more optimistic, but it's easy to imagine different actions by either player going horribly wrong.

I would normally pass when in doubt with three cards in their suit. Here I think my hearts are just good enough along with my two bullets to stir me to overcall, but I'll be ready to take the blame if it goes horribly wrong.

What would partner's double of the final contract have meant, and how much do you know about responder's options to correcting the part score on a 5-card H suit? I'd lead a club regardless, but if partner doesn't have a lead-directing X, I wouldn't be shocked to find the heart lead works as well or better, esp if responder has semi-denied an unbalanced hand.

With most partners, natural. If I have my way, some form of Stavely wriggle, where pass, XX and 2M are nat, and 2C and possibly 2D are two-way - either natural, or a 2-suiter in higher suits (letting the opps tell us if we're in the wrong place, or playing undoubled otherwise). If responder passes the X, opener has the same options.

I'm pretty sure I'd open that at the three or four level.

4♦ as an off-the-rails ask with step responses: 4♥ = 'I'm totally lost. Please let me out of this', 4♠ = 'I'm fairly confident that I have the general idea, but don't try anything too clever', 4NT = 'I know exactly what's going on in the auction so far, carry on'. I suspect the really top level players might invert the sequence, as a form of fast arrival.

Redacted drivel.

Can you give an eg sort of hand you're thinking of for the 3♥ bid? My rule of thumb for opening in that seat is that opening at the one level typically (though not entirely) shows a hand that either wants to get in for lead/disruption and get out early, or a hand that's interested in game (at least) opposite a reasonable fit and HCP max. With a hand that would need of (working shortage, near max and crisp values) opposite, I'll just bid what I think I can make and leave it to partner to do something encouraging if he's got the magic hand. A 'good preempt' sounds to me like the latter.

I play that minor splinters below 3N can be wide-ranging (and that after one, both 3N and an immediate 4m are signoffs), so here opener would be virtually denying spade shortage (and had the minor been clubs, he'd be denying any shortage). Other than that, we play suits under 3M as fragment showing ('as natural as possible') rather than cues. We also play a bid of 4m in a forcing auction where any other four-level call would implicitly agree the minor as Turbo, showing an even number of keycards. That tends to work very well if no-one has a void - hence the other thread about how to deal with voids. It gives you a lot more room for cueing than Minorwood, and a lot less risk of ending up in 6 off two KCs/playing in 5m+1 because you didn't have the option to safely ask for KCs.

I would certainly pass 4♠ after doubling.

1) X. 6♦ is suicide. 5♦ could easily be off, and might not score that well even if it makes. 2) An out of tempo pass (if you have to assert that it would be in tempo, it wouldn't be). 3) Pass, 4♥.

You keep using that acronym senor. I do not think it means what you think it means.

I hadn't had many chances (that I noticed) to do anything colossally brilliant or stupid. I think I'd bid fairly solidly, but we'd only had 2 or 3 hands, and he'd been declarer on 50+% of them (don't think hogging).

What hand does he have that shouldn't have been opened 4♥, where you have a solid game opposite his 2♥ rebid?

I don't see any reason for N to raise 2♥ to 3. P's rebid doesn't suggest any extras (which is why it's such a terrible call), so you've got no game interest, no confidence of making 9 tricks, and no special desire to compete, even you knew they were going to re-protect, which you don't.

What's the problem? Assume perfect play after your lead.

Don't discuss the origin of the hand if you know it (but feel free to vote): [hv=pc=n&n=st87hkjt92djcq852&d=w&v=n&b=12&a=1dp1sp1nppp]133|200[/hv] Teams. What would you expect to be the best lead (assuming standard agreement) a) at the table, b) DD? Is it clear in either a), b) or both?

You're playing on BBO with a random partner who rates himself as World Class, and everything you've seen so far suggests it's not an exaggeration. Your entire system discussion is 'SAYC, 3041, Standard carding with Lav'. In those circumstances, how would you (as opener) interpret this auction? (Matchpoints, if that matters) 1♦ 1♠ / 1N 2♣ / 2♥ 3♣

[hv=pc=n&n=st652hk753djt54c3&d=w&v=n&b=12&a=1cp1n2sp]133|200[/hv] IMPs. Opps are BBO randoms, so we don't really know what their system is. Say if it matters, obv. Both NS are BBOFers, but unpracticed partnership. What's your call (and how close is it)?