Jinksy

I think this is a factor, maybe a big one, but from what I remember of Bird and Anthis’ statistics, such leads looked like a *big* loser. As long as you have the understanding with P that you won’t necessarily lead such a suit (and even if you don’t), if P sees a H shortage in dummy and declarer shows up with four or five card non-H suits, he may well be able to find the switch in time.

Surprised by all the H leaders. I don't have the book to hand, but IIRC Bird and Anthis' Winning NT Contract leads covered broken-honour-five card suits and found them surprisingly poor against 1N (they claim that it's because if the contract is off on the strength of the suit, you often need to win all five tricks in it, so P has to broach it). On that grounds, I opted for a low D, with a S my second choice. (no lead got anywhere near setting the contract. P showed up with a S stack, but unsurprisingly had no outside entry to cash it. D lead threw them an overtrick)

[hv=pc=n&s=skj853ha42dt964cj&n=saq742hk96dcqt985&d=s&v=e&b=3&a=2sp3cp3np4sppp]266|200[/hv] Teams of 4 against a pretty strong N and a fairly weak S. 2S was a regular weak (non-Lucas 2). (hands rotated) This hand prompted several disagreements, though I’m not sure if anything really went wrong. Both partners will bid a weak 2 on a five card suit at this vul 1st in, but the first dispute was over whether this was the right hand type on which to do so. Anyway, here are the points of dispute, all separated: 1) How do you rate the 2S bid (vs pass)? 2i) Is it a good slam looking at the NS cards? (It’s got too many variables for me to confidently calculate even in hindsight – I’m guessing it’s marginally pro?) 2ii) Do you think NS should have bid slam given a) an initial pass, b) the 2S bid? 2iii) If yes to both 2i and 2ii, assign the blame for not reaching it. 3) N bid 3C as lead-directing, forcing to 3S. S believed that 4D would give a better chance of finding a slam and that 3D (nominally natural) would be a better lead-directing bid, that might also keep them out of 5D if it was the par result. Can you order these three bids (and any others you feel are in the running) by preference?

[hv=pc=n&s=sahqj7dj73ca87632&d=s&v=n&b=15&a=1c1sp2sppdp]133|200[/hv] You’re playing 5cM with better minor. Teams, unfavourable (hands rotated for convenience). W is a strong club player, E is fairly weak. How do you understand the double? And what do you propose to do about it?

AT742 2 K975 QT8 All vul, teams of 4 (IMPs), in 4th seat the bidding goes P P 1H (4cM) to you. How would you rank the following calls, and how big a gap is there between each of them: P X 1S Other

[hv=pc=n&s=s84haq864dq6532c8&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=1nppp]133|200[/hv] 1N was 11-14. (hands rotated for convenience. 2C would have been majors, all other overcalls nat) Leads are 2nds and 4ths. What's your lead? How close is it? (NB This is on here because I thought it an interesting question, not because what I thought was the right lead worked out worse than another) Scoring is IMPs (teams). ETA - given the system available, would you have preferred 2H or P? How close is it?

This is a Tribble 1D, right? If so, put me down for 2D, with AK9x more in the suit than P's been offered.

If the H gap is not a problem, couldn't you cue 3H?

4H is just outright cheating. One doesn't make an invitational raise, have it declined in the only way possible, then upgrade it to a GF. E should be thrown out of the club.

Incidentally, since all the people here who'd lead a H would pick the J, does that mean a lead of the Q denies the J? ;)

I didn't use RKCB (for the minors I use minorTurbo where possible - hence the 4C bid here) :P 3H was a splinter. I'll edit the post to clarify. Playing Fantunes I couldn't have the hand fromageGB gives - it would be a 1N or 2C opening.

What Fluffy said, although if declarer's *that* bad I'll lead honestly.

How how is huge? What would you consider a minimum?

Weak and 4, with few system agreements, you have this auction: P P 1C X P 2D X P 2H P 2S... Roughly what hand would you expect to find opener with?

Playing Fantunes, same auction as so far, but N having shown more of his playing strength: 1C (1H) X 2C 3H* 3S** 4C*** 4H 4S 5N**** 7C * splinter ** prob a cue *** showing even # of KCs **** denying QC, confirming all 5 KCs, denying any further cues, showing an extra C Of course, saying we 'would' end up in 7C, rather than 3N when someone took something as a stop ask/show is taking the question in the spirit of narcissism in which I assume it was proposed.

But no sane S would.

I've been wondering the same. One counterargument whose strength I'm thoroughly uncertain of is that when you get the lead right on such hands they often go two or three down, so the penalty value of the double is quite high. If you only get to use it when you need a minor suit led, you'll be trading quite a few 300s and 500s for 100s and 200s.

If I don't play non-leaping Michaels, 4D here is usually two-suiter. W would plan to pull 4H to 4S, suggesting Ss and Cs.

No-one else is passing as N? A reopening X from P might be a bit much to hope for, but it's not like we have any tricks outside the 5 1/2 Cs, and we might get to double a later contract.

1) Double for penalty as E (planning to lead AC) 2) NS do something to get to 2H 3) Whoever gets subsequent call of E and W takeout Xes Then we branch into i) W Xed, ii) E Xed: i) 4i) E bids 3C 5i) W is too good to pass and bids 3H. 6i) If NS showed exactly 4-4 Hs, E might try his luck with 3N, else he bids 4C NF. 7i) W looks at the bidding so far, the vul, and the fact that all the defensive points are known to be in the same hand, shrugs and raises, hoping E has both black aces as seems slightly better than 50% on the bidding. This is probably the flimsiest call of the auction, but I'd prob make it. ii) 4ii) W bids something 2-suitery, either 2N or 3H. (probably the latter with no H stop and a S suit, though ideally they've discussed the exact meanings here) 5ii) E bids 3C if able, bidding proceeds as from 6i above.. 6ii) If E bid 3C, W now bids 3S if he thinks he's shown the minors, else 3H. 7ii) Bidding proceeds as from 6i above. If E's double isn't penalties, then I give up

KJ95 5 K73 AQJ92 Vs AQ74 KQJT92 - KT4 NS vul, MP scoring. S deals and opens 1H, W bids 2D (which it will turn out is a pretty sick bid since he lacks the AH, but c’est la vie), N Xes, E bids 3D. Assuming no further intervention and no unusual gadgets, how do you think N/S should proceed from here? Do you agree with N’s X?

You hold KQx KQ9xxxx xx x, and you deal and open 3H, favourable, love all. Regardless of whether you think this was the right call, what do you make of how the auction proceeds: 3H P 3S P 4S P P X XX P 5H X 1) Do you agree with the XX, given your decision to open 3H? 2) Do you think partner psyched? 3) If you think so, do you think you could prove it? 4) If yes and no respectively to 2) and 3), would failure to bid 5S now be fielding?

Nuts, I meant to post this in intermediate forum. Could a mod move? (and then delete this post) Thank'ee.

Playing standardish Acol (4cM, 12-14 NT, 20-22NT), these were our hands: AJT xxx xxxx Jxx vs xx AKQxx AKT KTx Scoring was IMPs, we can't remember vul (though might be able to find it out if people think it's relevant). With S as dealer, the bidding went 1H P P P. Assign the blame for missing game. [eta] oops - corrected the hands.

4NT: 'Pick an agreement, P'. I don't expect it to be passed.