jukmoi

3NT seems pretty obvious (assuming standard bidding).

Our rules are 1. partners signal is attitude unless it is absolutely clear to both partners that attitude is useless. I was thinking about the possiblity of partner ducking ♦A playing me for ♦doubleton, when I said I believe this is an attitude situation. 2. Second priority is count. Obviously count can be useful here since it can tell me whether I can afford passive defence. 3. If both count and attitude are both useless then signal is attitude.

♠9. With no entries maybe it is right to try hit partners suit.

I think ♦6 is simply discouracing. Maybe from ♦10652. If that is the case we can count declarer 11 tricks so we should start cashing black aces. ♠A first and ♣A next and partner will show attitude to indicate in wich suit (if any) he holds the king. I dont believe pass should be forcing here. 4♠ doesnt show any defensive strenght.

I would have thought that double is for penalties. Guess I need to learn new meta-rule like "low-level doubles are always take-out if that makes any sense".

I chose ♠Q but it seems like a complete guess to me.

Does not rhm`s line require guessing EW distribution correctly in the ending?

I would have tried entering dummy with a trump and low spade from there.

It is close but I would not. There is no guaranty of a decent fit or finding the right part score. 2NT could work very badly if partner is 4423. And after double he would often bid ♠ when 3minor is right.

1. Competitive double. About 10-11 hcp with usually 4c♠. 2. I much prefer 1NT in first round. Maybe second double should be penalty oriented eg hand that is too strong to bid 1NT in first round and usually no ♠ support?

Not much blame here. However I think that South is worth a false preference to 2♥ after wich partnership will end up in 3NT or 4♥.

I would rather run the ♥10. Opponents might duck ♥9. Now you run the risk of losing 2♦, 2♠ and ♥A even with hearts right all the time.

The trouble with 2♠ is not that 2♠ is likely to be too costly. The trouble is that South will expect more and will either overcompete or when 3♠ is making he will bid game going down again. As for getting them to tree level I do not think that they are going down. Maybe I am wrong but as I see it 2♠ has very little upside to it. Does anyone really think 2♠ making will buy it? Do you really expect to make 4♠ if South bids it?

Since I usually play new suits nonforcing responding overcalls I would bid 2♠ instead of 2♦. Obviously the hand is minimum even for nf 2♠. You would also want a better suit since partner might pass even with a singleton if he holds a bad hand. Still a spade game is possible if the hands fit well.

I voted mainly because I might want to kibitz the game so you may disregard my vote on other issues.

I dislike both the North and South bidding about equally. The only thing unlucky about this was that both players were overbidding on the same board.

The bidding looks OK to me untill Souths sudden decision to override Norths attempt to place the contract in 5♦.

Here is Woolseys list from his book "Matchpoints" (if memory serves me right). 1. Bad intermediates in trumps. If they break 4-1 there is often extra loser in M. 2. Balanced distribution (4333) speaks for NT. 3. Holdings in short suits. Strenght in short suits imply NT. 4. Excessive strenght (in the 28-30 hcp range) indicate NT. Often you would be ruffing winners in major-suit game.

I have positive expectations. We got to NT first. Partner is often in the driving seat. He has good general idea of our combined assets. 1NT gets rarely seriously penalized.

Double. We will get close to zero anyway if they make it. Anyway I think -2 is the most likely result in 3♠X.

Ace. Others might get a heart lead. Some conservative wests might pass 1NT. Since there is a good chance we are ahead the field there is no need to get greedy and give it back.

Anything could be right. A spade to prevent a club ruff if declarer holds ♠KQJxxxx ♥xx ♦x ♣Axx. Or a club to develope a club trick if declarer holds ♠QJ10xxxxx ♥Jx ♦x ♣Ax. Or a diamond to cash diamond tricks when he holds ♠QJxxxxxx ♥Kx ♦xxx ♣-. I am guessing a club hoping for four tricks with ♣AK♠K♦A or ♣K♥K♦A♠K or ♣AK♦A HK.

I play that 2♦ is artificial and sets up a GF tempo. Thus 3♣, 2NT and 3♠ are all invitational only. And 2♥ is nonforcing though I would never pass it without an clear agreement.

I "blamed" South since I think 3♣ is a clear overbid. Contract is pretty good though.

I voted Q not obvious. (After checking other votes seems like I was wrong.) Any way if the Q wins I am almost home by some cross-ruffing. If it loses to K at least I can ruff the other ♥ loser in hand preserving some cross-ruff chances. I admit it would be a bit strange underlead from AKxxx.