bucky

The need to show shapely hands (e.g. both minors at least 5-5), particularly in competition without much (any?) room, is infinitely more important than keycard check. Not to mean RKC being useless, but how many hands do you have such that you can bid RKC right after partner opens 1♥ and confidently place the contract based merely on keycards?

Not really. I saw majority of Turkish players (out of my very limited sample size) like to bid 1NT over partner's 1m opening, holding 4-4 in both majors. That hardly feels natural to me...

I would think that sequence to show 5-5 in red suits. I think 1♥ is a fine overcall, but I will never bid 2♦, even if we have an agreement for it to be natural. The possibility for partner to take me back to 2♥ (and play in 4-2 fit) is just too great.

The problem is that after you unblock ♣AK, you can only get to dummy once with the second trump. So it is far less than 50% chance. You need to fine RHO with AK/AJ/KJ tight in hearts.

Yes, the honor cards on "your" suits are more useful. In the case that partner showed majors, aces in minor suits are good (but not guaranteed to pull full weight, as partner can easily have void), kings are doubtful, and queens and jacks in minors are usually worthless. But there is also a saying "points shmoints"; the degree of fit with your partner's suit(s) will be a more reliable guidance on how high you should bid. You may want to consider this alternative scheme (not necessarily optimal but better than just point count IMO): After partner bids 2m as michaels: 2H/2S = simple preference, typically a boring hand with 2-3 card support 3H/3S = preemptive, typically 4-card support but no game aspiration 2NT = forward-going, FORCING, invitational or better in one of major suits You can also design a simple scheme for the continuation after 2NT, for example: 3C = minimum hand with equal or better hearts 3D = minimum hand with better spades 3H = extra value with equal or better hearts (accepts invitation, therefore forcing) 3S = extra value with better spades (accepts invitation, therefore forcing) I am sure the above is not optimal, but it is playable and easy to remember There are lots of other possibilities. Serious partnership should also define what 3m cuebid by you would mean, and what 4-level jumps in a minor suit should show. I hope that I have got you thinking outside of the HCP box.

The availability of negative double shows the difference between major and minor suits. But that also has built-in logic based on bidding level. Assuming partner responds at minimum level (and opponents stay quiet), you can make a negative double then bid hearts at 2-level non-forcing, while direct 2♥ won't be able to do that.

Agree. Assume no smolen unless specifically agreed by the partnership. 4♠ here without discussion is a cuebid in support of hearts. A sensible partner should never pass it.

I like to play 3♣ here (by passed hand) as fit-jump. Anyway, given that 3♣ shows invitational hand with clubs, I think 3♥ has to be forcing. Therefore 4♥ shows strong preference of playing in hearts (regardless of my support), I can pass with clear conscience.

Funny that 2N receives a positive score.

For now I don't see anything better than cashing ♣AK, back to dummy with a trump, and pitch a diamond on ♣Q. Assuming all following suit so far, I have a choice to make on next trick. I can either play a heart or a diamond. Both will win the contract if East started with ♥AK tight and exactly 2 trumps. Playing a heart will also be the winning line if East started with AJ/KJ tight and only 2 trumps. Playing a diamond will be right if East started with ♥AK tight and has one more trump left. Theoretically speaking the contract can be made if West started with ♥AK tight, but in that case I suspect a different lead would have been made. In any case the chance of making this contract is quite slim. At the table I'd probably hold my breath and play a small H from dummy.

South doesn't have to open, and North doesn't have to bid 2♥. While these two bids are questionable, the worst bid award has to be the final 4♥ raise.

Depending on your level (and your partner's). This is a playable scheme for beginners, but once you advanced you will learn that not all HCPs are equal.

Is there any other sensible bid than 1♠? What did I miss?

♣A then return ♣8. Also agree on opening in 3rd seat.

Actually, the lesson to learn is 3rd hand high in this situation, even if you think that won't matter.

When dealt with freak hands, you can never describe it accurately down to JT9 level, you have to make bids that least torture partner, meanwhile have a decent chance to work reasonably well. 1♠ then 6♥ tells partner that you have a freak hand, and that his honor cards in major suits will be treasure, and that his value in minor suits (including aces) will likely get wasted. How can you possibly describe the hand more accurately (and more importantly, help partner make better decision)? Of course it may not work out, partner may be sitting there with 2 stiffs in the majors (or worse yet, 0067 shape!!), but I deem it a reasonable bet that one of the major suits will be playable, at 6+ level.

What if this is the last board in current round? :)

Look in this way: the hesitation suggests taking *some* action, while what "some" means is unclear. But since the person passed 4♦ before, his bidding of 5♦ may indeed be influenced by partner suggesting taking action, even though he might have guessed wrong which action it should be. So in this case we can establish the presence of UI. Although we may not be able to tell exactly which UI it was (2 possibilities), we don't have to. Pass is a clear logical alternative regardless of what the UI suggests.

I'm sorry to say this, but the whole drama just doesn't belong in "Advanced and Expert-Class Bridge" category. Almost every bid was wrong, by either side (including the opponent who bids competitive 3♠ then 4♠).

Bidding 5♦ now will mark you as a terrible bidder, regardless of your style. If you are going to bid 5♦ now, why not bidding it one round earlier? At least you'd put pressure to the opponents.

I do not understand why SAYC or 2/1 would make difference here. Even in 2/1, 1NT in comp won't be forcing, and 2♣ in comp is forcing for 1 round but not game. In short, SAYC and 2/1 treat the 1NT/2♣ exactly the same way. If I had passed initially and partner reopened with X, I would have a pretty easy 3♣ bid. But I wouldn't be as well placed had partner reopened with a red suit. For this reason I prefer bidding immediately, probably starting with 2♣ then non-forcing 3♣. It so happens that my partner likes to stretch to respond, so my hand is not going to upset him if I bid this way.

I think it is clear to bid with North hand. Against strong NT, you would much prefer to bid with shape than value. Of course the right bid won't work out every time, but when you have 6-5 shape, the chance for finding reasonable fit is quite good. FWIW, this hand you should head for minus score no matter what. The 2NT rebid from opener was really poor.

Technically speaking, this is not a 2♣ opener, since you ain't got much defense. On surface it may not matter much on this hand, since you may well have decided to drive to slam no matter what. But the problem is, 2♣ paints a wrong picture of your hand. Say you open 2♣ then bid spades then hearts and drive to 6 level, partner is looking at two minor suit aces, should he raise to 7 or not? I would open 1♠ followed by 6♥. Partner will know to raise me to 7 only with an ace or king in the major.

If I am going to balance (not sure), X is infinitely better than 2NT. Now with 4-4 in minors partner can bid 2NT to let me choose. If partner bids 3♦ I have yet another guess to make, but it is no worse than if I balance with 2NT and partner bids 3♦.

Care to clarify why 3♥ overcall by you should show D+C?