[cherdano]

Here are some problems from the other side of the table:
1.

Scoring: MP

(1♣)*-1♦-P-?
1♣ was precision, pass by RHO was 0-5.

---

1♦ is not a noise, but has a reason to bid.

2.

Scoring: MP

After opening 2N, you get to play 3♠.
You get a spade lead to the king and ace.
Plan the play.

---

3.

Scoring: MP

(1♣)*-1♦-P-?
1♣ was precision, pass by RHO was 0-5.

---

1♠ promised an unbalanced hand. Your options are:
- 3♥ or 3♠, both forcing showing slam interest
- 4♦ splinter
- 2♦ artificial game force. Initially starts choice of game search but does not deny slam interest.

4.

Scoring: MP

(1♣)*-1♦-P-?
1♣ was precision, pass by RHO was 0-5.

---

4♣ was fit-showing, forcing, but does not establish a forcing pass.

5. After two passes at all red, RHO opens 1N. You pass ♠KQ87 ♥K2 ♦QT532 ♣K7 (agree?) and partner reopens with double=spades and another. What now? (2-level is pass/correct, 2N would ask for 2nd suit and show game interest.)

[Blofeld]

1. I'll bid 3♦. More might well be right, but I'm happy enough defending 3M. Could partner's bid be lead-directional on AKQx?

2. I want to pull trumps and finesse against the diamond ten. Avoid opening the round suits if possible.

3. 3♠. Too good for 4♦, not quite good enough to bid 4♦ and then take another action. And I have a fit or two or three for partner, so I'll mention this.

4. I'll double. Maybe they'll make, but I think most of the time this should be off.

5. Call me a coward, but 2♠. No singletons, no aces ... no real game ambition, particularly as partner may be protecting pretty light.

[mike777]

Ok I was hoping someone else would ask but what hand does partner show for 4club fit showing after passing in first seat?

On hand three what does 2c or 2s cuebid show since those are not options.

[cherdano]

mike777, on May 27 2006, 12:04 AM, said:

Ok I was hoping someone else would ask but hand does partner show for 4club fit showing after passing in first seat?

In terms of hcp, I think it shows s.th. between good 9 to 11. It's definitely stronger than a 4♥ bid. At least 5-4 in the two suits (in that case probably with a singleton on the side), ideally both suits good.

Quote

On hand three what does 2c or 2s cuebid show since those are not options.

2♣ is puppet to play 2♦ or for any game invite. 2♠ is to play unless partner has a monster. HTH

Arend

[mike777]

ok on hand 3 maybe I have the bidding wrong, I thought the opp were bidding and we overcalled, perhaps the opp are silent here and we are playing xyz it seems. Given the opp are silent and I have such good hearts and so so spades I will start with 2D and hope the auction does not get too confusing.

If partner bids out his unbalanced shape(4-1-3-5) with 3 d. then I will bid 3s which I hope is a slam try in spades.

On hand four I guess partner has forced to game on:

x...ATxxx..xx....AJxxx

I would think with less you would bid something else?

[han]

mike777, on May 26 2006, 05:47 PM, said:

On hand four I guess partner has forced to game on:

x...ATxxx..xx....AJxxx

I would think with less you would bid something else?

That's about right Mike. I can't be any better than this because I would have opened, but I also had a 3C support jump shift hand available, so you should expect about as good a hand as that.

[Joe de Balliol]

Blofeld, on May 26 2006, 04:54 PM, said:

1. I'll bid 3♦. More might well be right, but I'm happy enough defending 3M. Could partner's bid be lead-directional on AKQx?

2. I want to pull trumps and finesse against the diamond ten. Avoid opening the round suits if possible.

3. 3♠. Too good for 4♦, not quite good enough to bid 4♦ and then take another action. And I have a fit or two or three for partner, so I'll mention this.

4. I'll double. Maybe they'll make, but I think most of the time this should be off.

5. Call me a coward, but 2♠. No singletons, no aces ... no real game ambition, particularly as partner may be protecting pretty light.

This is annoying, I agree with all of Owen's thoughts except hand 2. I duck a heart immediately. I intend to win the return, ruff a heart, and then play on diamonds. Still forces them to open up suits, but this way I can drop Axx in hearts with someone.

Also, my reasoning on hand 3 is slightly different. I don't mind mis-stating my strength since I intend to take control of this auction, I merely prefer to show my spades and see if partner has a good or bad hand in light of that.

And I don't know whether I pass originally on hand 5 as I don't know what defence we play to 1N. But I'm probably passing anyway.

[pclayton]

1. 3D. I have a reason to bid too.

2. Play on diamonds. Too early to formulate a plan yet.

3. 3S. I've seen this auction before

4. Double. I expect to cream this.

5. 2N but I really should just bash 4S and not give any clues to the defense.

[cherdano]

Joe de Balliol, on May 28 2006, 01:14 AM, said:

Blofeld, on May 26 2006, 04:54 PM, said:

5. Call me a coward, but 2♠. No singletons, no aces ... no real game ambition, particularly as partner may be protecting pretty light.

This is annoying, I agree with all of Owen's thoughts except hand 2.

(...)

And I don't know whether I pass originally on hand 5 as I don't know what defence we play to 1N. But I'm probably passing anyway.

You could also have bid X=spades + another (either suit can be longer).

[Echognome]

1. 3♦ feels right. Takes up enough room for them to have some difficulty sorting out strain and level.

2. My play is A and another diamond. Not sure of plan at the moment, but LHO probably has something he's trying to protect for the trump lead is not obvious.

3. I'll bid 4♦. This gets across my hand more accurately than 3♠ does. If partner bids 4♠, then I have to respect it (it's MPs). But if partner bids 4♥ (either as last train or as a cue), then I have an easy follow up of 5♣.

4. Double. Wdp.

5. 3♦ if it's a FJ. (and given I've passed maybe it is?) Otherwise 2NT. By the way, what's the range of the NT. It does make a difference as to what I expect from partner.

[cherdano]

Echognome, on May 28 2006, 03:43 PM, said:

5. 3♦ if it's a FJ. (and given I've passed maybe it is?) Otherwise 2NT. By the way, what's the range of the NT. It does make a difference as to what I expect from partner.

15-17.

[Codo]

Hi Arend,


1. 3 Diamond

2. Ace of D and a d

3. 2 D: Stay low and ask..

4. X

5. Pd knows, that we have about 17-23 HCPs. So he is just fighting for the part score. He passed already, so he will have no 5-5 hand and no opening bid. I just bid 2 Spade, second thought had been a pass, but pds hand may be too light for this...

[FrancesHinden]

1. 3D, but I don't mind 2D.
2. I guess a diamond towards dummy. I don't really know what to do....
3. 4D splinter. But I don't understand the methods: how am I supposed to invite in spades?
4. Double. But I'm not so used to these methods: I'm more used to 4C being the same strength as 4H but telling me about the club suit.
5. Maybe I'm missing something, because I don't know what strength partner has shown for this call, but it wouldn't occur to me to make a game try. I would either bid 2S if partner can have nothing, or pass and lead a spade if partner should have something. Opposite one of my regular partners I would pass.

[han]

FrancesHinden, on May 29 2006, 04:51 AM, said:

3. 4D splinter. But I don't understand the methods: how am I supposed to invite in spades?

All invites start with 2♣ (artificial, either a drop in diamonds or an invite). We play the XYZ structure posted here by mikeh.

Quote

4. Double. But I'm not so used to these methods: I'm more used to 4C being the same strength as 4H but telling me about the club suit.

That's what we play, 4C is an honest raise to 4H but with a good side suit in clubs.

Quote

5. Maybe I'm missing something, because I don't know what strength partner has shown for this call, but it wouldn't occur to me to make a game try. I would either bid 2S if partner can have nothing, or pass and lead a spade if partner should have something. Opposite one of my regular partners I would pass.

You are not missing anything, most other posters are.

Partner (=me) won't have nothing at these colors.

[pclayton]

On #5, I think its very likely that pard has S + H, since the opps didn't land in their heart fit.

Is pard moving over our 2S with a 5-5 and 2 aces? I think not, but these hands give us a great play for game. Can 3S be too high? Possibly, but the chances of getting to a good game seem more likely than taking exactly 8 tricks.

[cherdano]

cherdano, on May 26 2006, 11:03 PM, said:

Here are some problems from the other side of the table:
1.

Scoring: MP

(1♣)*-1♦-P-?
1♣ was precision, pass by RHO was 0-5.

---

1♦ is not a noise, but has a reason to bid.

I bid 3♦. Owen's question was on the spot, Han had ♦AKQx. 3♦ was passed out for -100 and a good score (opps have 3♣), but it could obviously have worked very badly.

[cherdano]

cherdano, on May 26 2006, 11:03 PM, said:

2.

Scoring: MP

After opening 2N, you get to play 3♠.
You get a spade lead to the king and ace.
Plan the play.

---

I tried an immediate heart from hand. I was hoping for the club finesse and a dummy reversal with 3 hearts ruff (or ruffing out the A), but it was off. I escaped for -1 after heart to J and Q, spade, heart ruff, club finesse losing, spade, losing diamond finesse to the 10, because diamonds were 3-3 and the clubs blocked.
Still dunno what's best.

[cherdano]

cherdano, on May 26 2006, 11:03 PM, said:

3.

Scoring: MP

1♣-1♥-1♠-?

---

1♠ promised an unbalanced hand. Your options are:
- 3♥ or 3♠, both forcing showing slam interest
- 4♦ splinter
- 2♦ artificial game force. Initially starts choice of game search but does not deny slam interest.

I bid 3♠ forcing since I thought it too good for 4♦. (My default understanding of a splinter is that it shows about a minimum game force, or very strong.) I was worried though that spade might well not be the best suit to play in; this is the case for many hands where partner doesn't have ♠Q (because we could pitch spades on clubs or hearts if playing in the other suit).

[mike777]

cherdano, on Jun 2 2006, 05:21 PM, said:

cherdano, on May 26 2006, 11:03 PM, said:

3.

Scoring: MP

1♣-1♥-1♠-?

---

1♠ promised an unbalanced hand. Your options are:
- 3♥ or 3♠, both forcing showing slam interest
- 4♦ splinter
- 2♦ artificial game force. Initially starts choice of game search but does not deny slam interest.

I bid 3♠ forcing since I thought it too good for 4♦. (My default understanding of a splinter is that it shows about a minimum game force, or very strong.) I was worried though that spade might well not be the best suit to play in; this is the case for many hands where partner doesn't have ♠Q (because we could pitch spades on clubs or hearts if playing in the other suit).

I agree that is a concern and why I bid 2d checkback first. This will lead to a more confusing auction but.....

I also agree 4d would be a weaker hand.

[cherdano]

cherdano, on May 26 2006, 11:03 PM, said:

4.

Scoring: MP

P-(P)-1♥-(1♠)
4♣*-(4♠)-?

---

4♣ was fit-showing, forcing, but does not establish a forcing pass.

Yeah I doubled and it made. Partner had AKxxx of clubs (and QJxxx in hearts), but LHO was 5=2=5=1 and dummy had ♥A singleton.
5♥ is down 1 on a red suit lead.

Arend