[joshs]

5. You hold AK753 QT9 Q J432
4'th seat, all vul
P-P-1N-P(would you have bid?)
2S(x-fer to clubs)-P-3C(likes clubs)-P
3N-All Pass

What do you lead?

6. Vul vs Not, 3'rd seat:
84 7 A97 AKQ9xxx
P-1N(12-14)-?
3C would be intermediate
x is penalty
The 2 level bids are all hands with at least 1 major.

7. None Vul:
KJ84 AK7 85 8xxx
Partner opens a precision 1D and raises your 1S to 2, do you invite? (you play a 14-16 NT here)

8. 76 KT652 Jx 9xxx
White vs red, opps silent:
1D(precision)-1H-1S(Almost Manditory with 4 Spades, might still be 4225)-?

[MickyB]

5. Pass looks right at the conditions, small spade lead.

6. I tend to double on these hands hoping the opps leave it in based on HCP, obviously it makes things a bit harder later on.

7. I think pass probably rates to work well unless pard has 4 spades and short clubs. 2NT is a bit icky, probably wrong-sided if you finish there.

8. Did 1S show an unbal hand? 2D if so, 1NT if not.

[Codo]

5. pass if I have no explicit agreement about bidding with 5/4 hands and I would lead a small spade.

6. 3 Club

7. I invite with a long/short sduit game try, whatever is avaiable.

8. If 1 Spade was unbalanced, 2 Diamond with a smile and a prayer, else 1 NT with a big prayer....

[pclayton]

5. Yes I pass unless I am playing a method to show long spades and shorter minor via 2♣ or double. I lead a high spade, since it appears my J♣ is dead. There's also an outside chance that clubs are blocking and I can attack dummy's entry at T2.

6. I had a similar hand in the 2nd session of the fast pairs qualifying; A, Ax, xxx, AKTxxxx; I chose to pass over a 15-17 NT. I heard 4♥ Texas on my left and Brian doubled. I doubled 4♠ - disaster! Brian was making a practice double with Q-6th of hearts and out

With your hand I make a 3♣ overcall. 3N could be on our way and I ight as well convey a good hand to pard.

7. I'll pass at MP's. Preserve the plus. I'm in a minus position relative to the field here, since 1♦ is nebulous.

8. Dunno what I'd do since I'd pass 1♦.

[joshs]

Anyone else want to try these?

[Joe de Balliol]

1. Pass and high spade. Then decide what to do.

2. Double tends to work well in these situations. For similar reasons to MickyB's. 3N might be worth a try tbf.

3. I go on, exact bid depends on my methods though.

4. Call me crazy but I pass 1S...

[FrancesHinden]

5. I'd have bid over 1NT in my methods (showing 5S + a side suit, plus partner can show their own suit if they double) but I don't mind pass.

Lead a low spade.

6. 3C. Second very close choice, pass.

7. Pass

8. I passed over 1D.
It seems all I learnt from the auction is that partner has 4 spades and doesn't have 4 hearts, but he could be anything from 4135 to 4360 so it must be a complete guess what to bid over 1S. Therefore I didn't respond in the first place to avoid having this problem. Also, I didn't have the values to respond so that made it a descriptive call as well.

(With a gun to my head: 1NT hoping partner removes on all unbalanced hands)

[joshs]

joshs, on Jul 21 2006, 05:55 PM, said:

5. You hold AK753 QT9 Q J432
4'th seat, all vul
P-P-1N-P(would you have bid?)
2S(x-fer to clubs)-P-3C(likes clubs)-P
3N-All Pass

What do you lead?

6. Vul vs Not, 3'rd seat:
84 7 A97 AKQ9xxx
P-1N(12-14)-?
3C would be intermediate
x is penalty
The 2 level bids are all hands with at least 1 major.

7. None Vul:
KJ84 AK7 85 8xxx
Partner opens a precision 1D and raises your 1S to 2, do you invite? (you play a 14-16 NT here)

8. 76 KT652 Jx 9xxx
White vs red, opps silent:
1D(precision)-1H-1S(Almost Manditory with 4 Spades, might still be 4225)-?

5. At Imps I think its clear to lead a low spade. Its the best chance of setting the hand. But at mps, you see that the opps have 6C, and likely 4 at least red tricks, so if they win the first spade trick they might well be in position to squeeze you in the majors for a 12'th trick.

Anyway, today something different happened. The opps had QT opposite J9 in spades, and after the low spade lead had an easy 12 tricks after the DQ came down.

6. I bid 3C and LHO had a distributional 10 count with 6 hearts and a club void. So LHO bid 3H and they played 4H making 6 on their 23 points. I am still curious what would have happened had I xed. Did they have the machinary to invite game over that?

7. Your decision here didn't matter. My partner passed (I agree). Had he invited I would have declined with my 4333 12 count. The hand was friendly, for making 3.

8. We got a very good board here when I opened 1D on something like Q8xx Qx KQTxx Kx
and we were allowed to play 1S down 2 (-100). You have to love being NV at mps. I still have no idea why Michael rosenberg didn't balance with 1N on his 4=3=3=3 15 count (or was it 14?). 2D or 2H were better contracts, but its hard to get to them. In either case the opps can make 8 tricks in spades or NT as the cards lied.