[cherdano]

Ok, so you are sitting in MBC with your regular partner against two players who fully deserve their star. You better try and do well.

1) White vs red, RHO dealt, opponents passing.
You hold ♠KQ7 ♥A ♦KQ1098x ♣A9x.
1♦-1♠-your plan?
Unfortunately, 2N is artificial and shows 4-card support with 17+ support points. (3♠ would show 15-16 support points.)

2) Nobody vulnerable, you hold ♠x ♥AQ9x ♦x ♣AQ987xx.
Partner opens 1♠ and the bidding goes:
1♠-2♣*
2♦*-2♥
2♠-3♣
3N- your plan?
2♣ was 3-way, but 2♥ implies it is natural. 2♦ is waiting and denied a bare minimum, but doesn't promise what would usually be called "extras".

3) Nobody vulnerable, ♠xx ♥KTx ♦AKJ9xx ♣xx. Partner opens 1♥ and it goes
1♥-(X)-2♣*-(X)
2♥-(P)-?
Three or four? (Of course, 2♣ showed diamonds. 2♥ doesn't promise extras, could just be suggesting a better contract than 2♦.)

Thanks,
Arend

Arend

[awm]

1. I'll game force with 3♣, planning to bid 3♠ next. Admittedly partner might take me for one more club and one less diamond, but such is life. At least we'll get to 4♠/3NT/spade slam when it's right.

2. Depends on what some of these bids actually meant. Have I shown 4♥+6♣ in this auction, or was 2♥ just an artificial force? Assuming my bids are basically natural and GF (except that 2♣ initially could've been something else prior to my 2♥ bid) I think pass is fairly clear. Partner has advertised a sincere lack of interest in clubs.

3. I'd go with 3♥. If partner was rebidding hearts because of short diamonds, we could easily be in trouble in game. I think this sequence describes my hand pretty well -- good diamonds and a reasonable heart fit. My hand's actually a lot better if partner accepts the diamond transfer.

[cherdano]

In 2), 2♥ was natural. In fact you can just assume the whole auction except 2♦ was natural.

[inquiry]

cherdano, on Dec 18 2006, 07:31 PM, said:

1) White vs red, RHO dealt, opponents passing.
You hold ♠KQ7 ♥A ♦KQ1098x ♣A9x.
1♦-1♠-your plan?
Unfortunately, 2N is artificial and shows 4-card support with 17+ support points. (3♠ would show 15-16 support points.)

Does 3♦ show long strong diamonds, and 3 card spade support and a very good hand? If so, 3♦. If not, I would put a diamond in with my spades and bid 2NT using what you are playing.

Quote

2) Nobody vulnerable, you hold ♠x ♥AQ9x ♦x ♣AQ987xx.
Partner opens 1♠ and the bidding goes:
1♠-2♣*
2♦*-2♥
2♠-3♣
3N- your plan?
2♣ was 3-way, but 2♥ implies it is natural. 2♦ is waiting and denied a bare minimum, but doesn't promise what would usually be called "extras".

6♥ is out the window now. 6♣ still is in the mix. But if partner has a singleton or void in clubs we are high enough. I guess i will not give up, but will try 4NT. Should partner have Kx or better in clubs, I think he will bid on. If he is short in clubs, we will hope for the best.

Quote

3) Nobody vulnerable, ♠xx ♥KTx ♦AKJ9xx ♣xx. Partner opens 1♥ and it goes
1♥-(X)-2♣*-(X)
2♥-(P)-?
Three or four? (Of course, 2♣ showed diamonds. 2♥ doesn't promise extras, could just be suggesting a better contract than 2♦.)

Partner not bidding 2♦ or passing 2♣X suggest he has one or no diamonds. And they have some significant points. ZAR says we have game (I have 27 ZARs) but my D-AKJ are probably not great. So I am not going to force to game (don't tell ZAR). But I am not ready to give up on game yet either. I will raise to 3♥.

[hotShot]

1) 3♣ I want more information on partners hand. As far as we know now, he might have only 4♠ and some flat distribution.
2) Holding a sort of 4 looser hand opposite an opening, I will make a slam try.
If your system allows 4♣ as a slam try I will use it, otherwise I hope partner understands 4NT.
3) What is the minimum opening strength for partners 1♥?
rule of 18 => 3♥
12+ HCP => 4♥

[flytoox]

1. 3C, planning to show spade support later. You have good controls and good playing strength. I want to be in game.

2. 4C, perhaps 5C is better.

3. 4H. good side suit and trump support.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

1) since you dont want to bid 2NT, I would suggest 3D,
it may get passed out, but the risk is fairly minimal
2) Pass
3) 4H

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Codo]

1. 3 ♦ each bid is a lie, maybe this is the smallest.

2. I play 4 ♣ is always KC for that suit, so I will try it and bid 6 Club opp. 3 KCs.

3. With a good fit, 7 loosers and a nice side suit, I surely will bid 4 ♥.

[helene_t]

1. Not sure I understand the system. Maybe I should have opened 1♣ to avoid this. Anyway, I bid 2N now.
2. Pass.
3. 3♥

[keylime]

1) I'm not splintering in hearts, or lying about my major lengths. 3C, forward going, with correction to spades.

2) 4C, forward going. At IMPs, play the safe contract (which is probably five clubs; 4 hearts on the 4-3 with stiff, stiff looks real bad on trump perforces).

3) I'm a game bidder. The strength is on lead so potentially we gain a trick. Game is nearly the only option for me; the compulsion is so bad for the IMP bonus.

[cherdano]

helene_t, on Dec 19 2006, 04:42 PM, said:

1. Not sure I understand the system. Maybe I should have opened 1♣ to avoid this. Anyway, I bid 2N now.

All 17-19 balanced hands open 1♣. So for a NT-addict like you, that would be the bid. Sorry for forcing you to accept the 1♦ opening

[cherdano]

cherdano, on Dec 19 2006, 02:31 AM, said:

1) White vs red, RHO dealt, opponents passing.
You hold ♠KQ7 ♥A ♦KQ1098x ♣A9x.
1♦-1♠-your plan?
Unfortunately, 2N is artificial and shows 4-card support with 17+ support points. (3♠ would show 15-16 support points.)

I chose 3♣, but later I wondered whether 2♣ followed by a jump to 3♠ might be a better on values.

Partner had ♠A10xx ♥xxx ♦xx ♣Txxx. The bidding continued 3♦-3♠-4♠.

Game is pretty bad but....it made.
(heart lead, diamond king taken by the ace and a heart force, but on ♠K-Q the Jack dropped doubleton, so partner overtook, cashed ♠10 and claimed 450 as ♦J was doubleton onside)

[cherdano]

cherdano, on Dec 19 2006, 02:31 AM, said:

2) Nobody vulnerable, you hold ♠x ♥AQ9x ♦x ♣AQ987xx.
Partner opens 1♠ and the bidding goes:
1♠-2♣*
2♦*-2♥
2♠-3♣
3N- your plan?
2♣ was 3-way, but 2♥ implies it is natural. 2♦ is waiting and denied a bare minimum, but doesn't promise what would usually be called "extras".

I suppose I loved my hand a little too much. I tried 4♣, and the bidding continued
4♣-4♦-4♥-4♠-5♣-6♣.

Partner had ♠K109xxx ♥x ♦AKxx ♣J10. I think partner also overbid a little with two possibly wasted kings, but slam is only bad, not terrible. In fact not so bad after a non-spade lead, which is not so unlikely.
Slam made as a diamond was led, and ♥K onside. (It seems best to pitch the spade, take the heart finesse and then try and ruff two hearts.)

[HeartA]

flytoox, on Dec 19 2006, 01:44 AM, said:

1. 3C, planning to show spade support later. You have good controls and good playing strength. I want to be in game.

2. 4C, perhaps 5C is better.

3. 4H. good side suit and trump support.

Agree with Hongjun