[lowerline]

1. You open 1♣ on ♠x ♥AQxx ♦Txx ♣AKQJx. LHO overcalls 1♥. Partner responds 1♠. RHO passes. Back to you.

2. Partner opens 1NT. RHO bids 2♦, showing a onesuiter in a major. You have ♠Qxx ♥Qx ♦Qxx ♣AQxxx and you decide to double (agree?). LHO bids 2♥ (pass/correct). Partner passes, RHO passes (showing hearts), back to you.

Note: you are playing a natural system with a 15-17 1NT opening.

Steven

[helene_t]

1. I'll bid 3♣, looks like a 6-card and the values are right I think. The only alternative is 2♣, not unreasonable either.

2. Not sure what your double meant. In one partnership we play negative freebids and positive doubles in general so I would apply that here as well. In another partnership we play negative doubles so I would start with 3♣. Not sure how Lebensohl would work here. And if you play Lebensohl but also have a defense against the multi 2♦ opening, which of the two apply here? IWithout agreements I would just gamble 3N.

[FrancesHinden]

2. What did double of 2D mean?
What would double of 2H by partner have meant?
Were you in a forcing pass auction?
What would your double of 2H mean?

If you don't know the answer to any of these questions, you should have bid 3C (natural game forcing) over 2D....

If the answers are "general values", "penalties", "yes,", "penalties" I bid 3NT.
If the answers are "general values", "take-out", "yes", "take-out" (as I play in one partnership) you have an obvious double, but I assume that isn't the case!

[ArtK78]

1. I bid 2NT. The most likely game is 3NT. On a heart lead, I have 7 tricks. I can't bid 3NT myself (although that would not be the worst call I have ever seen), so I will invite.

There are flaws with 2NT, but every other action also has flaws.

2. At this point, I bid 3H. If partner has a heart stop, we should be in 3NT. I don't want to bid 3NT myself, since it is possible that partner has xx or xxx in hearts.

I don't know what the double of 2D means, but offhand I can't see any action that I like over 2D, so double is as good as any.

[keylime]

1. I like 2NT here, but 3C is close.

2. I play over their 2D this: double is ability to hit one or both of their majors. With this hand there is great merit to bidding 3NT, to play, and letting the defense figure out how to defend. The problem I have with bidding 2NT to force 3C, is you might get 3H/S pass/correct bid to be endplayed in the bidding. KISS method here, is highly underrated.

[lowerline]

2. The double showed a balanced hand with values. After that, any double by me or partner would have been penalty. I think it creates a forcing pass situation until 2NT, but we haven't talked this through.

Steven

[keylime]

Normally, a double sets up a forcing pass auction through 4 of a minor.

I use Steve Robinson's agreements in Washington Standard with regards to this bid; I find them logical and well-presented.

[pbleighton]

1. It's a style issue, but I don't like 2NT, 3C for me.
2. I agree with Dwayne, I would have bid 3NT rather than double 2D.

Peter

[mikeh]

1. close between aggessive 2N and conservative 2♣... I'd never bid 3♣ here.. on a 5 card suit... partner will miscount tricks when he decides whether to invite 3N. 2N is an overbid, but I know more about the hand once the opp overcalls, and I may be able to use that to may advantage in the play. However, partner may drive us into spades, and my hand will be a big disappointment.

So I opt for the conservative but wide-range 2♣.

BTW, it is useful to know the form of scoring and the vulnerability. If I were red and at imps, I'd probably bid 2N.

2. When in doubt, I'd assume that this auction sets up a lebensohl situation, if lebensohl is played... and clearly this partnership is in doubt So I make whatever bids showed a stopper en route to 3N. I show the stopper, while I don't necessarily have one, because if leader has AK(J)xxx, and I show a stopper, he'll lead low unless he has a sure entry... and, you never know, partner may have Jxx or a stopper of his own. I can't show a half-stopper in any methods I know, so I'll make the lie with the biggest upside.

[ArcLight]

Why not rebid 1NT on question #1, since you have the stoppers, and can probably make 7 tricks on a heart lead?

How many HCP does a 1NT rebid show? A 2NT rebid? Doesnt 2NT show 18-19?

If a heart is not lead, 3NT needs 3 tricks assuming you have 6, from 5 clubs and the heart ace.

[lordorange]

1. 2NT now, gives the following message to partner, a. Don't like your spades, b. I have stop(s) in opps. suit, c. I have more than a minimum (as oppose to bidding 1NT)

In addition to all this your hand should play in NT this time, as it will almost guarantee you 7 tricks already (as said by others as well) and ample time to set up other tricks.

2. You know partner has minimum 15hcp and you have 12, making it 27 at least. If partner has 3 Hearts with a stop, you will make that trick(s) in defense as well. So expect e/w to go down 3 or 4 and double for the second time, but now for penalties!. If partner has no stop, than a 3NT from our side will go down, but against 2H defending, East will still not be making his contract, if the Hearts are something like 6-2, (likely on this bidding).

I don't think that West will have too many points so declarer has to play trumps from his hand. Keep playing clubs, declarer has to ruff at some stage and play from under his kings (that's where probably his points are).
In fact the lead should be the Ace of Clubs! Partner may have the King, because he wouldn't have opened with a bad Heart suit and bad clubs. But if he hasn't got the King, you can be sure of extra Heart tricks.

It would have been more helpful if the vulnerability was given.

.

[skjaeran]

1. I rebid 2♣. Far from 3♣, too strong for 1NT and offshape and a little light for 2NT.

2. This would be a lebensohl position for me. I'd either bid 3NT, denying a stopper or 2NT..3NT showing a stopper, probably the latter.

[mike777]

1) 2 clubs but I wonder about 2H? Is it just a general unspecified force or 100% promise spades or what?

[Apollo81]

1. 2♣. My ♥Q probably won't be valuable unless hearts is led, and I don't have enough to rebid 2NT.
2. 3NT. Let RHO figure out what to do.

[Fluffy]

ArcLight, on Aug 8 2007, 04:54 PM, said:

How many HCP does a 1NT rebid show? A 2NT rebid? Doesnt 2NT show 18-19?

1NT= 12-14 and BALANCED hand.

2NT= 18-19 and BALANCED hand.

I would never think of 3♣, althou it is not so bad, just a bit weak IMO.

I would try 2♣.


On the second one I would bid 3NT, 3♣ with clear agreements.

[pclayton]

1. 2N. Mild overbid.

2. Diasgree with double - it only complicates things. 3C is clear to me.

[asabr]

1. 2♣: My points 17- .

2. a) No dbl . 3♣ / My p will choice for 3NT or 5♣
b-1) 3NT . If we play lebensohl, no stop ♥ but i have enough points for 3NT.
b-2) If we dont play lebensohl 3♥ for asking stop on this trump, bid 3 NT.

[jdonn]

I know nothing is perfect on the first one but I dislike 2NT the most. Partner's 1♠ bid is not good for our hand, and I don't see why they are automatically going to lead a heart. I like my partners to rarely pass a 2NT rebid even with a 6 count so to me it's a pretty large overbid. Combine with being offshape and I can't stomach it, when partner has an 8 count with six spades and he bids 4♠ a heart lead through the AQ will just be a fantastic start. I'll go with 2♣.

Second one, like Harold I think it's fine to play leb. on here, which would make it easy.

[lowerline]

lowerline, on Aug 8 2007, 04:05 AM, said:

1. You open 1♣ on ♠x ♥AQxx ♦Txx ♣AKQJx. LHO overcalls 1♥. Partner responds 1♠. RHO passes. Back to you.

2. Partner opens 1NT. RHO bids 2♦, showing a onesuiter in a major. You have ♠Qxx ♥Qx ♦Qxx ♣AQxxx and you decide to double (agree?). LHO bids 2♥ (pass/correct). Partner passes, RHO passes (showing hearts), back to you.

Note: you are playing a natural system with a 15-17 1NT opening.

Steven

I should have given some more info... Both hands were from a team of four contest.

On the first hand you opened in fourth postion and nobody was vulnerable. I chose a light 2NT. The bidding proceeded: (p)-3♦-(p)-3NT-(p)-4♠-(p)-p-(p). (+420-430=0 imps)

On the second hand you are vulnerable, they are not. I bid 3♣, assuming this is GF now, but partner passed. (+130-630=-11 imps)

Thanks for all the responses.

Steven