[jahol]

Playing very good opponents, IMPs, only you vulnerable, you have

---K82--------10853---7632-------J7
---AJ1063----A---------KQJ1094--Q

and the bidding was

YOU-------LHO-------PD-------RHO
1S-1)-----DBL-------2S-2)-----4C-3)
4S---------5C--------pass-----pass
5D---------pass------5S-------pass
pass-------DBL------pass

1) - yes, you may not like the opening, but I decided to have chance to show both suits (after 2 clubs opening , it might have been problem after some opponents action), I did not supposed 1S passed in the first round of bidding with this distribution
2) - weak, just 3-spades support, with "normal" 2 spades raise, my partner would have bid 1NT
3) - pre with long clubs.

After the first lead of HK, it is all about finding the location of trumph queen. Will you be successful?

[Fluffy]

1♠ opening is simply automatic, many forum regulars will try to convince you the contrary, but they are wrong

LHO has probably both aces, but regarding strenght this won't help us find the trump queen.

LHO seems to be 1534, but might also be 2434 maybe, a doubleton diamond is also possible I guess..... depends on what kind of level 2 overcalls opponents make.

I think the best chance is to play ♠K and ♠ to 10, but this might produce an awful 500, but I still try my best to win my contract.

[matmat]

Fluffy, on Apr 10 2008, 05:03 AM, said:

1♠ opening is simply automatic, many forum regulars will try to convince you the contrary, but they are wrong

sorry gonzalo...

5161 with GOOD suits and an outside ace you open 1♠?

seems like a normal 1♦ opener that then gets the spades across later.

[655321]

I don't like the 1♠ opening. The normal opening with this hand is neither 1♠ nor 2♣, but 1♦.
I would play RHO to hold the ♠Q, but I don't feel strongly about it, and would not be surprised to be wrong.

[andy_h]

655321, on Apr 10 2008, 05:24 AM, said:

I don't like the 1♠ opening. The normal opening with this hand is neither 1♠ nor 2♣, but 1♦.
I would play RHO to hold the ♠Q, but I don't feel strongly about it, and would not be surprised to be wrong.

Agree. And I would open 1D all day - the 2 suits are just too great to not mention our exact shape. Spades is the boss suit, so I'm not afraid.

[gnasher]

Amidst all the (justified) criticism of the 1♠ opening, no one seems to have noticed North's strange decision to convert 5♦ to 5♠. I'm lucky not to be two down already, and it's not over yet.

I'd play a spade to the king and finesse against RHO, partly because LHO is more likely to have xx than Qx and partly to avoid 2 down when spades are 1=4.

[Free]

With what did LHO double if he doesn't have ♦s?? He must surely have the ♠Q. So lead ♠A and if the Q didn't show up, run ♠J.

[Codo]

gnasher, on Apr 10 2008, 08:18 PM, said:

Amidst all the (justified) criticism of the 1♠ opening, no one seems to have noticed North's strange decision to convert 5♦ to 5♠.

Why is it strange to bid the suit where you have a fit instead of playing a a suit pd just bid as a lead director?

[gnasher]

Codo, on Apr 10 2008, 02:21 PM, said:

Why is it strange to bid the suit where you have a fit instead of playing a a suit pd just bid as a lead director?

I'm not sure that I'd want to encourage partner to lead a diamond against 6♣ - it would give declarer too many options. Five, to be precise.

[dake50]

Is RHO 4C looking at 0-1 spades so encouraging 5C sac likely? Yup, that sways me SA, run SJ.

[ArtK78]

I think the 1♠ opening is hideous, only topped by the assertion that the alternative call was 2♣.

1♦ stands out as the only possible opening bid.

LHO made a takeout double of 1♠ and, apparently, is short in diamonds. RHO has preempted clubs, indicating, without anything else to go on, that RHO is likely to be short in spades.

So, both opponents seem to be short in spades.

I would play LHO for the ♠Q. But I would rather be playing in 5♦ where I can pull trump and discover more about the distribution on the hand before having to guess the spade suit.

[jahol]

The spade queen was in LHO hand and I missed correct play. A least, it was one down only, because LHO had 3 spades....(and 15 points).