[pclayton]

Roger had most of the tough problems last night.

MPs - fairly good field overall for a sectional.

Here's a few I had:

1. ♠QJTxxx ♥x ♦AJx ♣xxx. You open 2♠ in 1st. Pard bids 4♣ (agreed as 01122 RKC). RHO doubles.

You haven't discussed this. Your call?

2. ♠JTx ♥xx ♦AKT8x ♣xxx. Pard passes as dealer, all red. RHO opens 1♦ passed around to pard who smacks. RHO bids 1N. You?

3. You play in 2♠ after LHO opens a weak 2♥ and pard x's:

---

You get the ♣K lead from the weak 2 bidder. You f/c with the J (agree?). Now what?

[gnasher]

1. Abstain. I'd have discussed it.

2. I'd usually play double as showing general values, rather than just penalties. With this agreement I'd pass. If double is penalties I'll do that.

3. I wouldn't have played ♣J, because no one is going to think I have a singleton but they might be in doubt about the location of the jack. However, I doubt if it will matter.

I play a spade to the queen. If that holds, I'll duck a spade.

[Apollo81]

1. If I haven't discussed what to do over a double then I would not alter my response based on the double. My preferred treatment here is pass shows no club control and partner can XX to re-ask for keycards.

2. Pass, happy I am not declaring 1n which is what would have happened if RHO had passed.

3. spade to Q, duck spade, hard to see how this could be wrong without thinking about it longer. I dont agree with the cJ play, I might need entries to my hand later and would like to keep the J9.

[jdonn]

On 1 I would assume our same agreements as over keycard, so perhaps whatever DOPI variant you play (0 = first step, 1 = second step, etc)

2 is easy pass, it takes a real hog to double IMO. If they are taking any amount of tricks other than exactly 6, either more or less, then doubling either got me a bottom or turned a really good board hardly better.

[kenrexford]

1. 4♣ is doubled.

Discuss.

If no discussion, best guess is what Josh said.

When you discuss later, however, IMO this sequence calls for a clarification of the club control situation. Maybe answer with one type, redouble with another, and pass with another. Also, you want a way to have Responder bid NT first when that is needed.

2. RHO 18-count.

Pass.

3. Play Problem

I don't know. Maybe, Spade to King.

[pclayton]

1. I bid 4♦ which should consistent with DOPI. DOPI wasn't discussed - (is that part of your 20 minute discussion?). I wouldn't think my actions would focus on my club holding in any case.

2. I smacked. It gained 500 when pard had a 4414 11 count and dummy had two jacks.

3. At the table I smacked down the ♠K trying to guard against stiff 9, 10 or J in LHO. LHO seemed to have the ♣KQ, ♥A, no stiff diamond, and possibly a little club length. Stiff seemed more possible than RHO having Ax. LHO actually had JTx QTxxxx xx KQ so they can still hold me to 3 in any event but its less likely they will.

[benlessard]

1-- by default XX show a 1st round control. passing show no control. This is fairly standard imo.

2-WTP pass.

3- maybe LHO lead from Kx since he know strength is on dummy. So low S to Q. Not convinced at all.

[pclayton]

benlessard, on Apr 13 2008, 09:38 PM, said:

3- maybe LHO lead from Kx since he know strength is on dummy. So low S to Q. Not convinced at all.

RHO discouraged clubs at T1.

[benlessard]

With a quick spade trick in my hand you can be sure i will discourage too with Qxxxx.

[Cascade]

pclayton, on Apr 13 2008, 06:24 AM, said:

Pard bids 4♣ (agreed as 01122 RKC)

What is this?

[Cascade]

1. I play PODI/PORI in all of my relay partnerships (including partial relays in my regular partnership) and DOPI/ROPI in other partnerships. I would assume DOPI/ROPI.

2. I pass.

3. Low spade towards the queen - try and get two trumps out.

[gnasher]

pclayton, on Apr 14 2008, 03:47 AM, said:

3. At the table I smacked down the ♠K trying to guard against stiff 9, 10 or J in LHO. LHO seemed to have the ♣KQ, ♥A, no stiff diamond, and possibly a little club length. Stiff seemed more possible than RHO having Ax. LHO actually had JTx QTxxxx xx KQ so they can still hold me to 3 in any event but its less likely they will.

I think that a reasonable play. It gains against most of the 1633s, 1624s and 1642s, and loses to 2632 and 3613 (the latter being rather unlikely). When LHO has a doubleton or singleton club and three spades, it will usually break even.

On the actual hand, they would certainly have found their club ruff - what else are they going to play for after a spade to the queen, a spade to the ace, a club to the queen, and a heart to the ace?

[FrancesHinden]

pclayton, on Apr 14 2008, 03:47 AM, said:

DOPI wasn't discussed - (is that part of your 20 minute discussion?).

No of course it's not. But neither is agreeing the meaning of a 4C response to a weak two opening.

[jdonn]

pclayton, on Apr 13 2008, 09:47 PM, said:

1. I bid 4♦ which should consistent with DOPI. DOPI wasn't discussed - (is that part of your 20 minute discussion?)

Yes but only because it has a box to check on the ACBL convention card. If we hadn't discussed it I wouldn't assume it.