[inquiry]

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So Ben we agree again :-) That's good.
I like your responses to 4h and I agree that 5s would have been the best bid.
I think that over 5s we should use 5NT as ace-asking. I've played this treatment when they compete to the 5 level and we don't know if we can play 7 or not. Too bad we can't find the cQ or can we?

Luis

I can't find out about the queen. Heck, I am not all that sure about the both the two aces, but if my partner bids 5S I am pushing to six. But, I would settle for six even if partner's club JACK was the queen. This is why people preempt I think: to make you have to guess at a high level. Here you and your partner have to both guess good to get to the right spot.

[inquiry]

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I suggested 3NT because of the heart stopper, the bad spade suit, and the shape. I was also making an assumption that partner would have more than a dead minimum opener to double in this situation.

What were others assuming about partner's strength?

1) You partner was under pressure to bid, and he has short hearts. I drew up some sub-minimums that one of my partner doubles with, and I have been know to double with only a slight bit more. Any time you ARE SHORT in their suit, you have to know that if you pass, you are putting tremednous pressure on your partner to "balance" when holding 2 or particularily 3 cards in their suit.

Now that you have the ability with myhands or the bbo movie to check online what good players do against preempts, whenever someone preempts against you, or you preempt, take a peek at what the good players do with various hands....

2) I wouldn't bid 3NT without at least a potential second heart stopper. 3NT could work out alright if you could shut Opener's hand out during the play. Imagine a nice "sound" 3H opening bid like....

xx
KQJT987
xx
xx

You could hold up your ace of hearts until the third round (if necessary) and then it is you and your partner against EAST.

But what if WEST is not so "typical" (he has read Robson Segal) and holds something like....

Ax
KQTxxx
xxxx
x

3) I go along with Rado on drawing assumptions about the direct seat double. I assume it is down the middle. 4-1-4-4. Now what about stregnth. I figure this is about two queens more than he would need to double at the one level. Since I would double 1H with the following 9 count...

KJxx
x
AJxx
Txxx

I think a minimum double of 3H would be on the lines of good shape and 13 hcp (9+4). As the shape is distorted, more points are required. Being vulnerable, you would want maybe will watn even a point or two more (say a good 14 to 15), or at least good intermediates (T's and 9's).

[pbleighton]

Ben writes:
"Now that you have the ability with myhands or the bbo movie to check online what good players do against preempts, whenever someone preempts against you, or you preempt, take a peek at what the good players do with various hands.... "

Good suggestion.

Serious question: how do I know who the "good players" are? Can I trust the self-ratings?

[luis]

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Serious question: how do I know who the "good players" are? Can I trust the self-ratings?

No, unless an "expert" can play the queen in a 4 spade contract when they lead a side suit and he sees Q9x in dummy and xxx in his hand :-)
Or re-open with 2nt after 1nt (2s) p p

I think it would be nice to have a way to "classify" players upon your own opinion as you do with friend/neutral/enemy you can also assign a level or some notes to each player. For example: "expert" but this guy opens some crazy weak 2s with 4 cards!

[inquiry]

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Serious question: how do I know who the "good players" are? Can I trust the self-ratings?

ROFLSHWMP.....

That is a good one...

[pbleighton]

I didn't think so.

Creeative ROFL+... haven't seen it before. ;D

[the hog]

Ok have read the above and maybe agree that 4H is better over 3H opening. Here's the rub, what do you bid if the opening was 4H? Now Ben's comment still holds true - if you bid 4NT you have by passed 4S and pd will still be looking for a C fit before a S fit.

[mishovnbg]

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So Misho, what do you bid over 3H with
Kx
xx
Kx
AKJxxxx

You cannot bid a natural 3C as this is a 2 suiter in your system

DBL: 2 way mean at this level - bal or 1 suited minor hand without stop for 3NT. I dont like to bid over 3NT when it is still possible contract.
Misho

[luis]

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Ok have read the above and maybe agree that 4H is better over 3H opening. Here's the rub, what do you bid if the opening was 4H? Now Ben's comment still holds true - if you bid 4NT you have by passed 4S and pd will still be looking for a C fit before a S fit.

If they open 4h we have to double, pd can pass that but since we don't have many options over 4h he should be very reluctant to pass the double since we can be cold for a slam or grand slam with a hand holding 2 aces.