[sceptic]

Scoring: IMP

---

West North East South

 1♦    Pass  5♦    Dbl
 Pass  Pass  RDbl  Pass
 Pass  Pass  

first bidding, should I xx myself or bid 6D or just pass

second, the play, I was confident I could make it (not often I can say that), but how should I have played the hand

[han]

I don't like 5D at all. Your partner had a very good hand, (s)he should have bid more slowly.

As for you, you have no choice but pass 5D, you have no idea how good partner's hand is.

The play may be tricky if north has a small club, but with the actual lay-out there is no way to make less than 12 tricks.

[luke warm]

i'd never xx with the west hand, 5♦ sounds too preemptive... i think east was lucky to get doubled... my preferred bidding on this is:

1nt : 3nt

[coyot]

I would pass 5♦ doubled. Straight jump to 5 must be a preempt.

If it is supposed to be "to play" (as in "to play and make"), how do I tell when I should bid 6♦?
(Recommended auction - 1♦-2♦ inverted and the cuebids all the way to 6♦ :-)

[han]

All the way to 6D?

I think that 6D is not a very good contract.

[coyot]

Sure, I didn't mean to say that 6♦ would be played - but you would have a chance or three to stop. The minimal balanced hand would, for first, refuse the slam attemps - and that should be enough to stop in 5♦

[the hog]

5D is bad. An inverted 2D is better as it gives you chances to find 3NT. The xx is totally gilding the lilly. This deserves to find partner with
xxx
KQJ
Kxxx
KQx
for 1 off.

[ochinko]

2D for me too, in case you play inverted minors, otherwise I could bid 2C first, but won't like it very much. 3H (splinter) could be considered too.

I would jump immediately to 5D if you replace the club Ace with a small, because opponents will be likely to have a major game or even a slam.

BTW, have you noticed that GIB goes to slam whenever its partner redoubles at the 5th level? Here it would work. Does any of you do that as well?

Petko

[keylime]

Rapid fire bidding, South doubles for takeout, gets redoubled but not bailed.

It's a perfect inverted minor hand. Six diamonds doesn't look back from the onset.