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And yes we are down on the spades lead
Competition is tough
#41
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Posted 2026-July-21, 14:39
Here is the full hand bid in my current best partnership.
MP
And yes we are down on the spades lead
MP
And yes we are down on the spades lead
#42
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Posted 2026-July-21, 14:43
I've been doing something like this over 1NT-(3H) for 20+ years...
- DBL is 4 or 5 spades GF. Opener bids 3S with 3, 3NT with 2, and at the 4-level with 4+.
- 3S is sort of like a negative DBL without spades (and likely without a stopper)
- 3NT suggests a stopper
- 4m is natural and forcing
- 4H is Texas (either to play in 4S or strong slam interest)
- 4S is natural with mild slam interest
(Not recommended except for strong players in a serious partnership)
- DBL is 4 or 5 spades GF. Opener bids 3S with 3, 3NT with 2, and at the 4-level with 4+.
- 3S is sort of like a negative DBL without spades (and likely without a stopper)
- 3NT suggests a stopper
- 4m is natural and forcing
- 4H is Texas (either to play in 4S or strong slam interest)
- 4S is natural with mild slam interest
(Not recommended except for strong players in a serious partnership)
#43
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Posted 2026-July-21, 15:13
Wot no Lightner double ?
#44
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Posted 2026-July-21, 15:55
bluenikki, on 2026-July-21, 13:50, said:
4♣ is undefined?
No, 4C is 5=5 majors
'one of the great markers of the advance of human kindness is the howls you will hear from the Men of God' Johann Hari
#45
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Posted Yesterday, 02:39
mikeh, on 2026-July-21, 09:29, said:
I've been playing this for a few years now:
Over 3C:
X takeout
3D 5+ hearts, invite+
3H 5+ spades, invite+
3S 5+ diamonds, gf
4D/4H texas
Over 3D:
X takeout
3H 5+ spades, invite+
3S 5+ hearts, gf
No texas, 4D is pick a major
Over 3C:
X takeout
3D 5+ hearts, invite+
3H 5+ spades, invite+
3S 5+ diamonds, gf
4D/4H texas
Over 3D:
X takeout
3H 5+ spades, invite+
3S 5+ hearts, gf
No texas, 4D is pick a major
I play the same at the three-level but our four-level bids are different: for a start, Texas has never been popular in the UK, so we just use our Leaping Michaels methods
Over 3♣:
4♣ - diamonds and a major
4♦ - both majors
4M to play
Over 3♦:
4♣ - clubs and a major
4♦ - both majors
4M to play
Over 3♥:
4♣ - clubs and spades
4♦ - diamonds and spades
4♥ - good 4♠ bid
4♠ - to play
Over 3♠:
4♣ - clubs and hearts
4♦ - diamonds and hearts
4♥ - to play
4♠ - minors, stronger than 4NT
#46
- hooked
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Posted Yesterday, 07:20
Another thread that has morphed into an Expert Forum topic.
It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.
"You need to play a lot of stuff these days just to deal with the stuff your opponents are playing" DBurn
"You need to play a lot of stuff these days just to deal with the stuff your opponents are playing" DBurn
#47
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Posted Yesterday, 08:48
#48
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Posted Yesterday, 09:06
paulg, on 2026-July-22, 02:39, said:
I play the same at the three-level but our four-level bids are different: for a start, Texas has never been popular in the UK, so we just use our Leaping Michaels methods
Over 3♣:
4♣ - diamonds and a major
4♦ - both majors
4M to play
Over 3♦:
4♣ - clubs and a major
4♦ - both majors
4M to play
Over 3♥:
4♣ - clubs and spades
4♦ - diamonds and spades
4♥ - good 4♠ bid
4♠ - to play
Over 3♠:
4♣ - clubs and hearts
4♦ - diamonds and hearts
4♥ - to play
4♠ - minors, stronger than 4NT
Over 3♣:
4♣ - diamonds and a major
4♦ - both majors
4M to play
Over 3♦:
4♣ - clubs and a major
4♦ - both majors
4M to play
Over 3♥:
4♣ - clubs and spades
4♦ - diamonds and spades
4♥ - good 4♠ bid
4♠ - to play
Over 3♠:
4♣ - clubs and hearts
4♦ - diamonds and hearts
4♥ - to play
4♠ - minors, stronger than 4NT
Logical and easy to remember.
But I would have thought that this is a situation in which Texas has a significant edge over 4M natural: here it puts the aggressor on lead and also gives Responder the chance to RKCB the Opener after transfer.
#49
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Posted Today, 01:41
pescetom, on 2026-July-22, 09:06, said:
Logical and easy to remember.
But I would have thought that this is a situation in which Texas has a significant edge over 4M natural: here it puts the aggressor on lead and also gives Responder the chance to RKCB the Opener after transfer.
But I would have thought that this is a situation in which Texas has a significant edge over 4M natural: here it puts the aggressor on lead and also gives Responder the chance to RKCB the Opener after transfer.
Our reasoning is very Intermediate and Advanced: we prefer to keep methods consistent throughout the system and not have too many specials: this includes that games bids are to play. You are right that you would prefer not to have the lead going through partner's holding in their suit, but having never played Texas it was a step too far for us.
So our choice was to show two-suiters or have multiple ways to show one-suiters.