[pescetom]

This one went off the rails with GiB, but that may well be my fault.
Struck me as an interesting problem in any event.

MP

---

Say West opens 2♦ here (not everyone's cup of tea, I understand).
How do things progress in your usual partnership?
North will double, South will pass unless East is passive or redoubles.

[jillybean]

Pass in perfect tempo, with a poker face.

(well, &^^%. I got that wrong)

[pescetom]

jillybean, on 2026-November-11, 16:00, said:

Pass in perfect tempo, with a poker face.

Only the former would have been difficult for my partner
He chose 2NT Feature instead.
Do you play safe with such crappy trumps, even looking at a void and an Ace, non vulnerable?

[mikeh]

Waiting for the usual suspects to show their auction to reach 6D, lol.

[mike777]

 pescetom, on 2026-November-11, 15:37, said:

This one went off the rails with GiB, but that may well be my fault.
Struck me as an interesting problem in any event.

MP

---

Say West opens 2♦ here (not everyone's cup of tea, I understand).
How do things progress in your usual partnership?
North will double, South will pass unless East is passive or redoubles.

Pass🙈 as West, conservative again

[mikeh]

In my main partnership a 3D opening makes sense. We don’t have a weak 2D available at imps and even at MPs I think the hand and suit are wrong for 2D. Passing looks pusillanimous with only void xxx in the majors, so 3D it is.

I happen to believe that this sort of preempt is winning bridge. Obviously it’s not always winning bridge, lol, but it’s amazing how rarely even quite good opponents punish you and the average opponent even less often. Of course, partner needs to understand your style. If partner thinks that a nv 3D opening shows something like KQ10xxxx then one should pass.

On the given hand we’d be in 5D right away over the double. We’d never reach slam

[thepossum]

GiB can be dodgy over a feature ask..could go either way

I would like to thknk we could reach 5

A terrible weak two with nice features and an unsophisticated partner

OK I will be brave and show a feature

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

we would most likely end up in 5D as well.
I am not 100% sure I like the opening bid, ..., I would need the Q instead of JT,
not sure, if this really makes a big difference, but you have to draw the line
somewhere, even if arbitary.

[mw64ahw]

GIB wise I'd XX, but no idea what it does then, but as East I'd be looking for 5♦ based on combined playing strength.

Likewise in partnership agreement where XX replaces the 2♥ shape/strength ask, but could be passed out if ops. don't lebensohl. The response to 2♥ here is 3♣ showing min xx64. 3♦ would be max xx64.

Edit:
After 3♣, 3♥ asks for shortage, ♠s then 3N ♥s. This may be a prelude to 3N, 5♦ or further.
Now 4♣ asks partner to start showing key cards with 4♠ being odd with a ♠ void in this case. i.e. 0364 & 50/50 whether you go for the slam

[pescetom]

 thepossum, on 2026-November-11, 23:46, said:

GiB can be dodgy over a feature ask..could go either way
.....

OK I will be brave and show a feature

I decided it was due, 3♣.
Partner bids 3♠ described as "2- diamonds, biddable spades, 17+ total points".

[Cyberyeti]

mikeh, on 2026-November-11, 16:53, said:

Waiting for the usual suspects to show their auction to reach 6D, lol.

I'd bid 3♠ fit which would probably put partner off, expect 4♦-5♦

[jillybean]

pescetom, on 2026-November-11, 16:30, said:

Only the former would have been difficult for my partner
He chose 2NT Feature instead.
Do you play safe with such crappy trumps, even looking at a void and an Ace, non vulnerable?

honestly, I don't know what I'd do, raise diamonds, by passing I am hoping I can X N/S later - spare the satire!
The good news is that I didn't bid 3nt

[pescetom]

 jillybean, on 2026-November-12, 07:49, said:

honestly, I don't know what I'd do, raise diamonds, by passing I am hoping I can X N/S later - spare the satire!
The good news is that I didn't bid 3nt

No EW bid NT, also because North opened 1NT at half the tables.

One NS pair played 3NT-8, a score I do not recall seeing before. It wasn't even a bottom (undoubled).

Only 2 of us opened in West.

The other Norths opened 1♣ due to 5422 shape. GiB and some humans in East doubled that, the other humans preferred 1♠.

The 1NT openers all received 2♠ from East, curiously no West bid 2NT enquiring for a minor (as I would have done, with a human partner at least).

Only 3 of 20 were in 5♦, the rest mostly in 3♦ or 2♠.

I was disconcerted by the bid described as spades with misfit in diamonds and passed. Partner did not complain and raked in 3♠+1 for 61%

[mikeh]

pescetom, on 2026-November-12, 10:12, said:

No EW bid NT, also because North opened 1NT at half the tables.

One NS pair played 3NT-8, a score I do not recall seeing before. It wasn't even a bottom (undoubled).

There’s a famous hand played by marshal miles and Eddie Kantar against Alan graves and Peter Nagy.

Miles and Kantar bid to 3N with many tricks in the minors and each hold Kx in a major. Unfortunately the AQxxxxx in each major sat over the K’s. Opening lead through dummy’s king followed, 7 tricks later, by a lead through the other. 3N down 9.

[mike777]

pescetom, on 2026-November-12, 10:12, said:

No EW bid NT, also because North opened 1NT at half the tables.

One NS pair played 3NT-8, a score I do not recall seeing before. It wasn't even a bottom (undoubled).

Only 2 of us opened in West.

The other Norths opened 1♣ due to 5422 shape. GiB and some humans in East doubled that, the other humans preferred 1♠.

The 1NT openers all received 2♠ from East, curiously no West bid 2NT enquiring for a minor (as I would have done, with a human partner at least).

Only 3 of 20 were in 5♦, the rest mostly in 3♦ or 2♠.

I was disconcerted by the bid described as spades with misfit in diamonds and passed. Partner did not complain and raked in 3♠+1 for 61%

Yes exactly

Passing as���� East with a void, an outside ace and poorish but long Diamonds does not preclude the EW pair from getting a good score or even bidding a game.


Miles and Kantar had a number of interesting boards that have been written up... ��

[pescetom]

Here is the full board for those who are curious:

MP

---

[WasWinM]

My auction would have been short and sweet. 2D-x-5D

[pescetom]

mike777, on 2026-November-12, 10:36, said:

Yes exactly

Passing as���� East with a void, an outside ace and poorish but long Diamonds does preclude the EW pair from getting a good score or even bidding a game.

Hard to avoid resulting, but I do hope we would have reached game after a 1NT opening by North:
P - (1NT) - 2♠(5S4m)
2NT(minor?) - ?
As East I would probably bid 4♦, I have considerably more than my minimum for 2♠.

I can't see us getting beyond 3♦ after a 1♣ opening.

[pescetom]

WasWinM, on 2026-November-12, 10:46, said:

My auction would have been short and sweet. 2D-x-5D

I only have one human partner who allows me to make openings like this and he is inexperienced... I'll ask him what he would do in East.

[mike777]

pescetom, on 2026-November-12, 11:06, said:

Hard to avoid resulting, but I do hope we would have reached game after a 1NT opening by North:
P - (1NT) - 2♠(5S4m)
2NT(minor?) - ?
As East I would probably bid 4♦, I have considerably more than my minimum for 2♠.

I can't see us getting beyond 3♦ after a 1♣ opening.

at imps once anyone bids diamonds, just bid game...why? It is imps

Honestly I don't get any of these diamond partials...I could understand if no one ever bids diamonds at all....

As for MP, I still would bid game....or never mention diamonds at all....

Going to Duke medical today and tomorrow for semiannual visit.


will check out all this serious/non serious 3nt stuff on the ride up, as Gavin W is giving a lecture this afternoon online. He loves it...smile