Was I wrong to open with a singleton lead in this situation?
At matchpoint duplicate bridge, not vulnerable vrrsus vulnerable, and sitting West, I held♠ AK32♡ J643♢ 6♣ JT82Partner (East) opened one heart, South overcalled one spade, I raised to two hearts, North...
View ArticleWhat are the arguments for and against raising a "one over one" response with...
The obvious danger is that you may end up in a 4-3 "Moyesian" fit if you do so. That appears to be why many members of my club hate that bid. Yet I feel that it provides useful information and induces...
View ArticleWhere would modern bridge players draw the line in the following paradigm?
Take a hand like ♠ AK ♡ K ♢Txxxx ♣ Txxxx. In the old days (about 100 years ago), some experts might have evaluated the hand at 2.5 quick tricks and two five card suits and opened it 1 diamond (or 1...
View ArticleShould bidders take "controls"into account when trying to bid a no trump slam?
By "controls," I mean the situation whereby an ace is worth two controls, and a king one. Given four aces and four kings, there are 12 controls in all.If two partners have 31 (random) high card points...
View ArticleWhen are nine and ten hcp point hands worth opening at the "one" level?
With a holding like AKQTxx in one suit, and no side honors, I could usually open with a "weak two." But suppose the suit were clubs. Then I can't open with two clubs because that is a much stronger...
View ArticleIs it OK to make an "offshape" bid if you can handle any likely response?
With no one vulnerable at atchpoints, left hand opponent opened with one heart. Partner passed, right hand opponent raised to two hearts (both of them had minimums for their bids).I passed, holding ♠87...
View ArticleDid I act reasonably by raising following my takeout double?
All vulnerable at matchpoints, right hand opponent opened one club. I doubled (takeout) with the following: ♠KQ75 ♡ T752 ♢ AKJ9 ♣ 3.Left hand opponent passed, and my new partner bid one spade (forced)...
View ArticleHow strong a suit do you need for an overcall above the one level in direct...
If someone opens say, one club, the next person will mostly likely overcall, say, one spade with a decent five card suit and about ten high card points, even though the hand is slightly too weak to...
View ArticleCalling "No Trump" as trump in Euchre
I come from a long line of Euchre players. When all players have turned down ordering up trump and it goes to each player to name a suit, we have also included "No Trump" as an option. Meaning if you...
View ArticleCan one reasonably make inferences about partner's first bid based on the...
With no one vulnerable at matchpoints, my (occasional) partner dealt and bid one diamond with the following:(s) 752 (h) QT7 (d) AQJ52 (c) A8.I bid one heart. She re-bid two diamonds, and I reluctantly...
View ArticleShould I have tried for slam in the following situation, and if so, did I do...
With only them vulnerable at matchpoints, my (new) partner dealt and opened one club. After a pass by opponent, I bid one diamond with the following: (s) 7 (h) KQ (d) KT98543 (c) KT3.Partner bid 2NT...
View ArticleIn which, or all of the following situations does a raise of a no trump bid...
Opener bids one club, responder bids one heart. Opener rebids 2NT (18-19 high card points, balanced). Responder raises to 4NT. I take that to be a "quantitative" bid, aiming for 6NT. The reason is that...
View ArticleWhat are the "help suit" game try methods?
You open one of a major. Partner raises you to two, showing support with 6-10 high card points. You are a rebidder with an intermediate hand, 15-17 high card points. Opposite an average of "eight"...
View ArticleShould my partner have initially kept silent with the following "2NT" hand?
Neither side vulnerable, sitting in the second seat, my partner opened one club with the following: (s) 9 (h) 9 (d)A7543 (c)AJT987.Third seat overcalled, two hearts (showing 6). I passed in fourth seat...
View ArticleWere my actions over a takeout double correct under either actual or...
At matchpoints, my left hand opponent opened one diamond. Partner doubled (takeout). Right hand opponent stuck in a one heart bid, which theoretically "took me off the hook."I elected to bid one spade...
View ArticleDid it make sense for me to make a "clarifying" bid or should I have jumped...
With neither vulnerable at matchpoints, I opened one diamond in fourth seat with the following: ♠87 ♥A964 ♦AKQT54 ♣6.Partner raised to 2NT (10-12 points invitational) with the following: ♠KQ ♥KQ5 ♦9876...
View ArticleDid I tell the smallest "lie" with my rebid?
New club, new partner, new game, with people I had met for the first time.Neither vulnerable at matchpoints, I dealt and opened one heart with the following hand:♠KT84 ♥AK984 ♦K9 ♣J3. Partner responded...
View ArticleUnder what cirumstances does a negative double call for a NT response?
At matchpoints with neither vulnerable, and a new partner, I opened one club in second position with ♠QJ75 ♥AJ4 ♦4 ♣AJ964. Left hand opponent overcalled one spade. Partner doubled (negative) with ♠3...
View ArticleWhich partner (if either) should overcall 2NT (and why)?
With no one vulnerable at matchpoints, my right hand opponent opened two spades (weak).I passed with the following hand: ♠T ♥A74 ♦JT92 ♣KT763.After the game, I said, "I was thinking of bidding 2NT...
View ArticlePassing a new suit at the two level
In first seat partner opens at the one level. Partner's LHO overcalls at the one level. Responder (in third seat) bids a new suit at the two level. E.g. 1H-1S-2C. Can opener pass this 2c bid?
View ArticleShould one avoid making a negative double with a weak four card major?
Both vulnerable at matchpoints, I dealt and bid one spade with a J-high suit and a 13-count.Left hand opponent overcalled two diamonds.Partner made a negative double with the following: ♠AK ♥9843 ♦84...
View ArticleIn Bridge, Why Do People Use "Transfer Bids" Over 1 NT?
Over 1NT, some people bid two diamonds to say they have five hearts, and two hearts to say they have five spades. The 1NT person bids the desired suit, completing the transfer.Apparently the idea is to...
View ArticleHow few cards in a suit would still allow a responder to make a "transfer" bid?
Both sides vulnerable at matchpoints. Partner deals and bid 1NT (15-17). Right hand opponent passes.In a dialog surrounding an earlier version of this question, it was established that it made sense...
View ArticleWhich of these hands should be opened in which late positions?
With no one vulnerable at matchpoints, I passed in first position with ten high card points. Ditto for second seat with eight high card points.Partner passed in third seat with eleven points and a weak...
View ArticleShould I have balanced in the following situation?
We are vulnerable, the opponents not, at matchpoint duplicate. South opened one spade. West and North passed. I am sitting East with the following: (s) x (h) 9xxxxx (d) Kx (c) ATxx. (All x's are 7 or...
View ArticleWhen should someone make a minimum bid over a takeout double with 8 or more...
There was this example cited by an expert (Frank Stewart}. On the hand ♠ 943 ♡A52 ♢AQJ ♣ 8732.the SE consensus was that "11" high card points were really more like seven because of the 4-3-3-3 shape,...
View ArticleIn which positions would one open the following ten point hand?
With no one vulnerable, I passed the following hand as dealer: ♠ K973 ♡A9853 ♢None ♣ K986.I would have opened this light in either third or fourth position, based on my "clean up" position, and the...
View ArticleHow would one decide whether or not stop at game after my "strong 2 club"...
With no one vulnerable, I dealt and opened two clubs (strong) with ♠ AKQ9 ♡AKJ87 ♢82 ♣ A8. I counted 8.5 tricks but had only 21 high card points.Partner raised to 3 clubs (positive). I bid my suit,...
View ArticleResponding to 1club opening
I open 1 club with 13 HCP and 5 club cards. Opponents pass. Partner responds 1 D. Partner says 1D response is forcing and shows support in clubs. I could not find such a convention anywhere. Please...
View ArticleWas it reasonable for me to pass my partner's 2NT bid?
With both sides vulnerable at matchpoints, left hand opponent (LHO) dealt and bid 1 diamond. Two passes followed.I doubled (takeout) with ♠ KJT5 ♡ AJT4 ♢ Q5 ♣ AT4. LHO rebid 2 clubs. Partner bid 2NT,...
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