Yeah, that's what I ended up bidding, but I wasn't quite sure if 1NT would be a good response either.

Here's the ace-asking scheme I used to use, just copied over from several-year-old notes (someone wanted to know). You'll note that there's room for some, but limited, judgment -- how much to allow is a function of the strength of you and your partner.

Also, with my regular partner I simplified even further -- no first-bid suit (by either player) could ever be the ace-asking bid. This was to compensate for some, um, lapses in judgment regarding what was "obvious". The notes as I've copied them here retain the original rule, which is that a first-bid suit can't be the ask unless the bid is "obviously" not natural. Your mileage may vary.

_________________________________
Ace Asking

After suit agreement, the bid immediately above 4 of the agreed suit is ace-asking (RKC) in that suit, except that a first-bid suit cannot be the ace ask unless it is clearly not natural. When the cheapest bid up is not available, the ace-ask is the next bid above that (except another first-bid suit). The exception to this is 4NT, which may be natural after minor-suit agreement -- use judgment.

Responses to RKC are 1430. The cheapest non-playable bid above a non-Q-showing response is the Q ask -- answer 5 of the suit without, cheapest K with, NT with the queen but no side K. Note on non-playable -- after D agreement, 4NT is playable, so 5C is the Q ask even after 4H (ask) - 4S (1 or 4).

It is OK, but not mandatory, to show a useful void. (Voids in asker's side suit are not considered useful unless there is another obvious source of tricks.) Respond 5 of the RKC suit with 2 keys and a void, and show the void directly (with 5N replacing the RKC suit) with 1 or 4.

5 of the RKC bid, or the bid immediately above 5 of the trump suit (where the RKC bid was not 4 of that suit), is a specific K ask. Respond with the cheapest K -- 5NT shows the K of the ask suit. Variant to discuss: with exactly two kings, responder answers as if he had (only) the king he is missing.

After suit agreement, a jump above the RKC bid is exclusion RKC. Respond 3014 -- NOT 1430. Responses exclude cards in the excluded suit.

Any time a suit bid is not available because it is RKC, then 4NT has the same meaning that 4 of that suit would otherwise have had -- normally either a control bid or exclusion RKC.

Any unplayable bid above the king ask is a specific ask in the suit bid (or shown, with 5NT showing the king-ask suit, usually spades). With second-round control of any sort, answer above 6 of the agreed suit. With third round control, make a bid below 6 of the agreed suit if possible. If there is no room, then asker is looking for THIRD round control.

After double agreement -- two suits are raised clearly -- the RKC bid is the bid immediately above 4 of the higher suit. Responses are 1430, then 2 with no Q, two with one Q, two with both. K ask is 5 of the ask suit. Rare, but possible -- after 3-level double agreement, a jump above the RKC bid is exclusion RKC, with two suits agreed (respond 3041).

There is suit agreement when a known balanced hand is opposite a hand that has shown one suit. There is double agreement when a known balanced hand is opposite a hand that has shown two suits.

Gerber: 4C is ace-asking only when it is clear or likely that NT is agreed. This is usually true when someone has signed off in NT. There are some problem auctions, but we have not worked them out. After Gerber is used, 4NT is to play.

A free bid 5 of a major is looking for good trumps, if there are two or more unbid suits; second round control of the unbid suit, if there is only one; and second round control of the opponent's suit, if they have shown one.

A jump to 5 of the RKC suit (5N with S agreed, etc.), is the grand slam force, discussed elsewhere.

Over interference in a RKC auction, we play DOPI/ROPI below 5 of our suit, DEPO above. Note that this means what it sounds like -- X is 0 or 3, even though we play 1430. We should consider changing this to allow penalty doubles even with 2 keys.

This is the important question, and the usual answer is no. Notrump advances promise values. Suit advances don't.

next session, same bracket, et al...72%

sustainable?

seems like moving up to where they double my sacrifices is prolly in order.

Yeah, unless you want to MP-whore, I'd say moving up is good. If you're in a low section, you can still get pretty good points with <50% games sometimes. Also, playing against better players makes you somewhat better. And just like poker, it's kind of easier to visualize the hands when better players play, because they usually play correctly.

Moving up is always good. You don't learn anything worth knowing when playing against bad opposition, and the successes, when they come, will feel a thousand times better in the unlimited games. (Also, a minor but extant point: you'll learn bad habits.)

Also note that masterpoints really do mean absolutely nothing - if you feel good about the game and your play, you won. This isn't poker, where you win money and are looking for fish. In bridge, beating fish will eventually just make you feel dirty.

Congrats on your success, which I'm not trivializing -- those are great scores -- but they strongly suggest that you don't belong in that game.

1. You have exactly what your bid promises. OK, diamonds is a better suit, but forces you to the 2-level.

1NT is horrible. It promises about 7-10 HCP and a heart stopper. You have neither.

BBO mp tourney w/w

FCBL is in first seat with

7
AKQJT32
AKT
A8

I am third seat with


85
Q9832
KQJ952

Bidding goes

2c--pass--3c--3s
4h--pass--pass--pass

Alright, clearly we screwed up bad since 7C, 7D, and 7H are all cold. But where?

probably want to bid 4s over 3s?

I take it 3 is a positive answer? I play it as something like at least Kxxx and 6+ HCP.
In that case the opener can count 11 tricks right off the bat and 4 is a serious underbid.
Of course, the 3 interference rather complicates the job of telling partner you have hearts and trying for slam at the same time.

I think an immediate 6 over 3 is the simplest bid. Maybe some people with very good agreements can think of clever asking bids, but for ordinary systems, you just can't find out and have to hope partner's positiveness is in the correct places.

PS: I wouldn't worry about 7, especially in MPs, where just getting to slam usually scores at least 70% anyway.

Normally, 3 shows a decent hand with at least a five
card club suit. If the agreement is that a natural suit must
be headed by KJ or better, I agree that 6 is a better call
(should show solid trumps, at least second round control in
spades and two outside aces). Then partner can deduce his
spade void is useful and bid the grand.

It looks like your opponents didn't jam the bidding for some
reason (where are all the spades?) and if they had, you'd be
there.

If 3C is a true positive it promises two of the top three club honors. Six hearts is cold unless the other hearts go 6-0-0; seven is there if pard has an ace; this is why 4H is an underbid. (Zero hearts is adequate support -- that's why there's no reason to show them.) Ask him whether he does. The problem with six hearts is that partner cannot bid seven with first round spade control, as with the actual hand, because the 2C bidder might already have that.

Another possibility is 5S, which should ask for first-round control of spades (planning to correct to hearts). 5NT would be grand slam force, which in this case would get you to seven but only by accident.

Even when opener bids just 4H, responder should like his spade void and heart tolerance (a small doubleton is enough on this auction). Control-bidding 4S is clear, even though its meaning isn't -- it could still be a hunt for the best strain, with a hand that looks a lot like this one, or with something like a club-diamond swan (1=1=4=7). But here it works.

If 3C does not promise the suit quality I'm assuming, opener can be a little more cautious, but should still probably drive to slam. However, in that case responder should realize that he has enormous extras, and at least try for slam himself.

(For fun: playing my old relay system, with no interference, the auction would have gone:

1C (artificial, strong) - 1S (clubs, 8+HCP)
2C (relay) - 3C (5+ diamonds, hence 6+ clubs)
3D (relay) - 3S (0=2=5=6)
4C (relay) - 4S (two of top three clubs)
4NT (ace ask -- looking for 7NT) - 5C (no ace)
7H

Hearts never get bid until the seven level.

With high-level spade interference we'd have faced approximately the same problems; the grand might even get missed.)

Yeah, I was shocked E/W at our table were so stingy with bidding spades. 4th seat had 7, and 2nd seat had 5. They make 2S, making 4S, 6S, 7S all good sacrifices. 6S was bid more than once at other tables.

Opposite a true club positive, with a partner I was confident would puzzle things out, I would bid 5S directly. 5NT would be a grand slam force, so I think my partner could work out that 5S is a grand slam force asking for first round spade control. If he thinks Im asking him to pick between two suits or something, he may get the message anyway when I correct to 6H.

QFT. I haven't played in 10 years, but when I played seriously the most fun I ever had was in the unlimited events. There's no better feeling than "playing above your head" and finishing well.

third page? wat?

anyway, possibly awkward rebid question. w/r imps, three passes to me with:

s: QJ93
h: J
d: 7643
c: AKT2

i open 1c with the intention of rebidding 1s should partner bid a red suit. however, lho throws a spanner in the works by bidding 1s himself, then partner bids 2h. what's the best plan now?

Pass and hope you don't get doubled.

Passsssssssssssssss!

Your partner needs values and hearts to make his (free) bid. Hope you can take 8 tricks. [Not to mention that with only 11HCP, you're grossly misrepresenting your hand with any bid you take here, both in shape and values.]

If you were going to bid 1 over 1 anyways, why not open 1?

I mean, 1 could pass out, but that's fairly unlikely.

Quick question,

What does a bid of 2D mean in 4th seat?

A "weak 2" in 4th seat shows a (possibly barely sub-) opening strength hand and the typical shape of a weak 2. For instance, 2D in 4th seat has no 4-card major, a good 6-card diamond suit, and 10-14 points or so. Basically you are bidding to make; +90/+110 > 0.

w/r, I'm in 3rd seat. Partner opens a pre-emptive 3, and RHO overcalls 3

Q 9 2
A
A K J T 9
K J 9 4

What's a good bid here?

I ended up bidding 5, and LHO bids 5. Now, it passes back to me, and I can double for 200 or 500, or I can be ballsy and try for 6

I can see us losing at least two spades off the top, if they're lead. If not, I think my partner can set up the diamonds and pitch her losing spades away. The opponents figure to have at least 10+ hearts, and even at the given vulnerability, may not do so badly in 5X, especially if the clubs are 2-0.

I think 5 is a safe contract (3N might be too, but it might be tougher to score the overtricks there, especially since leading away from KTxx in spades is much more reasonable, and the spades may break worse than 4-4). But what do you guys think about bidding 6 instead? This is at MPs, so most everybody will be in 5/3NT/5X, but at 6, the only way were down is if RHO has AK in spades, and leads them. I guess she could also lead the ace from Axxx too right, and then continue? (I'm not too sure about standard leads against suited little slams). Theres a good chance that my partner will get a heart (or trump) lead anyways, so is this a +EV play?

Also, if it helps, this is the antepenultimate deal, and we're looking at around a 61% game. The guys in first place have about 65%, and third is at 59%. Since masterpoints are pretty heavily skewed to the top, I guess I'm trying to think of this as a +EV play as far as getting MPs is concerned. Is there an equivalent to ICM for bridge tournaments?

Also, if the vulnerabilities were switched, does your bid change?

I would probably double. I think you're actually prettly likely to get a spade lead against 6C. Clubs is out as a lead, as are diamonds because you have almost all the honors. A heart lead seems pointless, so a spade would be the only alternative. The only thing that makes me wonder is if your partner would double there with a minimum to warn you off of bidding 6C.

how many ppl are you playing against as far as MP's go? and how many boards? I think that's pretty relevant wrt bidding 6c