What they said, except on #4 I wouldn't be surprised if 4h were right: Qxx / QTxxx / xxx / xx is a pretty decent game. I bid too much and I make terrible matchpoint decisions, but if we had raised on the last round, we may be defending 5Dx instead of stuck. Almost certainly lefty has a 6th diamond.

1. X
2. Depends what your agreements are for pass hand bidding but 2H seems fine to me.
3. 3H
4. X
5. Pass

Eh X is bad on 4 I guess. Me bad.

It’s impossible to overstate how bad the AI is on BBO. It’s tilting as ****. I have no idea what I’m doing and even I can see how its card play is garbage when I am dummy. Easily makable contracts go down regularly because it will duck at the wrong times and just otherwise give tricks away by playing the middle card when it is holding a deuce. Am I alone in this?

I’ve played several hundred hands and cannot recall winning one NT contract as dummy, seriously ��

Accept that BBO bots have strengths and weaknesses.

Yes, you have to worry about all the things you mention and others.

But you can trust the BBO bot 100% to never make mistakes related to counting the hand...forgetting as declarer that trump isn't out, knowing if that last winner is good, knowing in defense that partner (or declarer) has card X because anything else combined with the HCP revealed so far would contradict bidding, etc. In this regard, they are at worst on par with the best humans and vastly ahead of all beginners and intermediates.

http://webutil.bridgebase.com/v2/tvi...FC1901&v3b=web

finally got one

Well done

Boom, nice

More hands. All matchpoints. Also thanks to everybody for commenting on the previous round--all very helpful!

1: w/w, third seat

543
643
KQJ32
T4

P-(P)-1D-(P)-1H-(P)-?

2: r/w, 4th seat

KQ3
9
QT87
AJT62

(P)-P-(P)-1C-(1H)-1S-(P)-?

3: w/w, 1st seat

A75
KQ8
QJ
AKT73

1C-(P)-1H-(1S)-X*-(P)-3D**-(P)-?

*support double. Is that right here? I've read that you're *always* supposed to make a support double if available, but the way the rest of the bidding progressed made me wish I'd defined my hand more narrowly by rebidding 2NT.

**we have no agreement about this bid (or really any follow-ups to a support double). After the hand, my partner said he intended it to mean no fifth heart, a biddable diamond suit, and values (but not clear how exactly how strong). That seemed reasonable, and is more or less how I took it. What's standard here?

4: w/r, 2nd seat

QJ982
2
A765
KT3

(1C)-1S-(1NT)-2S-(P)-P-(3C)-P-(3NT)-?

(basically, should I double?)

5: r/w, 4th seat

T5
AT983
AK5
763

(P)-2S-(x)-P-(3D)-P-(3NT)-?

(same question)

6: w/r, 4th seat

T92
3
AK5
QT9xxx

(1D)-2D*-(P)-2S-(P)-3S-(P)-?

*Michaels--5-5 H+S, no HCP range

If you go to 4S, LHO leads the AC, and dummy comes down as

AKJ63
QJ865
2
xx

what's the best shot at making it?

7: r/r, 1st seat

AJ
J84
AK92
KT63

partner has
T6
K9532
QT643
8

1NT-(P)-2D-(P)-2H-all pass

RHO appears to be thinking about bidding at both of his calls.

Lead is 4S. What's the best line? Everything seems straightforward except for the hearts, so the question is how to play them.

1. Easy pass. If I open this 1d, being able to pass here is the exact sort of auction I am looking for. I might be doing this legit with Axxx/Axxx/Axxx/x. Im a bigger fan of 2d as my first bid instead of 1d. But I am snap passing if you get me opening 1d.

2. Partner should be making a negative double with 4 spades. So 1S here should be a five card suit. Bidding 2S just to make opponents guess since it looks like they have a heart fit.

3. Seems reasonable so far. 3nt let's go

4. I'm not, but see why it is tempting

5. Still not, but still tempting

Little too drunk too look at declarer lines though

1. Open this 2D. If you’re going to open 1d, pass is “right” but I kind of like 2d. It keeps the charade up - if we are bidding 1d it’s to keep the opponents out of their game and 2d is more convincing than pass

2. 2s. We have a fit. But even if opps didn’t overcall, 1c-1s; 2s is reasonable. NT with a stiff heart is repulsive. Many players will open this 1d to rebid 2c here but I think raising on three is fine. Also most players play that 2n over 2s here asks partner to clarify what kind of raise he has (one response scheme is 3c=3card min, 3d = 3card max, 3h/s = 4card min/Max).

3. Make the support dbl, yes. With a good hand, partner should be bidding his real diamonds before his hearts. So this is kind of a weird auction. With like a 3442 GF and no spade stopper I think 2s is in order. This kind of sounds like a splinter to me. So I’m concluding that we only bid diamonds first w gf strength and this is a 4-6 invitational hand. 3n seems fine in that case. Someone else can educate both of us but certainly if p is GF with long diamonds he should bid diamonds first. (In my partnerships we bid diamonds w invitational hands too)

4. No. You’ll have a fine score if you beat this.

5. No. In general if opponents bid to a bad spot we are getting a good score regardless. Doubling would have limited utility there at MP. That said, good spot to talk about your requirements for a red preempt. I’d think we will beat this often since partner will have a side card. Maybe even two (even KJ of clubs might be ok since dummy may be broke, unless opps play lebensohl here and 3D showed values)

6. I would bid 4s. 3s is gross. As for the play, what happens the first two tricks?? We don’t have much hope but let’s get a little more info first.

7. I don’t want rho shifting to a stiff diamond so I will win the ace right away and play low to the 9 of hearts.

1. Pass. The silence of LHO makes me think he is stacked in D. Need to alert partner I have a minimum 3-rd hand opener. On a frisky day I might open this 3D, especially if opp are V that day

2. 2S. I have a normal opener. I don't know our methods, some play that dbl is negative and denies 4s, others play that dbl is negative and shows exactly 4s. Pass is certainly an option and cannot be criticized.

3. 4NT. Interesting spot. is it possible for us to reply 1H with longer diamonds? 3NT might be a bit an underbid, I could have 12 HCP as well, and I have a good 19. It might be that we can play 6NT, so what else can 4NT be, other than quantitative? Support dbl is fine and standard.

4. Pass. I have my overcall, but no extras. I don't want to punish partner for making a light 2S support on 5HCP and Txx of spades. 3NT might be icy cold with 4c, 2s and 3h tricks.

5. Dbl. Our 2nd hand preempts are solid, so the opponents are overboard.

6. That 3S is horrific. You are selling your standard michaels twice. Responder must slamdunk 4S now with 3 trumps and an AK. To play 4S I need more info besides opening lead. What did they signal trick 1 and what was played in trick 2?

7. With lack of entries you need to play trumps to dummy, so I probably start with small to 9 and if that loses to the 10, later when I'm back in hand run the J or 8.

Hand 6 raises a good topic that I'm never good at assessing.

How do you treat Michaels hands when they're weak, intermediate, or strong?

Thanks all. For hand 1, I absentmindedly copied the wrong club suit from the hand record (this is what comes of posting these at 2 am). The actual hand is:

543
643
KQJ32
AK

Other comments/responses below.

Hand 2: Assume our agreement is that a double is exactly 4 spades and 1S is at least 5, but partner doesn't always remember. But in any case, I think I have my answer--this hand can't rebid 1NT so I have to find another call such as pass, raise to 2S, or bid diamonds first to set up a club rebid, and these are all reasonable options (I chose pass). Right?

Hand 3: Gabe, we have not discussed this in detail (as is the case with many bidding situations), but in general I think partner would almost always bid the 4-card major even with longer diamonds. Wyman, what's the rationale behind bidding the diamonds first with a GF hand?

Partner held the following:

6
A964
AKT742
85

I kinda like 4NT.

Hand 5: I doubled and opps ran to 4D, which I also doubled. I was okay with that when I doubled given my diamond holding, but 4D went down 1 and 3NT goes down a million. Partner had KQJ8xx xx xx Txx. Too light for 2nd seat r/w?

Hand 6: What does P need there to invite?

Trick 1: AC, 6, 4, 2
Trick 2: 3D, 2, T, K

I should have asked about signals, but it's quite possible this particular pair doesn't play anything.

Meh you basically never have game on strength so you bid it to compete on shape alone and sometimes you make.

Over a precision diamond when they might just be trying to **** you, we play 2d natural, 2h mini-Michael’s, 3d big Michael’s since 2h is passable.

Hand 2: always bid as though your partner didn’t misbid. Sometimes he will but it’s a partnership game. Just do your part.

3: you’ll get to show your shape eventually anyway because your hand can bid naturally multiple times. If you e got a 6-count you may only get to show 1 suit and the major is the winner there. It’s higher ranking (better to compete), worth more, and easier to make game.

Think about how clear the auction is after 1C-1D (1S); 2N-3H (inv+ values so obv forcing, 6+D, 4H). You can bid a natural and forcing 4D. And now you can get to your 7D.

6. Well instinctively I’m gonna pitch my other club on my diamond and lead a heart up. Best for them might be for lho to fly and lead a spade thru, and I am probably boned but I’ll fly ace, take a ruffing finesse against rho, and hope to score 2D, 1H, and 7 trump (2 heart ruffs, so need the sQ to be with the long hearts. And probably onside.. The diamond shift cuts me off from establishing clubs though so what else can I do? They didn’t cash both clubs and haven’t led trumps yet so that’s good

Also you can play 2n over Michael’s is any invitational or better. If the Michael’s bidder has a M+m 2-suiter you have to bid 3c as pass or correct, not 2n “what is your minor”

Hand 1 with the AKc is good enough to bid 2H. Pass would be fine as well, since you are not really interested in game.

Hand 2 I will raise partner to 2S. You have a solid opener and a very useful singleton.

Hand 3 If you have a 4 hearts and longer diamonds, it makes sense to reply 1D with the strong hand. E.g. after 1C-1D-1NT you have a very clarifying 2H rebid, showing strength and shape. With a weak hand you cannot bid 2H over 1NT (that would be GF) and you show your hearts immediately. With the actual hand, partner is strong enough to do this. AK and A in the 6-4 long suits is enough for me to force game.

6NT is icy cold. 12 tricks from top. How to get to 7D? Not by replying 1H

Hand 6 partner ought to have another A and a 6-5 or so to be able to try for game.

As played I obviously cash another diamond to throw a way a club and play hearts.

Um so wait...

Grue was apparently denied a visa and isn't going to be able to play the Bermuda Bowl.

I absolutely hate this for him. Met him and seems like a real cool guy. So I'm saying this next statement with an equal amount of sadness and hell yeah...

FEEDMYKIDS LETS ****ING GO

Thread needs bumped.

In the interest of providing some actual content, had a series of interesting slam decisions last week - playing with a pickup partner who didn't play any tools at all.

Here's one to chew on:

Kxxxx
Axxxxx
xx
---

Partner opens 1NT, RHO overcalls 3C. What's your plan? (How high will you go if LHO bids 4C or 5C? Will you push again if partner raises a 3M bid to game?)

And here's a bad beat story for you:

Jxx
Jx
AQT9xx
Ax

I open 1D, partner comes up with a strong jump to 2H, RHO sticks in 2S, 3D by me, 4D by partner, 4H by me... now partner goes slamming.

It turns out to be an evil hand. The diamond suit is solid, but a spade lead through partner's Kx would doom 6D. (That's why I bid 4H over 4D, not wanting to play FIVE diamonds from my side.) On the other hand, partner's hearts turn out to be AK98xx - so in exchange for only one spade loser, you have to pick up five outstanding trumps including Q and T without loss. (Partner guessed wrong.)

Had a board last night where we bid keycard in Hearts, and partner jumped to 6D to show an odd number of keycards with a void in that suit.

In that situation, I wasn't sure whether to continue as I wasn't sure about the Q of trump.
How do I proceed here?

Over 3c I'll bid 4c, probably showing a 2-suiter.

You probably sign off in 6h, unless you estimate that at least 2/3 times with the current auction you have 10 trumps or partner has Qh.

Can you show the entire auction and both hands?

Sorry, busy weekend.

xx
AKQTxx

AQxxx

AKQJx
xx
Kxx
KJx

I am the bottom hand. LHO dealt, w/w

1-1
3(!)-3
3-4
6-6-PPP

! - partner should be limited to about 15-17 and at least 5-5.

We play kickback so 4S is keycard in hearts.

Felt like we should have been in 7. Do I just bid it or is my concern about Q of trumps valid?

Re 1NT-(3C) to you with Kxxxx Axxxxx xx ---:

That will get you 5C on your left, 5S from partner. Are you tempted?