[PhilKing]

OK, so those pesky opponents have dared to open the bidding and raise to game. Well, are you going to bid, or are you too scared of going for a number?

All hands are from top-level play.If the hand has an L after it, the opening was limited, which means the raise might not be preemptive.

1. ♠AQT73♥43♦K7♣KQJ2, amber. L.
2. ♠KQT75♥54♦AKT2♣K5, white.
3. ♠AQJ943♥4♦973♣T94, amber.
4. ♠KT652♥-♦AK642♣A94, amber.
5. ♠Q76♥Q63♦AK84♣AK4, red.
6. ♠A875♥6♦AKJ74♣K94, white. L.
7. ♠653♥QJ3♦AKJT976♣-, white.
8. ♠AK74♥AT♦JT5♣AK84, amber. L.
9. ♠AK953♥K8♦82♣AKT8, red.
10. ♠AKJ973♥2♦T742♣J4, red.
11. ♠A53♥T♦AJT953♣A87, white.
12. ♠K87432♥-♦A4♣T7643, white. L.
13. ♠AK864♥Q72♦A72♣43, white. L.
14. ♠AQJ72♥Q♦T2♣86543, white.
15. ♠KQ9874♥8♦J6♣AK75, amber. L.
16. ♠KT9♥-♦Q9754♣AK764, white.
17 ♠AQJ9542♥T3♦T98♣2, amber.
18. ♠AJ943♥42♦AKJ6♣Q4, red.
19. ♠KQ74♥4♦63♣AKT976, green. L.
20. ♠AK943♥K2♦JT9842♣-, red. L.
21. ♠KT743♥J♦QT♣AQJ84, red.
22. ♠AK732♥Q♦75♣AKT98, red.
23. ♠AT72♥2♦KQ6♣KQT63, red.

Good luck!

[wanoff]

Just to get the ball rolling....


1. 4♠
2. 4♠
3. pass
4. 4♠
5. double
6. double
7. 5♦
8. double
9. pass
10. pass
11. pass
12. 4♠
13. pass
14. pass
15. 4♠
16. double
17 pass
18. pass
19. 4♠
20. pass
21. pass
22. 4♠
23. double

[PhilKing]

 wanoff, on 2015-March-07, 09:04, said:

Just to get the ball rolling....


1. 4♠
2. 4♠
3. pass
4. 4♠
5. double
6. double
7. 5♦
8. double
9. pass
10. pass
11. pass
12. 4♠
13. pass
14. pass
15. 4♠
16. double
17 pass
18. pass
19. 4♠
20. pass
21. pass
22. 4♠
23. double

OK. Your imp total is -6. That's not necessarily bad - teammates had quite a few unsaveable boards. We shall see.

[manudude03]

My guess:

1. X
2. X
3. Pass
4. X
5. X
6. X
7. 5D
8. X
9. X
10. Pass
11. Pass
12. 4S
13. Pass
14. Pass
15. 4S
16. Pass
17 4S
18. X
19. 5C
20. 4S
21. X
22. X
23. Pass

*waits to hear he got blitzed*

[PhantomSac]

Can someone remind me what the british way of saying the vuls means (white, red, amber, and green)?

Also Phil I assume we are meant to assume that the opps are not playing a limited opening bid system in all of these hands right?

[PhilKing]

 PhantomSac, on 2015-March-07, 11:44, said:

Can someone remind me what the british way of saying the vuls means (white, red, amber, and green)?

Also Phil I assume we are meant to assume that the opps are not playing a limited opening bid system in all of these hands right?

Red = we are they aren't
Amber = both vul
White = love all
Green = we aren't they are

I will put in extra notes for limited openings.

[Cyberyeti]

If these are all top level, I presume opps had a raise available that means 4♥ won't be a desperately good hand. Is this a valid assumption ?

[kuhchung]

thanks for all that you do PK!

edit: i spent a few minutes trying to come up with a mnemonic for british vuls and failed

[PhilKing]

 Cyberyeti, on 2015-March-07, 12:08, said:

If these are all top level, I presume opps had a raise available that means 4♥ won't be a desperately good hand. Is this a valid assumption ?

OP adjusted - an L indicates limited system. The players concerned generally have no qualms about raising directly to game with decent, but not great hands.

The biggest difference is that they are prone to bidding game with 3 trumps and a singleton with medium strength hands.

[gwnn]

1. 4S
2. 4S
3. 4S
4. 4S
5. pass
6. x
7. 5D
8. x
9. 4S
10. 4S
11. x
12. 4S
13. pass
14. pass
15. 4S
16. pass
17. 4S
18. pass
19. 5C
20. 4S
21. 4S
22. 4S
23. x

[eagles123]

My Guess

1 - 4s
2 - 4s
3 - 4s
4 - 4s
5 - x
6 - x
7 - 5d
8 - x
9 - 4s
10 - 4s
11 - x
12 - 4s
13 - 4s
14 - 4s
15 - 4s
16 - x
17 - 4s
18 - 4s
19 - p
20 - 4s
21 - p
22 - 4s
23 - x

[Cyberyeti]

1. x
2. x
3. p
4. x
5. x
6. x
7. 5♦
8. x
9. 4♠
10. p
11. p
12. p
13. p
14. p
15. 4♠
16. p
17 p
18. x
19. x
20. 4♠
21. x
22. 4♠
23. x

[cherdano]

1. 4♠
2. 4♠
3. P
4. X
5. P
6. X
7. 5♦
8. X
9. 4♠
10. 4♠
11. X
12. 4♠
13. P
14. P
15. 4♠
16. X
17 4♠
18. P
19. 5♣
20. 4♠
21. 4♠
22. 4♠
23. X

Now going to read other answers.

[helene_t]

1:p
2:4s
3:4s
4:x
5:p
6:x
7:5d
8:x
9:p
10:4s
11:x
12:4s
13:p
14:4s
15:4s
16:x
17:4s
18:p
19:x
20:p
21:p
22:4s
23:x

[foobar]

1. ♠AQT73♥43♦K7♣KQJ2, amber. L...............4♠
2. ♠KQT75♥54♦AKT2♣K5, white..................4♠
3. ♠AQJ943♥4♦973♣T94, amber..................Pass
4. ♠KT652♥-♦AK642♣A94, amber.................X
5. ♠Q76♥Q63♦AK84♣AK4, red....................Pass
6. ♠A875♥6♦AKJ74♣K94, white..................X
7. ♠653♥QJ3♦AKJT976♣-, white.................5♦
8. ♠AK74♥AT♦JT5♣AK84, amber. L...............X
9. ♠AK953♥K8♦82♣AKT8, red....................4♠
10. ♠AKJ973♥2♦T742♣J4, red...................P
11. ♠A53♥T♦AJT953♣A87, white.................5♦ or X
12. ♠K87432♥-♦A4♣T7643, white. L.............4♠
13. ♠AK864♥Q72♦A72♣43, white. L..............P
14. ♠AQJ72♥Q♦T2♣86543, white.................4♠
15. ♠KQ9874♥8♦J6♣AK75, amber. L..............4♠
16. ♠KT9♥-♦Q9754♣AK764, white................X
17 ♠AQJ9542♥T3♦T98♣2, amber.................4♠
18. ♠AJ943♥42♦AKJ6♣Q4, red...................P
19. ♠KQ74♥4♦63♣AKT976, green. L..............5♣
20. ♠AK943♥K2♦JT9842♣-, red. L...............4♠
21. ♠KT743♥J♦QT♣AQJ84, red...................P
22. ♠AK732♥Q♦75♣AKT98, red...................4♠
23. ♠AT72♥2♦KQ6♣KQT63, red...................X

[MrAce]

1-Pass
2-Pass
3-Pass
4-X
5-X
6-X
7-Pass
8-X
9-Pass
10-4♠
11-X
12-4♠
13-Pass
14-4♠
15-4♠
16-Pass
17-4♠
18-Pass
19-4♠
20-4♠
21-Pass
22-4♠
23-X

[PhilKing]

The results are really interesting. There is a huge diversity in approach - way bigger than I anticipated. Thanks to all the respondents. I will publish the results on Monday.

[benlessard]

(we rarely double with voids, our X are more showcard/spades than pure takeout, like 4+S 95% or the times.

(4D)---X = in my book this double doesnt promise any clubs
(4H)---X = this double doesnt promise both minors, partner is expected to bid 4NT with D and club tolerance.

Thanks PK, Its a very interesting questions, I always feel people dont compete enough here and dont punish me in 4Sx often enough.

1. ♠AQT73♥43♦K7♣KQJ2, amber. L...............X
2. ♠KQT75♥54♦AKT2♣K5, white....................4S
3. ♠AQJ943♥4♦973♣T94, amber.....................4S tough maybe pass is safer.
4. ♠KT652♥-♦AK642♣A94, amber...................4S (we rarely double with voids, our X are more showcard than takeout)
5. ♠Q76♥Q63♦AK84♣AK4, red........................X if partner got only 4S its tough luck
6. ♠A875♥6♦AKJ74♣K94, white........................X
7. ♠653♥QJ3♦AKJT976♣-, white.....................4NT followed by 5D to show a weaker hand. Direct 5D keep 6 in the picture.
8. ♠AK74♥AT♦JT5♣AK84, amber. L.................X
9. ♠AK953♥K8♦82♣AKT8, red.........................X
10. ♠AKJ973♥2♦T742♣J4, red........................4S
11. ♠A53♥T♦AJT953♣A87, white.....................P (revised my vote)
12. ♠K87432♥-♦A4♣T7643, white. L................4S
13. ♠AK864♥Q72♦A72♣43, white. L.................P
14. ♠AQJ72♥Q♦T2♣86543, white....................P
15. ♠KQ9874♥8♦J6♣AK75, amber. L...............4S
16. ♠KT9♥-♦Q9754♣AK764, white..................4NT my partner will simply pass/bid 4S with xxxx too often.
17 ♠AQJ9542♥T3♦T98♣2, amber....................4S
18. ♠AJ943♥42♦AKJ6♣Q4, red.......................X
19. ♠KQ74♥4♦63♣AKT976, green. L..............X
20. ♠AK943♥K2♦JT9842♣-, red. L...............4S
21. ♠KT743♥J♦QT♣AQJ84, red...................P
22. ♠AK732♥Q♦75♣AKT98, red...................4S
23. ♠AT72♥2♦KQ6♣KQT63, red...................X

[nige1]

 PhilKing, on 2015-March-07, 08:05, said:

OK, so those pesky opponents have dared to open the bidding and raise to game. Well, are you going to bid, or are you too scared of going for a number?

All hands are from top-level play.If the hand has an L after it, the opening was limited, which means the raise might not be preemptive.
Good luck!

Thanks PhilKIng. IMO...

1. ♠AQT73♥43♦K7♣KQJ2, amber. L. 4♠.
2. ♠KQT75♥54♦AKT2♣K5, white. 4♠.
3. ♠AQJ943♥4♦973♣T94, amber. 4♠.
4. ♠KT652♥-♦AK642♣A94, amber. Double.
5. ♠Q76♥Q63♦AK84♣AK4, red. Pass.
6. ♠A875♥6♦AKJ74♣K94, white. L. Double.
7. ♠653♥QJ3♦AKJT976♣-, white. Pass.
8. ♠AK74♥AT♦JT5♣AK84, amber. L. Double.
9. ♠AK953♥K8♦82♣AKT8, red. Double.
10. ♠AKJ973♥2♦T742♣J4, red. 4♠.
11. ♠A53♥T♦AJT953♣A87, white. Double.
12. ♠K87432♥-♦A4♣T7643, white. L. 4♠.
13. ♠AK864♥Q72♦A72♣43, white. L. Pass.
14. ♠AQJ72♥Q♦T2♣86543, white. 4♠.
15. ♠KQ9874♥8♦J6♣AK75, amber. L. 4♠.
16. ♠KT9♥-♦Q9754♣AK764, white. Double.
17 ♠AQJ9542♥T3♦T98♣2, amber. 4♠.
18. ♠AJ943♥42♦AKJ6♣Q4, red. Pass.
19. ♠KQ74♥4♦63♣AKT976, green. L. Double.
20. ♠AK943♥K2♦JT9842♣-, red. L. 4♠.
21. ♠KT743♥J♦QT♣AQJ84, red. Pass.
22. ♠AK732♥Q♦75♣AKT98, red. 4♠.
23. ♠AT72♥2♦KQ6♣KQT63, red. Double.

[Mbodell]

 PhilKing, on 2015-March-07, 08:05, said:

OK, so those pesky opponents have dared to open the bidding and raise to game. Well, are you going to bid, or are you too scared of going for a number?

1. 4♠
2. 4♠
3. 4♠
4. X
5. P
6. X
7. 5♦
8. X
9. X
10. P
11. X
12. 4♠
13. P
14. P
15. 4♠
16. X
17 4♠
18. 4♠
19. X
20. 4♠
21. 4♠
22. 4♠
23. X