[mycroft]

So, I'm putting in my sections for the tournament today, and today is very special.

My hand record names are:
"10101000" (should have got ACBL to let me start this one 10 minutes late :-) and
"10101515".

So I get my little chuckle of the week.

Because I have to have something that fits the topic folder, what do you open with this hand from my team game last week?

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[mw64ahw]

if not bot. orientated bidding I could open 2♣, but don't think I can easily show the 5611, so let's start with 1♥ playing KI5.
Now assuming 1♥-1♠ forcing;a 2♦ multi initially shows ♠ and asks for a preference, which will either be 3+♠ or 2+♥ and results in a straightforward auction. With a miss-fit I'm still forcing to at least a 3N/4♥ game.

A more standard 1♥, reverse, repeat does a similar job.

[mike777]

One heart

[jillybean]

OK, I'll bite. 1♥

[Huibertus]

1♥

It reminds me of one of the fastests ways to a grand I've encountered on this site about a year ago;

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[Cyberyeti]

Huibertus, on 2025-October-11, 00:14, said:

1♥

It reminds me of one of the fastests ways to a grand I've encountered on this site about a year ago;

Fastest way to grand I can remember that wasn't knowing we had 39 points from the opening bid was AKxx x3 and partner opened G3N.

[mycroft]

Continuing the off-topic, but "interesting":

Today's gamefile is "11SATAM". Guess how I originally mistyped that :-).

I am - quite surprised at how the bidding went at both tables(*). But, since 1♥ seems to be the consistent action,

See spoiler for what happens next

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Spoiler

Whatever you do, LHO bids 5♦ (and if you bid 5♥ or higher, will still compete). Now:

If you show spades,

Spoiler

partner will raise;

if you do anything else,

Spoiler

partner will double.

IIRC, last month in a club game, I perpetrated 2♣-2♠; 7NT...

(*)I did not hold this hand, and both pairs who did were "only occasional" partnerships. I am certainly not criticizing their decisions (well, okay, one I hope was a misclick); just saying I would never have thought to do them.

[Huibertus]

Well I' not doubling 5!d, for all I know it might make. Surely we have a LOT of tricks in 1 of the majors, prepared to end up 1 too high if that is ♥ as we could still have a decent safe. If partner does have ♠ fit he needs very very little values for our slam, ATXX, x, XXX, XXXXX is enough finessing the ♠Q, so 5♠ for me.

[jillybean]

1nt was forcing?
3S, that sounds forcing

[mike777]

Three spades over opponents 2D call.

Partner responded 1NT, they deny Four spades

[jillybean]

mike777, on 2025-October-11, 14:18, said:

Three spades over opponents 2D call.

Partner responded 1NT, they deny Four spades

It depends on your system, they could be showing a 3 card limit raise in hearts, and have 4 spades.

Just peeked at spoiler, Im again too high for exclusion.
Crumbs 6S

[mycroft]

Thanks, Jilly, yes, 1NT was forcing (Calgary standard 2/1).

[pescetom]

jillybean, on 2025-October-11, 15:28, said:

It depends on your system, they could be showing a 3 card limit raise in hearts, and have 4 spades.

Just peeked at spoiler, Im again too high for exclusion.
Crumbs 6S

Why spoil a spoiler?
Why 3♠ when 2♠ is forcing?

[jillybean]

pescetom, on 2025-October-11, 15:59, said:

Why spoil a spoiler?
Why 3♠ when 2♠ is forcing?

I doubt that I've spoiled the spoiler, you can't trust my bidding.😂
I'm this competitive auction, 2♠ is a asking for a preference, 3♠ is this hamd

[pescetom]

jillybean, on 2025-October-11, 19:53, said:

I'm this competitive auction, 2♠ is a asking for a preference, 3♠ is this hamd

I'm interested in a preference and in general I want it at the lowest level possible to leave room for control bidding. But I guess that is a bit of a knee jerk here, as all I need is to RCKB the probable spades preference at any level (as you say, it depends partly upon their system here. As we play, Responder denied both 3+ hearts and 4+ spades, so will prefer spades with the probable 2=3. If 1NT might contain 3 hearts I would probably have opened 1S in the first place).

If they blast any number of diamonds we still have plenty of options.

[Swammerdam]

Huibertus, on 2025-October-11, 00:14, said:

1♥

It reminds me of one of the fastests ways to a grand I've encountered on this site about a year ago;

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You weren't afraid 1♥ would be passed out?

I think we all know that BBO's "shuffling algorithm" produces powerhouses oftener than random. I thought 13 cards I held yesterday were pretty good, but they pale compared to yours, Huibertus.

I only got to small slam with these cards yesterday:

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Even 25hcp hands are rare, but 25hcp, all tops in a beautiful 6-4? Perhaps the best hand I've ever "held."