[mw64ahw]

jillybean, on 2025-January-27, 19:49, said:

Here's the full hand discussed here and in the N/B forum.

The players who sent me the hand played this by North in 2or3♥. I suspect it went 1D 2C 2H
.

---

Something is seriously wrong if you can't count and add-up to at least game regardless of who opens the bidding!

[jillybean]

I agree, I suspect it got fouled up after 1D 2C.
Do you remember that new player freeze, I don't know what is going on so I'll pass. Or did you never experience that ?

6NT x3
6H x3
3NT x4
4H x4
5C x1

The remaining 5 tables did not get to game.

[jdiana]

For each of these auctions, how would the opener keep the bidding going and show slam interest?

P - 1♦ - 1♥ - ?

P - 1♦ - 2♣ - ?

I really don't know. We're not supposed to use RKC with two quick losers.

2♣ shows 10+ points, right? Even a beginner should see that 18+10 = 28 is at least game. I can understand P - 1♦ - 1♥ - 4♥. I can also understand P - 1♦ - 2♣ - 3NT. Getting to slam would be tough for me.

BTW, JB, 20 tables is great!

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

#1 you can play 3NT in this seq. as a forcing raise for responders major, semibal. shape.
Traditionally 3NT showes a long suit and shortage in responders suit, ..., I would say
the strong (semi)bal. raise is more common.
Should you use the bid, facing a passed hand, ..., I would not.

#2 2NT should show the bal. 18-19 count, with 11-14 bal. you would pass 2C, which should
be a 5 carder. Dont I assume I would find this meaning of 2NT at the table undiscussed,
but luckily I play a weak NT.
Again should you do this or simply bid 3NT? i would go with 3NT.


With kind regards
Marlowe

[jillybean]

It is a tricky auction past game for any partnership .

Jim, 23 tables last week, and growing. We are in danger of sinking.
It is a non sanctioned game.

[mw64ahw]

jillybean, on 2025-January-28, 07:37, said:

I agree, I suspect it got fouled up after 1D 2C.
Do you remember that new player freeze, I don't know what is going on so I'll pass. Or did you never experience that ?

6NT x3
6H x3
3NT x4
4H x4
5C x1

The remaining 5 tables did not get to game.

Yes - I frequently see people not making game even when it seems fairly obvious to me. I wouldn't class these as beginners as many of them have been playing for years. However, they have never really progressed beyond a beginner's level of knowledge. A couple of months ago I was left in a splinter by someone who had been playing for 5 years (about the same length of time Ive been playing club bridge). Luckily I only went 1 off, but this is an example of a freeze - I didn't know what you meant was the comment!
On a more interesting note, there are a couple who play at one of my clubs with one of the pair having Alzheimer's. Very difficult to read as you never quite know whether the bid is genuine or not although I am slowly beginning to spot the signs.

On the hand in question taking a TW approach
1♣ - 1♦
3♥ BD 18-19 - 3♠ SI ctrl
4♦ ctrl, denies ♣ ctrl, ♥ honour - 5♥ odd keycards nothing further to add
6♥ extra tricks
The slam try is based on a pre-revaluation 7.5 opposite ~5.5 mod. losers. i.e. 19-5.5-7.5=6-level and sufficient combined hcp.

[mycroft]

I absolutely know "new player freeze". I see it frequently (not always with new players).

I try to preempt it, when they play with me, with Meta-Agreement #1: "Confusing bids are forcing".

And then 100% try (and probably 99+% succeed) to, when they get confused by a "intended as to play" bid, thanking partner and shutting up.