[jillybean]

Subbed into a BBO game, no agreements.

---

[akwoo]

5♥.

[P_Marlowe]

Given that you have no agreements, no idea, who you are playing, ... 6S.
You will need to guess anyway, hence: Do it fast and keep it short.

[Cyberyeti]

P_Marlowe, on 2025-April-27, 23:54, said:

Given that you have no agreements, no idea, who you are playing, ... 6S.
You will need to guess anyway, hence: Do it fast and keep it short.

There's a lot to be said for this, you're much more likely to get the wrong lead if you don't give away that the clubs are open and the red suits are not

[pescetom]

 Cyberyeti, on 2025-April-28, 00:28, said:

There's a lot to be said for this, you're much more likely to get the wrong lead if you don't give away that the clubs are open and the red suits are not

But even if they don't lead clubs, it looks unlikely that we can make it without clubs control.
I detest and avoid playing without agreements, but 4NT should obtain a 5D response to show 1 from most players (and it pretty well must be the clubs A).
With a regular partner I bid 5D.

[Cyberyeti]

pescetom, on 2025-April-28, 02:31, said:

But even if they don't lead clubs, it looks unlikely that we can make it without clubs control.
I detest and avoid playing without agreements, but 4NT should obtain a 5D response to show 1 from most players (and it pretty well must be the clubs A).
With a regular partner I bid 5D.

Lots of ways, partner has ♥A, ♥K and they lead the A, partner has something like Jxxxx, xxx/Hxx, KJx, xx or more unlikely holdings with 5 diamonds

Too many times in pairs games I've bid 5♦, partner bids 5♠ and I've got a bottom for 650 when everybody else makes 680/710

[pescetom]

 Cyberyeti, on 2025-April-28, 05:01, said:

Too many times in pairs games I've bid 5♦, partner bids 5♠ and I've got a bottom for 650 when everybody else makes 680/710

Me too.
But many other times I received the same lead as everyone else and occasionally I got a near top in 650 when most other decent pairs were down 1 in the slam that looked obvious or was forced by their methods.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

the setting is random BBO game, i.e. IMP pair.
As it is, you have to guess, if you go the low or the high road.
Nobody knowes, what North happens to hold for his 4S bid.
A 5 card spade suit is possible, likely (?!), but it will be blank.
He cant have a lot in hearts either, and this leaves diamonds (but again he wont have their much either)
and clubs. => Gambling on a club control is not gambling on a small percentage. Is this enough? No idea.
We have a guess, I say chances are better than 50%, but I can understand, that someone takes the oppossite view.
The adv. playing with a sub, it is a risk free adventure.

[jillybean]

Of course it's a guess opposite an unknown player. I bid 6S which resulted in Seriously?!!!!!! from an opponent.
Making 7

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I think my partner made a good bid, what else can you do?

[apollo1201]

 jillybean, on 2025-April-28, 08:44, said:

I think my partner made a good bid, what else can you do?

Good bid indeed.

4S is pretty wide ranging in this context.

Could be defensive (less likely red vs green), and it can be anything close to an invite (they forced me to bid 1 more than I wanted) or just the contract you wantna be into (flat 12-14) and cannot seriously investigate without the risk of getting overboard.

[P_Marlowe]

jillybean, on 2025-April-28, 08:44, said:

Of course it's a guess opposite an unknown player. I bid 6S which resulted in Seriously?!!!!!! from an opponent.
Making 7

---

I think my partner made a good bid, what else can you do?

Both players (West and North) made good bids, and now the spot light was on you, you got it right.

[Cyberyeti]

P_Marlowe, on 2025-April-28, 23:50, said:

Both players (West and North) made good bids, and now the spot light was on you, you got it right.

At this vul opposite a passed partner, 5♥ stands out rather than 4, now what ?

[P_Marlowe]

Cyberyeti, on 2025-April-29, 04:06, said:

At this vul opposite a passed partner, 5♥ stands out rather than 4, now what ?

X, and take the money.

It is a matter of style, I dont like preempting to 4M+1, I usually tell my team mates:
"Dont bid to high, it reduces the amount of minus tricks."

Yes p is a passed hand, but half of Norths strength could be with East, and we make 4H on power,
but not 5H, they cant make anything.

Choose your way of life. I love going plus.