06/10/2025 Game Post-mortem Video (R)

Hi Gavin, I have a bidding question on board 3. Playing your system I would do the same as you and open 1NT but if playing weak NT, it’s too strong so I’d open 1C intending to rebid 1NT (I think the same problem arises playing strong NT if you swap say the Q and 9 of diamonds so the issue is not just a weak NT one). After 1C (1H) 1S (2H) south has a problem I think - you want to show extra values but you can’t now rebid NT without a heart stop. Double here I think would be support showing 3 spades which you don’t have. 4S might be possible if partner had 6 or 3NT might be if partner has hearts stopped but how to find this? Wondered about 3H but not sure the hand is strong enough. Is there a way to reach 4S with this start to the auction ? Is it best to pass initially and see if partner can compete to 2S then raise to 3S which must be just 2 card support because of the failure to make a support double ?

Just to clarify - in situations with two cue bids available - here on board 2 as partner has overcalled, the lower cue bid shows 3 card support and a good hand and the upper one shows 4 card support and a good hand. On board 4 on 13th May, when partner has not overcalled, the lower cue bid is Michael’s and the upper cue bid is natural. Are there and other situations where two cue bids are available that are different from either of these ? What would each cue bids mean over 1X - X 1Y - ? For example ?

HI, ON BOARD 4 WHERE YOU BID 1NT, I CLEARLY REMEMBER YOU SAYING ON A PREVIOUS LESSON THAT IT IS ILLEGALTO BID NT WITH A SINGLETON. WHICH ONE IS CORRECT? THANKS BOB