10/27/2023 Q&A Session

At 4m:11s in the video, Gavin would bid 2H with a GF after 1D-1S;2D-2H and only 3 hearts. It only shows a stopper. At 10m:46s in the video, Gavin says that when he bids 2H after 1D-1S;2D-2H it is either because he has at least an invitational hand to game (with 4 hearts) or he is 5-5 in the majors. It looks like 2H after 1D-1S;2D-2H could be GF showing a stopper (at least Qxx) or 11+ pts with 4 hearts or 10+ with 5 hearts. How does opener know which one it is? After 1C-1S;2C-2D, would 2D shows GF with a diamond stopper (similar to 1D-1S;2D-2H)?

re B1 1D 1M / 2D 3C... is this GF or only fX1 Is 3C a reverse? thanks

This is a discussion I had with Gavin in person and it is partially covered in this Q&A. Holding following hand: AQ9xx-AQJxx-K-K9, my partner opened 1♣ and I responded 1♠, after his 2♣ bid. Most Experts play 2♦ sets GF. However, in auction Gavin covered 1♦-1♠, 2♦ he uses 2♥ bid to sets GF. I see there is more room with clubs to bid 2♦, but isn't it better to use 2♦ to deny 5 card ♥ when clubs are opener's suit and 2♥ promises 4+♥ and GF? I fail to see the logic of why 2♦ is used instead of 2♥ when clubs are bid by opener. In regards to this Q&A example, Gavin states 1♦-1♠, 2♦-2♥ as showing invitational 11+ or any 5/5 shape. Is my understanding correct by saying 2♥ is 100% GF (can be 5/5, 5/4, 5/3 even) and 3♥ is 5/5 invitational only.

I just came across this discussion. I put together a list of questions for to go over with new partners, trying to keep it down to about 10. Many new partner's who are not (yet) students of Gaving, think I play too many difficult conventipons. For each of these questions, there is a Expert Standard way, but as long as we have agreement, we can play together. First 10 Questions for New Partnership 1. 2/1 Structure - What does rebid of Major or 2NT promise by Opener? 2. Opening bids – What is your line between opening and passing a hand? 3. Overcalls – What do you need for a overcall 4. How do you play New Minor Forcing 5. Serious or non-Serious 3NT 6. Majors – How do you support Partner’s Opening 1M bid? 7. Avoiding bad 3NT – How do you show stoppers or missing stopper?. 8. 1NT Structure – What do responses between 2♠ and 3♠ mean. 9. What do you bid over Opponent’s 1NT? 10. Key convention check? 1430, support doubles, Reverse slowdown, Drury, 4NT Quantitative? Leads and carding

During the question 5 discussion you mentioned Lebenshol is off in competition. I think I remember you mentioned you do play it when opps double? yes or no? 1c (x) 1s (p) 2h

Just watched this whole set, and collected so many great tidbits. Loved it, thank you!

Hand 2 when bidding 3rd suit as opener is it like a hand that is off shape with points so couldn't open 1nt?

nevermind

Do you ever open 1M with 5 instead of a 6-card minor? Maybe feel only have 1 bid to make on deal?

One of your mantras is Support with Support, but do you ever Pass and raise later to see if you can buy a cheaper contract?

You like XYNT but not XYZ, why is that?

When should beginners learn 2/1?

S - ♠ ♥ AKQxxx ♦ QJxxx ♣ AJ N - ♠ AQTxx ♥ JTx ♦ KT9x ♣ x Dealer S ... how should the bidding go ?

Will you teach a class on the effectiveness of wild and obstructive weak 5 card two bid openings?

And the these: P – P – 1H – P P – 1S – 1NT P – P – 1H – 1S P – P – 1NT P – P – 1H – P 1NT - P – 2NT

When is 1 NT 12-14 and when is it 18-19 When is 2NT 18 – 19? 1H – P – 1S – P 1NT 1H – P- 1S – P 2NT 1H – P- 1NT – P 2NT 1H – P – 2C – P 2NT 1D – P – 1H – P 2NT denies spades? 1H – 1S – P -P 1C – 1H – P – P 1C – 1D – P - P 1NT 1NT = deny spades?? 1NT = deny H & S??? What about a “sandwich NT”? When is X better? 1H – P – 1S – 1NT 1H – P – 1S - P P – 1NT 1H – P – 1S – P P - X Inverted (no interference) 1C-2C 2NT = stop majors and diamonds 1D – 2D 2NT -= Stop majors – AND CLUBS? 1C – 2C 2D = Stop diamonds and maybe one major only Are inverted minors on over interference – suit or X? (always a question) 1C

No question, just a big thank you for all you do. Your generosity and openness is refreshing. So many experts, including teachers, seldom take the time or interest in doing this.

In club games, when vulnerable, I often overcall in a 6- pr 7-point suit because I fear a later auction entry. Does this strategy work at all in international play?

Looking back on your and Rob's experiences at the Bermuda Bowl, what did you learn, will do differently going forward? Thanks, Joe

Playing negative doubles and transfer Lebensohl over NT interference, what do you do in the following situation: 1NT (2S natural) ? holding: xx Kxx Kxxx Qxxx Or something similar. Does the double absolutely promise 4 of the other major like negative doubles in suit contracts? If so, how do you compete with this hand?

In 1M-Jacoby 2NT auctions with what hand types do you prefer to rebid the following as opener: 1/ 3M (some teach balanced <18 HCP...with balanced possibly 5422 that didn't open NT to rebid second 4-card suit) 2/ 3NT (some teach balanced strong 18+ HCP, again with balanced possibly 5422) 3/ 4-level suit

Assuming walsh, do you recommend we play 1♣-1♦; 1♥-1♠ = 4SGF and 1♣-1♦; 1♥-2♠ = 4SGF with natural spades as the robots do in this clip: https://www.youtube.com/live/G7LKGwIt95s?si=M1JqT0BlwJ_DNC9Z&t=1670

Playing unusual versus unusual 1H-2H-Dble-2S-P-P Are suit bids including 3H competitive to play or forcing?

In a 2/1 auction if no suit has been agreed, is keycard for last suit bid naturally. After the keycard response, is 5NT always pick a slam including 6NT.

1. What does opener rebid if they have a single-suited minor hand that is too strong for 1m-3m and not appropriate for 3N picture bid? 2. When opener starts with 1m, and then there's interference (double or simple overcall), how does responder show weak, constructive, mixed, invitational, and forcing in that minor? 3. How does responder set a game force if opener bids and rebids a minor, including 1♦-1♥; 2♦? What does a jump rebid of responder's suit show? Thank you.

P opens 2nt and you are broke with long minor do you ever transfer to minor and pass?

I have adopted weak jump shifts, WJS, but the chance to use it has never arisen. Either my partner has opened a higher suit or the opponents have interfered so that my bid is no longer a jump. There were several times when I could have used a SJS. WJS is based on the premise that weak HCP occur more often than the HCP of a SJS. However, the WJS requires a suit of 6, whereas the SJS only requires a suit of 5 which has 5 HCP and can be made over any suit opened. Should I go back to SJS?

On defense, you often say "which of my tricks is going away?" How do you figure out which tricks are going away. This is something I'm really struggling on, on defense.

1. If partner opens a club and I have 4 spades and 5 diamonds and 13s points, what should I bid? Does it make a difference which suit is stronger? 2. What 11 point hands with 5-3--3-2 distribution would you open? Doug Weil

Gavin, are reverses “On” with interference?

Could you review opener's rebids after 1 minor (p)- 2 minor inverted? I see a comprehensive discussion on bridge winners. Do you suggest that approach? Does opener's 2 nt rebid show stoppers in each of the other 3 suits or only the majors? I appreciate all your efforts to help improving players.

Are support doubles on in this situation? 1S-(2D)-X-(2S)-? Partner of opener bid a negative X showing at least 4 hearts, could have more but not 10 points (which was the situation). By the way, I'm playing in a local tournament, so I will miss the class. I'm hoping you are recording it. Thanks so much for doing this.

When partner opens 1D, opps pass, and you hold Kxxx Qx Jx AKJxx, do you prefer to bid out your shape with a 2C bid, or do you prefer to name your major at the 1 level, and force to game later?

When is it appropriate not to lead an ace defending against a 6 level contract?

YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU USE MULTI LANDY AFTER YOUR PARTNER OPENS AND OPP BID 1NT. DO YOU USE MULTI LANDY AFTER OPP OPEN 1NT. ALSO, HOW DOES PARTNER ASK YOU WHAT MINOR YOU HAVE. ALSO, HOW DOES P ASK YOU WHAT IS YOUR MINOR?

Me and partner want to improve in defense (we don't have a habit of signaling correctly, or processing partner's signal). Is there a resource (online?) that can help practice defense in a low tempo with interesting hands? (Maybe a non-Gavin person can also help here? )

Me and my partner tend to forget conventions that seldom come up. How do you keep those conventions fresh in your mind? And at the table, if I suspect partner forgot it (because he gives an unlikely response), what should I do? (I mostly pretend I trust his response. But that results in the wrong contract, after which partner feels down when he's aware he went wrong. On the other hand, I don't want our bidding based on mistrust either)

I had a two-over-one auction with my parner after which our 4th seat opponent interfered. Bidding on revealed no 7-card major fit and no stopper, while 5 of a minor seemed too high (I was responder). How do you handle these game forcing auctions where there doesn't seem to be a good spot?

Hi. Would you please guide us on how to bid successfully when the opponents are bidding Precision? Also, side note, we'd much prefer the 8-game duplicate format with explanations afterward than a general Q&A--hope you go back to that!

In the following auction, what would you take the 4♣️ bid to mean: 1♦️ - 1♥️ 2♥️ - 4♣️ I hear two thoughts from people I’ve talked to, both obviously revolving around slam. 1) people think it’s a unilateral bid of 1st/2nd round controls looking for slam (which if it were not a jump, I would 100% agree with); or 2) splinter in clubs Actual hand responder (which was me) held was Axxx AKxxx KQx x and I felt that if partner (opener) has all their full opener points outside of clubs, we’d have a cold slam. If partner has wasted values in clubs, I don’t want to be any higher than 4♥️. Would an unnecessary jump by responder on their second bid still be a splinter (either in openers second suit or in agreed upon suit depending on what opener did on their second bid)? Or would you take this jump as starting a control bidding sequence. Seems to me like I could make a non-jump forcing bid and then start my control bidding process with 4♣️ after that which would free the direct jump to 4♣️ to be the splinter. Looking forward to the Q&A on Friday!

1Nt - Pass - with 7 HCP and 5,4 in Majors how do you respond. Just transfer or bid Stayman?

Could you provide (or point to or create a lesson) a more expansive description of when to open 1NT with a 5 card minor or a 5 card major when you have a 5332 distribution (no 4 card suit for rebid). No downgrade honors (no doubleton Q or J).

Could you give guidance on 3- and 4-level pre-empts? When to open 3, when 4, when just 1 - considering shape, vulnerability, HCP, not to miss possible slam, and so on. Thank you.

The bidding has gone P-P-1S-P-? you have 5 spades Kxxxx, Kx, Kxx, xxx. So 9 HCP, 10 total points. We couldn't agree on whether 2C Rev Drury or 4S was correct. Opener had an unbalanced 18 count. They needed either the AH or AD for a slam. WHen P bids, 4S, they pass. On this hand, it didn't matter, P didn't have either red ace, but what if they did. So 2 questions. What is the correct bid? and Q#2 if P bids 4S immediately, is it correct for opener to just pass knowing they need either red ace for a slam. Both opponents have had a chance to bid, haven't and we have the boss suit, so I didn't think the preemptive nature of bidding 4S was necessary. Yet, I agree with my P that you tell us to just bid game with 5S. We weren't sure what is the right thing to do. Also, would you do it differently if our suit was hearts?

Hi Gavin - Q&A - how generous of you. I would like to hear your journey to stardom. What were you like as a kid? How much did your Mum/brother influence your decision to play bridge? Choosing your previous partners (The Canadian Rat Pack as I think of you all). Playing with sponsors. Meeting Jenny, balancing your family life. The feeling of playing at top events (excitement, strategy, concentration, mental and physical preparation). Did you know that you were a natural teacher before covid hit and forced you to make a living on the internet? If you had a super power, what would it be? Can you fit all that into 5 mins of fun?

What is your preference to show a weak hand over partner's 2C opening, with and without interference.

Hi Gavin, What are your thoughts about weak NT systems?

Hi Gavin. Could you go over the agreements you make with a new partner to get on the same page the first time you play together?

If partner opens 1C/1D and I respond 1H/1S, how does partner know if I have 4H/4S or 5H/5S to support me if he only has 3H/3S?

Hi Gavin, Should 5512 opening hands be bid to game opposite 1 NT response. EG AKJxx Q10xxx 9 Ax. Perhaps a few words on bidding 5/5 hands Thanks