Finesse or try to get rid of a loser? - with Bridget Rampton

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We are in 4♥ and dummy comes down:
♥Q32 ♠AK8 ♦T982 ♣KQ7
and
♥AJT97 ♠Q32 ♦543 ♣A4
Missing the ♥K, what's our best route to make our contract?
Thank you, Bridget, for sharing this instructive hand with us!
♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣♠♥♦♣
#bridge #contractbridge #learnbridgeonline
Learn how to play bridge online at learnbridgeonl...

[@BrianOxleyTexan]

Bridget is a delight.

[@nirupmalkani788]

Very nice. Thank you.

[@johnworf]

16:25 - she actually meant to say new minor forcing, not better minor. Better minor is an opening convention where you open 1C (4423) or 1D (4432) the better minor when you don't have a 5-card major.

[@d95mback]

In this case new minor forcing and checkback would play the same. Unless playing two-way puppet checkback.

[@vinaydhoble8019]

I will try to discard on D from hand on club and try for one OT

[@Quincy2056]

Does Stayman not come into play if you bid 2C after the 1NT? Or is that alerted? And then it is the new minor if not alerted?

[@kvom01]

Playing clubs first loses to 7-1 break, is breakeven on 6-2, and wins on 5-3 or 4-4. Pretty simple choice. Even if the 3rd club is ruffed the game makes with H finesse.

[@rochellepowtong6179]

In the strong NT example, could N bid 3!H over S's 1NTinstead of 2, inviting to game right away? How would it be different from bidding new minor forcing?

[@andriyu]

Bidding 3H over 1NT would show 6 hearts and invitational strength. Partner only promised 2 hearts with their 1NT bid so we need 6 hearts to insist on playing hearts. If you only have 5 hearts you have to use new minor forcing to look for a 5-3 heart fit.

[@rochellepowtong6179]

@@andriyu Thanks.

[@glenysgillanders1042]

3 hearts

[@magicmerl7749]

Love the 'rival factions' comment, but it really doesn't say anything about which is better, it's just totally arbitrary as to whether the Axx and KQx holdings are on lead. K leads, A picks a different suit.

[@anncairns5634]

2NT

[@virginiaduffield3868]

2nt

[@sarandivakaran3396]

1 NT should be 15 - 17. What is the bidding standard we are using here?

[@Quincy2056]

They said they were using weak No Trump opener which is ACOL system I believe. 15-17 pts for 1NT is Standard American or 2 over 1 I think!

[@jennyfryar5197]

2NT