Postcocious

My partner is from a large, close-knit family where every holiday and non-holiday is celebrated together at someone's home (including ours, tomorrow).

At one of 3 annual Xmas gatherings that's been running for years, the host (partner's cousin) has regularly included a long-time, close friend and his family. No worries... until this year.

Unbidden, the guy began decrying "his" football team (Minnesota Vikings) for refusing to honor Charlie Kirk before a game.

My partner reacted immediately, calling out Kirk as a bigot, racist and homophobe. [Friend] explained that it was all due to "those Somalis" in MN, then "joked" that he could say that because, "There aren't any Somalis here tonight

Several co-workers routinely use "vice" to mean "versus."

Example: That's a great solution vice the one we tried last month.

They do this in both spoken and written communication and are native English speakers (well, Americans, often from the South).

Has anyone else encountered this peculiar usage?

CHALLENGE
Provide your partnership's preferred auctions on this pair of hands:

Hand 1: Kx AK AKJxxx xx
Hand 2: AQxx JT Qx AKJxx

CONDITIONS

• Matchpoint club game
• NV vs. NV
• Assume the opponents remain silent

RULES
To qualify for the prize¹, you must:

• identify your general system approach (Acol, Std American, 2/1, Precision, Culbertson, whatever...)
• explain any non-obvious bid (including why it doesn't mean something else)
• provide two auctions, as follows... -- Auction A: Hand 1 is Opener, Hand 2 is Responder -- Auction B: Hand 2 is Opener, Hand 1 is Responder

Have at it.

¹ An upvote from OP

Club matchpoint game
None Vul

In 4th seat, you hold: A AKQT86 K7 QJ96

The auction begins:
P - P - 1H - ?

Amused, you peruse the opponents card and learn that they're playing 2/1. However, under 1M openings, you see:

• 1st/2nd: 5+ cards
• 3rd/4th: 4+ cards
  There's a note stating, "3rd/4th seat 1M openings may be 4 cards if light"

Their tactical opening seems to be working. Further, if you've taken half of forever to work out just how you're being screwed, the entire table knows your problem. Partner may have a UI problem.

Anyway... now what?

Club matchpoint game
None Vul

In 4th seat, you pick up this fine hand:
A AKQT84 K7 QJ96

The auction begins:
P - P - 1H - ?

Amused, you check the opponent's card and see that they're playing 2/1. However, under 1M openings it says:

• in 1st/2nd seat, 5+ cards (as expected)
• in 3rd/4th seat, 4+ cards (hmmm...) There's also a note stating, "3rd/4th seat 1M may be 4 cards if light"

You brilliantly deduce that RHO

Just left a business retirement lunch with 19 colleagues. I sat next to a guy from a satellite office that I've only occasionally worked with. Just email, texts and Teams meetings... we'd never met in person

Friendly guy, technically good at his job, though he admitted he disliked supervising people. He noted that he'd just got his MBA from Liberty University (FYI, a bastion of right-wing, evangelism where homophobia is official school policy). We all congratulated him.

Conversations turned to vacations, hobbies, family stories, etc. After much friendly banter, NewMBAGuy turned to me (70M)... "So, do you have kids?"

"No, unfortunately. My partner and I once had a chance to adopt. We would

Matchpoints, NV vs. Vul Playing 2/1, 15-17 NT, usual gadgets Partner is experienced and usually a reliable bidder

You hold, in second seat:
AK93
Q853 K5 987

(pa) 1C (1N) pa
(2H) pa (2S) 2N
(pa) ?

1N = 15-18

2H = transfer, 5+ spades

2N = undiscussed

1. What is your call?
2. Why?

Club Matchpoint Game (no bots) Both Vul Both pairs play 2/1, 5cM, convenient m, 15-17

North holds: QT94 AQ64 764 K2
South holds: AKJ T3 985 J9764

South West North East pass 1C Dbl 1H
1NT pass pass¹ 2H
Dbl all pass

1: denies 3 hearts (no Support Dbl)

Please comment on:

• North's initial double:
• South's 1NT:
• North's pass of 1NT:
• South's double of 2H:
• North's final pass:

To avoid giving UI, results will be revealed after a credible-seeming pause for thought.

Club matchpoint game, NV vs Vul.
Partner is developing, but not experienced.
Opponents are experienced, but not developing.

In 4th seat you hold:
A9
A
AJ865
AKT73

pass - pass - 3H - ?

Whatever auction you hoped to have, you won't.

1. What's your call over 3H?

2. Will partner understand it?

3. If he bids S, what will you do next?

4. Will he understand that?

Extra credit: with your ideal partner, what's your plan?