[hrothgar]

https://tinyurl.com/y27helwj

Kinda hated to need to bash on this one, especially with the King of Clubs marked, but transport rates to be a problem and I don't see any good way to place Jacks

[Cyberyeti]

I forget the exact hand, but partner held a 27 or 28 count with ♦AKQJxx and heard me open a weak 2♦ (4+♦, 0-10) so had to put down one of the better dummys I've seen. 6♦= missed at the other table, the key was that the auction started 2♦-2N-3♣(minimum, nat 4+ cards) so he knew I had at most 5 major suit cards and could count the covers.

[AL78]

South had a gun to his head and was told he would be killed if he passed, or is this a modern style of must open on any absolute garbage third seat non-vulnerable?

[FelicityR]

AL78, on 2020-August-17, 13:23, said:

South had a gun to his head and was told he would be killed if he passed, or is this a modern style of must open on any absolute garbage third seat non-vulnerable?

Have to be a silver bullet given the competitor's name

Easy to miss 7♠ here, even assuming the ♣ finesse is working, but with my luck I would be in 7♠ as East after South's 3♣ pre-empt and have ♣J10x myself and see the first round ruffed by North when South holds a 7 card ♣ suit

And it just proves how difficult it is to bid big, big hands (especially balanced) opposite a near Yarborough, too. Without South's pre-empt the bidding goes 2♣ - 2♦ and then what?

[DavidKok]

South's 3♣ looks OK to me. You have absolutely no defense, and it is difficult for the opponents to punish your bid at this vulnerability. Risky but tolerable, I'd say.

I would have tried some cue bids after 3♠ (in particular, 4♣) but I doubt it would have helped me reach 7♠. If the opponents do not preempt the auction I can systematically show a 30+ NT hand on the sequence 2♣-2♦-2♥-2♠-4NT, not discussed but by elimination stronger than 3NT (28-29). I assume partner would bid 5♠ (forcing, natural) over that, and if the stars line up just right I might jump to 7.

[Zelandakh]

AL78, on 2020-August-17, 13:23, said:

South had a gun to his head and was told he would be killed if he passed, or is this a modern style of must open on any absolute garbage third seat non-vulnerable?

It seems to me like the main alternative to 3♣ here would be 1NT rather than Pass. If that comes back doubled you run to clubs. If not, the backup plan is passing after Stayman or a 2♥ transfer; and after a 2♦ transfer you just bid 3♥. Whether that sows enough confusion to compensate for the extra bidding space though I am not so sure but assuming a strong NT and typical defences, it might well be.