A Balancing Problem

In the very last round of a club game, you deal and pass (yes you could have opened 2S, but that is a real bad suit, and you have a side A, both of which argue for passing). Your LHO opens 1C, and after two passes it's your turn again.

 

What do you bid?

8-NT: Plan the Play

We had several interesting hands during a recent 8-NT session. See if you can plan the play on this one. After the hand is nearly passed out several times, you find yourself playing 5C. The 9D is led on your left. What is your plan?

 

Ending with a Slam

It can be very hard to just play one more hand of bridge.

 In a throwback to college days, a long bridge match was played last night on bridgebase.  After 35 hotly contested boards, we agreed to just play one more.  We played the 36th, and then this hand popped up.  Did we sign off?  Off course not.  What do you think reasonable bidding would be on these hands?