microcap

I have discussed just this type of hand with Rex for a long time with no resolution. I have found 3 card intermediate raises very awkward in standard 2/1. That said, I am not likely to give up the natural 2♥ bid. Are there any ideas or threads out there for this issue? B)

I must be getting better at this game, as I agree totally with bid_em_up, and he is always right. Rex and I established a rule that the first wrong or misleading bid must accept the brunt of the blame in any disaster, and I think it is a good one. And my inclination was to blame the 4♠ bid---defending or giving up could so easily be right here. 4♠ with this hand is masterminding IMO--- partner is likely in a better spot to decide what to do than you are, so don't take the chance away from him. You know the expression, 6-5--sometimes don't come alive! LOL B)

Rex and I aren't really arguing over this one, we just don't have any good ideas. So i will give you both hands: [hv=d=n&v=e&n=skqjhq1098752dck32&s=s65hk3dakq6432ca5]133|200|Scoring: IMP[/hv] Rex opened 1♥ , I bid 2♦, Rex rebids 2♥, which is our catchall and could mean many things. But the one hand he CANNOT hold is 12-16 balanced with a 5 card ♥ suit. So he either has longer ♥ or extras. If you rebid 3♦, then what? If you rebid 4♦, then what? Any other votes for my second bid? Thanks as always... :) :)

mikeh is exactly right of course---- I led the A♥. Here are the 4 hands:[hv=d=w&v=e&n=s43h875dj6caj9754&w=s976hkqj109432d8c3&e=sakj852hdq4ckq1086&s=sq10ha6dak1097532c2]399|300|Scoring: IMP[/hv] Of course, declarer ruffed the A♥, cashed the AK♠, low spade to the table, and ran the hearts for 13 tricks! LOL :P :( The beauty was that my partner even had the A♣, and that the hand is down if I had led any of the other 12 cards! I am not exactly sure what the opening 2♣ bidder had in mind, but since his partner clearly played him for a strong hand it didn't really matter. All credit to my partner "williamchu" who just laughed---- and we all agreed the hand should be published somewhere. So here it is!

You are 4th hand and look at: [hv=d=w&v=n&s=sq10ha6dak1098632c5]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] LHO pulls a bit of a surprise, opening 2♣. P passes, RHO bids 2♦ negative or waiting. I tossed in 5♦, which seemed appropriate. Now LHO bids 5♥. partner passes, and would you believe RHO bids 7♠!!! I kid you not. I doubled of course. Now what do you lead?

Rex opened 1♠, which turned into a disaster later but for other reasons than the opening bid {All Rex's fault in case you were wondering!} But I think this is clearly a preempt from experience. I know it fulfills the Rule of 22 and such things, but in real life, you have 1 trick on defense and 7 on offense. And why give opponents all the room in the world to find their minor fit [or even possibly ♥ ] over a simple 1♠ bid. Hands with concentrated values need to be on offense. Open 4♠ all day long IMO.

sorry Ken, it isn't..

Team match , you are first hand V vs NV and you are dealt: [hv=d=s&v=n&s=sakqj1098h8632d6c2]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] What do you open, if anything, and what are your tactical considerations? Teammates and opponents are good players.

This hand reflects a more common problem that 2/1 partnerships always need to discuss, as this hand type comes up all the time, and most of the time, opps wont bail you out with a goofy 3♥ bid for you to double to oblivion. 1) How many cards does a 2/1 bid promise? Most play that 2♥ over 1♠ absolutely promises 5+. But what about ♦ and ♣? I am not offering an opinion, just make sure your partner remembers that your ♣ could be as few as 3 cards. 2) What is your agreement about openers simple suit rebid in a 2/1 sequence? How good a hand can 2♠ show? Does 2NT show extras? Does a raise of the minor show extras? Does a new suit show extras? Everyone will have an opinion---just make sure you and partner have discussed these questions as they come up constantly in 2/1 bidding. JW, on behalf of Rex. :)

I thought the hand was a clear double---the results are almost split down the middle. Rex held [hv=d=w&v=n&s=sq654hj83dq983c53]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] and did indeed bid 2♠ over 2♥. This led me to a very bad gambling sacrifice over 4♥. Forget my 4♠ bid, which was shooting for a swing as we were losing. What do you think of Rex's 2♠?

LOL let me try again: You are sitting North, in second seat. The bidding is: (1♣)- You Pass- East bid 1♥. Partner doubles. West Bids 2♥. What is the minimum hand you would have to bid 2!♠ here?

I think you misunderstood the second question: the bidding goes 1♣-you pass though i don't show you your cards--1H- partner doubles, dealer raises to 2♥. What is the minimum hand you would have to bid 2♠?

Playing in a good quality TM, you hold [hv=d=w&v=n&s=sj1093hadk752ck1092]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] the bidding goes LHO--1♣, partner passes, 1♥ by RHO. Do you bid or not? Follow up question: Now you are North. Assume partner doubles, and dealer raises partner to 2♥. What is the minimum you would have to bid 2♠? Thanks in advance as always. ;)

LOL Bid_em_up.....I hate when people actually remember my old hands! Anyway, this discussion can be continued, but at the table I was mindful of that last hand b.e.u. refers to and I merely bid 2♣. Who says I don't pay attention? Rex now jumps to 3♠, showing 10-12 HCP with 3 card ♠ support. In case it matters, my 2♣ bid COULD be a catchall with only 3 cards---if it is only 3 cards, though, I will have 17+ HCP. OK, we are clearly in the slam zone. How do I go about an intelligent exploration? Assume you have the normal tools to work with.... Thanks JW :)

A few weeks ago, I posted a hand with which I jump shifted. Most of you thought I wasn't strong enough. In an attempt to further clarify, here is another one: You hold: [hv=d=n&v=n&s=saqj98xhakdcq98xx]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] After 1♠, partner bids 1NT. Do you jump shift or not? There will be a followup to this later so tune back in... :blink:

I blame Rex just out of habit... <_< :unsure:

Thanks Ben!! I will take a look. BTW, what memory vitamin supplement do you use to remember all this stuff? Rex and I could sure use a double dose...LOL :P :D :)

Rex and I have been discussing what to do with 10-12 3 card raises as well, as I don't like the normal system either. Can someone steer me to the thread/discussion about the 2♣ multi responses, and most importantly, how the followup works? Thanks!!! :P

Here's what happened: Rex bid 3NT as did the plurality of voters. My dummy was [hv=d=n&v=n&s=sk10xxxxhxxxdjxxcx]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv]. 3 NT was a disaster was clubs broke 6-0. Down three, and would have been more had the opening leader merely led his partner's suit. I think 3 NT is a godawful masterminding bid, and frankly I was shocked that Rex would make such a technically lousy bid! [that is more my department!] He of course defended it to the death, claiming that with 18 HCP opposite my supposed 6 it was the most likely game. [the same argument as pbleighton] Inquiry's first post is absolutely right on---anyone who voted for 3 NT should read it. With horrible club spots, a singleton in my bid suit, and only a single stopper in theirs, there is no reason to think there is a game in this hand. The only 6 point hand that can make 3NT MUST have the A♠ and q♣, and even then you are down if the Q♣ is singleton. I could have hit with KQJxxx, xx, Kxx, x and you still dont make 3NT on the simple heart lead. The other clue was right in the beginning, when I mentioned that opps were weak. When RHO bids 2 ♥, it was tantamount to a borderline 2♣ opener LOL So catering to my possible very weak hand is the correct call. Any defense from the 3NT bidders? ;)

One thing, we were playing support doubles, so double is out. That's probably why I forgot it as an option in the first place. I would like to hear any comments about 3NT, either from the supporters or the detractors.

I sure meant to include Double as a choice!! Consider Other as a vote for double thanks Ben!!!!

Neither side vulnerable, playing a team match against very weak opposition. You deal and hold [hv=d=s&v=n&s=s6ha83daq7cakj543]133|100|Scoring: IMP[/hv] You open 1♣, LHO passes, Partner bids 1♠, RHO overcalls 2♥. You are playing 2/1 with a top limit of 16 HCP for 1 NT. What do you rebid and why? I gave a wide range of choices just for the heck of it. :) :)

Don't worry, I have a thick skin. You need one to play with Rex!! :lol: Everyone has convinced me that 2♦ is the right bid. I just don't think 3♦ is quite as egregious an error as most of you. One last question/comment.....in 2/1, where partner will frequently hold just 3♦, why is a 3♦ raise so obvious here? You hold 10 points with the K♣ hardly pulling its weight and good 4 cards in ♦. Let's give partner a 5-3-3-2 12 count--- now what have you done? Partner is on a total guess at this point? It seems to me more likely that you will end up in 4♠ if you rebid2♦, which is certainly not the end of the world but suboptimal on this layout. Thanks again for all the comments. B)

Ever stop correctly in 3 of a partial when they are making 3NT with slight misdefense in the other room? Ever have a beautiful detailed sequence to a slam that steers opposition away from the most obvious lead to the only one that beats the contract? Ever make a fancy artificial bid that allows a double and gives opposition the best opening lead? It's not that all this wonderful technical creativity doesn't have its place, or even that it isn't a long run winner. But bridge is played single dummy by humans, not double dummy by Deep Finesse! :) I just believe that especially at the top levels, it is instinct more than science that separates the very best from the best. Call me Mr. Left Brain! B)

Rex is ALWAYS correct about book bids---I post these hands for me to learn LOL A couple final comments/questions: Now the♥ splinter has turned my hand from 15 HCP [which most have said wasn't enough for g/f] to 11 HCP. So getting to slam seems inconceivable, much less 95% of expert partnerships. Bid_em_up is a far better player than I am. But even if I bid 2♦ here, where am I going with his sample hand of x Qxxx xx KQxxxx? No contract will be a good one. So maybe I go down one extra in this hand by bidding 3♦. Here is a possible expected return table when bidding 3♦- 20%--- plus 13 imps 20%--- flat board 40%-- lose 2 imps 20%-- lose 6 imps This adds up to more than zero, meaning it is a long run winner not loser. While obviously the percentages are arbitrary on my part, I hardly think they are outrageous. Comments? B)