m1cha

I know. But this was a real-life hand and I didn't want everyone to worry about the ♣Q. I guess I should have moved the ♣Q to dummy and ♥Q to South to make it a better problem. Such things happen. Yes, with the first two tricks as I originally gave them, the problem only works if South has three spades. And 3 or 4 clubs of course.

Everyone played 3NT with this board in a local cllub the other day but it turns out 7♦ can be made against a 5-0 trumps break. Can you find out how? [hv=pc=n&w=s6ht5dat9854ckjt3&e=saq87haj83dkqca94&d=n&v=b&b=13&a=1sdp3dp3np4dp4sp4np6dp7dppp]266|200[/hv] Never mind the auction, some of it is fantasy. So is the lead of ♣2, it's meant to reduce your worries about the ♣Q and keep focused on the real problem. Anyway, West wins the trick with ♣J and continues with ♦4 to ♦Q only to find out that North has a void. Take it from here. You must avoid to lose a trick to ♦J7632 at South. What's the plan? You need the spades finesse? Yes, it works. Hint: Full hand:

I see. The reason I said it was because 4♠ makes while 3NT is down with only 4 spades.

Just real bridge life. But I hope people didn't take my 'conclusions' more serious than necessary. Yes but if you had defended against 1♣ you would have played it -2 (as I should have) for -200 which is besser than your part score :) . Overcalling 1NT with this kind of hand did not work out well in Nullve's last example (see the spoiler), by the way, really funny follow-up bidding there. Right, but in the first place I got very unlucky since I bid 4♥ only because the label of the double promised 4-4 in the majors. I would have bid 3NT otherwise. I agree, 2NT is very normal. But I suggest you take the 5th spade, too. :)

Some real-life examples. Yesterday in a robot duplicate I felt I have to pass this wonderful 17+ count after opps had opened 1♣: Link 1 Partner passed, too, for 1♣-1 and I got 67 % because 3NT just won't make. (4♦ does, but would you play it?) Conclusion 1: 1m can be a good contract when played by the opps. Today in another robot duplicate I passed this good 14 count without a good call after opps had opened 2♦. Okay, that's on the two level but wouldn't have been much different over 1♦. Link 2 Partner doubled, so I ended up playing and making 4♥. Others played and made 3NT. Conclusion 2: Passing doesn't mean you miss your game. Just a few minutes later another 16-count, same tournament as above, and I felt I have to bid over a 2♥ opener. The result was 2NT-3 for -300. The opponents can make 2♥+1 for 140 and no more than that. Yet I gained 1.9 IMPs on this one as most others on my axis went down for more: Link 3 Conclucsion 3: Don't be greedy around Christmas time.

Just wondering ... How crazy is it to rebid 2♦ as South after a pass from North and East?

Thank you for all answers. I agree of course that, if the BIT suggests to bid, I should pass. I am not completely convinced though that in this case the BIT suggests to bid. For example (as I mentioned eearlier), if my partner does NOT hesitate because he is weak, then probably they will make 4♠ and we should defend against it. But maybe I'm resulting. I guess I should also have passed just to keep things simple. Because convincing someone that a BIT suggests to pass needs some effort; while a BIT suggesting to bid is what almost everyone will believe by default. Anyway, this is the full hand: [hv=pc=n&s=sk6hakt52d8caq943&w=saqt7543hdt7ckt65&n=s82hq864da9543cj7&e=sj9hj973dkqj62c82&d=s&v=b&b=7&a=1h4spp5cp5hppp]399|300[/hv] Well, so I bid 5♣ which, in theory, is the better option for the opponents because both 5♥ and 4♠ are down at perfect defense. I know that this doesn't matter, but I find it quite funny. At the tables, nobody found the killing trump lead against the four declarers playing spades by West. One declarer misplayed, down 1 in 4♠. At 6 tables, 4♥ or 5♥ were played by South, two opps lead diamonds killing 5♥. All other opps (also in my case) lead ♠A after which 5♥ is easy (though someone misplayed this also).

Yes. There was no way to disagree about that. :) If the double is at least partly for takeout, I would consider a double if I had the red suits; because if partner bids clubs, I can correct to diamonds to show my hand. But with hearts and clubs I would be afraid that partner bids diamonds leaving me no good place to go. When I started learning bridge, I was told that after a partner's slow pass I should also pass unless I have a really good bid. But this is not what the TBR says nowadays. Today the TBR says I should not bid whatever may be suggested by partner's slow pass. In this situation, arguably, if we are strong, I should bid because we will make a 5-level contract or even a slam. If we are weak, I should bid because the opps will make 4♠ and we have a good defense. If we are in between, it looks like no party may make their contracts so I should pass. Thus, partner's hesitation can mean that he has a mediocre hand and suggest that I should pass, and in consequence I may actually have to bid 5♣ in order to avoid using UI. Can someone follow me? This is why I like msjennifer's suggestion to call the TD ahead of bidding. Unfortunately (as one of many interesting facets of this hand) I was the TD myself, and the vice TD was my LHO who bid 4♠ :) . But there were others who could have done the job for us. I agree, but most likely after South's 5♣, North has an easy pass or bid without logical alternatives. : For those interested, I'm going to post the full hand tomorrow.

Pair tournament (club level), all red. You open 1♥ with this hand: [hv=pc=n&s=sk6hakt52d8caq943&d=s&v=b&b=7&a=1h4spp]133|200[/hv] LHO jumps to 4♠ and the bidding comes back to you. (a) What is your call? (b) Same hand, same bidding, different situation: After the 4♠ bid, your partner dives for a minute and then passes. RHO passes. What is your call now? Does partner's hesitation make a difference and why?

True but I'm still thinking if it matters. Anyway, I have deleted my former post because I came to the conclusion that the OP probably doesn't imply what I thought it would imply.

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m1cha - icycookie (3rd Q) 11 - 37 (-26) http://webutil.bridg...9492367&u=m1cha I concede. I have no reasonable chance to catch up. Congratulations to icycookie and good luck in the QF!

m1cha - icycookie (1st Q) 6 - 41 (-35) http://webutil.bridg...9235908&u=m1cha

m1cha - shuba (4th Q) 25 - 36 (-11) http://webutil.bridg...9131663&u=m1cha

m1cha - shuba (3rd Q) 29 - 4 (+25) http://webutil.bridg...9050512&u=m1cha Final result probably tomorrow, ~ same time.