jdeegan

:rolleyes: No doubt wrong on the actual hand, but I don't see any reason to lead anything other than the spade ace. It is the most likely trick to go away. If RHO slid with Kx of spades, I would be most surprised. If he is void opposite the king on my left, AND the pitch is useful, well sh*t. Other leads seem problematic. Maybe a low spade to partner and a heart through before they pull trumps and take a bunch of club pitches is vital, but not a high percentage prospect. Partner needs a card or two somewhere, and my assuming it is the king of spades and that he has nothing else of defensive value seems to me like too much of a position.

:P I think you made a wise pass and for the right reason. "No double, no trouble" and "scared bridge is bad bridge". For another thing, your hand is not all that bad, and one NT can be a hard contract to defend. Finally, your tolerance for diamonds is not good enough imo.

:) 2♥. I think I held this hand the other day. The hand is really a bit heavy for 2♥, but the alternative(s) has some serious drawbacks if and when the opponents compete. At my table, partner made a game try, and that was that.

:) 3♦. I think it ought to make. Anything might happen to 2♠, esp. if LHO has five and RHO has a stiff diamond. Can't fault a pass, tho.

:P Double. I don't understand the use of the cliche of 'bidding values again' about this auction. Partner has the mystery hand and is in the place to make the final decision, so I want to set him up as best I can. Given the earlier auction, my hand is more defensive than offensive (only three diamonds, two and a half quick tricks and no heart void). Most of the time partner will pass the double, but if he bids 6♦ it should be right. The opponents will make 5♥ doubled once in a while, esp. if they have a diamond void, but this may not cost many MP's as compared to defending 5♥ making undoubled. Passing would be inviting partner to take a 6♦ save (the prospects for making 6♦ are miniscule just looking at my hand). Defending 5♥ undoubled down one or two would be a MP disaster.

:P DOUBLE. I have two trump tricks, and we have half the high cards. If RHO does have a seven-bagger as he indicates, he wins five clubs. For a set, we have to win three of the remaining six tricks holding (at worst) 60% of the high cards outside the club suit. Partner has already evidenced a willingness to defend 2♣ doubled by doubling in the balancing seat, so his hand should have some decent defensive values. Will we fail to set the contract once in a while? You bet. But, bridge, esp. matchpoints, is a game of percentages. Not doubling is, imo, an admission that our partnership is unable to get our tricks on defense.

:) 2♥. Nice problem hand. An awkward hand to bid, so I think by taking the slightly pessimistic view with a mild underbid, I may gain an advantage.

:) Regardless of the actual outcome on this hand, it is easier to take four tricks than eleven. All partner's double shows is that he thinks it is our hand, and he will not be stolen from. My overcall contains 15 HCP, a king more than absolutely necessary. Time to defend, imo. It figures to be the percentage position.

:) Partner has shown a very good takeout double. The level is high, so he should be able to handle any suit bid from me. Distribution should be either 5-4-4-0 or 4-4-4-1 pattern or else both red suits. I guess 3NT would be to play showing a spade stop. If this gets doubled and I pull it, then it shows no additional high cards and suggests minors. By the way, don't you think 5♦ is the right bid with the hand you gave? Can partner be any less than: x AQJx 10xxx AKJx about 75% to make given the bidding.

:rolleyes: Wow! Thanks for the lesson. All I remember about D/I is that it serves as a non-jump relay that conserves bidding space and says 'I am still interested in slam, speak to me!' In that context, I guess 4NT is 'like D/I' in this auction.

no B) :rolleyes: My thought was that a reopening 1NT 'advertises' not 'requires' an 18-19 HCP balanced hand because in the majority of cases that's what it will have. What it really says is 'my hand is too good to pass even though I have length and cards in the opponents' suit'. K72 K10 AQ972 1054 is an easy pass, imo. K72 K10 AQ973 Q54 is also a pass, I think. K976 AK10 AQ952 9 I would happily reopen with 1NT with only 16 HCP. NT ranges in balancing position are typically around 5 (even 6) HCP vs. 3 HCP for openers.

:angry: In the late 1920's in one of the annual U.S. fleet war games the 'enemy' was the British navy. At the time it was the only navy with the strength to provide a challange.

:angry: 3♦. Time to get tactical. My partners nearly always have six diamonds and partner is showing a minimum strength hand. The dreaded opponents have 9+ hearts and half the high cards or more. Would pass like a shot if vul.

:angry: An easy pass, imo. I have a typical overcall and no spade fit.

:angry: How can anyone result this hand? Partner's double is not bridge. He has two defensive tricks against 4♠. He has poor shape and too few high cards for a takeout double of one spade. By the way, why would my 4NT bid be considered as a takeout for the minors? Not ace asking? Not D/I? Clearly, some agreement IS needed. Is 4NT asking for minors standard treatment in this auction these days? Tell me.

:) Please, you guys tell me what it means. I have heard some people play it as an invitational 4-6 hand. Or a mini-splinter for spades. Or 5-5 invitational. Or .................. Aaaargh.

:) This was a critical issue for me at the table at the time. For the sake of argument, let's say that partner is a good player who is not operating because given the state of the match that would have been uncalled for. So, an animalistic third seat opener on a four-bagger is out because of the vulnerability. Anyway, I took the underbid of two hearts. Partner made a game try, and the rest was easy. Upon reflection and given what I learned from the forum's commentators, I now think that a negative double is the best call. After all, I am 4-4 in the unbid suits and have the right high card strength. The heart support is a bonus. After the double, my next bid looks easy, raise parner's bid one level and pass or compete to 3 hearts over the opponents' three club call.

[hv=d=s&v=n&s=skq96h1062daj85c95]133|100|Scoring: MP P-P-1♥-2♣ ???[/hv] :rolleyes: Playing SAYC with no frills. What to bid? Partner is a sound player with solid habits. Any strong feelings?

:D I think I said RHO in my last post when I should have said LHO. However, the problem on this hand (given that a penalty pass by partner is 'unlikely' or 'very unlikely') is whether to lie about our points or our spade stop. This thread has taught me one thing: for most, A REOPENING 1NT ADVERTISES A BALANCED 18-19 HCP - not a lesser hand. The actual problem hand with the actual auction presented was played 24 times in a recent BBO tourney. The actions were: Pass -1 Dbl. - 12 1NT - 3 2D - 6 3C - 1 3D - 1 My partner reopened with 2♦, a bad bid imo without a six bagger, which almost misled me into a potentially mediocre bid of 3♦. I passed specifically because partner did not reopen with a double, so probably had 2 or 3 spades or else short hearts. We ended up defending 2♠ down four for an 82% board. My hand: J972 A32 753 1092 Over a 1NT reopen, I have an easy pass for a good score.

Double, what else? I hope partner has a spade stack and passes the double, I suspect me and my LHO have the majority of the hcp, and partner is weak without an obvious bid over 1S I will double, and LHO might bid again, or partner might bid 2C, 2D or 2H (ideal he will pass of course). Double 1NT.. sometimes Qx stands up as a stopper (hehe), but really, double seems right and pass partners minimum response :D The odds of partner having a penalty pass is miniscule. First, he needs 10+ HCP. I have 19 and RHO has a minimum of 8. This leaves 13 HCP to be split THREE ways. Even given RHO's pass, I would judge this to be around 8%. Then we have the need for partner to have five or more spades and not too weak a suit in terms of texture. Another 8%. The two are multiplicative, so the overall odds should be LESS THAN ONE PERCENT. So, my next question is whether a double is best given that a penalty pass is most unlikely.

[hv=d=s&v=n&s=sq6hk32daq964cakj]133|100|Scoring: MP 1♦-1♠-P-P ???[/hv] What to do? What is going on? How is this auction likely to develop? What is your bid? Any close second choices?

:( I wish we could have nailed the rascals in 2♦, but I couldn't find a double of the overcall. It looked a lot like overcaller was a favorite to win six trump tricks despite (or because of) my four card holding. His chances of catching two additional tricks were too good despite my partner's two over one SAYC response.

:P Thanks for all of your wise and perceptive responses. This was an awkward hand to bid, but I think the overwhelming vote for either 2♠ (best imo) or 3♦ (fine if you don't like 2♠ for some reason) echo the voices of reason. My thoughts were that partner held one of three types of hand: 1. (5% of the time) 5-6 in the round suits - this will take care of itself regardless 2. (75% of the time) 4-5 or 4-6 in the rounds, or 3. (20% of the time) 2-3-3-6 or 1-3-3-6 and too good to bid 3♣ which might be passed in SAYC This makes raising hearts an absolute no, no since the diamond tap will be in the wrong hand. Passing is very, very wrong since my submini dog of an opener is OK now that pard has bid clubs. I like 2♠ with the good 5 bagger. 3♦ is a survival bid, and should work OK. The opposite hand: AJ KJ107 A10 J9862 3NT makes if you finesse the overcaller for the heart queen. 4♠ can be beaten with a trump out, otherwise it makes if you guess the heart. 4♥ goes down on a 4-2 trump split even if you do guess the heart.

[hv=d=s&v=e&s=skq1065ha42d8653ck]133|100|Scoring: IMP 1♠-P-2♣-2♦ P-P-2♥-P ????[/hv] Your bid. Do you agree/disagree with my bidding so far?

[hv=d=s&v=e&s=s106532hk4dq86ca86]133|100|Scoring: IMP P-P-1♥-1♠ P-2♣-2♥-P ????[/hv] :) Playing SAYC. Your bid? Do you disagree with either of my first two passes?