Apollo81

My dumbest was in the Vanderbilt in Philly. I don't remember the auction exactly, but it was an auction like this. I don't think we were playing NMF by a PH. p-1c 1s-1n 2d-3h 3s-4c 4d-6s-(x) ( a ) I forgot that partner was a PH ( b ) I then took 3s as a slam try (else why not a 3NT bid) Whoops.

That sounds like Greg

exactly.

3♥

If you are playing 5 card majors then you should have raised to 2♥ at your first call.

Late responding, haven't had much free time lately. I'm with Josh on this one. Normally with 9 HCP and this pattern on this auction it is right to pass. However, since I am *so* loaded with spot cards and it is RED IMPS, I think the slight overbid of 2NT is the best call.

♠QJ108xx ♥AKx ♦xx ♣xx 3rd, fav, IMPs, two passes to you I'm more interested in people's reasoning behind their choices than the choices themselves.

IMPs all white AQ10x Q108xx J9x x (1♥)-p-(2♥)-3♥ (4♥)-? part 1: double or 4♠ now part 2: if you bid 4♠ and LHO doubles, do you redouble

Confession is good for the soul, Noble. I wish I had a nickel for every 'assign the blame' hand I posted where I didn't get a 'favorable' outcome. :) My thought after the hand was that with Axx of hearts it would have been reasonable if I had really good spades, but I guess even that is pushing it.

Have fun looking up the MPs from your -90. We aren't always playing in the Blue Ribbons.

I'll fess up to being South here, not one of my better moments =)

[hv=d=s&v=n&n=s987hk8da108765c85&w=s2hj1094dj932caj74&e=skqj10hq765d4ck1032&s=sa6543ha32dkqcq96]399|300|Scoring: IMP 1NT*-(2♥**)-2NT***-(3♥) 3♠-(p)-4♠-(X) all pass *14-16 **♥ + minor ***Lebensohl[/hv]

Redouble. I can kill hearts or clubs and if partner has 4♠ they are dead.

I think you meant "...if you DO play..."

I have a better one. AKQxxx J10xx x xx Jxxx AKQ Jxx Jxx South opens a 10-12 NT at favorable vulnerability. West doubles and North redoubles. All pass. West rattles off 7 diamond tricks, cashes the ♣A and then leads to his partner's club suit. Down 7. This happened to me years ago playing in the OKBridge college championship. I was South, and not very pleased with my partner's decision on this deal =)

A lot of people can't be trusted to actually have their 4♠ bid here. With anyone that might actually have 13 points I would bid 5♣. I'd pass opposite a good player.

agree

Pass should be obvious here. This is not a forcing pass situation.

I vote for this only because the opponents are at favorable. At any other vulnerability I would 4♠ then 5♥.

Josh's point is that it doesn't make sense to split hairs after a certain point. 1♠-3♦ bergen shows a 4-card limit raise. 1♠-3♣ Bergen shows a 4-card constructive (slightly worse than limit) raise. Since responder has two options here when he chooses the limit raise he is shoiwng a very narrow range of hands. It just doesnt make sense to systemically have a invitation opposite something that is already a 2-point range or less.

My point was that the OP's auction is a lot wider ranging than these auctions; enough to warrant the existence of the game try. If 3♦ showed for instance only a 4-card LR then I agree with you Josh.

In North America Standard is still that double by opener after 1x-p-1y-(z) is penalty if not playing support doubles, not takeout.

If playing support doubles, double shows 3 hearts. Otherwise double is penalty. Same as above. Values. Values.

Definitely. First I'll comment on the Josh-Justin debate. I think that 3♥ in this auction is an artificial game try since the 3♦ bid can be anywhere from a 10-count 3-card limit raise to a real 4-card limit raise. That's actually a pretty wide range; it's a lot wider than if partner had bid 3♦ Bergen LR for example. Second, I don't think the hand is good enough to blast keycard. I think that I should bid 3♥ and then try for slam one more time (4♦) if partner signs off in 3♠. If partner signs off again I'm done. I don't think I've bid the hand strongly enough if I bid 4♦ here and then sign off over 4♥. If undiscussed I would assume no, but it's a good idea to discuss when serious is on. WIth casual partners I play it is on only for known 9-card or better fits.

--- AKJxx AQJx AQJx pard opens 3♣ at unfavorable, lol LHO did not find the 7♠ bid over my 7♣ with AQJxxx xxx xxx x