Disaster at yesterday's Green Point Swiss Pairs

[mr1303]

You hold:

 

KJxx

xxx

Kxxx

Ax

 

Bidding proceeds: (partner deals and opens)

 

1C P 1S 2H

3C 3H ?

 

What do you try here?

 

If you double (I did) and partner pulls to 4C, what kind of hand should she (she was a she) be showing?

[pbleighton]

Form of scoring matters here. At MPs, I double, at IMPs, I bid 4C.

 

If pd pulls a double, she has lots of clubs and one trick at most outside of clubs.

 

Peter

[ochinko]

Something like:

 

Qx

x

AJx

KQxxxxx

 

I bid 5C.

 

Vulns are important too. Since 3 of the suits are bid the double is for penalties, or at least cooperative. I play that pulling a penalty double when we are vulnerable and opps aren't is a game forcing. If opps are vuln, and we are not - serious slam intentions. Any other vuln - at least mild slam intentions.

 

Petko

[whereagles]

I don't know what opps can do, but I know we can make 4, possibly 5 clubs. So I bid 4 or 5♣, depending on the vibes at table.

[mike777]

x over 3h, now 5clubs

[mr1303]

To fill in, vulnerability was love all, and it was pairs (so MPs)

[dogsbreath]

hi

i dont care for the penalty x of 3H ... you have a difficult bid but doubling them into game wont help. i'd settle for 4C, expectng p to press on with better than s min opener.

Rgds Dog

[Guest Jlall]

With my regular partners I would X as we agree that this type of X generally shows cards with no clear direction (also jokingly call it the pard-bid-3N-please-convention). a 4C bid would just show no heart stopper and no Hx of spades (assuming we play supp Xs) and not enough extras to bid game. I would push to 5C and hope it made. The free 3C does show some extras.

[mr1303]

Incidently, does the fact that we play a weak NT make a difference? (Partner can pass with a hand with clubs, since the probability of her having a strong NT is slim on the auction).

 

She held:

 

xx

KJ

Jxx

KQxxxx

 

I was not overly impressed, when I decided that partner might well be void in hearts and bid 5C, which was doubled for 2 off, when they made nothing.

[paulg]

I think you should be bidding 5♣ because partner, for some unknown reason, volunteered 3♣. Therein lies the problem.

 

p

[Chamaco]

Incidently, does the fact that we play a weak NT make a difference? (Partner can pass with a hand with clubs, since the probability of her having a strong NT is slim on the auction).

 

She held:

 

xx

KJ

Jxx

KQxxxx

 

I was not overly impressed, when I decided that partner might well be void in hearts and bid 5C, which was doubled for 2 off, when they made nothing.

The hand is barely an opener, but everypship has its own standard, so if you open ultralight, I guess it's ok.

 

I only think that after opps bid and raise hearts, a free bid of 3C is a no-no.

 

With your hand I'd have Xed and raised to 5 clubs.

[Guest Jlall]

Agree, partner had nothing close to a 3C freebid.

[Joe de Balliol]

When you play with a somewhat inexperienced 15 year old, you can't expect her to play perfectly.

 

J

[paulg]

As I tell my Junior teammate (when we surround him with mature relics), as well as including vulnerability and scoring in any problem it is also important to let us know if there are any (other) Juniors at the table :) ....

 

... which would make this problem a clear pass as there is no real difference between inexperience and indiscipline!

 

But still, a good problem.

 

Paul