Jump to content

Nightmare problem


Guest Jlall

Recommended Posts

KQ KQ9 xxx AKJxx.

 

Imps, you start the action with 1C. 1D on your left, 1S from pard, 2D on your right? What's your bid, and you DO play support Xs so please don't suggest X showing a strong hand :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2

 

Seems like we have the choice of double, 2 or 3. There is a lot to be said for a quiet 2 bid - partner can show spade length, correct to 3 with a poor hand (after which I can bid 3) or do something more constructive. The only real issue is a jump to 4, at which point I'd have to hope that I can bid 4 and escape.

 

Paul

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a really brutal problem...

 

I can't find a single call that is even remotely appealing

I'm torn between Pass, 2, 2NT, and 3

 

Each of these bids is a dreadful misrepresentation.

I feel more comfortable lying about a stopper than anything else, so mark me down for 2NT... On a good day, LHO will be afraid to lead Diamonds into my positional stopper.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is truly one of the toughest problems I have seen. All calls are bad: perhaps 'redeal?' is best.

 

Ok, they won't redeal.

 

For me the choice is between:

 

Pass

 

2

 

double

 

I choose a slow, slow 2 and here is why:

 

Pass is not as terrible as it seems. If partner, with short(ish) cannot bid, there is at least a decent chance that we cannot make anything. Having said that, pass is a mighty big position to take with these values... even downgrading the hand as I do for the sterile shape.

 

2, the fake reverse, gets the job done in terms of conveying hcp but it is not particularly accurate in terms of shape. Ok, it is only 1 card out, but what do we do if partner raises? Can/will he raise on 3 card support? I don't think so, because he should have no more than 2 95% of the time but that other 5% worries me: Jxxxx AJx xxx xx: what can he do other than raise ? If he raises, showing 5+ if he has 4, can we get back to ? I don't think so, not without strongly suggesting a 3=4=1=5 powerhouse. If we get raised in , we stay in . But he may be able to prefer or rebid . I raise and worry about later.

 

double as the fake support double: I have extra hcp and my doubleton looks almost as strong as xxx :) However, it doesn't look quite as long, and partner is getting tapped.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lying about a stopper in a suit that one opponent has bid is one thing, since there's a chance partner has the stopper you need. But I don't think it's a good idea to lie about it in a suit they've bid and raised seems really reckless.

 

I doubt I would find the 2 bid at the table, I'd probably go with the 3 underbid.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How do we play a 2NT bid here?

(I'm not saying it's the right call whatever it means, just that it affects what inferences partner has)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am ready to play in the 5-2 fit in spades with HH doubleton, and pard did make a free bid of 1S.

 

I'll start with Double (yes, even playing support doubles, I lie on the 3rd spads, but it's more flexible to hear pard's rebid), and if pard does not bid 2NT, I'll bid 4S since we are likely to have nothing wasted in diamonds, and anything pard provides in the side suit should help.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How do we play a 2NT bid here?

(I'm not saying it's the right call whatever it means, just that it affects what inferences partner has)

just 18-19 balanced, presumably with diamonds stopped. Denying 3 spades as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pass - in tempo I hope.

 

I have to put faith in my methods and my partner. My methods have no convenient way to show this hand while my partner is holding short diamonds and will act with many hands.

 

If he happens to hold weak spades and a flattish hand with a doubleton diamond honor, we might get to play 2D - and that might not be that bad anyway.

 

The real nightmare comes when pard reopens with a double - what the heck can I do then except bid 3D? Only thing I know for sure on this hand is that if partner at any time rebids spades I will treat it as a transfer to game. :P

 

Winston

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Question for the 2H bidders, what is your planned rebid over 3C?

I wish you had not asked that :P

 

Actually, for me the 3 bid establishes a gf: partner had 2N as an artificial weakness bid, so I would bid 3, postponing my decision for yet another round :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Question for the 2H bidders, what is your planned rebid over 3C?

If I had rebid 2h, 3 clubs for me would be game force by responder.

 

Yes that means responder without 4 hearts would rebid 2s with weak hand and 5 spades or is forced to rebid 2nt which would not, repeat not, promise a stopper in D.

 

Assuming partner had rebid 2nt, no stopper promised, I then would rebid 3clubs, non forcing.....

 

Not that bad of a sequence actually....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like a support X with this hand. Here are my thoughts:

 

Clearly our most likely game is 4S even if it is a 5-2. Our KQs are so bad for 3N that even if partner has a diamond stop he needs a major suit ace and the club queen or both major suit aces to be able to make. If he has that 4S will probably make to if he also has 5 spades. The real danger hand is pard with the heart ace, the club queen, and the diamond K and 5 spades. In that case the support X lands you in 4S with 3N cold. Oh well.

 

On the upside it makes it much easier to get to a 5-2 spade game or stop in a partscore (admittedly 2H can help you stop in a partscore IF you have good agreements which was not the case at the time). It is still possible to play 3N opposite a hand with 4 spades and values, and won't lead to any nasty rebid problems.

 

After X it went 3D p p X for values, p 3S which was passed out (pard didn't bid 3S directly or jump to game over the second X and you have no real fit so game is very unlikely). This made. At the other table the player bid 2H and when his pard bid 3C, he tried 3D. His pard now bid 3N which went off 3. I basically agree with Phil that all of the options are reasonable (and they are also all sickening!) but I thought this was a particularly brutal hand.

 

If you pass you defend 2D which will make.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like a support X with this hand. Here are my thoughts:

 

Clearly our most likely game is 4S even if it is a 5-2.

Is 4 game really that great with 5-2? Partner will get tapped very quickly in with his presumed singleton and there may be some transportation problems to draw trumps or they may be able to arrange a club ruff. Anyway I expect 4s will not be a walk in the park with trumps 4-2

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...