mike777 Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 1) MP Unfav Vul. (1D)=P=(1H)=? AQT74....J984...T8....84 Do you overcall 1S or pass, why? 2) MP Unfav Vul. (2C)=? J872...AK8652...6...83 Do you overcall 2H or pass, why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerben42 Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 1. Yes. This is a typical MP situation, you don't want to let them play 2♥ and it is safer to get in now than later. 2. Assuming 2♣ is "strongest opening bid" I pass. No point really to tell them what to worry about when they bid 3NT! Also it is probably going to be my lead anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finch Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 The first one is tough, and is partly a matter of partnership style. I know many real MP experts who think 1S is automatic. The second is obvious to bid any form of scoring. It's only being vul that stops me overcalling 3H. You have to get in over their 2C opening, just as much as over a strong 1C opening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickyB Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 The second is obvious to bid any form of scoring. It's only being vul that stops me overcalling 3H. You have to get in over their 2C opening, just as much as over a strong 1C opening. I disagree with this. When you bid over their 1♣ opening, you are removing a whole extra level of bidding. It's much harder for them to penalise you because they don't have a forcing pass available. At the vulnerability, I think pass here is entirely reasonable, although if I think that the opposition will be on much firmer ground in an uncontested auction I'd be tempted to throw a spanner in the works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoTired Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 1) I pass because I strictly keep 8hcp is my min 1 level overcall. Esp Vul.2) 2H seems automatic to me. For several reasons: 1) Interference, 2) Good lead, 3) Competition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerben42 Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 2) 2H seems automatic to me. For several reasons: 1) Interference, 2) Good lead, 3) Competition. I am surprised that all think 2♥ is automatic at these colours. 1. Interference: It doesn't take away bidding space and 3♥ is WAY too dangerous. 2. Good lead: Which one? The Ace or the small one? Partner is not on lead! 3. Competition: Do you WANT to risk opps deciding for a safe 500 (800, 1100) instead of bidding their normal contract? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickyB Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 I am surprised that all think 2♥ is automatic at these colours. I thought I just said that I didn't :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jlall Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 1) I would overcall at imps with this hand as well. 2) I would overcall at imps with this hand as well. That should give some indication about how I feel about these hands at MP :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apollo81 Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 Opening leads are hard.Bidding with interference is harder than bidding w/o it. I overcall on both hands. Interestingly I had KQJxx xx xx 10xxx unfav IMPs after (1♣)-pass-(1♦). I overcalled 1♠ (and so did the other table) and it went pass-3♠ and then poor responder had to guess how many hearts to bid with his 0562 hand. Shows you how a bid that has seemingly no merit can work so much better than passing. Pard gets the credit though....he raised to 3♠ and the other table was chicken and only bid 2, so our teammates had an easy 3♥ bid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finch Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 2. Good lead: Which one? The Ace or the small one? Partner is not on lead! There's no rule that says opener is going to declarer the hand. While it's likely, it's a long way off certain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeh Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 1. I overcall 1♠. We want to get the right lead: we want to be able to compete... I agree with Justin in that I'd overcall 1♠ at imps as well. It is useful (essential?) to have agreements about 4th seat overcalls when 2nd seat passes. In the latest set of system notes I have created for my current (hopefully) serious partnership, such 4th seat overcalls are expressly competitive, and not constructive... 2. I'd bid. I like to use suction here, to create ambiguity: ambiguity is our friend when the opps own the hand, as they usually do when they open 2♣. But if forced to bid naturally, 2♥ it is, and I agree with Frances in that the vulnerability is what prevents me from choosing 3♥. I also agree (again.... I am being very agreeable this morning, for a change) with Justin: I'd get in their auction at imps as well as mps. Most players know how to bid with reasonable accuracy when the opps keep their mouths shut. Even good players get into difficulties when the opps get into their auctions. The risk of the occasional disaster is a premium I'm willing to pay on these two hands. That has to be the correct approach at mps (give me two tops for every bottom, and I will win almost all the time) and I am increasingly of the view that (within more conservative limits) there is value to this at imps. There are just too many competent players around for players like me to be able to do well, on a consistent basis, by trying to avoid disaster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Double ! Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 1) I would bid. Master suit. I want a spade lead from partner. 2) I don't like going for telephone numbers, but 6-4 is better than 6-3. I am really undecided about bidding 2H at these colors: I can think of valid arguments both for and against. Part depends on what opps might open 2C on. Part depends on the fact that more and more people double to show dbl negatives on this bidding. This could put opener in an uncomfortable situation if holding a balanced 22-24, but might still choose to defend and we might not do very well. Put me down as an honest vote for undecided on this one. DHL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whereagles Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 1. Bid2. Bid It's a bidder's game ^^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pclayton Posted February 23, 2007 Report Share Posted February 23, 2007 1. Auto overcall. 20 years ago when I first learned the game, this was an auto pass. 2. Tough! Against a weak or middle pair that rates to throw up all over their auction if I overcall I'd find a bid. Against a good pair, its very tough. Pros for overcalling: 1. We might be able to jam them a little bit, but not a lot. 2. If pard ends on lead (doubtful), we'll get the right lead. However, if pard has a singleton, we'll get the lead anyway. 3. We are at adverse vulnerability. The opponents know we are at adverse. The opps know we are a good pair. Good pairs have their bids at adverse. Therefore, they are less likely to sit for a double. Against these: 1. We will warn them off NT (which may or may not be good). 2. RHO frequently has the 22-24 variety, so doubling is easy: -500 (or more) is very likely. -200 against a p/s rates to be a disaster too. 3. If they buy the hand in a normal contract, we have given extraneous information that may not be evident if we pass. 4. They might bid a slam off the heart suit (unlikely, but possible). So I think a pass is better on balance against someone good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike777 Posted February 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2007 Thank you all for your kind and thoughtful responses. Needless to say I passed on both and got terrible scores.1) Pard did not find a spade from Kx2) LHO bid 3nt and pard did not find a heart lead where we had the first 7 tricks. No other game can make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
han Posted February 24, 2007 Report Share Posted February 24, 2007 1S, 2H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the hog Posted February 24, 2007 Report Share Posted February 24, 2007 Overcall on both. Clear cut at MPs, if nv the first hand is also worth an overcall at IMPs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike777 Posted February 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2007 Overcall on both. Clear cut at MPs, if nv the first hand is also worth an overcall at IMPs. Thanks for comment Ron. Clear cut really cuts to the bone. For me I thought and passed.I posted this since I thought these were common everday problems that nonexperts struggle with, or at least I do. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the hog Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 Sorry you took it this way. Seriously though Mike, you have numerous comments on overcalls and lobs in the past, intimiating that you need such and such a requirement to even consider this and everytime you get an answer you take no notice of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike777 Posted February 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 Sorry you took it this way. Seriously though Mike, you have numerous comments on overcalls and lobs in the past, intimiating that you need such and such a requirement to even consider this and everytime you get an answer you take no notice of it. OHH..... I hope to in the future, thank you for constructive comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winstonm Posted February 25, 2007 Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 When I was young I played against Barry Crane, the acknowledged master of matchpoints. In first seat he opened 1S on QJxx, Qxx, QJx, Qxx. Kerri raised with a forcing 3S on her 16 count and they settled in 4 with no slam try. Obviously, Barry thought I looked like a young chump but I think it also shows what he thought about staking a claim to the spade suit when playing MPs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike777 Posted February 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2007 Ya I played against him and heard a million stories of his walk arounds at the tourneys and other stories....nuff said...needless I even lived in Studio City a few blocks or so from him. Of course Peter will think I am making this up but oh well :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts