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Am I crazy?


Guest Jlall

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xx Kxxxx QTx Kxx

 

red/white imps. You pass, LHO passes, partner opens 1H (4 card majors), and RHO overcalls 4D (he can have a wide range opposite a passed hand). What would you do? How clear is it?

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I can't imagine passing here playing 5-card majors. I hate the QTx in their suit, but there are just way too many hands where pard won't bid and we're just cold for a red game. I think I would still bid 4H opposite a 4-card major. I'm a little less sure about this, and I wouldn't be thrilled about it, but I see it as not having a choice. Yes, if it gets hacked it will probably be ugly. Pard shouldn't be screwing around at 3rd seat unfav, so probably not that bad. But, there are just too many minimum hands he could have here where we're cold for a red game - so I can't pass. (Give him xxxx AJxx x AQJx, AKx Qxxxx xx AJx, Kxx Axxxx xx AQx, ...etc and you have to be in a red game)
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If you did anything other than bidding 4H I think you are crazy (no offense but you asked!), especially if you are playing against a team you expect to beat.

 

My judgment suggests that it is quite likely that, if you Pass, your will end up defending 4D when 4H has good play.

 

Even if you disagree with this, Passing is taking a massive position. Do you really think the player at the other table with your cards is likely to Pass in this position? Do you really want to risk swinging a huge number of IMPs in this kind of situation?

 

I would rather try to win a swing by hoping that my partner will play 4H better than his counterpart at the other table, my teammates defend better, or judge better if further bidding is a possibility.

 

And if my normal 4H call leads to a normal result and a normal push I will still be happy - there rate to be lots of other boards in which your skill advantage gives you the opportunity to win IMPs.

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

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If you did anything other than bidding 4H I think you are crazy (no offense but you asked!)

lol, none taken, my co-workers also informed me that I was nuts on this hand :P

 

I think I just have 4-card-major-anxiety, I am underbidding in competitive sequences and don't feel like I have a good feel on what to do. I am trying to improve my judgement playing 4 card majors and I guess on this one I really missed the boat. Playing 5 card majors I would obviously bid 4H, and there probably isn't much of a difference here. I agree with what you and others have said, passing just risks defending cold for game too often.

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I am late to the thread. I have empathy for Justin: I make the same error (I do think it is an error for the reasons outlined by Fred) quite often. I talk myself into picturing a bad hand for partner... I get into a glass is half empty mode... and tighten up in the bidding. Once in a while, that decision proves to be correct, but most of the time we get a bad board. So 4, with confidence, felt or simulated.
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It's a bidders game. btw 4 card major is not canapé, is it? (ie he is very likely to have ONLY 4H for his bid) Since he can have 5+, I would just make the "easy" bid (for me) and see where we go......when LHO bumps it to 5D and pard passes (remember in 3rd seat) how do you play his pass and what do you do?
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Pass. Partner is reopening with 18+, passing with 15 or less. Both OK.

And with 16-17?

And with 9?

 

xxx

Axxxx

x

AJxx

 

True you might not make 4H opposite this hand, but the point is that you have a good hand facing a partner who is likely to have diamond shortness (and who is likely to have 5+ hearts even though you play 4-card majors).

 

This problem is not about point count and using point count won't help you solve it.

 

Fred Gitelman

Bridge Base Inc.

www.bridgebase.com

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