Hold this hand right now

[jdonn]

72 A4 8765 AQ942

Partner deals, both vul at imps.

1♥ (2♦) to you.

 

Go.

[awm]

Pass seems fairly easy.... I have diamond length, not enough values to force game, not enough spades to double, no diamond stopper for 2NT. The only other remotely appealing option is to raise hearts, but if partner's not balancing here we probably don't have game anyway so I see no reason to start the auction with a misleading call.

 

More interesting is what to do over partner's balancing double, since 2♥/3♣ don't quite seem to do justice to this hand. It seems like 3♥ should show something like this hand type in that sequence.

[Guest Jlall]

Pass seems fairly easy....

 

More interesting is what to do over partner's balancing double

This is a good reason why passing is not the answer to our problems. We will have to jump or cue on the next round and even then nothing is very descriptive.

 

Not to mention that your hand is so strong that partner will pass out 2D with hands that can make 3N or even 4H (xxx KQxxxx AJ Kx is a normal looking pass).

[nickf]

you just cant pass with ten counts. Either bid 3C as F1 or make a negative double correcting to hearts when its your turn next.

 

nickf

sydney

[Echognome]

Difficult hand. I'm going to make the overbid of 3♣. Of course part of the problem with this is that i'm game forcing. I won't mind if we end up having to defend of course, just mind that we might be in a hopeless game. I will bid ♥ at my next opportunity unless p bid 3N, but I can't imagine that will happen.

[mike777]

Again a problem of what is an opening hand in first seat for you. We see this all the time.

1) If partner only promises a 5 card h suit with balanced 11?

2) If partner only promises a 5 card h suit with balanced 14?

[Apollo81]

72 A4 8765 AQ942

Partner deals, both vul at imps.

1♥ (2♦) to you.

 

Go.

I'd bid 2♥

[pbleighton]

2H, yuk. I can't pass with a decent 10 count. 3C is a close second.

 

Peter

[skjaeran]

What I do now depens upon what agreements we have after a reopening double from partner IF I PASS. If we play lebensohlish 2NT, so that pass followed by 3♣ shows constructive values or bad invitational values, I might pass. Though it's not a certainty that partner will reopen.

 

If we don't play something like that, and pass followed by 3♣ could be bid on anything from a zero count up to, but not including, a good invite (I'd GF with that) I have to act now. I don't like the bid at all, but if you have to, you just have to. 2♥.

 

I can't bid 3♣. It might not be defined as a GF fore everyone, but in practise it'll work like that anyway. And I'm not strong enough for that versus a minimum opener unless partner have extremely sound openings, which my partner usually haven't. :P

[jdeegan]

:P 3♣

This is as good as 10 HCPs get. It's really worth 11+ imo. So, awkward as it is, 3♣ looks like the best call to me.

[bhall]

Really ugly problem. If partner will take X folllowed by pulling 2♠ to 3♣ as a one-suited ♣ hand, I'll go with that. He's unlikely to be strong enough to jump. I can't catch up after passing, while any bid I make now is either going to get us too high (3♣ or 3♦) or risk playing in the wrong suit at the wrong level (2♥).

 

If partner rebids 2♥ over my double, I'll raise to 3; If 3♠, I'll bid 4♥, hoping he gets the picture. If not, I'll ask forgiveness.

[whereagles]

I'll make a slight overbid and put on 3♣. Pard's likely diamond shortness makes this bid more liveable.

[han]

It seems to me that of Dbl, 2H and 3C, 2H is the best choice. I can see doubling if I had Hxx in spades but I won't do it with a small doubleton. 3C is gross, the fact that we likely don't have a diamond stopper makes forcing to game a huge overbid.

 

The available lies after passing are worse than a direct 2H imo.

[mike777]

If you expect partner to reopen with a good 13+ hcp or with any hand with very short diamonds, it seems passing should be fine here often enough.

I guess partner will just pass with a balanced 13 or less and not reopen.

If you bid it seems 2H is the least of all evils.

[han]

Mike, when you say pass will be fine, what do you plan to bid after partner reopens?

[BebopKid]

I'd pass, unless I'm playing with Carl. He'd expect me to bid.

[pclayton]

I think pass only delays the problem.

 

2♥ is practical I think.

[skjaeran]

Mike, when you say pass will be fine, what do you plan to bid after partner reopens?

If you play 2NT as natural in that sequence, you'll have to bid 3♦ IMO.

[Fluffy]

I am one of the few doublers

[mike777]

Mike, when you say pass will be fine, what do you plan to bid after partner reopens?

IF he reopens, I bid 2H if playing with regular partnership. Partner can still just have a junky 11 pts.

Reopening x does not promise more than 11.

[han]

Mike, the reason people are considering an immediate call is that you would also pass and then bid 2H with xxx xx xxxx xxxx. Opener might not act again with extras and you might may a good game. Not saying that your choice is wrong, I'm just explaining why I chose 2H instead of pass.

[mike777]

I certainly agree that if you play very wide ranging one level bids as I do and you are both max for your bids here you can miss a game esp. a minimum hcp game. Of course you may overbid and go down also.

 

In any case if you pass with this responder hand the bidding may not be over.

[han]

I think you will miss quite a few games that way, I imagine that partner will usually pass your 2H with a 15-count. If not then you get too high too often.

 

And how about this: Axx KQJxx x Kxxx? That's a pretty good 6C there. Not easy to reach but if you pass first you'll play 2H.

 

(I have a dream of bidding 1H - (2D) - 2H - (p) - 3C - (p) - 4D (bluhmer?) etc.)

[mike777]

I agree I miss 6c on your 23 hcp example. :)

I agree partner will need to listen to the bidding and take a view over my pass and 2H rebid depending on his hand and the rest of the table bidding.

[han]

I agree partner will need to listen to the bidding and take a view over my pass and 2H rebid depending on his hand and the rest of the table bidding.

If you meant this sentence to mean anything, I missed it.