Your call

[ochinko]

MP, both vul

 

You're dealt

 

AKQ97

-

AQ102

QJ42

 

In third position after two passes you open 1♠. LHO overcalls 2♦, two passes follow, and it's your turn again.

[helene_t]

Hmmm what kind of opps do I have? If they are like one of the partners I had in an indy yesterday who overcalled a vulnerable 2♦ on Kxxxx then I pass and go for the 200.

 

Against more sane opps it's closer but I think I still pass. Don't want anyone to bid hearts.

[brianshark]

Pass seems right.

[jtfanclub]

I agree that pass is probably the right call.

 

Nonetheless, I would X, because I'm stupid.

 

The possibilities here are...

 

1. Partner is very weak. I have an 18 count, so that's possible, but only barely.

2. Partner has long clubs, but not enough strength to show them.

3. Partner has a penalty pass, hoping I'll X and so he'll leave it in.

 

I'm betting it's #2. Unless he's ridiculously weak, he doesn't have spades or hearts, and it sounds like he doesn't have diamonds. So he has clubs, but 3 clubs is forcing and 4 clubs across a nothing is crazy.

 

Partner doesn't need, anything outside of clubs. xx xxx xx AKTxxx makes what, all 13 tricks? Something like that. And that's a hand that would pass over 2♦.

 

If partner is weak, I'll regret bidding, because they'll be at 4♥ in no time. And while that is possible, it seems like the less likely possibility to me.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

 

X is out, this would just catch a heart response

from partner.

 

It is either pass, 2S (which would most likely show

a 6 carder) or 3C.

I am not sure, I would think about Pass (given the

vulnerability and the scoring most likely best), and

I would most likely go with 3C.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[pclayton]

Such an obvious pass. They have buried their heart fit and they are vulnerable.

 

I expect lots of 100's here and game is very far off in any strain (it's probably clubs opposite pard's 1=5=2=5).

[pclayton]

Partner doesn't need, anything outside of clubs. xx xxx xx AKTxxx makes what, all 13 tricks? Something like that. And that's a hand that would pass over 2♦.

Do you think the opponents are bidding this way with 10 hearts?

[TimG]

The possibilities here are...

 

1. Partner is very weak. I have an 18 count, so that's possible, but only barely.

2. Partner has long clubs, but not enough strength to show them.

3. Partner has a penalty pass, hoping I'll X and so he'll leave it in.

4. Partner has hearts, but not enough strength to show them.

[han]

Pass is obvious.

[jdonn]

Of course pass. And if you were to bid, of course 3♣. I can't believe double even got a mention, much less a vote. This is why democracy hasn't been working well for our country lately, votes like that.

[Free]

Pass wtp?

[jtfanclub]

The possibilities here are...

 

1.  Partner is very weak.  I have an 18 count, so that's possible, but only barely.

2.  Partner has long clubs, but not enough strength to show them.

3.  Partner has a penalty pass, hoping I'll X and so he'll leave it in.

4. Partner has hearts, but not enough strength to show them.

We're below 2♠, so partner needs what, a 5 count to double if he has 5 hearts? Something like that. So long hearts goes into #1. It shouldn't take any more strength than bidding 1NT in response to 1♠ in an uncontested auction, intending to rebid 2♥.

 

I know I would X, and I would bid 3♣ over 2♥. I know that experts have two billion ways to show hands that are short in overcaller's suit, and no bids to show length in overcaller's suit. For poor mortals like me, though, this auction shows strength, spades, and clubs.

 

Random meaningless example hand:

 

[hv=n=s65hj32d653cakt97&w=sjt8hakq4dkj984c3&e=s432ht98765d7c865&s=sakq97hdaqt2cqj42]399|300|[/hv]

 

Opps have a 10 card fit, but this is still the normal auction assuming that they aren't playing ELC.

[pclayton]

Another random meaningless example hand:

 

[hv=n=sxhjxxxxdxxckxxxx&w=sxxxhaqxxdkjxxxxc&e=sjxxxhktxxdxcatxx&s=sakqxxhdaqt2cqj42]399|300|[/hv]

[jtfanclub]

Another random meaningless example hand:

So if I double and then bid 3♣, we'll end up in 5 clubs, which will make if partner has some decent club spots in spite of the 4-0 split. What's wrong with that?

 

Or was this not a counter-example?

[Guest Jlall]

Passing is the mature bid (and the bid with the most positive expecatation by a mile).

[Apollo81]

Pass since I can do better by defending than declaring a partscore our way. There's no assurance we have a game here. THEY might even have a heart game.

[Guest Jlall]

Pass since I can do better by defending than declaring a partscore our way. There's no assurance we have a game here. THEY might even have a heart game.

Yep they are more likely to have a game than you are on this hand.

 

If partner had hearts he did not make a negative X so he is pretty broke with a misfit, and you have all the diamond honors behind you. You have no potential unless partner has a heart/club 2 suiter in this case.

 

If partner has a little something he did not make a neg X so he does not have hearts. In that case even with your abundance of HCP their 10+ card fit is likely to beat you.

 

Not to mention we have a very good shot at +200 right where we are which is the nuts.

[jtfanclub]

Passing is the mature bid

I'll have plenty of time to mature when I'm dead. :P

 

Seriously, I agree that, in a forum, the best bid is to pass. Is everybody here going to claim that they pass this at the table?

 

This is an "I should have" hand. I actually had one opponent who, had a chance to pass a hand like this when he partner doubled (I was the 2♦ bidder) and had a chance to pass almost the identical situation undoubled the very next hand, and pulled both times. Nonetheless, she insisted on saying over and over that she should have passed it like it was some kind of threat. Yeah, lady, when you start passing these, maybe I'll strengthen my red overcalls against you.

 

Maybe experts really do pass these guys at the table.

Maybe that's what makes them experts.

 

I'm not giving advice here...I already said that I X because I'm stupid. But am I truly alone in my stupidity?

[cherdano]

Seriously, I agree that, in a forum, the best bid is to pass. Is everybody here going to claim that they pass this at the table?

Yes, I certainly hope so.

[655321]

But am I truly alone in my stupidity?

Yes, I certainly hope so. This is a WTP pass.

[Guest Jlall]

Passing is the mature bid

I'll have plenty of time to mature when I'm dead. :P

 

Seriously, I agree that, in a forum, the best bid is to pass. Is everybody here going to claim that they pass this at the table?

 

This is an "I should have" hand. I actually had one opponent who, had a chance to pass a hand like this when he partner doubled (I was the 2♦ bidder) and had a chance to pass almost the identical situation undoubled the very next hand, and pulled both times. Nonetheless, she insisted on saying over and over that she should have passed it like it was some kind of threat. Yeah, lady, when you start passing these, maybe I'll strengthen my red overcalls against you.

 

Maybe experts really do pass these guys at the table.

Maybe that's what makes them experts.

 

I'm not giving advice here...I already said that I X because I'm stupid. But am I truly alone in my stupidity?

I used the word maturity because, to me, bridge maturity (I don't know much about any other kind of maturity) means doing what you know is right and not going off on flyers that may be exciting/fun/gain a big score. Passing with a hand like this and taking your 100s is a good example of that, as is taking a finesse rather than going for a squeeze when the finesse is a 4:3 favorite, etc etc.

 

Playing good bridge is boring, so is passing with this 18 count. It means sometimes getting stolen from as well.

 

For a different example, wouldn't you easily pass the opps 1H opener with something like KQx AKQxx KQx xx? Don't you think lesser experienced players would have a hard time passing with a hand like this? To more experienced players this hand is similar to my example, it is not shocking to be able to pass with a good hand and length in their suit.

[jtfanclub]

That was well said, and good advice Justin.

 

Now the question is, do I have the, ah, maturity to learn from it?

[the hog]

This is an obvious pass; bidding forum, table, whatever. Don't even need to think too hard about it.

[ochinko]

I guess a month ago I wouldn't have passed this hand the second time. Most of the time I search for any reason to upgrade a hand, but almost never to devalue one. It so happened that i just finished Mike Lawrence's book Hand Evaluation. We were the only pair (from 6 tables) that let the opps play, and consequently we were the only to score a plus.

 

I posted the hand here because I wanted to know whether the decision to pass was just a lucky guess, or I really have learned something.

 

Here is the full deal:

[hv=d=n&v=b&n=s63hqj10864d984c108&w=s5ha532dkj763ca75&e=sj10842hk97d5ck963&s=sakq97hdaq102cqj42]399|300|Scoring: MP[/hv]

 

Btw, I would double 1♠ with West's hand, but he picked 2♦ for some reason.