What to bid?

[ArtK78]

Very simple hand.

 

[hv=d=s&v=n&s=stxxxxhqjxxxdxcxx]133|100|Scoring: XIMP

P - 1♦

?[/hv]

 

Partner knows that you could not open the bidding in a light opening system (one of a suit is 10+HCP, 1NT is 10-12, weak 2 bids are 3-9 and possibly a 5 card suit). You do not play 2 suited preempts.

 

Do you respond? If you do, which major do you bid?

[mikeh]

1♠

 

Hoping for a raise or a notrump rebid, so that, in the latter case, I can show hearts, non-forcing (including over 2N)

[karlson]

Seems clear enough to try to show both suits. 1♠ for me too.

[Apollo81]

1♠ wtp

[neilkaz]

5-5 come alive..1♠ for me.

[whereagles]

Usually I would pass, but, given I can bid 1♠ without gettting pard too excited, I can try that.

[Echognome]

The problem with 1♠ is what do you bid over 2m? I presume you pass over either (maybe give a false preference over 2♣ to 2♦). I have polled this hand before and have heard a case given to bid 1♥ (catching many 5-3 ♥ fits along with a 5-4 ♠ fit, but losing a 5-3 ♠ fit). Of course if we know partner is going to rebid 1NT or 2NT (and have methods to offer partner a choice of 3M only) then 1♠ stands out a clear mile. I think it's difficult to judge what partner's rebid is going to be given our minor suit lengths (partner's most likely rebid in a vacuum will be a weak NT).

 

All that being said, I imagine I would bid 1♠ playing with a unknown expert partner. Playing with my regular partners I have reverse flannery with one (and would use that) and would bid an easy 1♠ with the other (since the 1♦ call is limited).

[gwnn]

1♠

 

Hoping for a raise or a notrump rebid, so that, in the latter case, I can show hearts, non-forcing (including over 2N)

100% agree. I sort of hate it how Mike seems to make threads uninteresting if he replies first.

 

(jk)

[P_Marlowe]

Pass.

 

If I bid, it would be 1S, because I will be able to show my 2nd suit

most of the time.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[skjaeran]

1♠

 

Hoping for a raise or a notrump rebid, so that, in the latter case, I can show hearts, non-forcing (including over 2N)

Agree. I'm not that pessimistic that I expect partner to rebid 2-3♣....

[jdonn]

1♠

 

Hoping for a raise or a notrump rebid, so that, in the latter case, I can show hearts, non-forcing (including over 2N)

Agree. I'm not that pessimistic that I expect partner to rebid 2-3♣....

Or 2♦ right? Now you could have a nine card heart fit. Meanwhile over 1♥, as long as partner doesn't skip four spades as I tend not to then the only loss is a 5-3 spade fit when your spades are Txxxx. I can much more easily live with that then the nasty problems any time partner rebids either minor. 1♥ for me.

 

I see the original post said "do you respond?" I assume that was an attempt at humor B)

[Halo]

Pass, second choice 1♥.

 

I'll try to explain to partner why I missed out on showing my two suiter.

[655321]

I would bid 1♠, but I can see the merits of a 1♥ response too.

 

Pass is not sensible IMO.

[mikeh]

1♠

 

Hoping for a raise or a notrump rebid, so that, in the latter case, I can show hearts, non-forcing (including over 2N)

Agree. I'm not that pessimistic that I expect partner to rebid 2-3♣....

Or 2♦ right? Now you could have a nine card heart fit. Meanwhile over 1♥, as long as partner doesn't skip four spades as I tend not to then the only loss is a 5-3 spade fit when your spades are Txxxx. I can much more easily live with that then the nasty problems any time partner rebids either minor. 1♥ for me.

 

I see the original post said "do you respond?" I assume that was an attempt at humor B)

I think the choice between 1♥ and 1♠ is close.

 

I think that 1♠ wins or breaks even (often winning) whenever opener rebids any number of notrump.

 

I can always find a 5-4 heart fit in this situation, but it is not clear that we can find a 5=4 spade fit if he rebids 2N (over a 1♥ response). It depends on methods, but my methods make it dangerous... I can transfer to spades, but he only accepts with 4, and he will have to bid 3N with fewer... just what I cannot afford to hear. And after 1N, I can't back into a 5-3 spade fit... I am going to have to pull to 2♥ which may be 5-2.

 

Neither major wins when he rebids either minor.

 

1♥ wins when he raises hearts and couldn't rebid notrump or reverse into hearts over 1♠.

 

Those who rebid 1N on 1=3=5=4 or 1=4=4=4 hands will be even better positioned than I am after 1♠... I don't bid that way, so I am facing the prospect of having to make a decision as to which minor I die in after 1♦ then 2♣!

 

The good news is that I hold 3 hcp and both opps are silent... maybe rho has a flat 14 and lho a flat 11, but the odds favour partner having a good hand.

 

So, 1♥ wins if he is going to rebid 2 minor with 4 hearts or has a hand on which he would raise hearts on a 3 card suit and cannot rebid 1N, while 1♠ either breaks even or wins most of the other times. I am discounting the hands on which he would pass 1♥ and bid to a horrible spot over 1♠, because the silence of the lambs makes that improbable.

[the hog]

Pass for me. This is not a dummy I want to put down if pd bids 3NT, or a gf 2NT.

[kenrexford]

I've been quickly convinced by the 1♥ argument.

[pclayton]

Shrug.

 

I can see good arguments for 1H and 1S. There was an 'Assign the Blame' in a very old Bridge World where responder held a weak major 55 and opener was 0454 and the heart fit was completely buried. One of the 'solutions' was to bid hearts 1st. Hand like this sprung Reverse Flannery and 1 minor - 1S - 2 minor (not reverse) - 2H as NF.

 

I'd probably bid 1H to show everyone how clever I was B)

 

Playing RF this isn't really a problem.

[ArtK78]

At the (virtual) table, I chose 1♥. Like some of the posters, I figured that if partner had 4 spades, he would bid them, and the only real risk that I was running was missing a weak 5-3 spade fit.

 

Little did I know the double cross that was facing me:

 

[hv=d=s&v=n&n=saxxxhxdakqjxxckx&s=stxxxxhqjxxxdxcxx]133|200|Scoring: XIMP

P - 1♦

1♥ - 3NT[/hv]

 

Pard decided rather than bid his 4 card spade suit, he would just shoot out 3NT at matchpoints.

 

On a club lead, he had 8 tricks. Spades were 2-2, so 4♠ claims (the ♣ A was onside).

 

I don't like my pard's bid, and he didn't like mine. So I ask you, who is to blame?

[helene_t]

Partner is to blame IMHO. 3NT is a gamble, maybe not an unreasonable one but when making such a bid he should be prepared to taking the blame.

[gnasher]

I think 3NT most unreasonable.

[the hog]

I don't like 3NT, but I also don't like 1H, (or 1S for that matter). Well Art and others no doubt, you can claim 4S makes, but it is a pretty foul contract, and how can you avoid it if you bid on that tripe?

[ArtK78]

I don't like 3NT, but I also don't like 1H, (or 1S for that matter). Well Art and others no doubt, you can claim 4S makes, but it is a pretty foul contract, and how can you avoid it if you bid on that tripe?

4♠ (or 4♥ for that matter) might have been an excellent contract, if partner's strong hand consisted of one more honor in the long major and one less minor honor in diamonds. Partner is allowed to hold

 

AKxx

x

AKxxxx

Kx

 

or, even better

 

x

AKxx

AKxxxx

Kx

 

Of course, the more common hand on which bidding the major is right is when partner has any moderate unbalanced hand with a major suit.

 

It is clear from the discussion of the posters that your position is a clear minority position, Ron. That is not to say that pass might not be right on some hands.

[Fluffy]

I copy evertthing Ron says.

 

To Art: constructing possible hands always works, even if you bid 7NT, hitting partner with a 4 card major hand full of controls is already very good, but it hasn't made game a must, 1♦ scores pretty well in the long run (and mqny people won't sell out).

[ArtK78]

On my way into work, I thought of another very common hand for partner to have on which passing 1♦ is likely to result in a minus score and bidding one of either major gets you to a cold game (and slam is on a 2-2 spade break!):

 

AKxx

AKxx

Axxx

x

 

Assuming that you are playing standard methods, you have no real choice but to open this hand 1♦.

 

What do you think of 1♦ as a final contract now?

 

And don't count on the opponents balancing to rescue you - your side has a majority of the high card points even if they have a 10 card club fit.

[Apollo81]

I don't like my pard's bid, and he didn't like mine.  So I ask you, who is to blame?

100% him. 1♥ was reasonable and his failure to bid spades was nothing more than failed masterminding.