a bit behind...

[gwnn]

AKQ7xxx

xxx

AK

Q

 

Butler pairs, each round of two boards converted to VP's. The field is weak. Your noobish partner just doubled opps' 6♥ and it made redoubled. One pair played 6♥x=, the rest in 4♥+2. CHO opens 5♣, first seat, all vulnerable.

[CSGibson]

5 spades.

[andy_h]

Pass

[hotShot]

5♠

[Guest Jlall]

Even though this is an "obvious" 5S I feel for some reason like I should be Xing esp against random juniors. I am just really worried about some 8-4 with C/H on my right haha.. Anyways I'm sure I'd bid 5S at the table but it wouldn't shock me if Xing was correct.

[helene_t]

Hey Justin, it was CHO not RHO who opened 5♣.

 

I pass.

[Gerben42]

Butler pairs, each round of two boards converted to VP's. The field is weak. Your noobish partner just doubled opps' 6♥ and it made redoubled. One pair played 6♥x=, the rest in 4♥+2. CHO opens 5♣, first seat, all vulnerable.

 

Did he have the singleton ♥A and you had the Q? :rolleyes:

 

Err... 5♠.

[Guest Jlall]

Hey Justin, it was CHO not RHO who opened 5♣.

 

I pass.

oops!

 

CHO got me :rolleyes: OK that is a much easier problem, I pass wtp?

[Finch]

I'm not sure all the posters have registered that

i) It is partner that opened 5C, not RHO

ii) We are playing a two-board match, imps-converted-to-VPs, and we just lost a bundle of imps defending 6Hxx making.

 

I don't know the VP scale but I would guess that a flat board here will be an 18-2 loss?

 

The problem is that partner also knew that before he opened 5C, and I doubt he has a classical 5C opening.

 

Sitll I'll bid 6C and hope for the best.

[Guest Jlall]

I'm not sure all the posters have registered that

i) It is partner that opened 5C, not RHO

ii) We are playing a two-board match, imps-converted-to-VPs, and we just lost a bundle of imps defending 6Hxx making.

 

I don't know the VP scale but I would guess that a flat board here will be an 18-2 loss?

 

The problem is that partner also knew that before he opened 5C, and I doubt he has a classical 5C opening.

 

Sitll I'll bid 6C and hope for the best.

Why are we trying to guess what a flat board is on a hand like this? I'm sure there will be a wide range of results no matter what we do, so we should just do what we think is right and hope for the best. I also realllly agree that partner is unlikely to have a classical 5C opener. I also think the opps are extremely likely to lead hearts given that they have no spade honors and at most the DQ and they're going to be looking for the most aggressive lead after 5C P 6C.

[ArtK78]

The problem here is how do you attempt to make up for the first board? If partner's 5♣ bid is an attempt to win back the round, how does that affect your thinking?

 

Anything could be right - Pass, 6♣, 7♣, 5♠, 6♠, 7♠.

 

I don't think partner has AK long of clubs along with the ♥A. Quite frankly, I doubt that partner has AK long of clubs with a heart control, although that is possible.

 

So how do I win back some of the IMPs lost on the first board?

 

I think I have to try 6♣. Passing is conceding the round.

 

7♣ has some appeal, since if it makes you will probably break even on the round.

 

Two additional thoughts - even if partner has the magic hand of AKxxxxxx of clubs and ♥A, it may be difficult to pull trump. After a heart lead, if partner's clubs are not good enough so that he can run them without playing the clubs from the top out of his hand, he may have a problem getting back to his hand.

 

Also - I have a sneaking suspicion that the winning call on my cards is a fake cue bid of 5♥ followed by 7♣. It sure seems likely that 7♣ will make if you can avoid a heart lead.

[whereagles]

I'd try 6♣ now, unless pard doesn't know what a 5♣ opener is about.

[pclayton]

OK we need a swing. Noob continues to hammer away. While I agree we have no idea what will happen with this hand, it's clear that 4♠ is cold. Who knows who is making what, but I really don't want to push this board.

 

Batter up! 7♣.

 

This looks like a 5 or 7 hand and RHO might not find the heart lead.

 

If Frances' estimates are right my flight of fancy will cost 2 VPs. If it's successful, we are going to be plus this round.

 

I can always run to 7♠ is I feel its right.

[brianshark]

No way I'm going to 7 with a possible club loser, regardless of the prospects in hearts. I'm just going to pass.

[gwnn]

pd has

 

-

Kx

QTxx

AKxxxxx

 

spades are 5-1, clubs are 4-1. 6♠-3 got us a sort of average, 5♣ would have basically equalized this one.

[georgeac]

This is an interesting hand. I don't have anything to add to what you should bid since you posted the results. Anyways, my question is this, why would partner open 5c. Why not something normal since he has opening points and then you could decide where to go after that. It seems as though while 5c doesn't let opps into the auction it also makes it nearly impossible for you to find a decent contract.

[Finch]

This is an interesting hand. I don't have anything to add to what you should bid since you posted the results. Anyways, my question is this, why would partner open 5c. Why not something normal since he has opening points and then you could decide where to go after that. It seems as though while 5c doesn't let opps into the auction it also makes it nearly impossible for you to find a decent contract.

Because of the state of the 2-board 'match'. Partner was trying to generate a big swing, and it wasn't a crazy idea on his hand.

 

I note that 6C was a pretty good spot and feel hurt that it went off.

[gwnn]

Butler pairs, each round of two boards converted to VP's. The field is weak. Your noobish partner just doubled opps' 6♥ and it made redoubled. One pair played 6♥x=, the rest in 4♥+2. CHO opens 5♣, first seat, all vulnerable.

 

Did he have the singleton ♥A and you had the Q? ;)

 

Err... 5♠.

No, he had ♥AQ onside plus a non cashing ♠A. And it was me, not him. :)

[NickRW]

This is an interesting hand. I don't have anything to add to what you should bid since you posted the results. Anyways, my question is this, why would partner open 5c. Why not something normal since he has opening points and then you could decide where to go after that. It seems as though while 5c doesn't let opps into the auction it also makes it nearly impossible for you to find a decent contract.

Because of the state of the 2-board 'match'. Partner was trying to generate a big swing, and it wasn't a crazy idea on his hand.

 

I note that 6C was a pretty good spot and feel hurt that it went off.

Yeah. I see the point. However, I wonder about the advisability of playing catch up. It maybe has some point toward the end of a tournament and you know you're just "out of the money" and would rather worsen your position for the slight chance of doing really well. But, Poker players have a name for this sort of behaviour - it's called going on "tilt" - it is generally a way of losing all your money instead of just some of it - you mostly do better just by hanging in there doing the normal things.

 

As far as I have been able to see, all sports and games are primarily won by those who simply do the basics well over and over again - essentially waiting for the other side to make a mistake. Sure there are brilliant plays and so on, the very best can and should do them, but the bread and butter comes from the boring stuff.

 

Nick

[ArtK78]

Normally, I would agree that you should not be playing catch-up. But the conditions of contest here are highly unusual. You know that you have everything to gain and almost nothing to lose by taking an extreme position in the hope of landing a big win. If ever there was a case for shooting, this is it.

[georgeac]

Yeah, I completely understand that point of it. I am still not understanding why not open at the 1 level and then see where it gets you. Was 5c to show a big hand to make sure they got to game?