2 auctions

[jillybean]

Your bid, Beginners/Intermediates only please - A/E’s you can add your wtps later ok.

 

 

1.

P (1♥) 1♠ (P)

P (2♥) ?

 

AQxxx

xx

Ax

AJxx

 

2.

1♣ (1♦) P P

?

 

xx

Ax

Axxx

AQxxx

[jillybean]

OK, since I am the only B/I left on forums, lets hear the A/E responses please.

[hotShot]

1. I think that X is the most flexible bid now. Partner can bid 2♠ with 2 cards, if he bids ♣ - fine, if he bids ♦ hope he's got 5+ of them.

 

2. I would like to bid 1NT, but without a sign of life from partner the risk is to high. I don't want to hear a major from partner over my reopening dbl. That leaves 2♣ and pass as reasonable choices. In red it's probably better to pass, since opps have more hcp than you. (This is not the penalty pass case because you have the ♦.) White 2♣ is worth a try.

[655321]

1) I would double, but I don't find this one obvious. Our options are:

• Pass (pretty sure we don't have a game any more, and we have no shape),
  
• 3♣ (shows our suit, but our hand is very balanced for bidding new suits at the 3 level), and
  
• Double. With an awful (but expected?) shape like 2353, at least partner has a chance to bid 2♠, as mentioned by hotshot.
  

2) I would have opened 1NT. Once you have (very reasonably) opened 1♣ instead, this is a WTP Pass. Partner would have doubled or bid a major over 1♦ with any excuse at all.

[TimG]

OK, since I am the only B/I left on forums, lets hear the A/E responses please.

You are very funny!

[jdonn]

1) I would double, but I don't find this one obvious.  Our options are:

• Pass (pretty sure we don't have a game any more, and we have no shape),
   
  
• 3♣ (shows our suit, but our hand is very balanced for bidding new suits at the 3 level), and
   
  
• Double.  With an awful (but expected?) shape like 2353, at least partner has a chance to bid 2♠, as mentioned by hotshot.
  

2) I would have opened 1NT.  Once you have (very reasonably) opened 1♣ instead, this is a WTP Pass.  Partner would have doubled or bid a major over 1♦ with any excuse at all.

100% agree with all of the sentiments, the reasoning, and the answers.

 

I would like to bid 1NT, but without a sign of life from partner the risk is to high.

Balancing 1NT here shows 18-19, so that option can be ruled out from the beginning.

[hanp]

Agree with double and pass and I think that both are clear. 3C in particular seems really wrong on the first one. Pass is less unreasonable but with such nice cards and a small doubleton in their suit I think we should act. Surely everybody would double with AQxxx x Axx AJxx and I think that all would pass with AQxxx xxx A AJxx so in that sense it is somewhat close.

 

There are no alternatives to pass on the second hand. This is important.

[helene_t]

Minority report: I pass on the first one. P can see on the auction that I have some points and besides it doesn't really matter since we don't have game anyway. So double should say that we have extra shape. Due to the small doubleton hearts double is not wrong but I prefer pass.

[the hog]

Double on the first on and pass on the second. I think both of those choices are clear.

I would not have opened 1NT on the second hand by the way.

[P_Marlowe]

#1 Pass, partner will move, if we should play

#2 2C, but Pass is reasonable and maybe better

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[Codo]

I pass first hand, no need to prebalance. Double would be st like 5134.

 

Easy pass second example.

[mikeh]

I double on the 1st one and pass on the 2nd.

 

I think the second is an important hand... firstly, reopening 1N shows, as josh pointed out, 18-19.. this is something that a lot of B/I players either don't know or tend to forget at the table.

 

Secondly, ask yourself what is going on? Partner could not bid.. so what does he have? Not very much. He can't have a penalty double given our diamond length and he can't have as much as a good 5 count with a major or lots of clubs. So he has crap. The opps rate to be in a contract that is probably not better than their second best spot and may be in fact a terrible spot.. while the chances of you having a place to play is low... yes, maybe partner has garbage with 4 clubs, and couldn't raise because you might only have 3.. (or 2) but then the opps surely can outbid you anyway.

 

Thirdly, while I know it is fashionable to open off-shape sub-15 hands with 1N.. hands with Aces and spaces and 5422 shape are, imo, suit oriented. Give me some texture.. even merely make the diamonds A10xx, or give me both major 10's and I'd upgrade, but not this one.

 

Just returning to the 1st one... this may be a bit much for B/I, but what would partner's 2N mean over the reopening double? I don't think it should be natural, because such a hand would/should bid 1N the first time. It should be a scramble.. 4=4 in the minors, and sometimes 4=5/5=4. You can see how this is useful here.... we don't end up in a poor diamond fit when a good club fit is available. This tool, if available, makes the double that more attractive, and perhaps the reason some of us opt for it so readily is that in our partnerships, we have the tool.

[skjaeran]

I think the first one is close between pass and double. Not sure I would double at the table, but Josh and Mike convinced me it is the correct call.

 

The second is really an obvious pass. With a (good) minimum, no majors and length in overcallers suit, where are we going? Opps most probably have a better fit in a major, so lets play here. And a 1NT rebid vs a passing partner shows 18-19, as mentioned by others.

[jillybean]

#1 I doubled and that is where we played –870 brrr Never mind, happy with the double.

 

#2 Im still tending to play solo bridge with these hands and bid 2♣

[vuroth]

1. X

2. 2♣

 

Now to read the thread.