Stuck already

[se12sam]

[hv=d=s&v=n&s=sxxxhaxdqxxxxcaqx]133|100|Scoring: IMP

Teams match: 'Advanced' opps and team mates

Round-robin stage (IMPs converted to VPs)

 

You are South and open with 1♦.

South - West - North - East

  1♦ - 2♥   - 3♥*    - 4♥

  ???[/hv]Playing a 2/1 system with relatively few gadgets. LHO's 2♥ was pre-emptive. Partner's 3♥ bid is systemically agreed as strong GF/slammish and almost always has 4+ ♠ cards.

 

What do you do at the second turn? (A follow-up question later)

 

Edit: Second part added below

[inquiry]

Pass.. you have nothing to add at this point. Your partner will now be in control, take your cue from his next bid.

[RichMor]

Well, it's a minimum hand that has not been improved by the bidding.

 

I think the choice is close between pass and double. I would probably pass now and pass again if pard reopens with a double.

 

RichM

[djeast]

Pass Questionable opener to begin with.

[pooltuna]

Pass is presummably forcing but I hate my hand and need to tell my partner that so... I stand up in my chair and yell "HARVEST TIME" (Actually I reserve this for occasions where the opponents are clearly overboard, treading water and screaming for an anchor)

[gwnn]

dobló

[Cascade]

PASS balanced minimum.

 

I don't hate this hand. I have a five-card suit and two aces. If I could I would be happy to cooperate with partner's slam exploration. But 5♦ here would show six diamonds (at least) I fear and double would disuade partner from bidding on.

[Phil]

I'm not clear what 3♥ shows, other than it's strong.

 

I don't hate my hand. We have a 5th diamond and probably no duplication in hearts.

 

Interesting that pard has four spades here. What would double be?

[Trinidad]

You don't have anything to bid. Therefore the choice is between double and pass. Pass is forcing.

 

A double tells partner that you want to defend. A pass tells your partner that you have some interest in our side playing. A pass tells him that if he feels like bidding, you will have a hand that he will like with cards in whatever suit he picks.

 

The actual hand does have a fit for partner's suit, if he chooses to bid. And if partner doesn't choose to bid, he will double and you will be fine with that.

 

Rik

[se12sam]

Now the more interesting (or weird?) part:

 

[hv=d=s&v=n&s=sxxxhaxdqxxxxcaqx]133|100|Scoring: IMP

South - West - North - East

  1♦ - 2♥   -   3♥* -  4♥

  Pass -   Pass -   6♦ - Pass

  ???[/hv]

At the table South passed -- just like most people suggested in their post. Partner now bids 6♦. Serious question - are you worth a grand slam bid?

[the hog]

Who knows what is going on? I pass and take the money.

[Cascade]

Now the more interesting (or weird?) part:

 

[hv=d=s&v=n&s=sxxxhaxdqxxxxcaqx]133|100|Scoring: IMP

South - West - North - East

  1♦ - 2♥   -   3♥* -  4♥

  Pass -   Pass -   6♦ - Pass

  ???[/hv]

At the table South passed -- just like most people suggested in their post. Partner now bids 6♦. Serious question - are you worth a grand slam bid?

Your hand is reasonably suited to slam but you could have had 14 HCP and a similar sort of hand.

 

Its close but I will not raise.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

 

well, one common agreement is, that 3H promises a diamond fit,

to show spades, you can always make a neg. X.

 

If the 3H bid would promise a diamond fit, than it is debatable

that you want to defend 4H, which means you would bid 5D.

Given that we dont know, that partner has a fit for diamond, pass

over 4H is reasonable.

 

If partner bids 6D you have to pass, partner did not invite you to

the party, he has various other bids available, 4NT, 5H, 5NT, but

he choose 6D, leave it at that.

If you miss 7D it is certainly not because you did not raise 6D to 7D,

it would be mainly because of the ambiguious 3H bid.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[ochinko]

If RHO had passed, I was going to bid 3NT in case partner was interested in a ♥ stopper from me.

 

3♥ being GF means that I bid the same way as if opps bid 4♥ after we have already bid game. So I would double 4♥ not to show extras but to show preference to defending, as I am 3:3 in the blacks, plus all my ♠ are small.

 

Now the question is whether to accept an invitation to 7♦. I do trust my partners, so I accept, because I have one ♦ more than expected, and half a defensive trick more as well. I like my two aces. It could turn out that ♥Ace is useless, as partner is void there, but still.

 

All in all I am a pretty consistent overbidder as it turns out.

[Tomi2]

your partner did not invite you to a grand slam, he bid 6 d and hope you make it

 

with passing and not doubling 4 hearts you showed your hand and partner draw his conclusion. Why should you bid your aces and the 5 diamonds THREE times?

 

obvious pass and pray that 6D makes

[ochinko]

your partner did not invite you to a grand slam, he bid 6 d and hope you make it

Of course he did. What else was the point of 3♥? He could have bid 6♦ right away.

[bid_em_up]

Now the question is whether to accept an invitation to 7♦. I do trust my partners, so I accept,......

your partner did not invite you to a grand slam, he bid 6♦ and hope you make it

Of course he did. What else was the point of 3♥? He could have bid 6♦ right away.

All in all, I am a pretty consistent overbidder as it turns out.

Things that make you go, hmmmmm.

 

fwiw, I agree with tomi. Partner placed the contract. Your hand is consistent with the bidding so far, and contains absolutely nothing that would be unexpected for your opening bid. Pass 6♦ and pray.

[pooltuna]

Now the more interesting (or weird?) part:

 

[hv=d=s&v=n&s=sxxxhaxdqxxxxcaqx]133|100|Scoring: IMP

South - West - North - East

  1♦ - 2♥   -   3♥* -  4♥

  Pass -   Pass -   6♦ - Pass

  ???[/hv]

At the table South passed -- just like most people suggested in their post. Partner now bids 6♦. Serious question - are you worth a grand slam bid?

As a doubler over 4♥ I believe a pass showed a better hand than this one consequently 7♦ would be an overbid

[P_Marlowe]

Now the more interesting (or weird?) part:

 

[hv=d=s&v=n&s=sxxxhaxdqxxxxcaqx]133|100|Scoring: IMP

South - West - North - East

  1♦ - 2♥   -   3♥* -  4♥

  Pass -   Pass -   6♦ - Pass

  ???[/hv]

At the table South passed -- just like most people suggested in their post. Partner now bids 6♦. Serious question - are you worth a grand slam bid?

As a doubler over 4♥ I believe a pass showed a better hand than this one consequently 7♦ would be an overbid

For most, Pass instead of double would pass the decision to

play a contract ourself or try to go for blood to partner, i.e.

pass does not show a better hand, it simply showes a different

hand.

 

With Ax in their suit, you have no strong preference to defend.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[pooltuna]

Now the more interesting (or weird?) part:

 

[hv=d=s&v=n&s=sxxxhaxdqxxxxcaqx]133|100|Scoring: IMP

South - West - North - East

  1♦ - 2♥   -   3♥* -  4♥

  Pass -   Pass -   6♦ - Pass

  ???[/hv]

At the table South passed -- just like most people suggested in their post. Partner now bids 6♦. Serious question - are you worth a grand slam bid?

As a doubler over 4♥ I believe a pass showed a better hand than this one consequently 7♦ would be an overbid

For most, Pass instead of double would pass the decision to

play a contract ourself or try to go for blood to partner, i.e.

pass does not show a better hand, it simply showes a different

hand.

 

With Ax in their suit, you have no strong preference to defend.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

A decision to double in these situations is not dictated by my trump holding but by how crappy my opening hand is. 5332 hands are not the offensive powerhouse many on here seem to think it is.

[P_Marlowe]

Now the more interesting (or weird?) part:

 

[hv=d=s&v=n&s=sxxxhaxdqxxxxcaqx]133|100|Scoring: IMP

South - West - North - East

  1♦ - 2♥   -   3♥* -  4♥

  Pass -   Pass -   6♦ - Pass

  ???[/hv]

At the table South passed -- just like most people suggested in their post. Partner now bids 6♦. Serious question - are you worth a grand slam bid?

As a doubler over 4♥ I believe a pass showed a better hand than this one consequently 7♦ would be an overbid

For most, Pass instead of double would pass the decision to

play a contract ourself or try to go for blood to partner, i.e.

pass does not show a better hand, it simply showes a different

hand.

 

With Ax in their suit, you have no strong preference to defend.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

A decision to double in these situations is not dictated by my trump holding but by how crappy my opening hand is. 5332 hands are not the offensive powerhouse many on here seem to think it is.

Sure, but Ax in their suit is better than xx or even worse xxx in their suit,

if you want to play your own contract.

Ax makes sure, that you loose only one trick in their suit, xx or xxx makes

losing two tricks more likely.

I.e. if you switch your major suit holdings, your 5332 hand became a lot

crappier.

 

One thing which should have an influence of your decision to bid on or to

defend is the length in their suit you happen to hold.

 

You can convince me, that xxx is better than xx, but Ax is surely a

better holding as xx / xxx.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[NickRW]

For the original question, I would have doubled. Partner's bid says "strong raise" to me and I have a hand more suited to defence than it might have been - ace of their suit and another one - furthermore it is not the ace of our suit where they might be void. Partner is in no way constrained to leave the double in if that isn't what looks right from their side.

 

For the second question, I have a minimum (some might say questionable minimum), poor quality trumps and my ace of hearts may not be pulling full weight if partner already has control of that suit in the form of a void. Definite pass.

 

Nick

[NickRW]

Well, the fact that there have been a number of different sorts of answers is plain enough. Do you have a particular criticism of any of them?

[Cascade]

A decision to double in these situations is not dictated by my trump holding but by how crappy my opening hand is. 5332 hands are not the offensive powerhouse many on here seem to think it is.

I haven't seen anyone describing 5-3-3-2 as an offensive powerhouse.

 

And I hate doubling on xxx when partner might think I have KQ9x or similar or even better.

 

Sure you can play a style where you double automatically with a balanced hand it just shifts ambiguity into the double.

[pooltuna]

A decision to double in these situations is not dictated by my trump holding but by how crappy my opening hand is. 5332 hands are not the offensive powerhouse many on here seem to think it is.

I haven't seen anyone describing 5-3-3-2 as an offensive powerhouse.

 

And I hate doubling on xxx when partner might think I have KQ9x or similar or even better.

 

Sure you can play a style where you double automatically with a balanced hand it just shifts ambiguity into the double.

And why would he think you had any particular trump holding? High level sacrifices are not beaten by great trump strength as much as by just cashing your winners. The point of doubling this auction is not "I have a trump holding" but "caution partner, IMO at this stage of the auction, this is where we belong."