What's your bid?

[cwiggins]

Playing matchpoints, both vulnerable, you opponents are playing 2/1.

 

The auction goes 1H P P ?

 

You hold:

S-xx

H-void

D-Q109x

C-AQ109xxx

 

What do you bid?

[aguahombre]

2C

[the hog]

2C

[pooltuna]

3♣ for me

[cwiggins]

Your opponents are likely to have a spade fit. Partner probably has some points but didn't overcall 1S. So it is probable that he has 4 or fewer spades. If he has 3 or fewer, then they have a spade fit.

 

You opponents are also likely to have a heart fit unless partner has 6 of the 8 missing hearts.

 

And... the hand may belong to the opponents.

 

A simulation with 100 hands said thay make 3H or more 47% of the time and 2H an additional 22%.

 

The problem with 2C and with 3C, is that they are likely to find their best major fit.

 

For that reason, I don't like either 2C or 3C and prefer 4C or 5C, which may be our par score (and may beat par if we are undoubled) and it may be the par because we make opposite say:

S-Axx

H-xxxxx

D-KJx

C-Kx

[the hog]

I think I will go back to reading Lewis Carroll.

[mike777]

Playing matchpoints, both vulnerable, you opponents are playing 2/1.

 

The auction goes 1H P P ?

 

You hold:

S-xx

H-void

D-Q109x

C-AQ109xxx

 

What do you bid?

pass

 

no problem yet.

[gnasher]

How did you get from

So it is probable that he has 4 or fewer spades.  If he has 3 or fewer, then they have a spade fit.

to

Your opponents are likely to have a spade fit.

[ONEferBRID]

Replies, except cwiggins, so far have ignored partner ... who probably has a ton of Hts and is hoping to convert a T/O DBL -- not that that will be the best action here.

I'll just keep the bidding open with 2C ..... 3C in balancing seat would show at least a good opening count ( which you don't have ) w/6+ Cl.

I suspect that could lead to 3NT for your side if partner has the goods.

[mcphee]

2C , you can not bid 3C with this hand as you are too weak. My RHO must have quite a pail trash, we may even have a game. AS for the opps making a part score, I wish them good luck.

[Hanoi5]

I thought either Pass or 5♣. I don't want them finding a spade fit (in which case partner has 6♥'s?) or game in a Major.

[Codo]

Mps all vul? I would pass.

This gambles for them failing -2 while we have just a partscore or for them being in the wrong partial. I like the odds.

[MFA]

2♣. Yes pass could work, but more often we will need to compete for the contract. Either to push them higher or to make something. If they get to 4♠ on a 4-4 they most likely will go down, so that doesn't worry me so much.

[Codo]

I won't fear their 4-4 fit, but maybe they have a 4-6 fit with LHO holding a strong 4631 and rho an very weak 6133 or so?

My shape and the bidding makes it odds on that lho has long spades and too few HCPS to bid...

 

After all: LHO has more hearts then spades. CHO has obviously no desire to bid 1 spade despite having a lot of points, so he seems to have many hearts too. But he may had bid with say a 5521 hand...

[655321]

2♣, for some reason I don't expect to beat 1♥ by 2 tricks...

[MFA]

I won't fear their 4-4 fit, but maybe they have a 4-6 fit with LHO holding a strong  4631 and rho an very weak 6133 or so?

My shape and the bidding makes it  odds on that lho has long spades and too few HCPS to bid...

 

After all: LHO has more hearts then spades. CHO has obviously no desire to bid 1 spade despite having a lot of points, so he seems to have many hearts too. But he may had bid with say a 5521 hand...

I don't like to draw too extreme conclusions. Like partner didn't overcall so he doesn't have 5 spades, so they probably have a 6-4 fit in spades, or something (RHO might have responded light in a 6card major btw).

 

Most of the time the distribution will be rather peaceful around the table relative to what we can expect. I think it's right to bid 2♣. A partscore swing is half a game swing, and if they continue bidding something they might easily go down with the hearts badly placed. I don't expect them to be in trouble in 1♥.

[MFA]

Ok, I realize now it's matchpoints, but that only makes it even more attractive to compete imo.

[gwnn]

anything other than 2♣ is Klingon to me.