Tough Hand from Long Beach

[pclayton]

Red on white, Stratified Pairs

 

♠ void

♥ KQxx

♦ KJ7xx

♣ AKQx

 

LHO.....CHO.....RHO....You

Pass....Pass....3♣....?

[Free]

3♦

[flytoox]

Let's see what is going on here. Nobody bid 2s. It is likely LHO and PD each has five spades. This implies pd is less likely to have 4card hearts. So 3H is out.

 

3D is a possible choice, but what can u expect from pd except 3S or pass? If he pass, u would prefer defend 3C; if he bids 3S, u have to bid 3N anyway.

 

So I am going to bid 3N. This is risky, but I am willing to take it.

[luke warm]

gutsy bid, fly... i'm afraid of double because of pard's possible 4S (i've seen that happen more than once)... hell i don't know, put me down for 3nt.. i'll get a spade lead, off 13 or so

[helium]

Let's see what is going on here. Nobody bid 2s. It is likely LHO and PD each has five spades. This implies pd is less likely to have 4card hearts. So 3H is out.

 

3D is a possible choice, but what can u expect from pd except 3S or pass? If he pass, u would prefer defend 3C; if he bids 3S, u have to bid 3N anyway.

 

So I am going to bid 3N. This is risky, but I am willing to take it.

what if p dont open 2♠ just becouse he have 4♥ too? :)

[helium]

3♦:))

[xx1943]

Let's see what is going on here. Nobody bid 2s. It is likely LHO and PD each has five spades. This implies pd is less likely to have 4card hearts. So 3H is out.

 

3D is a possible choice, but what can u expect from pd except 3S or pass? If he pass, u would prefer defend 3C; if he bids 3S, u have to bid 3N anyway.

 

So I am going to bid 3N. This is risky, but I am willing to take it.

Hi

perfect analysis.

 

btw. Can anyone tell me what is "stratified pairs"? ty

 

regards

 

Al

[whereagles]

Difficult decision here... I'm tempted to pass.

 

I expect pard to have a 5431 or similar shape. If he also has 7-8 points, he'll double and I can bid 4H now (or pass the double, depends how LHO wiggles...) If pard passes we are sure to go plus, which cannot be bad. The worst case scenario is pard passing with heart ace and a fitting diamond honor, in which case a 3NT overcall is the winning bid. I find that too long a shot, so I pass. I don't think there's any hurry to bid now.

[flytoox]

Let's see what is going on here. Nobody bid 2s. It is likely LHO and PD each has five spades. This implies pd is less likely to have 4card hearts. So 3H is out.

 

3D is a possible choice, but what can u expect from pd except 3S or pass? If he pass, u would prefer defend 3C; if he bids 3S, u have to bid 3N anyway.

 

So I am going to bid 3N. This is risky, but I am willing to take it.

what if p dont open 2♠ just becouse he have 4♥ too? ;)

This is easy, 4C stayman will bring you home.

[inquiry]

It's matchpoins, not bridge. Just bid 3NT. I will get a spade lead, I hope my partner has enough of them.

 

Ben

[pclayton]

My pard actually held this hand and I didn't even bother to put his choice of calls down on the poll: "Double", which I think is really awful.

 

I held:

 

♠ AKTxxx

♥ JTxx

♦ x

♣ xx

 

and bid 4♠ which I think is pretty automatic.

 

A club lead put me in dummy and I struggled for -2. 4♥ is a sensible spot, and 3N has chances.

 

I don't care for a weak 2, but could be persuaded to open it 1 because of the 26 ZARs.

 

By the way, stratified pairs is an event where they take A level (1500 MP+), B Level (750-1500 MP) and C (<750) and lump together into one field. Overall awards are made based on whether or not you qualify for A, B or C respectively. Here's a link to the Long Beach tourney results where you can see how they figure the overalls:

 

http://web2.acbl.org/tournaments/results/2004/09/0409036.htm

[keylime]

3NT, thank pard for the lovely spades, and then wonder what the 3♣ bidder REALLY bid on over there.

[inquiry]

I am not certain 3♦ will get you to 4♥. Your partner will bid 3♠ and you will be bidding 3NT anyway. On the other hand, consider this auction...

 

P-P-3C-3N

P-4H-P-?

 

Where 4H is transfer to 4S. Are you really going to complete the transfer when parnter couldn't open 2S or 1S or 3S? Interesting to consider what you might do.

 

 

BTW, you are right, you have to bid with that hand at pairs, imho. Zar, says to open with 25 points if you have SPADES, here you have "extras" given you have 26. ;)

 

Ben

[EricK]

I am not certain 3♦ will get you to 4♥. Your partner will bid 3♠ and you will be bidding 3NT anyway. On the other hand, consider this auction...

 

P-P-3C-3N

P-4H-P-?

 

Where 4H is transfer to 4S. Are you really going to complete the transfer when parnter couldn't open 2S or 1S or 3S? Interesting to consider what you might do.

 

 

BTW, you are right, you have to bid with that hand at pairs, imho. Zar, says to open with 25 points if you have SPADES, here you have "extras" given you have 26. ;)

 

Ben

The thing to do is to commit some irregularity which will get partner barred from the rest of the auction. And then bit 3NT. :D

 

Eric

[Free]

I only see 1 sensible descriptive way to 4♥: Start with 3♦ (as I would do - read above) and reverse to 4♥ after a 3♠ response. Can't be 5-5, so it's rather 5-4 or 6-4 or so, without any kind of support for partner's ♠s. If partner rebids 4♠, you'll have to pass and hope for the best...

 

Passing a transfer bid with a 4-card is quite stupid imo, since you promissed at least some ♠s with your 3NT. Are you gonna chicken out now? You know the chance is huge partner has 5 or more ♠s, so what do you expect after your 3NT anyway? A pass with a 'known' 6-2 ♠ fit? 3♦ is forcing, and if you get your 3♠ response, you can bid 3NT a lot easier, not having to worry about partner going to 4♠ on a 6 card. We all know 3NT is probably one of the good spots, but that doesn't mean you have to bid it immediatly and learn partner when to pass with an unbalanced hand with a nice ♠ fit.

 

If you play alone you bid 3NT and deal with the consequences of what the guy on the other side of the table does. If you play with a partner you'll start 3♦ (it's forcing anyway) and end up in 3NT or 4♥, depending on your rebid over 3♠.

[flytoox]

I only see 1 sensible descriptive way to 4♥: Start with 3♦ (as I would do - read above) and reverse to 4♥ after a 3♠ response. Can't be 5-5, so it's rather 5-4 or 6-4 or so, without any kind of support for partner's ♠s. If partner rebids 4♠, you'll have to pass and hope for the best...

 

Passing a transfer bid with a 4-card is quite stupid imo, since you promissed at least some ♠s with your 3NT. Are you gonna chicken out now? You know the chance is huge partner has 5 or more ♠s, so what do you expect after your 3NT anyway? A pass with a 'known' 6-2 ♠ fit? 3♦ is forcing, and if you get your 3♠ response, you can bid 3NT a lot easier, not having to worry about partner going to 4♠ on a 6 card. We all know 3NT is probably one of the good spots, but that doesn't mean you have to bid it immediatly and learn partner when to pass with an unbalanced hand with a nice ♠ fit.

 

If you play alone you bid 3NT and deal with the consequences of what the guy on the other side of the table does. If you play with a partner you'll start 3♦ (it's forcing anyway) and end up in 3NT or 4♥, depending on your rebid over 3♠.

This is not true. after 3N, pd's stayman will find you 4H.

[Fluffy]

(3♣)-3♦-3♠

3NT-4♥

 

looks a good way to reach.

 

I am sorry fly but althou I would bid 3NT as well I don´t expect partner to bid stayman with that 6-4. Starting bidding 3♦ is the key if you don´t want to play 4♠ at all.

[whereagles]

Why didn't pard open 2S?

[inquiry]

Why didn't pard open 2S?

Because of the old bromide against opening a preempt in a suit when holding a side four card major no doubt.

[hrothgar]

I'd either bid 3N or alternatively pass depending on my partner.

 

If partner balances agressively, then I'm passing, planning to convert

 

1. Convert 3♠ to 3N

2. Cue bid 4♣ over 4♥

3. Pass a double

 

If partner is somewhat more mellow, then I am going to bid 3N directly

[pclayton]

Why didn't pard open 2S?

Because of the old bromide against opening a preempt in a suit when holding a side four card major no doubt.

That was me; I don't like a weak 2 here in 2nd chair. The hand is a little too strong for a weak 2 and its a decent 4 card major.

 

Again; I can be talked into a 1♠ opening, although if you haven't discussed ZARs with your pard, its a little lite.

 

Hard to see how opening a weak 2♠ is going to get you to 4♥ on this layout.

[inquiry]

Again; I can be talked into a 1♠ opening, although if you haven't discussed ZARs with your pard, its a little lite.

When you buy into ZAR philosophy, this hand isn't light for 1S. It has a slight extra value... :-) In fact, I open 1♠ without blinking an eye (but then you already knew that about me). After 1♠, game in hearts is childs play. One could say this is another example of why zar points works.. but then, you could find a lot of examples where it doesn't.

 

Ben

[pclayton]

Again; I can be talked into a 1♠ opening, although if you haven't discussed ZARs with your pard, its a little lite.

When you buy into ZAR philosophy, this hand isn't light for 1S. It has a slight extra value... :-) In fact, I open 1♠ without blinking an eye (but then you already knew that about me). After 1♠, game in hearts is childs play. One could say this is another example of why zar points works.. but then, you could find a lot of examples where it doesn't.

 

Ben

Ben, you know I'm with you on this; just to the unwashed heathen out there (including my pard du jour in this event), its not an opening bid. B) B) B)

[Free]

I don't need ZAR's to know this is a 1♠ opening B)

[inquiry]

I don't need ZAR's to know this is a 1♠ opening B)

Alas, phil also can't open this hand 1♠ in ACBL land, because it has less than 8 hcp. He is likely to run into trouble if he did. Stupid, stupid rule.

 

Ben