Another protecting decision

[jules101]

[hv=pc=n&n=s4ha9752dk8642cak&d=e&v=0&b=14&a=1spp]133|200[/hv]

 

 

What's your plan?

 

And what do you do?

[Free]

2♠ michaels wtp?

[han]

I think 2S is awful, just like 2H. And double is worse.

[Free]

I think 2S is awful, just like 2H. And double is worse.

Do you mean 2♥ is also awful, or that you just like 2♥? :unsure:

 

Why do you hate 2♠ so much? Would you also hate it if you were in direct seat?

[Hanoi5]

2♥. And possibly diamonds later.

 

2♠ is Michael's only if we had already agreed upon it and we have AK tight in a side suit. Double seems like masterminding.

[han]

I mean that 2H and 2S are both awful and that all other options are worse.

[jules101]

2♠ michaels wtp?

 

 

I had feeling that cue bid in protect seat is GF, or certainly pretty close to it.

 

Not sure this hand qualifies?

[whereagles]

I think 2♠ is wtp and I bid that 110% of the time. Take that, han :D

[Free]

I bid that 110% of the time

You bid too much :P

[ArtK78]

I bid 2♥ and I don't see why this is a problem.

[whereagles]

You bid too much :P

 

Oh I doubt that. You should see my regular pard, ahah!

[JLOGIC]

2S>2H imo, I have hearts and a minor with 5-5 and quite a respectable hand, why is that horrible?

 

Also double is reasonable to me, if partner passes we have a great hand for that, and if he bids something 2H is not too big of an overbid (and maybe he will bid diamonds). Of course the problem is that LHO and RHO might bid and the auction could get out of control.

[xxhong]

Looks like a double. This hand defends quite well facing long spades and potential H ruffs. Over partner's 2C, I'd pass. Over 2D or 2H, I may raise. Of course, I may miss some 5-3 H fit, which isn't a big deal comparing with the possible gain of 1S x I think.

Of course, 2H is a second choice. It may be bad when partner holds little values and no H fit. However, if partner can bid more over 2H, it is actually not bad. 2S may get us to the right suit, but wrong levels.

[mtvesuvius]

2♠ isn't my favorite, but everything else is worse IMO. I usually don't bid michaels on these hands, but this seems like it will rarely work out badly.

[Phil]

I'm not a fan of 2♥, but I like it better than x.

 

2♠ might get us up too high, but it shows two suits which also helps partner evaluate, so I think its clear.

[VM1973]

Put me in the doubling camp. As mentioned, if partner passes, you're in good shape. 2♥ is too much of an underbid. Partner's likely to bid either 1NT or 2♣ and over that you can bid 2♥.

 

The problem with 2♠ is that your handle is in the middle. With Michaels should you either be very weak or game forcing. Your hand has 5 losers and you won't know if you've found a fit when partner responds so you won't know if you should bid on or just pass.

[AlexJonson]

Defence is good and the suits aren't, so I would double.

[mtvesuvius]

Put me in the doubling camp. As mentioned, if partner passes, you're in good shape. 2♥ is too much of an underbid. Partner's likely to bid either 1NT or 2♣ and over that you can bid 2♥.

 

The problem with 2♠ is that your handle is in the middle. With Michaels should you either be very weak or game forcing. Your hand has 5 losers and you won't know if you've found a fit when partner responds so you won't know if you should bid on or just pass.

How is 2♥ an underbid? Doubling and bidding on this hand is a HUGE overbid. I really don't like double, and it isn't like I am dying to defend 1♠x.

 

Your thoughts on 2♠ would be true if it were in direct seat, but if we were weak in balancing seat, we'd just pass (or overcall), not force to the 3 level. Regardless, IMO, Michaels shouldn't be made on "very weak" hands.

 

To be nige1 for a moment: 2♠=5, 2♥=4, X=2, P=2, 6♦=1

[han]

2S>2H imo, I have hearts and a minor with 5-5 and quite a respectable hand, why is that horrible?

 

Because you are forcing to the 3-level on ace-empty fifth, king-empty fifth and in my opinion the hand really isn't that good. If we find a good fit our hand will play well of course, but if we don't then it won't. I'm not saying I like 2H any better, we could play 2H in the 5-1 fit cold for a diamond slam.

 

Also double is reasonable to me, if partner passes we have a great hand for that, and if he bids something 2H is not too big of an overbid (and maybe he will bid diamonds). Of course the problem is that LHO and RHO might bid and the auction could get out of control.

 

I'm not happy bidding 2H over 2C. I do consider this a big overbid, maybe I'm just not giving as much value to the hand as you are. If partner bids 2C and the opponents are silent we tend not to have a good fit, and I think the hand just isn't very good in that case. And yes, on some (but not all) auctions where the opponents bid again life might be difficult.

 

Of course I agree that if partner bids hearts or diamonds or shows strength, we'll be fine having doubled.

[Finch]

I don't know what the right call is, but I do know that the chance of the auction going

 

1S P P x

P 2C P ?

 

is basically zero.

(and if it does, the right action is definitely to pass 2C)

[pooltuna]

2♥>X>2♠. But I prefer to play michaels mainly as a weak and strong call and this hand falls in the middle.for me.

[olien]

I would X. However, I get to play equal level conversion. This may lie about my ♥ length, but my ♥ are pretty poor. I may get burned by missing a 5-3♥ fit, but its not the end of the world, if my partner wants to play NT, I have a pretty suitable hand for him. I also like to X because its fun. 2♥ would be my second choice, and I'm not a fan of 2♠, but that's partnership style. We require less defense and more of an offensive type hand unless GF (which this hand certainly isn't). Having 3 tricks on defense is too much for us since we don't have a GF hand. So, I'll be the crazy one to say X>2♥>2♠. I know there is little risk in getting nailed for a number by bidding michaels, but I'm just not a fan of it on this hand.

[aguahombre]

I would expect more strengh in the two suits and about this overall power if partner balanced with 2S (Michaels).

 

I would bid 2S :D

[AlexJonson]

I doubled first time round, and the more I think about it, pass looks like a long term winner.

[VM1973]

How is 2♥ an underbid? Doubling and bidding on this hand is a HUGE overbid. I really don't like double, and it isn't like I am dying to defend 1♠x.

I don't see why you'd be opposed to defending 1♠ considering you're bringing 3.5 Quick Tricks to the defense.

 

If we evaluate the hand for an opening bid, we find that we have 14 HCP + 10 cards in two suits. Applying the rule of 20, this hand is an ace better than a minimum opening bid. Since we're in the balancing seat, we're entitled to 'borrow' a king from partner. As such, I would bid this hand as though it were a 19 count in direct seat. So no, I don't think doubling and bidding is a HUGE overbid. What if partner holds:

 

♠xxxx

♥Qxx

♦AJx

♣xxx

 

You might easily be able to take 11 tricks in hearts assuming ♥K and ♦Q are with the opener. Yet even after the "HUGE overbid" you're not likely to find game.