What now?

[Quartic]

[hv=pc=n&n=shajt87da83cakt54&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=pp1hp1sp2cp2hp]133|200[/hv]

 

Matchpoints. Do you think you're worth another effort?

[the_clown]

At MP I would take my +. At IMPS 3♥ 100%

[CSGibson]

yes, you are worth 3♣. It should show a 5-5 hand, within a king of a jump shift, which is what you have.

[Phil]

Well...

 

I'm not convinced I can get to 6♣ across from Jxxx Qx Kxxx Qxx.

 

But its worth a try!

[the hog]

I am bidding 3C here.

[rmnka447]

5 loser hand, give it one more try with 3 ♣.

[mgoetze]

Matchpoints. Do you think you're worth another effort?

Obviously yes, given that I strongly prefer bidding systems where this hand is an immediate 3♣ jump-shift (unless it actually evaluates as a 1♣ opening or a Gazzilli rebid).

[mikeh]

Not only might partner hold 2=3 in the roundeds, but he might even be 2=4!

 

This is mps, and the 5-2 major might seem attractive to him rather than the 4=4 minor.

 

In addition, when we hold a responding hand that is close to but not quite good enough to make a stronger call, we may temporize with a false preference precisely because it allows opener to make another call with extras.

 

Accordingly, this hand is absolutely worth 3♣.

 

3♥ is misguided....it suggests a good 6=4, not a good 5=5, and definitely denies 5♣. Phil's mesh for 6♣ is a good example, tho we're not getting there :D

 

xxxx Qx KQx Qxxx is another example....altho some might disagree with 2♥ here....tho the idea of 3♣ seems, to me, no better, and pass is right out.

[Quartic]

Ok, so I was partly at fault for this hand too, though I think my partner has to take most of the blame:

 

[hv=pc=n&s=skqt65hq632d6cq83&w=sa432h4dkj52c9762&n=shajt87da83cakt54&e=sj987hk95dqt974cj&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=pp1hp1sp2cp2hppp]399|300[/hv]

 

Making 12 for 230 was not a good score - only beating the pair who went off 1 in 6♥.

 

Edit: I was North.

[kenrexford]

Well...

 

I'm not convinced I can get to 6♣ across from Jxxx Qx Kxxx Qxx.

 

But its worth a try!

 

Seems easy. Sure -- you have lost space for a Bluhmer, which would make this ultra-easy, as you cannot really afford the five-level. Close, and arguably right to Blluhmer 4♠ (and I could be persuaded that 3♠ should actually be a non-jump Bluhmer here), but let's be a tad more basic.

 

1♥-1♠

2♣-2♥

3♣-3♦

 

This 3♦ call should be a card, potentially slammish but perhaps priority toward game. From there, Opener could simply bid 4♦ as a pattern bid (if that is your style), after which not pursuing the club slam seems dumb.

 

Personally, I think Opener can bid 3♠ as a shortness cue here, after the 3♦ call, as any slam moves assuredly mean that Opener must like the diamond card and hence must be short in spades; hence 3♠ probably is a void-call, but it could just be a stiff and marking time/preserving space. That allows an all-important 4♣ cue/raise by Responder. Easy from there.

[gszes]

I took the low road after p bid 1s and bid

a mere 2c. This hand has quite a bit of offensive

fire power and is easily worth a 3c bid but I think

that sort of misses the point here. I am willing to

risk an extra level to pinpoint my distribution and

bid 3d this has to be 0535 with 0544 I would bid 2d

not 2c with with 5(no void)/6c I would bid 3c. This

will allow p to see my exact distribution and decide

where we need to play. We need to remember that if p

suddenly comes alive we have a fair amount of extra

values not just distribution and its difficult for p

to play us for this much given our original 2c bid.

[the hog]

Ok, so I was partly at fault for this hand too, though I think my partner has to take most of the blame:

 

[hv=pc=n&s=skqt65hq632d6cq83&w=sa432h4dkj52c9762&n=shajt87da83cakt54&e=sj987hk95dqt974cj&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=pp1hp1sp2cp2hppp]399|300[/hv]

 

Making 12 for 230 was not a good score - only beating the pair who went off 1 in 6♥.

 

No I think you tke 100% of the blame here. You have 4 card H support, what were you thinking, this is worth 3H. Some would not even show the S but would raise H immediateely.

[MrAce]

What Hog said

 

I would bid 3♣ of course with hand given by OP

[ArtK78]

South is 100% to blame and North is 90% to blame.

 

Many would force to game on the South hand. The thought of making less than an invitational bid is mindboggling.

 

As has been said multiple times above, the North hand should take another bid.

[P_Marlowe]

Ok, so I was partly at fault for this hand too, though I think my partner has to take most of the blame:

 

[hv=pc=n&s=skqt65hq632d6cq83&w=sa432h4dkj52c9762&n=shajt87da83cakt54&e=sj987hk95dqt974cj&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=pp1hp1sp2cp2hppp]399|300[/hv]

 

Making 12 for 230 was not a good score - only beating the pair who went off 1 in 6♥.

The bidding by South was ..., sry he never showed the fit.

 

If he bids 1S, than he has to bid 3H, if he does not want to bid 3H, he should

not bid 1S in the first place.

 

North can safe partner, with making another effort, but comparing this blame

with the blame for not showing the fit is stupid.

 

In the end partner maybe 5-1-5-2, and you are going down in 3C, so passing 2H is

not terrible.

 

With kind regards

Marlowe

[Zelandakh]

Ok, so I was partly at fault for this hand too, though I think my partner has to take most of the blame:

Sometimes you just have to hold your hand up and say "Sorry partner. This one was on me." Recognising when your bidding is poor is an important step in improvement.

 

Edit: in light of the edit by OP in post 9, the "you" here refers to the OP's partner.

[Fluffy]

There is a lot to be said about passing 2♥. 5-2 fits don't make voids very good for lack of trumps. 5-2 fits don't make 5 card side suits very powerful either again for lack of trumps. Void in partner's suit makes the hand non fitting etc. Maybe I just had bad luck latelly with 5-5 invitationals after preference, but passing is becoming more and more atractive to me.

[Quartic]

No I think you tke 100% of the blame here. You have 4 card H support, what were you thinking, this is worth 3H. Some would not even show the S but would raise H immediateely.

 

I was North - I was asking about my own bidding, not my partner's.

[the hog]

I was North - I was asking about my own bidding, not my partner's.

 

Then your only real blame is playing with this partner, or not buying him a book on hand evaluation for Christmas.

[Statto]

I would have just bid 4♥. It's matchpoints and I can't see any chance of slam now, so I want to be in the highest scoring game. The hand is too powerful not to be in game after partner has mustered up a bid, and then not insisted on playing in their suit.

[Quartic]

Then your only real blame is playing with this partner, or not buying him a book on hand evaluation for Christmas.

 

To be fair to my partner, he usually doesn't bid this badly (this was one of only about 3 or 4 bad boards this night and at least one of the others was all or almost all my fault). I agree he could do with working a bit more on his hand evaluation though.