Miscommunication Problem

[Lord Molyb]

Playing with a regular partner at matchpoints, you hold:

♠ -

♥ xx

♦ AQJxxx

♣ 109xxx

 

in first seat.

 

You open 2♦. Unfortunately, you forgot that you switched from weak 2♦ to flannery just today (it was partner's idea, obviously). Partner responds with an asking 2NT. What do you do now? 3 of a minor shows 3-4 in the minor, and 4 of a minor has no agreement.

 

Edit: no screens were had in my scenario.

[gwnn]

It depends. If you are playing behind screens (and you didn't hear partner's explanation), you can now wake up and bid 3D to show a fragment or something. If you are playing without screens, partner probably alerted 2D so you have UI and will have to assume that partner thinks 2D is a weak 2.

 

In the first case I would bid 3D I guess and if partner bids 4M then pass it out. If he bids 4M and is doubled there, you can bid 5m which should be allowed (and partner should understand).

 

In the second case we are getting a terrible result almost always since bidding 2NT then a major will I guess be usually considered as a stop ask (good question though, not sure) so we will be legally obligated to bid diamonds and clubs and diamonds and clubs...

[gwnn]

And I would definitely open 3D with this hand if playing weak 2's. Although 4D is interesting if we were favourable 3rd seat..

 

rant: I have agreed to play 2NT=weak in minors more than a year ago and it never comes up! argh!

[Lord Molyb]

This was played at my club. So, no screens.

[Bbradley62]

As of yesterday, when you played weak 2♦, what would a 2NT response from partner have been, and how would you have responded?

[Lord Molyb]

As of yesterday, when you played weak 2♦, what would a 2NT response from partner have been, and how would you have responded?

Asking for a feature, 3♦. Although we are starting to transition into ogust.

[ggwhiz]

Asking for a feature, 3♦. Although we are starting to transition into ogust.

 

You have an obligation to bid 3♦ as to waking up because of the alert but you may be able to justify a desperate action at your next turn. Obnwards rode the 600...........

[Bbradley62]

Whoever voted that you should pass wants to see you get a good slap up-side the head from the director :P

[Zelandakh]

It is meaningless to ask which preempt would be bid without giving colours. Ideally you should also give a preempt tendency - preempting looser has pros and cons and some players may well bid one way with one partner and a different way with another.

 

When you have a situation like this, where you forgot an agreement and remembered because of an alert, or even that it simply looks like you remembered because of the alert, you need to bid as if you continue to believe your original interpretation and, more than that, when you have a choice of bid you choose the bid that is not suggested by knowing the real meaning. That might easily mean landing in a silly contract. Just accept it, apologise to partner at the end of the hand and move on.

[Phil]

Had the identical auction happen at Seattle last year. Partner passed 2N.

 

The final adjustment was something like 5♠ x'd given the weak 2 bidder would respond to Ogust (which is what we play over major suit weak 2's).

[PhilKing]

Recent auction at the Tollemache:

 

2♦(precision: short diamonds)-Dbl-4♥-Dbl

 

Opener had a weak two in diamonds, of course, and did the honourable thing. He cheated and bid 5♦ on his weak two.

 

Why was this honourable? Well, although it sullied his reputation, it prevented his partner from having to play in 4♥. Both contracts were booked for 1700.

[Phil]

BTW against Hampson and Passell in the last qualifying match on Saturday, these gems happened:

 

p - p - 1♦* - 2♥**

p - 3♦ - AP

 

* Precision

** Alerted as Michaels

 

Partner held xxx AQTxxx Jx 9x and I held x Kxx T8xxx AJTx. I managed to hold it to -2, which actually was a plus position as they are gin for 4 or 5♠. Hampson unfortunately was bootstrapped over 2♥ - he had a 10 count and five spades and could not bid them, although I'm unclear why he didn't double the Michaels call.

 

I need to educate my partners not to panic and pass when there is a misbid / UI.

 

-----------

 

On the very next board it was my turn to forget our agreement:

 

1♣* - p - 1♦** - 1♥***;

1♠ - 2♠ - AP.

 

 

* - Strong

** - Negative

*** - Suction (spades or minors) - not alerted.

 

I forgot we played Suction here. I held x AJxx AJxxx xxx and showed a strong heart raise with 2♠. Partner passed it out with AQxxx Qx T9x xxx. I held it to 6 tricks.

 

-----------

 

P.S. Bridge Karma was served.

 

On the first board our teammates got to 5♠ and misplayed it for -1. Lose 6.

 

On the 2nd board they defended 1N with our cards. Lose 5.

 

We still won the match.

[Lord Molyb]

Whoever voted that you should pass wants to see you get a good slap up-side the head from the director :P

I actually did pass at the table, and my partner, holding AKxx J10xxx - AKQ8, was speechless.

[mr1303]

You deserved a procedural penalty for passing.

 

I would bid 3S, showing a good hand and good suit, if we play something Ogust like. This might go for the big 2000.