A simple bidding problem at matchpoints

[jdeegan]

:P You are sitting fourth seat, vul versus non-vul playing matchpoints. You hold: [hv=pc=n&s=sj87432h8d8732ca9]133|100[/hv]

The bidding opens one club on your left.

Partner overcalls one heart.

Right hand opponent passes.

Your call?

[TylerE]

Classic WJS hand...2♠.

[billw55]

Pass, hoping ops let us out of this mess. If it goes x-p-p back to me, I'll try escaping to 1♠.

[dake50]

Pass, hoping ops let us out of this mess. If it goes x-p-p back to me, I'll try escaping to 1♠. -- billw55

 

*** Agree. No real trouble, I do have a trick for partner. How bad can his overcall be?

[Zelandakh]

For me, 1♠ would be forcing and 2♠ is a fit jump; so that pretty much only leaves pass. You should probably specify what your agreements are if you want a reasonably comparable set of opinions.

[RSClyde]

I distain not telling partner when I have "a place to play".

As far as "how bad can 1♥ be?" I would say pretty bad when the right contract is spades. By contrast, how bad can bidding 1♠ be?

[dboxley]

I distain not telling partner when I have "a place to play".

As far as "how bad can 1♥ be?" I would say pretty bad when the right contract is spades. By contrast, how bad can bidding 1♠ be?

 

I play new suit NF but constructive which I believe is the majority approach, but every time I bid 1S here my partner has a singleton or void in spades, a reasobable+ 6 bagger in hearts and a good hand. I will take my chances passing and hope something good will happen (if it already hasn't). I will pull to 1S if 1H gets doubled and left in.

[the hog]

Classic WJS hand...2♠.

 

Uh! Classic pass. I think you have misread the problem Tyler. Partner overcalled 1H.

[gszes]

Classic WJS hand...2♠.

 

most play 2s as a jump fit after p overcalls 1h rather than a WJS.

 

 

This hand is much more difficult at MP than IMPS since we have an

easy pass at IMPS as we are unlikely to be missing a game. At MP

however we can win oodles and oodles of MP just being in a better

spot than 1h. I would bid 1s with this collection (NF) and hope that

whatever p does next we can live with (1n will be followed by 2s).

 

I see no reason to hope the opps will save us when we can make

a proactive bid to save ourselves.

[fromageGB]

I'm a bit out of the mainstream here, but we play system on after a potentially short club, with value adjustments to compensate for the fact that overcaller can be a bit lighter. So 1♠ forcing next step then rebid 2♠ to play, being a weak 6+ suit. Partner may be expecting a little more strength, but that is unlikely to hurt.

 

So specify methods unless you want distorted results!

 

Over a 1♦ open, it is different, and here I am stuck with pass, hoping to correct if given a chance, as 1♠ is natural and forcing as I am a non-passed hand.

[gwnn]

I will definitely introduce my 6-card suit now. This is really a no-brainer. We may find a good fit in spades and if not, well I have an ace at least. I definitely don't think partner should jump in hearts if he has a king above a minimum, or anything close to that.

[Vampyr]

I play new suit NF but constructive which I believe is the majority approach,

 

And the only other popular approach is forcing.

[fromageGB]

Uh! Classic pass. I think you have misread the problem Tyler. Partner overcalled 1H.

Not everyone plays strong jump shift or fit jumps to an overcall. I see no reason why you can't play that if you play forcing non-jumps in a suit below opener's. I would argue that a weak jump shift will occur much more often than a fit jump, so it could be the better treatment, particularly at the OP matchpoints where frequency is paramount.

[rmnka447]

I play new suits over overcalls different with different partners. Some play it forcing, some play it non forcing constructive.

 

Either way this is a pass for me.

 

As billw55 suggests, if it goes x-p-p, I bid 1 ♠ and partner will not have any reason to play me for anything other than ♠ length and no fit for ♥s.

 

At MP, I'd very surprised if 1 ♥ was passed out.

[Vampyr]

Not everyone plays strong jump shift or fit jumps to an overcall. I see no reason why you can't play that if you play forcing non-jumps in a suit below opener's. I would argue that a weak jump shift will occur much more often than a fit jump, so it could be the better treatment, particularly at the OP matchpoints where frequency is paramount.

 

Your point here is interesting, but I think that it might be counterbalanced by the fact that you can get too high on a misfit -- and don't forget that partner may have inserted a 1-level lead director without much in the way of HCP.