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Points aren't everything


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I think people are seriously underrating pass here. As well as being able to catch the opponents when they bid (everybody seems to bid so much these days), you also have the opportunity to get a great score when other people overbid. I can imagine those players who are trained to count points might think this is an above average hand and might end up in nonsense contracts like 3NT or even slams! I put this through K&R and it turns it out that it's only worth 12.65, the sterile 4333 shape and lack of tens makes this hand a clear pass. So called 'BBO experts' always seem to overvalue hands like these, you just have to be logical: we have eight tricks, partner rates to be broke, just pass and hope for the best.
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Yeah, but Skip Simon was playing rubber for money and defending against his CHO.

 

Having said that, even at MP pairs, "always get to the best making contract" is a chimaera; one head leads to "result merchant", another to "pajama bridge"; a third yet to acrimony when partner can't play to your bidding skills. "Get to the contract that will be at least average+, most of the time" seems reasonable - especially if you're a good enough card player to think you're 55+ playing the field contract after the field auction.

 

After all, even at MP pairs, getting to the best scoring contract is worth nothing if you have to be Helgemo to make it. Worse yet if your partner Mrs. Guggenheim has to be Helgemo to make it. You'll certainly always have field protection for the "obvious" contract, however.

Yes...or the 'Unlucky Expert' who runs into a diabolical trump break or 'Futile Willie' trying a quixotic attempt on the impossible(!) :)

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