Matchpoints ATB

[ahydra]

[hv=pc=n&s=shkq6532daq8ckj52&n=skj4ht8dkj953ca84&d=e&v=n&b=2&a=2s(weak)3h3s3nppp]266|200[/hv]

 

MPs, red vs green, weak opps. 3NT was just made (but only on a misdefence) while 4H is an easy 650. ATB?

 

Thanks,

 

ahydra

[Cyberyeti]

Been in worse contracts than 6♦ which is possibly as good as 3N.

 

xxxx, Jxx, Jxx, Q10x will make game often enough I feel potentially a bit good for 3♥.

 

I don't like double instead, but here it works well.

[broze]

I think S should realise that N is under a lot of pressure to bid 3N a lot with a good hand and a spade stop. I would remove to 4c as South.

[gszes]

Whenever your main suit lacks quality (like this hand) and otherwise your distribution is almost perfect IMHO you should prefer x over bidding a moth eaten suit. Assuming you are playing LEB this hand plays out nicely with N bidding 3d to establish a GF. Now S bids 3h and even though this shows only 5 is should be a five good enough to play opposite Hx.

3N by N admits to having spades stopped but the earlier 3d bid means N does not consider 3n to be a wonderful spot w/o help. S gleefully runs but where is the best choice?

 

4h = 8 one more try at heart game using the theory let's settle on where to play game before worrying too much about slam.

5d = 6 definitely the value bid but this is MP and the minors are usually held in disdain seems better to try any of the other choices first

4d = 5 if hand was a little weaker or more balanced this might be the ideal choice to try and get best spot (nf imho)

4s = 5 has the benefit of showing extra values (do we have enough though) and no clear direction but has the downside of bypassing 4h which might be our last playable spot.

4c = 4 interesting but has a tendency to show 5 clubs (and we have only 3) so N might badly misjudge the hand potential even though we can easily convert to diamonds.