A freak hand

[smerriman]

[hv=http://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?sn=smerriman&s=SAKQJT92HA4DQ3CKT&d=w&v=n&b=12&a=PP1S(Major%20suit%20opening%20--%205+%20!S%3B%2011-21%20HCP%3B%2012-22%20total%20points)]200|300[/hv]

 

Playing with three robots. Your bid. (Would you bid differently with a human?)

[silvr bull]

Pass, and hope North doesn't bid either. 1S (or 2S if you could somehow stop there) could be your only plus,

 

If this is a typical BBO "random" deal and you bid any number of NT, robot W will lead one of its 7 Ds to the AK tight in E, then E will shift to the CQ from QJx and you will enjoy pitching top Ss on the unending minor suit winners in W.

 

In a money bridge game, dealt and played by humans, I picked up Axx Axx AKQJTx x. After P P 1D, I hoped P might have a 5 card major (instead of long Cs), and I said double. Then redouble by the LOL on my left and P P back to me. There is a risk that RHO could have 7 Ds and a major suit void, but I was there to gamble and I passed too. Imagine P's emotions as he went from the agony of defeat to the thrill of victory!

[sfi]

Playing with three robots. Your bid. (Would you bid differently with a human?)

 

With a human I would double and expect to bid 3NT on the next round most of the time. I will try that with the robots as well, but with less confidence that I'm not going to wind up with a random score. On the bright side, I might get passed in a 4S cuebid if the auction goes off the rails. ;)

[gszes]

With this bidding I would consider pass IF the vulnerability were reversed. We have a virtually certain 8 tricks and a vulnerable game if p has something more than mere trinkets over there. I see no sense in letting the bidding proceed any further than 3n by me. I do not want to muddy the waters with x followed by 3n since that might encourage my weak partner to try something like 4d or 4h with 7 of them (or 6 even). I do not really want partners opinion of this hand since slam seems improbable and our best shot at game looks like 3n.

[helene_t]

With humans I would expect a psyche, with robots I would be sure that RHO has a genuine 1♠ opening. I would pass in either case, though.

[xavierf]

i would pass, (1S) - 3SA will be based on a running minor I think? Otherwise 3SA is an option but I think the diamond lead/switch will almost Always be found. If the K of clubs was a A I would bid 3NT

[johnu]

i would pass, (1S) - 3SA will be based on a running minor I think? Otherwise 3SA is an option but I think the diamond lead/switch will almost Always be found. If the K of clubs was a A I would bid 3NT

 

How would you ever get to 3NT when 3♠ is normally played as asking for a spade stopper. While the singleton ♠8 is good enough to win a spade trick, partner is unlikely to bid 3NT.

[xavierf]

How would you ever get to 3NT when 3♠ is normally played as asking for a spade stopper. While the singleton ♠8 is good enough to win a spade trick, partner is unlikely to bid 3NT.

With the A of Clubs you just can bid 3SA? it's a gamble, but I think the robots will play that's as a running minor with a spade stop?

[mr1303]

Since we're now speaking French, je pense que je vais faire une offre de 3 SA aussi, parce que je pense que je peux faire ça.

[sfi]

How would you ever get to 3NT when 3♠ is normally played as asking for a spade stopper. While the singleton ♠8 is good enough to win a spade trick, partner is unlikely to bid 3NT.

 

3SA (sans atout) = 3NT, not 3 spades. The poster just reverted to French abbreviations for a moment.

 

At least that's how I read it.

[lamford]

3SA (sans atout) = 3NT, not 3 spades. The poster just reverted to French abbreviations for a moment.

 

At least that's how I read it.

Yes 3SA. Solid spade stop and source of tricks ... That robot East is a notorious misclicker as well ...

[Jinksy]

3SA for me. It doesn't feel like we gain much by going slower. Normally it will be based on a running minor, but as a passed hand, I wouldn't expect P to pull unless he's got something close to a Yarborough.

[smerriman]

Here were the four hands:

 

[hv=http://www.bridgebase.com/tools/handviewer.html?sn=smerriman&s=SAKQJT92HA4DQ3CKT&wn=Robot&w=SH932DT9654CA7642&nn=Robot&n=S8HQJT8765D872CJ9&en=Robot&e=S76543HKDAKJCQ853&d=w&v=n&b=12&a=PP1S(Major%20suit%20opening%20--%205+%20!S%3B%2011-21%20HCP%3B%2012-22%20total%20points)]400|300[/hv]

 

This was with advanced robots for the forum challenge event. I went with the conservative pass. In retrospect, I was thinking 3nt was probably a better bid, and that's what happened at the other table.

 

It does go down 2 on a diamond lead (more if you misguess clubs) - whether or not GIB would find this lead is moot, since North decided to raise 3NT to 6♥ (!) and give me a large swing.