How sharp is your axe?

[ahydra]

[hv=pc=n&e=saq95ht74d2ca9754&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=pp1h2dpp3cpp]133|200[/hv]

 

IMPs, neither side vul. Opps are playing 4cM weak NT. South is a good player, North less so. Your call?

 

ahydra

[The_Badger]

North had the opportunity of giving preference to 3♥ and didn't, and really do you want to turn a part score into game by doubling at IMPs? It could be going down 2 or 3, but I suspect it is only going down at 1 at the most, and there's a fair chance you might be endplayed too.

 

By doubling you could also put pressure on partner to remove to 3♦ (although he should trust you), and anyway, that 2♦ overcall could be lead-directing as opposed to anything substantial.

 

So, even with 3 potential tricks in your hand, I'm inclined to pass - call me cowardly if you want. The last thing you want (I am assuming this is IMPs teams) is a borderline decision being converted into a big swing.

[MrAce]

At IMPS you were about to play 2♦ and either gain +110 or +130 or -50 or -100. So you do not have any serious score to protect. Why did South not balance with DBL? He either has a massive 2 suiter or he is short in spades. Something like the hand I constructed below in which everyone has their bids.....There are also other ways of losing the board, you said N is not a good player so perhaps he/she made a mistake by passing 3♣ and/or opener made a mistake by bidding this way with 6-7♥ and only 4♣. I would just leave them alone at imps.

 

 

[hv=pc=n&s=shakq95da43ckqt63&w=skj7hj863dkqjt65c&n=st86432h2d987cj82&e=saq95ht74d2ca9754&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=pp1h2dpp3cppdppp]399|300[/hv]

 

 

EDIT: If there is anyone who thinks W should not pass our DBL, then I can change our hand to a real double hand with more serious clubs values and less spade values, which may be a serious concern for W to figure where to park all these spade and heart losers, when his pd had an easy +300 or +500 with his double.

[Phil]

At IMPS you were about to play 2♦ and either gain +110 or +130 or -50 or -100. So you do not have any serious score to protect. Why did South not balance with DBL? He either has a massive 2 suiter or he is short in spades. Something like the hand I constructed below in which everyone has their bids.....There are also other ways of losing the board, you said N is not a good player so perhaps he/she made a mistake by passing 3♣ and/or opener made a mistake by bidding this way with 6-7♥ and only 4♣. I would just leave them alone at imps.

 

 

[hv=pc=n&s=shakq95da43ckqt63&w=skj7hj863dkqjt65c&n=st86432h2d987cj82&e=saq95ht74d2ca9754&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=pp1h2dpp3cppdppp]399|300[/hv]

 

 

EDIT: If there is anyone who thinks W should not pass our DBL, then I can change our hand to a real double hand with more serious clubs values and less spade values, which may be a serious concern for W to figure where to park all these spade and heart losers, when his pd had an easy +300 or +500 with his double.

 

So you've constructed a hand where partner has no defense, we aren't cashing a spade trick and we still might beat this?

 

By the way, "protecting a score" doesn't apply to IMPs.

 

I would make a penalty double. They have probably stepped into a misfit since responder did not take preference to 3H.

[Cyberyeti]

At IMPS you were about to play 2♦ and either gain +110 or +130 or -50 or -100. So you do not have any serious score to protect. Why did South not balance with DBL? He either has a massive 2 suiter or he is short in spades. Something like the hand I constructed below in which everyone has their bids.....There are also other ways of losing the board, you said N is not a good player so perhaps he/she made a mistake by passing 3♣ and/or opener made a mistake by bidding this way with 6-7♥ and only 4♣. I would just leave them alone at imps.

 

 

[hv=pc=n&s=shakq95da43ckqt63&w=skj7hj863dkqjt65c&n=st86432h2d987cj82&e=saq95ht74d2ca9754&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=pp1h2dpp3cppdppp]399|300[/hv]

 

 

EDIT: If there is anyone who thinks W should not pass our DBL, then I can change our hand to a real double hand with more serious clubs values and less spade values, which may be a serious concern for W to figure where to park all these spade and heart losers, when his pd had an easy +300 or +500 with his double.

 

Well if E overcalled 2♦ with a hand that is a 3♦ overcall, he really ought to remove your X, he should have a better hand than this opposite a passed partner in my book.

[MrAce]

Well if E overcalled 2♦ with a hand that is a 3♦ overcall, he really ought to remove your X, he should have a better hand than this opposite a passed partner in my book.

 

No, 3 ♦ means you have 7 of them. You can bid 3♦ with that hand but don't give me the BS as if it is textbook 3♦ for everyone. Your diamonds are good for preempt but you are too strong for preempt, no need to mention you have too many defensive potential.

[MrAce]

So you've constructed a hand where partner has no defense, we aren't cashing a spade trick and we still might beat this?

 

No you can not beat it but you want a spade cashing hand?

OK.

 

[hv=pc=n&s=s3hak9654dackjt63&w=skj72hqj2dkqj652c&n=st864h3d98743cq82&e=saq95ht87dtca9754&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=1h2dpp3cppdppp]399|300[/hv]

 

Or you may actually beat it depending on the lead such as (and good luck with finding the spade lead)

 

[hv=pc=n&s=s3hak9652d5ckqt63&w=skj72hqj8dkqjt63c&n=st864h3da9874cj82&e=saq95ht74d2ca9754&d=s&v=0&b=11&a=1h2dpp3cppdppp]399|300[/hv]

 

By the way, "protecting a score" doesn't apply to IMPs.

 

That is your opinion of course but I disagree.

 

I would make a penalty double. They have probably stepped into a misfit since responder did not take preference to 3H.

 

That is one way to interpret it. Or they found a legit fit in their 2nd suit. I would not argue with my pd had he doubled and they made it. But I would not double.

[rmnka447]

Pass.

 

LHO has shown a pretty distributional hand. It could be 6-4 but more likely at least 5-5. RHO has shown a preference for ♣ and failed to raise ♥ last time. Your also sitting in front of the ♣ bidder. 3 ♣ doubled making is converting a part score swing at worst to a game swing -- the kiss of death at IMPs.

 

So this is a hand where it's more prudent to just pass and take a positive if it results. In a part score hand, any positive is par. Which would you rather do in the post mortem - explain +50 vs. +100 or explain -110 vs. -470?

[gszes]

x marks the spot. Once upon a time a hand comes up where declarer makes 3cx but for the overwhelming majority of the time we are collecting a bonus and only the size of the bonus is up for grabs. There is a strong case to be made that our first pass gave south the impression N might have power they could not show over 2d. S was just unlucky we had pretty much all the power plus 5 clubs. Our 3 1/2 defensive tricks opposite a 2 lvl overcall could easily yield a huge gain.

[Cyberyeti]

No, 3 ♦ means you have 7 of them. You can bid 3♦ with that hand but don't give me the BS as if it is textbook 3♦ for everyone. Your diamonds are good for preempt but you are too strong for preempt, no need to mention you have too many defensive potential.

 

A wjo opposite a passed partner is wide ranging and shows 6 for most people I know, I would want what most people consider a sound opening hand to (non jump) overcall at the 2 level, so a little better than this. You don't actually have that much defensive potential, the diamond suit is likely waste paper in defence.

[Phil]

<carefully concocted outlier hands>

 

In a parallel universe, my RHO had a trap pass of partner's overcall with 5=1=5=2 and LHO liked his 2=5=1=5. This time, partner actually had some defense which is not completely unexpected for a two level overcall and we carted them out for 800.

 

Of course this is a best case scenario but I expect 300 or 500 a lot of the time, 100 some of the time and a rare -470.

[MrAce]

In a parallel universe, my RHO had a trap pass of partner's overcall with 5=1=5=2 and LHO liked his 2=5=1=5. This time, partner actually had some defense which is not completely unexpected for a two level overcall and we carted them out for 800.

 

Of course this is a best case scenario but I expect 300 or 500 a lot of the time, 100 some of the time and a rare -470.

 

I see it slightly different. Rare -470 and +500. More often +100 or +300. So you and George(Gszes) may be right on DBL being the winner in the long run and passing being pessimist, I admit.

[ahydra]

Hmm, having read all that the reaction to my 2D bid and South's 3C should be interesting! <grabs popcorn>

 

[hv=pc=n&s=st8haq986dktckj82&w=skj7hkj52daq765c3&n=s5432h3dj9843cqt6&e=saq96ht74d2ca9754&d=n&v=0&b=1&a=pp1h2dpp3cppp]399|300[/hv]

 

Partner passed it out, I led the ♣3 and we collected 250.

 

I thought partner should X on the grounds that they've clearly got themselves too high, and if North doesn't have hearts, I must do, so there's no issue with them running to 3H. But he expected South to have something a bit better than this, which is fair enough.

 

ahydra

[Kaitlyn S]

If the opponents bid like that, it shouldn't matter what you do on this board, as long as you get to play several more boards against them.

[MrAce]

I need new reading glasses I guess, because I thought you wrote

 

South is a good player,......

 

http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif

[Cyberyeti]

I need new reading glasses I guess, because I thought you wrote

 

 

 

http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif

 

Your yellow smiley face seems somehow appropriate, as if he really is a good player, he clearly dropped a lot of acid before making this bid

[MrAce]

Your yellow smiley face seems somehow appropriate, as if he really is a good player, he clearly dropped a lot of acid before making this bid

 

http://www.bridgebase.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif

[rmnka447]

Wow, that is a terrible 3 ♣ bid on a tepid 13 count. :o

 

If any call is made over 2 ♦, it probably should be DBL. But North with no values and only defense against ♦ should probably pass as 2 ♦x is not game. It looks like that would result in making 3 for a +280.

 

If 2 ♦x comes back to East, I think East sits for it as any noise may make things worse.

 

The 2 ♦ bid looks right.

 

After 3 ♣, I wouldn't double either with the West hand. Make the hand something like ♠ KQxx ♥ Kxx ♦ AQxxx ♣ x, then maybe DBL is right because you'd be OK if partner pulls to ♠. Only holding ♠ KJx makes a DBL a bit more problematic.

 

In any case, +250 should get you a nice part score swing. :D

[MrAce]

 

The 2 ♦ bid looks right.

 

 

I know i am minority but I'd rather overcall 1 NT with W hand.

[RedSpawn]

If the opponents bid like that, it shouldn't matter what you do on this board, as long as you get to play several more boards against them.

Deleted. I missed that South had 2 doubletons.

[ggwhiz]

Partner made a 2 level overcall. If it's not safe to double with this you are playing a style of leading with your chin.

[RD350LC]

Pass.

 

LHO has shown a pretty distributional hand. It could be 6-4 but more likely at least 5-5. RHO has shown a preference for ♣ and failed to raise ♥ last time. Your also sitting in front of the ♣ bidder. 3 ♣ doubled making is converting a part score swing at worst to a game swing -- the kiss of death at IMPs.

 

So this is a hand where it's more prudent to just pass and take a positive if it results. In a part score hand, any positive is par. Which would you rather do in the post mortem - explain +50 vs. +100 or explain -110 vs. -470?

At matchpoints, I would likely hit it, but not at IMPs. I agree completely with these comments-as indicated, south is a good player. You may have 5 trumps, but only 1 trump trick, and your trumps are upstream of south.

I would pass at IMPS.

[miamijd]

Lots to comment on here:

 

1. At IMPs I certainly agree with East's final pass. It's not worth risking minus 470. If you were making 2D, you'll likely go plus 50 or 100, and if you weren't making 2D, then any plus your way is good. At MPs, I think I'd X; the gains should outweigh the losses.

 

2. I'm not a fan of West's 2D overcall on such a lousy suit. I don't much care for 1NT or pass, either. Not sure what the best choice is. Any thoughts, anyone?

 

3. If West is going to overcall on hands like that, then I suppose pass is quite reasonable with East's hand. But if West has a "normal" good 2D overcall, then East takes a big risk of missing game by passing. After all, West could have Kx KJx AQJTxx xx, and game is apt to be pretty easy.

 

4. I really don't care for South's 3C bid. That's just asking for it. You said South was a good player; if so, he made a very uncharacteristic bid here.

 

Cheers,

mike

[msjennifer]

PASS.I shall not take any risk at IMP scoring.