A Pesky Preempt

[pescetom]

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MP tournament, playing 2/1 5-card major with your preferred agreements.

Let's start as West.

RHO interferes 3♣ over your partner's 1♠ opener.

What is your call here and how do you expect your partner to interpret it?

[The_Badger]

It's not a great hand, the unbid suits are poor, but with one-and-a-half honour tricks, and an extra card in both unbid suits, it's just about (marginally) worth a double at the three level, however the problem being is how to proceed when and if partner bids next.

 

If you don't double now, you run the risk of allowing the opponents free rein. If you 'pass' partner could well have a fit for one of your suits but not enough to balance.

 

Better to double now and risk a vulnerable penalty - you can't go through your bridge life without taking risks - than to lamely pass, I feel.

[ggwhiz]

Negative double stands out. I can handle anything partner does including pass (♠K lead). Pre-empts at this vul are not always gilt edged and if you don't show a pulse now partner will most often be handcuffed.

[pescetom]

Negative double stands out.

 

That seems pretty clear so far.

I was just curious if anyone sees merit in other calls (in particular 3♥), or would do so with slightly different cards but same shape.

If so, they can always chime in.

In the meantime let's move on.

[pescetom]

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In East now.

Partner doubled the 3♣ overcall of your 1♠ opening.

What do you rebid?

[Cyberyeti]

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In East now.

Partner doubled the 3♣ overcall of your 1♠ opening.

What do you rebid?

 

I think I rebid 4♦, what do I need for game ? a stiff spade, ♥K, ♦KQ and a 5th card in one of the reds may be enough, with plenty of other options, K♠ would be a huge card.

[DozyDom]

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In East now.

Partner doubled the 3♣ overcall of your 1♠ opening.

What do you rebid?

4!D stands out. Though I'm deeply perturbed that N hasn't bid - they've got 4 or 5 card support for partner's suit.

[HardVector]

It's not a great hand, the unbid suits are poor, but with one-and-a-half honour tricks, and an extra card in both unbid suits, it's just about (marginally) worth a double at the three level, however the problem being is how to proceed when and if partner bids next.

 

If you don't double now, you run the risk of allowing the opponents free rein. If you 'pass' partner could well have a fit for one of your suits but not enough to balance.

 

Better to double now and risk a vulnerable penalty - you can't go through your bridge life without taking risks - than to lamely pass, I feel.

Wow, and I thought I was one of the more conservative people in this forum. I immediately thought 3h was the standout bid with maybe double working out. The K♠ is gold, the singleton club is gold, you have 2 5 card suits gold, the suits are not solid, but are headed by top honors not queens. I think double is being timid and conservative, not pass. I'd have bid 3h.

[nige1]

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MP tournament, playing 2/1 5-card major with your preferred agreements.

Let's start as West.RHO interferes 3♣ over your partner's 1♠ opener.

What is your call here and how do you expect your partner to interpret it?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

I rank

1. Doiuble = NEG Descriptive.

2. 3♥ = NAT Overbid.

3. Pass = NAT Pathetiic.[/hv]

[pescetom]

3. Pass = NAT Pathetiic.

 

Thanks nige1 :)

 

And your ranking for opener's rebid after NEG double, assuming North is silent?

[gszes]

x and 4d I don't have much faith in other calls though I can see a MP decision to bid 3d over the neg x

[guinnypoo]

Well, I don't consider myself an advanced bridge player, but I couldn't fathom passing here. 3♥ is what I would bid. If we end up in game and go set, I'm fine with that. Good 3c bid. I see nige1 saying that's an overbid but I'm looking at 12ish points opposite my partner's opener, singleton in opp suit, I shrug and bid, if it turns out we have no fit, K2 spades seems like a good fallback. 1s-3c-3h-P-4H-ppp.

[The_Badger]

Well, I don't consider myself an advanced bridge player, but I couldn't fathom passing here. 3♥ is what I would bid. If we end up in game and go set, I'm fine with that. I see nige1 saying that's an overbid but I'm looking at 12ish points opposite my partner's opener, singleton in opp suit, I shrug and bid. 1s-3c-3h-P-4H-ppp

 

It's not 12 points (including distributional points) until you find a fit. There's no guarantee of a ♥ or ♦ fit, and you know a ♠ fit only marginally exists. As Nigel rightly says, 3♥ is an overbid here, except if you play it as a free bid in this situation (unusual), showing 8-11 say, but I certainly wouldn't bid it as free bid at the three level with such a mediocre five card suit.

[HardVector]

It's not 12 points (including distributional points) until you find a fit. There's no guarantee of a ♥ or ♦ fit, and you know a ♠ fit only marginally exists. As Nigel rightly says, 3♥ is an overbid here, except if you play it as a free bid in this situation (unusual), showing 8-11 say, but I certainly wouldn't bid it as free bid at the three level with such a mediocre five card suit.

10 hcp + 2 (2 5 card suits) = 12

I rank the king of spades as more than 3, though.

[guinnypoo]

It's not 12 points (including distributional points) until you find a fit. There's no guarantee of a ♥ or ♦ fit, and you know a ♠ fit only marginally exists. As Nigel rightly says, 3♥ is an overbid here, except if you play it as a free bid in this situation (unusual), showing 8-11 say, but I certainly wouldn't bid it as free bid at the three level with such a mediocre five card suit.

 

Is there a good primer for bid sequences in these auctions? Having trouble finding good info on bidding when opponents go aggressive and weak. I feel like responder bidding his hand as game forcing is appropriate. I will say that compared to others I don't have a problem bidding a weak 5 card suit here.

[PhilG007]

Are the opponents playing strong intermediate or weak jump overcalls? There's a different action for each of them.What's worring me about this deal is that North,the preemptor's partner hasn't yet spoken and,for me,that spells danger.The red light is flashing. Fools rush in...... I would not hesitate to pass and await developments. If partner doubles,its still for takeout meaning he has values in the unbid suits. and you are now on safer ground Yes,of course you should bid boldly when the occasion merits it. But you should also play safe(!)

[nekthen]

My rule of thumb is make the cheapest available bid

So West agree double

East 3♦ your K♣ is waste paper and you don’t want to give up on 3N yet

I do not understand why North has not bid 5♣ but it sure helps

[Cyberyeti]

Are the opponents playing strong intermediate or weak jump overcalls? There's a different action for each of them.What's worring me about this deal is that North,the preemptor's partner hasn't yet spoken and,for me,that spells danger.The red light is flashing. Fools rush in...... I would not hesitate to pass and await developments. If partner doubles,its still for takeout meaning he has values in the unbid suits. and you are now on safer ground Yes,of course you should bid boldly when the occasion merits it. But you should also play safe(!)

 

Unfortunately partner has Axxxx, AQ10, Ax, xxx and can't really double, you make 3+3 when the diamonds behave

 

This is an easy double.

[PhilG007]

4!D stands out. Though I'm deeply perturbed that N hasn't bid - they've got 4 or 5 card support for partner's suit.

 

4♥and if the opponents persist in spades, 5♦ thus telling partner I have good support for his red suits

[wuudturner]

Here is my take...

 

Double and 3♡ are both flawed. As usual, no bid in bridge is absolutely perfect, but they are the only choices I would consider for more than a millisecond.

 

I can accept the bid of 3♡ on a 5 card suit. But be honest. Is that really a 5 card suit? I'd call it about a 4.5 card suit. ;-) The spots are ratty, and there is nothing in the suit to support the king.

 

The virtue of 3♡ is this is match points. If we belong in a major suit game, then we want to be there on this hand. If both 4♡ and 5♢ just make, then we need to find 4♡. The flaw of 3♡ however is South has preempted. So the odds are good that South is short in hearts. Will partner raise 3♡ to 4♡ on a holding like xxx? Of course. Partner might even do so on a holding like Qx in a pinch. 3♡ is forcing.

 

The point of double is it keeps both red suits in the picture, just in case partner has a hand where even 6♢ is possible. Double allows for the case where partner wants to double their sorry a$$es when they made a risky white versus red preempt. Do opponents ever stretch to preempt when the vulnerability is white versus red? Of course!

 

So I lean towards double with this hand. If the scoring was IMPs on the hand, then I would lean yet more strongly towards double because then I don't fear a 5♢ contract. And, yes, if partner is exactly 5341 in shape, then we might have problems getting to our heart fit. If you made the heart suit slightly stronger, even swapping the red suits, then I would start to lean towards 3♡.

[pescetom]

I can accept the bid of 3♡ on a 5 card suit. .

OT, but how are you inserting the hearts symbol in your post?

It doesn't visualise correctly when browsing the forum with Chrome on a Windows 10 PC, although it does show up under Android or if I reply to your message.

[pescetom]

Are the opponents playing strong intermediate or weak jump overcalls? There's a different action for each of them.What's worring me about this deal is that North,the preemptor's partner hasn't yet spoken and,for me,that spells danger.The red light is flashing. Fools rush in......

 

Weak jump overcalls. Opponents are inexperienced, South having more promise than North.

[msjennifer]

Sir, the openers hand will surely have a fit either in diamonds or hearts or he may have say AQ in clubs.M y hand has only six losers and I shall not stop short of game.If opener has a decent 6 card spade suit then I have enough support in my Kx to raise to 4S. To leave the outside possibility of even 3NT my bid is a straight forward 3H.In my personal opinion 3H is not an overbid.with the present hand.Missing the King of spades I would make a Negative double as I just can't think of a noncompetitive pass.

[Cyberyeti]

Sir, the openers hand will surely have a fit either in diamonds or hearts or he may have say AQ in clubs.M y hand has only six losers and I shall not stop short of game.If opener has a decent 6 card spade suit then I have enough support in my Kx to raise to 4S. To leave the outside possibility of even 3NT my bid is a straight forward 3H.In my personal opinion 3H is not an overbid.with the present hand.Missing the King of spades I would make a Negative double as I just can't think of a noncompetitive pass.

 

The problem with 3♥ is what do you expect partner to do with say, Axxxx, Qx, AQxx, xx ? 4♥ may well play really badly but you're headed there rather than 5♦ which has play when partner thinks you have something more like 5 good hearts and an 11 count.

[helene_t]

I slightly prefer 3♥. If I double I will have to pass a 3NT bid without having shown my fifth heart. I am also not thrilled at the prospect of opener passing the double.

 

3♥ might backfire if opener is 5233 with three small clubs and decides to raise on a doubleton. But probably he should bid 4♣ with that. And it's not like he has great options over a double either.

 

With opener's hand I think I would just bid 3♦ although it is obviously close. But if I want to show extra values, I prefer 4♣ to 4♦ with this shape. Is that crazy? Would 4♣ suggest better spades?