Bottom 2

[nige1]

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Matchpoints. You are playing Acol 12-14 NT, No special agreements. Do you do anything after RHO's double.

If you pass do you bid after LHO's 2♥?[/hv]

[HardVector]

I would think playing a weak nt would allow responder to be more aggressive with these kinds of hands. Either partner has a strong, balanced hand, or partner is distributional with a diamond suit...which you hold Axx in.

 

Once I decide to pass, I'm going to sit on it. You've made your bed, time to sleep in it. Plus, partner's pass would seem to indicate that they may have the good, balanced hand. In that case, they have a misfit and I'm not inclined to allow them to escape to their fit (3c, probably).

[FelicityR]

I would think playing a weak nt would allow responder to be more aggressive with these kinds of hands. Either partner has a strong, balanced hand, or partner is distributional with a diamond suit...which you hold Axx in.

 

Once I decide to pass, I'm going to sit on it. You've made your bed, time to sleep in it. Plus, partner's pass would seem to indicate that they may have the good, balanced hand. In that case, they have a misfit and I'm not inclined to allow them to escape to their fit (3c, probably).

 

And the only addition I would make to this would be if partner had a four card major as well as a four card minor in a strong balanced hand, he would have bid 1M playing Acol. This hand is not worth bidding in Acol. In SAYC or 2/1 there is a chance of missing a 4-4 major suit fit. After 1D - X - 1H would show 5 hearts in my system, so I haven't got a bid on the first round, and certainly not on the second either. Two passes is all it's worth.

[nige1]

[hv=pc=n&n=SQ4HADKJ8753CA532&w=SA87HKT432Dt9CQ87&s=sT632hj875da64cj4&d=s&v=n&b=2&a=pp1ddp2hpp]400|400|

HardVector , rmnka447 , Tramticket , manudude03 , heart76 , ahydra , and etha found a 1♥ reply to 1♦ which is enough to deter opponents and allow partner to win the auction in ♦s,

I passed partner's 1♦. LHO's 2♥ made giving us zero matchpoints.[/hv]

[apollo1201]

[hv=pc=n&n=SQ4HADKJ8753CA532&w=SA87HKT432Dt9CQ87&s=sT632hj875da64cj4&d=s&v=n&b=2&a=pp1ddp2hpp]400|400|

HardVector , rmnka447 , Tramticket , manudude03 , heart76 , ahydra , and etha found a 1♥ reply to 1♦ which is enough to deter opponents and allow partner to win the auction in ♦s,

I passed partner's 1♦. LHO's 2♥ made giving us zero matchpoints.[/hv]

The 1H bid should not deter anyone. I bid 2H, natural, 5-cd suit, 8-10. Better than a penalty X.

[HardVector]

The 1H bid should not deter anyone. I bid 2H, natural, 5-cd suit, 8-10. Better than a penalty X.

♥KT432? Blech.

[mikeh]

♥KT432? Blech.

I cannot imagine not bidding 2H here, as West. One cannot allow opps to talk one out of descriptive actions in these situations. We have enough hcp that, assuming that neither vulnerable opponent is outright psyching, we can infer that partner has a normal takeout double, rather than a one-suited powerhouse, so we can expect at least 3 card support for hearts, and it is by no means impossible for him to have 4. Two would be very surprising indeed.

 

Of course, if he does have the one-suited powerhouse, he will bid his suit over 2H, and we will be happy no matter what he does.

 

Meanwhile, somebody has to bid hearts here. Would you rather it went P (2D) P (3D) or some such?

 

Passing now and bidding 2H, say after P (2C) P (2D) or P (2D) P P would, in my world, deny this hand. Yes, the suit might look the same, but I wouldn't have that side Ace.

[johnu]

The 1H bid should not deter anyone. I bid 2H, natural, 5-cd suit, 8-10. Better than a penalty X.

 

I think most people won't double 1♥, but making a penalty double of 1♥ would be a popular choice IMO.

 

In any case, bidding 1♥ lets partner know that you (probably) aren't broke, and that they can compete in the minors.

 

Edit: I ran a poll in Bridgewinners and I was wrong in my predictions. The vote was about 3 to 1 for bidding 2♥ over doubling.

[HardVector]

And the only addition I would make to this would be if partner had a four card major as well as a four card minor in a strong balanced hand, he would have bid 1M playing Acol. This hand is not worth bidding in Acol. In SAYC or 2/1 there is a chance of missing a 4-4 major suit fit. After 1D - X - 1H would show 5 hearts in my system, so I haven't got a bid on the first round, and certainly not on the second either. Two passes is all it's worth.

While this is true, I would think that it would be desirable to find the superior 1n contract rather than play in 1d and watch partner struggle to score +70 on the 4/3 diamond fit. I don't think I agree that 1m-p-1M in an Acol system should show 5+ cards, 1n is too valuable a contract.

[wank]

it's an obvious 2h bid over 1h. if you don't bid on that the opps will rob you blind.

[nige1]

it's an obvious 2h bid over 1h. if you don't bid on that the opps will rob you blind.

Congratulations to Alex Hydes, Jason Hackett, Justin Hackett, Ed Jones, David Mossop & Tom Paske, on winning the Spring 4s!