What action?

[pilowsky]

After playing IMP's for weeks - BBO and ACBL I headed back to my home Club - Stepbridge in Adelaide and teamed up with my partner who is an extremely tolerant and skilful player.

Here's the bidding and my hand with some of the recent discussion about overcalls ringing in your ears what action would you take.

You can imagine my surprise when North opened the bidding.

NS vul. Matchpoints.

[hv=pc=n&e=s754hkqdakcakqjt6&d=n&v=n&b=5&a=1s]133|200[/hv]

 

Edit: My skilled partner was sitting West , the dopey one is me in the East seat!

[Zelandakh]

Looks like a simple choice between 3♠ and X. Since your poll does not mention 3♠, it would be a fair assumption that that was not available as an option for this particular skilled partner.

[smerriman]

3♠ was my first thought.

[thepossum]

Since I don't play jump cue bids and am bored stiff with doubles I would bid 2C and wait to see what happened. We have plenty of time to get where we want to be

 

PS What's a jump cue bid?

 

PPS I am assuming that "both playing SAYC" means both partnerships, not you and your partner; although knowing how tediously restrictive clubs (can be) here I am surprised you would have been allowed to play any other system. It almost doesnt need a comment. Part of the reason I hardly ever frequent clubs is that I found out you are all "expected" to play the same system. That's not how I was brought up playing Bridge

 

PPPS I always thought it was a shame you couldn't ask opps what they think your partner's bid means

[smerriman]

I would bid 2C and wait to see what happened. We have plenty of time to get where we want to be

There's plenty of time to think about where you wished you were after the likely outcome that 2♣ is followed by 3 passes, but definitely not plenty of time to get there.

 

Since I don't play jump cue bids...

 

PS What's a jump cue bid?

The jump cue bid. There's only really one possible meaning, so while it's understandable to not "know" them, there's no reason not to "play" them now that you do (which tends to imply you have an alternative definition). Extremely rare bid nonetheless.

[Zelandakh]

There's only really one possible meaning, so while it's understandable to not "know" them, there's no reason not to "play" them now that you do

That depends to some extent on whether they opened a major or a minor. Over a minor, many good pairs play it as natural and I like to play it as a strong hand with both majors. After a 1M opening though, I think the standard stopper ask with a long minor definition is literally the only one I have ever seen.

[AL78]

PS What's a jump cue bid?

 

A jump bid of opener's suit. It shows a hand with a long solid minor and asks partner to bid 3NT with a stop in opener's suit. It is analogous to opening a gambling 3NT although as here the cue bidder can be much stronger.

[pilowsky]

Further hint.

Stepbridge is the biggest Club in Australia now, this is the 1 pm open.

There were 22 Tables and it was Swiss.

Although I have played with Skillful partner a few times before we haven't yet settled on a system.

Amongst the people that play on Stepbridge, there are really good players such as Hugh Grosvenor and Tania Lloyd (maybe as good as Mike!) and then there's me, and even people not as good as me - maybe.

Anyway, three people reached the best spot. One person reached the next best spot, one person ran out of time and everyone else reached the wrong spot.

[Cyberyeti]

3♠ is the best bid, if you don't have it available, then X followed by clubs I suppose

[pilowsky]

Here's what happened

 

Well, following my own whimsical system I chose 3NT reckoning that the odds favoured my partner having a ♠ stopper.

I figured that I knew where we wanted to be, why make trouble? Just bid it: so I did.

 

His comment afterwards was "Thank God for my King".

Others doubled with the hand being played by West where it makes +1 for 92.5% - On my side only = for 82.5%. Incredibly someone made +3 - 100%.

Below us were 15 people in a variety of ♣ contracts and one person in 4♦. Here's the link to the Traveller if you are really interested - it takes a while to load.

Here's the full deal.

♠2 led - obviously...

[hv=pc=n&s=s2h76532d952c7542&w=skj6hj84dqt864c83&n=saqt983hat9dj73c9&e=s754hkqdakcakqjt6&d=w&v=n&b=12&a=p1s3nppp]399|300[/hv]

[Cyberyeti]

Give south one of W's spades and you see why bidding 3N is bad and why 3♠ rightsiding the contract is best.

 

12 tricks got a small spade lead I see. Now it's easy because you know N has every other card, it just depends on N not cashing his 2 aces when he gets the chance. The 8♣ is a lovely accidental entry to the diamonds when the 9 drops. You can then lead a heart to get back to hand.

[Tramticket]

Several comments suggesting the 3S jump cue-bid.

 

It's a bid that is theoretically part of our system, but I can't remember the bid actually being made and I tend to think of a weaker hand: X QJX AX AKQJ10XX perhaps? Is the opening post hand too strong for this bid?

[Cyberyeti]

Several comments suggesting the 3S jump cue-bid.

 

It's a bid that is theoretically part of our system, but I can't remember the bid actually being made and I tend to think of a weaker hand: X QJX AX AKQJ10XX perhaps? Is the opening post hand too strong for this bid?

 

It has exactly 8 other tricks if partner has the ♠A and out which is what you want for the bid, the problem is that it's potentially an easy slam opposite say x, AJxx, xxxxx, xxx, you pays your money and you takes your choice.

[heart76]

Fair enough, you reach it with the 3S cue.

But I still would prefer:

(1S) X (p) 2D

(p) 3C (p) 3NT, or now 2S instead of 3C, unless it's agreed as an unconditional monster with D support.

This keeps the minor slam alive.

[Douglas43]

I voted double, very narrowly, ahead of 3S. If partner has a weak two equivalent in hearts or diamonds, but no spade stop, we might be better off in that suit. I'd prefer a 7 card suit and a bit less overall strength for 3S. If not playing jump cue bids as a try for £NT, then nothing else is close to double.

[Huibertus]

Given 1 ♠ and your hand, partner will have 0-8 HCP, on average about 4HCP. This will not be a slam, there's no way you are getting rid of the spade losers.

 

Also, on average it will not be 5 ♣ for the same reason.

 

The only conceivable game is 3 NT, so I'm asking for a ♠ stopper with 3♠. In case that is not available, sure, bidding 3 NT might be a working gamble.

 

Bidding 2 ♣ will work fine if partner doesn't have a spade stopper, in such a case it will be passed around most of the time for a decent score. But even if it works, it will still damage partners trust in you. There has to be an upper limit somewhere to an overcall, some will have 16HCP at most, some will agree to around 19-20 HCP, this hand is too strong whatever the agreed uppper limit is.

[miamijd]

I would X. 3S is OK, too, but it is more this hand:

 

x Ax Jxx AKQJTxx

 

where you just really want to play 3NT or 4 of the minor, unless partner happens to have a decent hand.

 

Your hand is really too strong for 3S. If partner has an awful hand and bids 4C, which is likely, you are left with a guess. And what if partner has the AH and a stiff spade? Or club support and a spade void but no HCP? Both are possible, and with either, you have 6C.

 

I would start with X, but either way, you get to 3NT by West.