23 points and opposition open the bidding

[dkham]

You've a balanced 23 count and are all set to open the bidding when LHO opens ahead of you. You double, then double again, and finally get a bid from partner. What do you do now?

 

[hv=pc=n&s=sak86haqjdaj62ca3&d=w&v=0&b=8&a=1cppd2cppdp2hp]133|200[/hv]

 

East-West are playing Bridge Base Standard (1♣ could be short, 2♣ shows a real suit)

[Douglas43]

Would settle for 3H assuming this is matchpoints. If partner has HK10xxx we have a fair shot at game - although interestingly 3NT would be better than 4H.

[DavidKok]

Why did we not bid 2NT instead of the second double? I think that would have fully described the hand (direct 1NT = 11-14, X then 1NT = 15-17, direct 2NT = 18-20, X then 2NT = 21-23, and you can smuggle/modify a point here or there).

[nige1]

[hv=pc=n&s=sak86haqjdaj62ca3&d=w&v=0&b=8&a=1cppd2cppdp2hp]133|200|dkham ' You've a balanced 23 count and are all set to open the bidding when LHO opens ahead of you. You double, then double again, and finally get a bid from partner. What do you do now? East-West are playing Bridge Base Standard (1♣ could be short, 2♣ shows a real suit)'

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

I rank

1. 3♣ = UCB Just a cheerful noise.

2. 4♥ = NAT Partner usually has 5.

3. 2NT = NAT.

4. 3NT = NAT If partner has as little as ♣Jxx, 3N prospects are reasonable.

5. 3♥ = INV Strong invite but will partner bid game with

♠ xx ♥ Txxxxx ♦ xx ♣ xxx ? [/hv]

[mikeh]

If I were a betting man, I’d bet that any move by me at this stage is likely to result in a minus score. Indeed, 2H isn’t cold. Imagine xxx xxxx xxx Jxx, and why can’t he hold that sort of hand?

 

At imps, for sure I must bid, notwithstanding my pessimism. Game could be anywhere from cold to be at least decent.

 

While notrump will play well anytime partner has as little as Jxx in clubs, say with 10xxx in hearts, the odds are not exactly good that he has a magic holding. And, when it fails, it’s likely to fail by several tricks more than we’d go down in our best fit, which is in a red suit.

 

I’m bidding 3C at imps. This shows a big hand with 3 hearts. Had I 4 hearts, I’d bid 3H or 4H, depending on my hand.

 

If partner bids 3D, I’ll bid 3H in case he has something like xx 10xxxx Kxxx xx, since he should raise.

 

If he bids 3H, I’m done. If he has K10xxx in hearts, he should bid game on this auction, since he can hardly hold much more. He passed 2C and bid only 2H after my second double.

 

The real question, for me, is whether I should bid at mps. I probably would, because I expect the field, overwhelmingly, to bid and I’ll take my chances on my partner’s declarer play over that of the field. Since 3C is the right bid, imo, at imps it remains the right bid here.

 

But I expect pass would get an excellent score much of the time. Even if some game makes, pass will usually beat those in the wrong game. If I were playing BAM, I’d pass since there is no field to worry about.

[dkham]

Thanks for the replies. I bid a modest 3♥, which partner passed. As you can see, game isn't great, but makes on a friendly lay out:

 

Board 8

[TylerE]

You really should have mentioned that that was with/against GIB.

 

Any resemblance to real bridge on an auction like this is purely coincidence.

 

For instance, any human player will really straight to respond to 1♣, especially holding a major.

 

On the actual hand, I would think many club players would open 3♣ on the W hand, and bid 2♥ over 2♣ directly.

 

Playing with GIB I would bid 4♥ over 2♥ with barely a second thought... GIB does quite poorly on these auctions, and any attempt to show a strong hand after doubling inevitably ends in disaster.

[smerriman]

Any resemblance to real bridge on an auction like this is purely coincidence.

Any resemblance of your post to the actual situation seems to be pure coincidence as well..

 

- sure, any human player will strain to response to 1♣, especially holding a major.. but that is irrelevant, as East didn't hold a major.. pass seems clear. Unless you're saying you're making any inference that East is more likely to hold a major now, and that changes your bid? I don't see how in the slightest.

- sure, GIB does poorly if you try to show a strong hand after doubling, but this was a human partner so also not relevant..

[helene_t]

I think 2NT is better than 3♥. There's no reason to assume that partner has five hearts.

 

I think partner could have been a bit stronger than this, with seven points they would probably have bid before but a black queen on top of this holding is surely possible. Then again, it is of course also possible that partner has a yarb and we should be happy if 2♥ makes.

 

So I think I bid 2NT at IMPs and pass at MP. Maybe 3♣ is better than 2NT, though. Does 2NT here show a flexible hand because otherwise I would have bid 2NT before? I would think so - both would show 22-23 points. But maybe I am wrong - maybe 2NT now after having doubled twice is just stronger, i.e. 24-25 points.

 

I think that with 24+ I would force to game and hence, 2NT here shows a flexible hand with 22-23 points and a club stopper, so partner will pass it with 3433 and 0-2 points, and maybe sometimes with 4-4 reds depending on honour location, say with Jxx in clubs she would pass 2NT. With the actual hand she would bid 3♠ which should be forcing so we are in 4♠ which is too high but makes due to the friendly layout.