Protection

[Finch]

Playing a long IMPs event, is it right to protect (or pre-protect) on any of these?

(You are South)

 

[hv=d=e&v=n&s=sq10xxhadxxxca109xx]133|100|Scoring: IMP

1NT P 2♦ P

2♥ ?

 

1NT = 10-13

2♦ = transfer to hearts[/hv]

 

[hv=d=e&v=n&s=sq10xxhadxxxca109xx]133|100|Scoring: IMP

1NT P 2♦ P

2♥ ?

 

1NT = 10-13

2♦ = transfer to hearts[/hv]

 

and the last one...

[hv=d=e&v=n&s=sq10xxhadxxxca109xx]133|100|Scoring: IMP

1NT P 2♦ P

2♥ ?

 

1NT = 10-13

2♦ = transfer to hearts[/hv]

[Chamaco]

Playing a long IMPs event, is it right to protect (or pre-protect) on any of these?

(You are South)

1) Yes, I would. Hand is good in offense.

 

2) No. Neither shape nor values are worth competing in direct seat.

 

3) yes, I'd bid 2S both in direct and balancing seat.

[Guest Jlall]

1) I would, though wish my ace of hearts was in diamonds. This could get me to go for a number but I think it will gain 6 imps enough to justify the risk.

 

2) Definitely not here. My hand looks like defense and the opps may have no fit and are well placed to crack us off. My shape sucks too.

 

3) I wouldn't. 3 small hearts scares me when they may well be on a misfit. I don't like 5332 either.

[pbleighton]

Pass on the first. I would bid at any other vulnerability, or at MPs.

 

Pass on the second. Kind of close, but too flat.

 

2S. I don't like the hearts or the shape, but I still bid.

 

Peter

[Al_U_Card]

Yes (With understanding teammates)

 

No

 

Never (This is the hand that you can NEVER explain away the -500 to even

very understanding teammates)

[mike777]

1) Would have bid 2C DONT over 1nt. Bid early and then zip it for me :D.

2) Pass, I seem to balance less and less.

3) Pass, Ditto.

[pclayton]

1. Not on your life. They are in a live auction. Pard can balance with trump length.

 

2. Yes but its close and only in a short match. I wouldn't if I was playing KO's. They may be in a misfit and your suits aren't great. Against this, we could have a fit in 3 suits. If they nail us for 300, its not the end of the world.

 

3. Yes! Yeah I know they are on a 5-2, but on balance everything is is great. Pard rates to have a few cards here, and they even might be stealing from us.

[Guest Jlall]

1. Pard can balance with trump length.

He can? Why would that occur to him?

[jillybean]

Playing a long IMPs event, is it right to protect (or pre-protect) on any of these?

Errr, what do you mean by protect?

 

tyia

jb :D

[awm]

(1) Definitely bid, too easy to be stolen from after the 10-13 notrump. Partner doesn't always have a decent hand here (and could easily go for a number if he doesn't) but I think the odds do favor partner with something like 10-12 high.

 

(2) I'd have doubled 1♠ on the previous round. As a passed hand my values are limited and partner won't push too hard. I don't think it's all that likely we will be doubled nonvulnerable in TWO of a minor, and bidding earlier will save me from the balancing decision later. Having made the decision to pass on the first round of bidding, I will pass again here.

 

(3) Well, I might ask some questions about the opponents' methods, or look at their card. My inclination is to pass (this doesn't seem like a fit-showing auction to me, and I'm not eager to see partner table three-card hearts). I'd probably want to know some things like: what sorts of hand start with 2♣ and rebid 2♥ (does this sequence normally show extras? guarantee clubs? show six card hearts?), do opponents often respond 1NT with 3♥ and weak (constructive raises).

[Guest Jlall]

1) Would have bid 2C DONT over 1nt.

Unfortunately that would also mean that you played X as artificial against a 10-13 NT which would just be asking to lose imps. Perhaps the partnership in question did not play DONT vs 10-13

[mike777]

1) Would have bid 2C DONT over 1nt.

Unfortunately that would also mean that you played X as artificial against a 10-13 NT which would just be asking to lose imps. Perhaps the partnership in question did not play DONT vs 10-13

ooops did not see weak nt :D

[whereagles]

1. Yes. Dbl.

2. No.

3. Not now. Might try 2S first round, but now I pass.

[pclayton]

1. Pard can balance with trump length.

He can? Why would that occur to him?

Because his trump length is often the key to the hand, not my shortness.

 

As many of you know, I've never believed in the OBAR approach, especially in live auctions. I think its losing bridge, and wouldn't be surprised if there is a sea change in this approach in the coming years.

[Guest Jlall]

Partner with 3 hearts will think that is bad. You will often have 3 hearts. Partner with 4 trumps will not think to balance. they have 7 or 8 hearts. with 3433 I can't see him just bidding. But thats me.

[Walddk]

1) Would have bid 2C DONT over 1nt.

Unfortunately that would also mean that you played X as artificial against a 10-13 NT which would just be asking to lose imps. Perhaps the partnership in question did not play DONT vs 10-13

Not necessarily. Let double be for penalty versus the weak and mini NT and give up on showing the one-suited hand. You can still use the DONT concept with two-suiters.

 

Roland

[mike777]

1) Would have bid 2C DONT over 1nt.

Unfortunately that would also mean that you played X as artificial against a 10-13 NT which would just be asking to lose imps. Perhaps the partnership in question did not play DONT vs 10-13

BTW does anyone know "Recommended" a defensive scheme versus mini nt? I think this is something Passell and Wold have played for years?

[cherdano]

1) Would have bid 2C DONT over 1nt.

Unfortunately that would also mean that you played X as artificial against a 10-13 NT which would just be asking to lose imps. Perhaps the partnership in question did not play DONT vs 10-13

Not necessarily. Let double be for penalty versus the weak and mini NT and give up on showing the one-suited hand. You can still use the DONT concept with two-suiters.

 

Roland

Great. This combines inability to show one-suiters with a bad way of showing 2-suiters! :P Seriously, each to his own, I don't have that many strong opinions on conventions, but I can't imagine being persuaded to play this..

[pigpenz]

1.no

2.no

3.no

 

imps i can take the small losses in a long exteded match, just dont want the large ones.

[coyot]

1) No, I have a partner with 4 spades to reopen for me. He will be able to determine my heart length and visualize the ruffs (the position is good, my shortness is placed behind the declarer's guaranteed doubleton - so partner with his 4 hearts and 4 spades and 10 HCP will bid 2♠. If he has 2-3 spades only, I'm asking for a slow death by bidding on my own and then getting forced on the wrong side

 

2) pass. Not good enough to go onto 3rd level with a minor

 

3) bid 2♠ - it is quite likely that we have at least 5-2 misfit.

[Fluffy]

1. Double

 

2.Would double previous round, pass now.

 

3. Clear pass, if wanted to compete would had done previous round as well.

[mike777]

As a side note I read that many of the top class players are shying away from making 2 suited overcalls and just making a simple overcall to give away less information.

[Finch]

Of course, one hand is no proof of what's right, but you might like to know what happened on these. They are all from the first w/e of the English trials, and in fact they were all against teams of Juniors.

 

Edit: I may have been unclear. Our team were sitting the other way on all of these; personally I wouldn't have protected on any of them!

 

[hv=d=e&v=n&s=sq10xxhadxxxca109xx]133|100|Scoring: IMP

1NT P 2♦ P

2♥ ?

 

1NT = 10-13

2♦ = transfer to hearts[/hv]

 

A double was selected at the table, the next hand swiftly redoubled, and this hand eventually conceded 1100 in 3Cx (nothing cheaper was available, though it's possible perfect defence would have garnered 1400). Partner has a 3442 0-count.

 

Personally, I think this was a little unfortunate, but I'm not at all convinced double is right at imps. If partner couldn't act over 2D (e.g. by doubling to show 15+ balanced, as most people over here play), and can't act if 2H is passed to him, then what game are you missing?

 

[hv=d=e&v=n&s=sq10xxhadxxxca109xx]133|100|Scoring: IMP

1NT P 2♦ P

2♥ ?

 

1NT = 10-13

2♦ = transfer to hearts[/hv]

 

A double was selected, and the auction continued redouble, 3C, 4H all pass. This then made when trumps were 3-2 and declarer chose to squeeze your hand in spades & diamonds rather than take a spade finesse, thanks to the help from the auction. At the other table 3NT made (1H - 1S - 2H - 2NT - 3NT) on a low diamond lead, which was the 9th trick. The 2NT bid was a 4243 9-count - a more successful aggressive action!

 

and the last one...

[hv=d=e&v=n&s=sq10xxhadxxxca109xx]133|100|Scoring: IMP

1NT P 2♦ P

2♥ ?

 

1NT = 10-13

2♦ = transfer to hearts[/hv]

 

Again, bidding 2S in the passout seat protected the opponents into a game that made on the favourable lie (hearts breaking 3-3, ace of clubs onside).

[Winstonm]

1) No. Parner will probably hold heart length which means he won't be able to balance over 2H but it looks too risky to get into a live auction here. Probably right to want to bid and not do it.

 

2) No.

 

3) No. Why compete for the misfit?

 

Winston.