[sfbp]

Scoring: MP

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Bidding

1N - 2♥ -
2♠ - 3♠ -
AP

Notrump is 12-15 so this hand is technically at the bottom of the range.

The rest of the field bid as follows

1♦ - 1♠ -
1N - 3♠ -
4♠ AP

A cold zero.

[HeartA]

Not sure of the bidding. You mean North bid 3S to invite, or passed 2S?

Assume North bid 3S and South passed. North has 9 HCP, 6 hearts, 2 aces. 6th's heart worths at least 2 more hcp, and 2 aces should earn another hcp. In total, North's hand worths 12 hcp. We can also calculate North's Zar points:
9 (HCP) + 4 (controls) + 9 (6 + 3) + 4 (6-2) = 26.
Anyway, North's hand worths more than he thought. Having said that, I don't mean I would open North's hand. After South's 1NT opening, North's hand can be upgraded to 12 counts (no mis-fit).

On the other hand, South's honors are all good, 2 aces, Q in pd's suit, AQ with 10 backed up, with 9-card fit (North's 3S shows 6+ cards) and ruff value. South's hand is not an average 12, it is better than average 13 or 14, can accept the invitation as well.

In short, I assign 50% to North, 20% to South, and 30% to bad lucky.

[pclayton]

sfbp, on Nov 7 2006, 06:06 PM, said:

Scoring: MP

---

Bidding

1N - 2♥ -
2♠ - 2♠ -
AP

Notrump is 12-15 so this hand is technically at the bottom of the range.

The rest of the field bid as follows

1♦ - 1♠ -
1N - 3♠ -
4♠ AP

A cold zero.

Steven, why do you think this is a good 4♠? Looks pretty marginal to me.

[the hog]

I assign 0% to Nth and 0% to South. I would have been even more conservative and played in 2S!

[sfbp]

I fixed the bidding, the notrump bidder's partner invited with 3♠

I was slightly mystified myself by the traveller.

Some even made 5 with the K♥ onside.

[the hog]

sfbp, on Nov 8 2006, 01:08 PM, said:

I fixed the bidding, the notrump bidder's partner invited with 3♠

I was slightly mystified myself by the traveller.

Some even made 5 with the K♥ onside.

Inviting with 3S is aggressive, but not unreasonable. I suppose you "might" accept playing Imps. Again it is certainly very reasonable to pass. HeartA's answer is masterminding after the event! As Phil said, its marginal to say the least.

[matmat]

100% to the field. on a good day this is a top.

[Codo]

It is obvious that seeing 26 cards, I want to be in 4, but I see no mistake in the bidding. With the given system I hand played 2 Spade.

[paulg]

It's quite clear that this is Stephen's fault for playing in the wrong company, since he'd have got an average with all of us.

p

[sfbp]

Your comment suddenly reminds me of a marvellous example in Design for Bidding (SJ Simon) that I read so many years ago. He constructed a pair of hands about like this and started out general bidding discussion by saying something along the lines of "you'll never be able to construct a bidding system that finds the best contract on these hands".

Anyone got a copy? That was, for many years when I never played bridge, one of my significant memories of things brilliant written about this game.

Thanks for cheering me up. I was South, and didn't accept.

I must confess if anyone could have saved it, holding something like North's cards I have been known to make a Texas transfer and pray, especially at teams. Often works though. Playing our system the chance of holding THREE spades when I open a NT is a bit higher because we exclude a bunch of shapes, but really that's a small consideration. The ♥J is massive, too!

PS (added later) I just found the results - the traveller was incomplete when I looked, we got about 30% on this board, not zero. But still the majority were in game

[inquiry]

Hard to fault anyone. However, if you followed ZAR points (yes I know noone does). south has 26 ZAR points before partner bids spades, and then gets two fit points for 28. North starts with 26 and would get one more if partner can suport spades. 52 needed for "game" here you have 52 before fit, and 55 afterwards. Zar would blame the system.

I certainly would not be upset to play below game at mp, at IMPs, I would want to bid this one -- ESPECIALLY vul. So I would lay the blame on North.

Why do I "blame" north? Vul at imps you just bid close games, so you make lighter than normal game tries (since the close ones you just blast).

[whereagles]

sfbp, on Nov 8 2006, 02:06 AM, said:

Notrump is 12-15 so this hand is technically at the bottom of the range.

technically a min, but tactically a max.. all working points, useful doubleton, controls.. just bid 4♠ after the invitation.

[Al_U_Card]

Hindsight. 8 losers opposite 7 losers for spades. Minima both. Slow and steady wins the race. While I can see some merit in the invite with the Spade hand, that balanced piece of cheese is just looking for a negative result in 4 spades. 2 or 3 spades looks like the spot to me......4 is on a wing and a prayer and this time the bridge gods seem to have paid off....

[pclayton]

IMPs I want to be there; MPs - no. Its MPs right?

[inquiry]

pclayton, on Nov 8 2006, 12:16 PM, said:

IMPs I want to be there; MPs - no. Its MPs right?

sorry.. bad eye sight... yes at mp, not bidding it is fine

[cherdano]

Jlall, on Nov 8 2006, 07:35 PM, said:

pclayton, on Nov 8 2006, 12:16 PM, said:

IMPs I want to be there; MPs - no. Its MPs right?

I will take this to mean that you think game is less than 50 %. I don't do math but it looks >50 % to me everything considered. Maybe someone else will do it for me, thanks

If you tell me the likelyhood of a minor suit lead?

[whereagles]

Assuming perfect defense, game needs a spade honor onside and the heart finesse. That's roughly 75% of 50% = 42,5%, or of the "worth bidding" type A bit more if you guess a singleton trump honor right.