[gwnn]

Today was the 1st session of the National Junior Champs in Romania. We did particularly bad, finishing only 6th/12 pairs. A few of our bad hands (MP scoring):

1.

AKQJxxxx
KJTx
x
void

void
Ax
AQxxx
xxxxxx

NS unfavorable
4♠-pass
+710

what happened?

2.

(1NT)-3♠-(p)-?

love all (2♠ would have been natural, decent hand)

KQ
Txxxxx
AQxxx
void

3. LHO opens 4th in hand and the following peculiar sequence follows:

2♦-3♦; absolute GF, "good hand with 1 red ace"
3♥-3♠; natural, natural
4♠-5♦; contract proposal, "undiscussed"
6♠

What do you lead from

x
Txxx
Kxxx
QTxx

?

4.

You pick up

AJ9xxx
void
AQx
KTxx
RHO opens 1♦ favorable, 2nd seat and it goes:

p-1♦-1♠-2♣
2♠-p-?

Feel free to introduce/recommend your own methods if you think they'd help.

5. you deal at Game all

AK
Kxx
AQxx
KQxx

2NT-(3♠)-X*-(p) takeout, 4♥, usually short and weak in spades
?

There were other bad boards also, but I'm not going to show them off now.

[pclayton]

1. I know its unfavorable, but why preempt? A slower approach might get you there. 1♠ - 1N - 3♥ ....? (Great bidding problem by the way

2. 4♠. Pard has a minimum of: AJT9xxx, x, x, Qxxx. Its very close either way, but pard may have a big card, so I bid game.

3. Club I guess.

4. 4♠. Pard is marked with at least 5 hearts, so shortness in both minors looks likely.

5. 3N. WTP?

[ArtK78]

1. This is about as far from a preemptive hand as one can get. I would sooner open it 2♣ than 4♠.

2. I bid 4♠. Partner has to have 7 spades. If he has AJTxxxx (certainly possible) and you don't get a trump lead, you will have 10 top tricks. Even if his suit is not quite as good, you could easily have 10 tricks. He is allowed to have another card.

3. It would be nice if you would explain the meaning of the 2♦ opening bid. In any event, I lead a diamond.

4. I will introduce my own method for this hand. I pass. With the club bid on my left, I don't like my hand all that much if all that partner can do is bid 2♠ in competition. I assume that this event is being scored at matchpoints. At IMPs, I would definitely try for game.

5. Why would I do anything except 3NT?

[gwnn]

2♦ was absolute GF. 3♦ was "1 red ace and a good hand". further explanations are in the same style.

[the hog]

"1. This is about as far from a preemptive hand as one can get. I would sooner open it 2♣ than 4♠."

Csaba, 2C on that hand is of course idiotic! I sympathise with 4S, particularly at that vulnerability; however having said this, you have the S suit and you have a fine hand. I would open 1S. Btw Phil, would you really bid 3H holding 8 solid S? I prefer 1S 1NT 4C autosplinter, and see where that leads me.

[FrancesHinden]

I also would rather open it 2♣ than 4♠, it's way too good for a pre-empt. 1♠ is the normal opening.

That said, it's hard to construct a really convincing auction to slam after a 1♠ opening.

[skjaeran]

1. Far too strong for 4♠. With my regular partner I open this 2♣. Most people would open it 1♠ or 4♦ (I don't like the latter). Would most probably reach 6♠ after both 1♠ and 2♣ with my regular partner, certainly after 2♣.
2. 4♠. Cold on a non-trump lead. Often makeable with it too.
3. Low ♣. Alternative low ♦, but ♣ looks best IMO.
4. 4♠.
5. 3NT, wtp?

[hrothgar]

On the first hand hand:

Not overly fond of the 4♠ opening. (Switch a small spade into and a minor and I would open 4♠).

I'd never consider 2♣ with this hand. This leaves 1♠ or some kind of NAMYATS type bid. I'd bid 3NT if this were available. Otherwise 1♠

[ArtK78]

For clarification, I never said that I would open 2♣ on the first hand. But if someone pointed a gun to my head and said that you have two choices - 2♣ or 4♠ - I would choose 2♣.

1♠ is the normal opening on these cards. A Namyats 4♦ opening is my choice if it is available to me.

It is remotely possible that you should play this hand in hearts. But the chances that hearts will play better than spades are so small as to be ignored.

[jdonn]

ArtK78, on Sep 15 2007, 10:21 AM, said:

For clarification, I never said that I would open 2♣ on the first hand. But if someone pointed a gun to my head and said that you have two choices - 2♣ or 4♠ - I would choose 2♣.

1♠ is the normal opening on these cards. A Namyats 4♦ opening is my choice if it is available to me.

It is remotely possible that you should play this hand in hearts. But the chances that hearts will play better than spades are so small as to be ignored.

I think it's even way too strong for Namyats type 4♦. The ace of hearts and OUT is just about a slam!

[cherdano]

ArtK78, on Sep 15 2007, 09:21 AM, said:

For clarification, I never said that I would open 2♣ on the first hand. But if someone pointed a gun to my head and said that you have two choices - 2♣ or 4♠ - I would choose 2♣.

Don't worry about being called idiotic by The_Hog, it has happened to pretty much every sensible poster here.

[cherdano]

1. I will join the idiots who would rather open 2♣ than 4♠, but of course I open 1♠. Way too good for Namyats too! (Well, I don't understand how Namyats works, but apparently those who play it do no either.)

2. 4♠.

3. club

4. 4♠

5. 3N.

[han]

1. 4♠ is idiotic.

2. Clear pass.

3. A club is clearly wrong otherwise you wouldn't ask.

4. I'm a bit worried about this hand. If partner has heart values (and it sure sounds that way) then game probably doesn't have much play. I'd bid 3C, if partner bids 3H I sign off in 3S.

5. 3NT.

[pclayton]

The_Hog, on Sep 15 2007, 01:39 AM, said:

"1. This is about as far from a preemptive hand as one can get. I would sooner open it 2♣ than 4♠."

Csaba, 2C on that hand is of course idiotic! I sympathise with 4S, particularly at that vulnerability; however having said this, you have the S suit and you have a fine hand. I would open 1S. Btw Phil, would you really bid 3H holding 8 solid S? I prefer 1S 1NT 4C autosplinter, and see where that leads me.

Sure.

Doesn't pard's heart holding have a big impact on the trick-taking potential of this hand? I think its a lot better call than an auto aplinter, which causes pard to overestimate the value of the ♣A and the ♦KQ.

[pclayton]

hrothgar, on Sep 15 2007, 06:52 AM, said:

I'd never consider 2♣ with this hand. This leaves 1♠ or some kind of NAMYATS type bid. I'd bid 3NT if this were available. Otherwise 1♠

Agree, but I'd want to take another call if pard signs off. I'm curious what everyone thinks the best continuation is?

[Fluffy]

First hand its too strong for 4♦!, even if you played it. 4♠ I have no words, except that 2♣ is even worse.

Second hand depends a lot on what you know of your partner, I'd say 4♠ with mine.

Third hand see Han's response.

Fouth hand 4♠, its junior even't didn't you say so?, what are you waiting for then?

Fifth hand is difficult, you can have slam in a minor, but at MP you just can't go above 3NT with this.

[the hog]

Hmm a 2C opening, the opponents bid to 5C an partner correctly doubles on a trump trick and nothing else. It makes 6. Great opening bid for the "sensible players". Alternatively you now bid 5S and go off only to find 5C does not make.

To Cherdano: I've commented on this before, but its pretty obvious your English skills are letting you down again. If you read my post, I said a 2C bid is idiotic. I did not refer to the poster as idiotic. Perhaps it might help you if I posted in German.

[cherdano]

The_Hog, on Sep 15 2007, 06:02 PM, said:

To Cherdano: I've commented on this before, but its pretty obvious your English skills are letting you down again. If you read my post, I said a 2C bid is idiotic. I did not refer to the poster as idiotic. Perhaps it might help you if I posted in German.

ROTFL. As usual, your social skills are letting you down. Of course you didn't say that, but you implied it. If person A says s.th., and then turn to person B and say "what person A just said is of course idiotic!" then you are
[x] acting as if you were an arrogant asshole, and
[x] implying (but not saying) that B is idiotic (otherwise you would say it to everyone not just address person B ).

Of course you know this, it's just that you can't be bothered to care. That's your own free choice, but it is also why I dislike almost every post coming from you.

[the hog]

"Of course you know this, it's just that you can't be bothered to care. That's your own free choice, but it is also why I dislike almost every post coming from you.

Then don't try to read them. I posted "try" advisedly.

[han]

I think it is ROFL, not ROTFL.