[gwnn]

vanilla 2/1 throughout. assign the blame to someone in the team for the 13 imps lost (I wasn't actually playing)

Scoring: IMP

Table 1:

        p-1♠
x-xx-4♥-4♠
p-p-5♦-p
5♥-x-end

-850

Table 2:

        p-1♠
x-xx-2♠-3♠
p-4♠-x-end

---

Well maybe the ATB isn't very interesting. What would be your vanilla 2/1 auction?

[TimG]

I assign most of the blame to north at table one who never showed his spade support and then doubled the opponents with Ace-empty. Partner could easily have had AK/A with no spades cashing and 5H still making.

[kenrexford]

I just find it odd that East passed first seat both times. East has the olf Rule-of-Twenty hand, but he also has the ideal holding for rebid issues -- two touching five-card suits -- and all four tens. Kind of strange.

[JoAnneM]

I am opening 3 or 4 spades in 2nd seat, not sure which I would do sitting at the table.

[Jlall]

Table 1:

1S-not my style
X-perfect
XX-perfect
4H-I like it
4S-yeah for sure
5D-I think it's a pass. This worked well.
X-I think it's obv. Unlucky to have 0 diamond tricks, totally defensive hand. Unlucky.

Table 2:

2S is not my style, I prefer blasting and putting pressure on, but it's ok.
X- I hate doubling, but I would pass.

It's really unlucky for this to be a double game swing looking at 2 hands single dummy.

[MFA]

T1:

NS are paying off to not having a strong 3-card raise available after the X. N's bidding is normal, but the auction could explode when one doesn't show support. And that is exactly what happened here.

T2:

I would never bid like east. I think it's terrible. With a chunky 5-5 one has to get suits in. 4♥ then 5♦ like a the other table. East bid like he were a 3433 11 count with ♠KTx.

[Codo]

At table 1:
I dislike the XX and had supported instead. But I had still doubled 5 Heart with the north hand and played there.

At table 2:
2♠ was a horrible bid with a 2551 hand. And doubling 4 Spade with no spade trick, a double fit for partner and this shape is beyond my horizon.
So East is to blame.

[gnasher]

gwnn, on Jun 15 2009, 02:11 AM, said:

What would be your vanilla 2/1 auction?

If my side were NS:
               pass
4♠   pass pass pass

If my side were EW:
              1♥
4♠   5♥  5♠  pass
pass dbl pass pass
pass

which rather neatly illustrates the benefits of making sensible opening bids.

[andy_h]

I pass with E's hand and open 4S with South's hand which should end the auction.

[movingon]

I agree with gnasher.
It is dangerous to open the hand with 1 spade. Partner may very well unsuccessfully double opponents' contract at a high level.

I wouldn't open the dealer's hand but I would bid it to the 5 level showing both suits if forced to.

[MFA]

Right, south has a 4♠ opening of course. Passing in first seat as east is ok, though.

[ArtK78]

I am sorry, but I just do not see the logic in preempting with the South hand after RHO passes.

On the one hand, I have a reasonable hand which could produce a slam opposite a good hand from partner, and the chances that partner has a good hand are not terrible after a first-seat pass by RHO.

On the other hand, I do not see why I want to commit my side to playing a high-level contract in spades when my suit is K987xxx. We might belong in some other game - most likely 3NT or 5♣, but possibly a red suit if partner has a complete misfit with me but a powerful suit.

Sure, you could preempt your opponents out of some red-suit game. But it is more likely that you are preempting your partner.

No bid is really "right" for this hand, but I find that 2♠ in second seat (even at favorable vul) is the closest to property describing my hand.

[jdonn]

ArtK78, on Jun 15 2009, 10:27 AM, said:

Sure, you could preempt your opponents out of some red-suit game.  But it is more likely that you are preempting your partner.

How can you draw that conclusion with such assurance? I completely disagree. There is one opponent and one partner so at best you can say it's 50-50, but since you are bidding to a contract that is the most likely contract to be your best one, it's more likely LHO is the one preempted. And even moreso since we ignored RHO, who despite passing already is still there. Simple.

Quote

No bid is really "right" for this hand, but I find that 2♠ in second seat (even at favorable vul) is the closest to property describing my hand.

LOL!

[Codo]

Sorry Art, this was a real outsider statement.

There are different styles for a 4 Spade opening in second seat vulnerable, so you may dislike that.

But 2 ♠ with a strong 7024 hand is surely wrong. Or do you play strong twos? In that case, I have some sympathy for your choice, but it is a slightly overbid.

[benlessard]

i think opening 1S with south hand is losing bridge big time. Ill bid 4S but 3S is acceptable.

[nige1]

gwnn, on Jun 14 2009, 08:11 PM, said:

Scoring: IMP


vanilla 2/1 throughout. assign the blame to someone in the team for the 13 imps lost (I wasn't actually playing)
Table 1:
        p-1♠
x-xx-4♥-4♠
p-p-5♦-p
5♥-x-end
-850
Table 2:
        p-1♠
x-xx-2♠-3♠
p-4♠-x-end
Well maybe the ATB isn't very interesting. What would be your vanilla 2/1 auction?

---

IMO:

• East might hazard a 1♥ opener.
  
• South might open 4♠ but 1♠ is reasonable.
  
• After East has shown a good hand with 2♠, over North's 4♠, pass or even 4N seems preferable to double.
  
• North's double of 5♥ is sensible. He expects to defeat it, most of the time.
  
• Gnasher's suggested auctions are OK.
  
• Gwnn is to blame