[Cyberyeti]

---

Matchpoints with you as the best pair in a poor field, needing to be in the top 3 out of maybe 8 pairs in a 9 table field to qualify for the next stage of a national competition (not every pair playing was attempting to Q). First board of the evening.

We don't play support doubles, but (takeout) double and then removing 3♣ to 3♥ strongly suggests 3-6 in the majors. We also don't need the world for a 3♥ rebid (this hand would qualify as 7 playing tricks, 2N would be GF artificial so 3♥ is limited), but N decided not to as he held 3 spades. S looked at the quality of his spades and decided not to bid 3♠ over 3♥.

This scored us 0/16 with spades 3-2 and K♣ onside so you can't go wrong. In fact even with K♣ wrong, you are still gin in 4♥ with spades 3-2, as you can establish the spades if they play 2 rounds (duck the first), and concede a club and discard a spade if they don't.

[Phil]

Not a fan of any system where I have to double with 3=7 in our suits so I can't comment on the nuances of a structure like this.

[gnasher]

South underbid (twice, I think). To bid like this, opener has to have quite a good hand - with a minimum 3-6 he'd just bid 2♥ or 2♠.

[nigel_k]

Didn't North show the same strength as a jump to 3♥ over 2♦? Then South has an easy raise to 4. If North might also double with a weaker 3613 then I don't agree with the methods as it is too likely to end in the wrong partscore.

[Cyberyeti]

In the discussion afterwards, everybody agreed you should bury the spade fit and just bid 3♥ over 2♦. You don't want to be playing in spades even if partner has 5 as 2 rounds of diamonds and the heart suit is dead if the king is offside. S would then bid 4.

X in the absence of a club holding shows a 3-6 13-14 count, ie the sort of hand that is maximum for a 1♥ opener and 2♥ rebid, with 3 spades and in doubt as to which suit to play in. We would tend to bid 2♥ on any hand however minimum with 6 hearts over 2♦ (should have mentioned 1♥ only showed 4).

[kgr]

Cyberyeti, on 2011-January-08, 17:11, said:

In the discussion afterwards, everybody agreed you should bury the spade fit and just bid 3♥ over 2♦.

I think I would rebid 4♥ over 2♦.

[whereagles]

typical 3♥ opener in 4th seat, after which responder has an easy raise.

[pooltuna]

gnasher, on 2011-January-08, 14:05, said:

South underbid (twice, I think). To bid like this, opener has to have quite a good hand - with a minimum 3-6 he'd just bid 2♥ or 2♠.

I agree with this.

[Cyberyeti]

whereagles, on 2011-January-09, 06:40, said:

typical 3♥ opener in 4th seat, after which responder has an easy raise.

Which was the other question that came up, what does a 4th seat 3♥ bid mean ? Partner certainly considered it, and if he bids it should I raise ?

I thought on our actual auction, AQx, AQJxxx, Jx, xx was typical in which case 3♥ was plenty.

[cherdano]

Cyberyeti, on 2011-January-09, 08:17, said:

I thought on our actual auction, AQx, AQJxxx, Jx, xx was typical in which case 3♥ was plenty.

Doubling is an overbid with this hand, why go to the 3-level without any substantial extras? Just bid 2H.

Edit: Needless to say I agree with gnasher that passing 3H was a huge underbid.
(I am not sure 3♣ was an underbid - sure, West's hand is worth a game try if he knows about a major suit fit, but without it I don't see where we are going, and 4♣ might be too high.)

This post has been edited by cherdano: 2011-January-09, 08:45

[whereagles]

Cyberyeti, on 2011-January-09, 08:17, said:

1. Which was the other question that came up, what does a 4th seat 3♥ bid mean ? Partner certainly considered it,

2. and if he bids it should I raise ?

1. It shows a classical preempt with a side trick or two. Certainly not KQJTxxx and out, since that hand passes (opps have more hcp than we).

2. Since it's imps, certainly. You can't be too sure to make, but you definitely want to give it a shot.

[Cyberyeti]

cherdano, on 2011-January-09, 08:42, said:

Doubling is an overbid with this hand, why go to the 3-level without any substantial extras? Just bid 2H.

Edit: Needless to say I agree with gnasher that passing 3H was a huge underbid.
(I am not sure 3♣ was an underbid - sure, West's hand is worth a game try if he knows about a major suit fit, but without it I don't see where we are going, and 4♣ might be too high.)

Sorry, should have said, 3♣ is the better of 2 ways of bidding 3♣, so definitely not an underbid. I've shown a 9-10 with this bid, what I haven't shown is ♥Kx and useful cards outside.