[Phil]

Matchpoints, field is generally pathetic.

1. x, A, AT8xxx, KQxxx...opps silent - 1♦ - 3N - ?

2. J93 82 AJ73 Q973...opps silent - p - 1♥ - 1N (sf) - 2♦ - ?

[rduran1216]

6c

pass

[CSGibson]

1. 4♣. We can still be on for 7 of either minor, or go down at the 5 level. There's no reason to guess; this is obviously forcing. If partner bids 4N (which I would take as to play, with 4D indicating a diamond fit and a major suit cue-bid as a club fit), then I will probably pass.

2. 2♥, but I don't feel strongly about it. Give me the QT of spades instead of a Jx, and I think it would be clear to keep the auction open.

[whereagles]

1. 4♣, not willing to give up on 7. The main reason is people sometimes bid 3NT on all sorts of hands unsuitable for NT play, e.g. Axx Jxx KQx Axxx.

2. Obvious 2♥. Why is this a problem? I can't pass 2♦ when pard can have a good 16 and 3NT is a make.

[TWO4BRIDGE]

Phil, on 2011-June-01, 23:44, said:

Matchpoints, field is generally pathetic.

1. x, A, AT8xxx, KQxxx...opps silent - 1♦ - 3N - ?

2. J93 82 AJ73 Q973...opps silent - p - 1♥ - 1N (sf) - 2♦ - ?

Am I the only one who goes thru contortions to figure out the posted bidding?
Is the following format too much trouble?

1♦ - 3NT
??
..6♣

  p   - 1♥
1NT - 2♦
??
..pass

[jillybean]

1. I hate your methods and much prefer 1♦:2♣ gf balanced or clubs.

2. ♥♥

[Phil]

jillybean, on 2011-June-02, 08:55, said:

1. I hate your methods and much prefer 1♦:2♣ gf balanced or clubs.

ditto

[aguahombre]

jillybean, on 2011-June-02, 08:55, said:

I hate your methods and much prefer 1♦:2♣ gf balanced or clubs.

1D-3N is truly an ugly flaw when it has to be used with 13-15 because 2NT=11-12.

But in this case, it seems not to matter much. You still will have the same decision over 3NT after a pretty-much meaningless extra round of bidding which shows responder had the balanced hand, not the club hand.

So, back to the problem: 4C...Is that 6-Key minorwood? It certainly could be, since responder is known to have 2+ diamonds.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

#1 4C
#2 Pass

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Phil]

aguahombre, on 2011-June-02, 10:17, said:

But in this case, it seems not to matter much. You still will have the same decision over 3NT after a pretty-much meaningless extra round of bidding which shows responder had the balanced hand, not the club hand.

Not at all. Over 2♣, I can splinter this and get one bid off my chest. I'm still bidding 4♣ over 3N, but I have gone a long way toward describing my hand.

[gwnn]

TWO4BRIDGE, on 2011-June-02, 08:40, said:

Am I the only one who goes thru contortions to figure out the posted bidding?

Not just you. I like line breaks or at least semicolons between bidding rounds.

[Phil]

On the 1st, partner has close to the worst hand imaginable: KQ9, QJx, Jxx, A9xx. Everything on the hand is wrong; ♦KQ9x offside, ♠A over the KQ. The ruffing finesse in heart does work if they don't cash the spade against a club contract. 3N fetches. That is the last making game.

On the 2nd, partner felt like he needed to make an anti-systemic bid and chose not to open 1N on his Kxx KJTxx Kxx AJ. 2♦ made, but NT is a lot more fun to play.

[JLOGIC]

Passing 2D is truly horrible. It is not even in the realm of possibility. If you pass 2D with this hand I believe that is a huge flaw in your game and that I am not exaggerating by saying that.

[Phil]

JLOGIC, on 2011-June-02, 13:38, said:

Passing 2D is truly horrible. It is not even in the realm of possibility. If you pass 2D with this hand I believe that is a huge flaw in your game and that I am not exaggerating by saying that.

Mind explaining why? It seems like its on the cusp for me.

[JLOGIC]

Playing semi-forcing NT, as far as I understand partner can be 4531 or 3532 (with the latter he would have 13 or 14), and in those cases I would rather play hearts.

Partner can also have 6 hearts, and 4 diamonds. In those cases I would like to play hearts. I will admit that I routinely bid 2D with 6-4 hands unless the hearts are quite good, but perhaps that is circular becuase I likely do that since I expect my partner to know how to false preference when he is 2-4. However I do think this is expert standard, and I thought this is what you did also. If you play the old fashioned 6-6-4 with bad, 6-4-6 with good then the likelihood of this case changes.

Partner can also have a hand that is going to bid again over a 2H preference. In that case, my hand is pretty reasonable, and we might have a game. At the very least, whatever partner is going to bid I will get to bid 3D next and we will almost always make that, so I have not really gained by passing. Sometimes partner will bid game (he will know we have about this amount of values, with more we would drive it, and with much less we would just pass 2D).

Whenever you are fine with partner bidding again, you should usually preference back. You should only be passing when you're SCARED of him bidding again, and want the auction to die (and when you are that weak, partner often will be bidding again).

If partner is 54 with a minimum, I would rather play 2D than 2H. But even then, sometimes I'll luck out and make 110 in hearts. Sometimes, if I pass, the opponents can balance and find their plus, so I will win even with 2H going down. Sometimes partner will be 54 and not bid again but still have more than a minimum, like a 14 or 15 or 16 count. In those cases, I will still be happier playing 2H, since I just expect it to make very often and sometimes it will get 140.

Yes, passing can win, but passing at matchpoints with a fine hand (8 points, and good diamonds) with 2-4 is just bizarre and bad in standard methods imo (passing in strong club would be a much different thing).

[quiddity]

JLOGIC, on 2011-June-02, 14:17, said:

Playing semi-forcing NT, as far as I understand partner can be 4531 or 3532 (with the latter he would have 13 or 14), and in those cases I would rather play hearts.

He's opposite a passed hand at matchpoints - shouldn't he just pass 1NT with those hands?

[TWO4BRIDGE]

JLOGIC, on 2011-June-02, 13:38, said:

Passing 2D is truly horrible. It is not even in the realm of possibility. If you pass 2D with this hand I believe that is a huge flaw in your game and that I am not exaggerating by saying that.

ooops, MP scoring... so 2H instead of passing 2D.

[rduran1216]

to me 2D over 1NT semi forcing shows either 0553 or 1543 shape only, with a spade fear for 1NT, Otherwise, especially at MP, taking partner out of 1NT is potentially dangerous. If partner is expected to bid 2D on a full 17 count, thats a different matter (I expect my partners to have 11-17), but it depends on what you expect out of 2D, and I would suggest taking the hyperbole out of your claim. Because the likelihood you get too high on partners fearful 11-13 is more likely to me than making a foreward going call with a good 16-17.

[Foxx]

(1) 4♣, natural and forcing. Opposite a typical hand such as ♠AJx ♥J10x ♦KQx ♣J9xx, six of either minor is a favorite to come home, while 3NT is likely to go down

(2) 3♦

[whereagles]

Foxx, on 2011-June-06, 16:37, said:

(1) 4♣, natural and forcing. Opposite a typical hand such as ♠AJx ♥J10x ♦KQx ♣J9xx, six of either minor is a favorite to come home, while 3NT is likely to go down

That's not a typical hand. That's a bidding error. Responder should envisage the possibility of a major suit singleton across and bid 2♣ instead of 3NT.