[han]

Partner deals, all vulnerable at IMPs

A9xx
A9xxx
xx
KJ

p - 1C - 1H - p
2C - p - ??

[Hanoi5]

I'd love to be able to bid 2♠ and have it as some sort of natural invitation. We have a non-minimum hand, clubs seem to be well placed and if partner has some help in spades we might make 10 tricks.

However if partner will take 2♠ as a 'reverse' showing a very strong hand (for an overcall) I'd prefer to bid 3♥.

[han]

Partner is not world class but also not an idiot.

[andy_h]

I will invite with 2S

[whereagles]

I'm not interested in game opposite a passed partner, especially these days when people tend to open on any excuse. Pard is semi-broke and, bar some miraculous hand-fitting, game will be a long, long shot.

2♥

[gwnn]

I think 2♦ should be played as after Drury. If we do play it that way, I will bid it.

[ArtK78]

2♥. Partner is a passed hand. If he cannot take another action, this should be high enough.

[nige1]

han, on 2011-June-29, 08:08, said:

Partner deals, all vulnerable at IMPs ♠ A9xx ♥ A9xxx ♦ xx ♣ KJ
p - 1C - 1H - p
2C - p - ??

IMO 2♥ = 10, 2♠ = 9, 2N = 8. You have a bit to spare but not much.

[helene_t]

ArtK78, on 2011-June-29, 11:34, said:

2♥. Partner is a passed hand. If he cannot take another action, this should be high enough.

Partner won't take further actions, he has told his story and we do have a better hand than we might. Anyway, unless playing gwnn's Drury convention (which I like), then I agree with 2♥.

[han]

I bid 2D without having an agreement. I wanted to do something positive without going past 2H. 2D might cause partner to misevaluate, but on the upside, it might cause the opponents to misdefend. Both happened.

[Phil]

I like 2♦. Its quite easy to put together a dreadful 10 count where I would rather contract for 8 tricks instead of 9. OTOH, partner might bid 2♠ along the way to 3♥, and this would be nice for us.

[han]

I agree with you Phil. In fact, partner had KQ108 Q8x xxx Axx and I think he should bid 2S over 2D. 4S is far from cold but I wouldn't be ashamed to be there.

If partner bids 2H, you are actually better off having bid 2D since the opponents might be misled.

[benlessard]

If I play with a sound opening bidder i bid 2D. Otherwise 2H. Im going to need a real magical hand form partner for game to be 50% or higher.

Something like a 2S+4H with 3 cover cards.

I have no respect for a 2S bid.

[whereagles]

On empty, game should be around 40% or so. Definitely worth bidding, especially V. In practice RHO is likely to have the ♥K more than half the time so, unless you get a lucky club lead, it's gonna be a bit of an uphill battle.

[andy_h]

I'm not sure I understand the love for 2D unless you have agreed to play it as a "last train" like drury. If you don't play that however isn't 2S a much better description of your hand? Our hand is pretty decent as it is coupled with Aces and Kings (with the club Ace likely to be with the opener). If partner has xxx in diamonds they're not going to love their hand (bad for us) and if partner has Qxx or KJx (also bad for us) as they're going to like their hand much more with a valuable card which we don't want. Partner may have a suitable hand for us to make a vul game (which you can be sure that the contract has decent chances if partner accepts our 2S game try) but otherwise we can rest in 3H and try our best.

[JLOGIC]

We can easily go down at the 3 level opposite normal 2C bids, hence the love for 2D as a last train game try that lets us stop at the 2 level. Really, we want partner to have 4 trumps in order to play game. We might make 4S and not 4H which 2S would be good for, but otherwise we probably need a 4 card limit raise to start thinking about game. Given that partner is a passed hand, a large majority of the hands he will bid past 2H with over 2D are hands with 4 trumps, so that goes well with our actual hand.

I think 2S is just too much, it will work well when it gets us to 4S but otherwise it risks the 3 level when we don't necessarily have safety, and in doing so will compel partner to think our hand is better and probably push on to 4H more aggressively (will partner ever stop below 4H with KQx KJx Qxxx xxx or something after 2S? Game opposite that is just horrible, and that will look like a really good hand to partner).

If I could not bid 2D and have partner understand it, I would easily bid 2H. In fact, even if partner would understand it, I might just bid 2H. Partner having 4 trumps just becomes unlikely with the opponents passing after opening and having 18 or so high cards.

[JLOGIC]

han, on 2011-June-30, 03:57, said:

I agree with you Phil. In fact, partner had KQ108 Q8x xxx Axx and I think he should bid 2S over 2D. 4S is far from cold but I wouldn't be ashamed to be there.

If partner bids 2H, you are actually better off having bid 2D since the opponents might be misled.

This reminds me of a hand I had int he world junior pairs with Joe Grue once. We had almost never played together, and had the auction 1H (2C) 2H (3C) and I bid 3D. 3D was my only game try so said nothing about diamonds. My partner (in his usual almost-instant fashion) bid 3S. I was delighted to hear that as I was 4531, and I bid 4S. I was surprised my partner had only 4 spades! I realized what a thoughtful bid that was, one I would have never thought of, and was quite impressed.

[Lurpoa]

han, on 2011-June-29, 08:08, said:

Partner deals, all vulnerable at IMPs

A9xx
A9xxx
xx
KJ

p - 1C - 1H - p
2C - p - ??

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
First of all - and I keep repeating myself - you must agree with partner on the significance of the 2♣bid.
During many, many years: 2♣ was GF.
Nowadays, a lot of partnerships will play it, as just a good raise, ... or an unassuming cue-bid.



What was it here ?

[FrancesHinden]

I don't like 2S over 2C on partner's hand for two reasons. First it may get you too high, but secondly it's not forcing, and if you have a minimum overcall with 2-5 in the majors, you are going to pass 2S and you are in a stupid contract.

[MrAce]

I'd bid 2♥