[Hanoi5]

WvR, imp pairs, after three passes you open:

♠Ax
♥KQ84
♦J6
♣AKJ53

Pa-Pa-Pa-1♣
2♠-Pa-Pa-???

How do you reopen? Is X normal? Is 3♥ acceptable? What's better?

[jmcw]

The 2♠ bidder has passed at his first turn indicating he may have a "flawed" overcall.
Partner has not X, so he will not have 4♥ and 8 or more points.

Whatever I do, has some risk. My choices are

X - Many ways to gain. 3N makes opposite as little as xxx Axx Qxxx Qxx, or you may play 3 of a minor with decent chances to make, or partner may pass for penalty.
2NT - Reasonable shot if it shows this hand type
3♣ - I would need a 6 card suit
PASS - Could be right, but at these colors, NO WAY
3♥ - Never!

I think X is the percentage "normal" action, game is clearly possible and at worse your -100.

[whereagles]

Dbl. I might have to live with pard bidding 3D, but oh well. If you play lebensohl by responder there's less risk in dbling, though.

I might consider 2NT too.

[mcphee]

A good friend of mine is fond of saying," double is the answer to all bidding problems" , it just does not solve all the problems. Bidding 3!H needs a 5th trump, as lebensohl should be on here dble allows the most freedom.

[Free]

mcphee, on 2011-September-11, 04:24, said:

A good friend of mine is fond of saying," double is the answer to all bidding problems"

Hehe, too bad he can't double his partner from time to time.

I think this is a clear Dbl: we have extra's, we'd love it when partner passes, there's a big chance he'll either bid ♥ or ♣, and if he bids ♦ he'll probably have 5+♦ in which case we'll have some play.

[han]

Automatic double, the next round may be tougher.

[jdeegan]

Tough choice. Playing against a blank slate, double first, Pass second, 2NT third, 3♣ fourth, 3♥ no way, imo. Pard's expectancy is 8-10 HCP, so no neg dble probably means no four card heart suit.
You are entitled to consider the quality of the opps, their demeanor at the table, and the state of the match. Against superior opps early in a long match, you might reflect on the fact that the most you can lose by passing (probably) is 5 IMPs, whereas your potential downside is much more if you bid.
Against weaker opps your pard may have a penalty pass. You have to ask yourself, where did the vul vs nvul 2♠ bid come from? No weak 2 bid opener, but a potentially dangerous 2♠ jump overcall. Did RHO tank and then pass with a glum demeanor? Is declarer likely to lose an extra trick as declarer in 2♠. Opps will lose 100 per undertrick even if they aren't doubled.
There is so much to consider that the analysis could go on and on. Covering all the potential cases is too much for me tonite. But, thanks for an excellent problem hand.

[jdeegan]

Just a second thought. I would begin by querying RHO about their system. What I'm worried about is that the reason LHO didn't open 2♠ with a 6 bagger was his secondary 4 bagger ♥ suit. That would leave him with only 3 minor suit cards. Pard then becomes fairly likely to be 3-3-5-2 and the ♦ suit 2-4 or worse. I would still dbl most of the time, but it is another element to be considered.

[han]

I won't question jdeegan's opinion, after all, one of his regular partners is the best matchpoint player in the world. But I think that most of what he has written here is meaningless blather intended to overwhelm us with his superior analytical skills.

[pooltuna]

I think double is the %age call but 2NT or even 3NT are within reason as the remaining HCP appear to be fairly evenly divided as I am in 4th seat after 3 passes

[han]

pooltuna, on 2011-September-14, 12:13, said:

I think double is the %age call but 2NT or even 3NT are within reason as the remaining HCP appear to be fairly evenly divided as I am in 4th seat after 3 passes

You have 18 HCP, Why would the other 22 HCP be evenly divided and not 10-10-2?

The argument makes sense when you have 12 HCP but not here.

[pooltuna]

han, on 2011-September-15, 11:00, said:

You have 18 HCP, Why would the other 22 HCP be evenly divided and not 10-10-2?

The argument makes sense when you have 12 HCP but not here.

I guess fairly evenly divided is not clear enough. I was suggesting the average value of the other 3 hands is 7.333333 so you are probably facing somewhere between 5 and 9 HCP as for 10-10-2 that is pretty much against the odds if you are singling out partner for the 2 and as any simul will probably show.