[hrothgar]

After a long absence, I actually played some F2F bridge last night with the forum's own BunnyGo

Here's a MP problem that I got wrong (twice)

The auction starts as follows (Hopefully, folks agree with the first two bids)

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First set of questions:

What was 3♥?
Choose your call

Next: The auction continues

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What now?

[hrothgar]

Self bumping, because I'd like to see some comments...

[whereagles]

Seems like an easy 6D to me. Unless pard is in a very different wavelength, I expect him to have some sort of strong 1354.

By the way, if 3C was NF, then 3D seems tame.

[Wackojack]

I suspect not 1354. If partner was slamming with 1354 he would next cue 4♠, it also give opps a 9 card spade fit that has not been raised. So I suspect 3♥ was a manouvre to find out if I could bid 3NT. I would also have bid 4♥ without a spade stop, telling partner I am prepared to play in a 4-3 fit. So when I could not, bid 3NT, he settled for 5♦. So probably 2254 and I pass. Have I got it wrong twice also?

[nigel_k]

I'll bid 4♣ now and will settle for 5♦ even at matchpoints. I don't know exactly what 3♥ means if undiscussed. Maybe partner has a stiff spade but there aren't many spades in the pack in that case and I won't be surprised if he turn out to have xx Ax AKQxx AQxx though I would bid 3♠ with that. Even if he does have a stiff spade there could be a trump loser or maybe he will drive to slam himself when it makes. 4♥ could be the best spot as well but I think it is too hard to get there only when it is right to do so.

[gnasher]

I think 3♥ shows what it sounds like: a game-forcing 1354. This is even more certain than in the equivalent uncontested sequence (1♦-1♥;3♣-3♦;3♥), beause in this auction partner could have cue-bid 2♠ or 3♠ with any other shape.

5♦ sounds like a cue-bid for hearts, except that partner can't be missing both black aces. x AJx AKQxx QJ10x is a long way from moving over 4♥. I don't know what he's doing, but I'll bid 6♦ anyway. I do seem to have a good hand.

[hrothgar]

Here's the complete hand and auction

Partner and I were playing for the first time, and agree to a pretty basic version of 2/1 GF

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I interpreted partner's 3♥ bid as indicating uncertainty regarding strain and bid 4H to suggest playing the Moysian.
Partner thought that 3♦ had set strain and interpreted 3♥ as a cue bid.

After partner bid 5♦ I went into a long tank.
I passed. In retrospect, I should have figured that 5m never scores well at MP and just bid 6...

Curious whether there is any real consensus regarding the disputed bids....

[BunnyGo]

hrothgar, on 2012-January-21, 08:01, said:

Here's the complete hand and auction

Partner and I were playing for the first time, and agree to a pretty basic version of 2/1 GF

I interpreted partner's 3♥ bid as indicating uncertainty regarding strain and bid 4H to suggest playing the Moysian.
Partner thought that 3♦ had set strain and interpreted 3♥ as a cue bid.

After partner bid 5♦ I went into a long tank.
I passed. In retrospect, I should have figured that 5m never scores well at MP and just bid 6...

Curious whether there is any real consensus regarding the disputed bids...

It turned out that 5D scored AVG+ as most people were in 5D+1 and some were in part scores or 3NT on a spade lead. In addition to the questions hrothgar has raised I too am interested in how I should have been bidding my hand:

A, A2, KQT84, AT952

I was slightly unsure of the 3♣ bid opposite a passed hand and very unsure of the 3♥ bid.

[TWO4BRIDGE]

hrothgar, on 2012-January-21, 08:01, said:

Here's the complete hand and auction

Partner and I were playing for the first time, and agree to a pretty basic version of 2/1 GF

---

.... In retrospect, I should have figured that 5m never scores well at MP and just bid 6...
....

Agree

[masse24]

Your double could show Five ♥'s yes?

Assuming this is so, 3♥ would, to me, show delayed support (3 cards), still searching for strain, and strong enough to play in game opposite a minimum (which the Jump Shift surely indicates).

That said, I would reject the presumed suggestion of a ♥ strain, and since I have already shown preference for ♦'s, Q-bid the ♣K along the way.

I'm not really sure about your partner's continuations after this. Maybe if Kickback is an option your partner could trot it out...

[phil_20686]

A bit late, but fwiw, I think that 3c is GF after the dble. No different from 1d-1h-3c. I think that 3H does not necessarily show three hearts, but it should definitely imply spade shortage I think. If you have no spade shortage, like xx spades, you should just bid 3S rather than 3H. I mean, it is normal to bid 3h with 1264 or 1255 imo. with 2254 I think 3S is normal.

Over 3h my hand feels pretty huge to play in diamonds, I would have bid 4c next. Not sure what happens after that but it feels like chances to get to 6 are pretty good now.

[aguahombre]

Yes, it seems 4C over pard's 3H would have been a good idea. 4H was ill-advised. But as it went, East has to just bid 6D.