[SimonFa]

IMPS, all white:

♠9
♥AKQT9852
♦52
♣K8

(P) P (P) ?

Decision 1:

For a fleeting moment a rule of 15 pass flies through the brain but that is obviously ludicrous. So what to open? It looks like ops could have a spade fit and if they have opening 1H could be fatal if it lets the them figure out their Spade holding.

This looks like one of those "last guess ops" situations I've been reading about in Matchpoints. OK lets give
4H a go.

Agree with reasoning and bid?

Decision 2:

As expected 4S is returned via a double and bid, now what?

Rule 1 of preempting states say your piece and then take a vow a silence. But is this a special case?

I don't think so, if I thought it was worth 5H why not open it?

So pass it is.

OK so far?

Decision 3:

Oops, didn't figure on having yet another decision...

4S doubled comes back. Now what? I'm really not happy now and starting to wonder if I should have passed or just gone for 5H.

Does the same vow of silence hold? Does P have a some Spades? Its not unreasonable I suppose.

I think I forgot to mention partner was a Robot and and the description of partner's double isn't very helpful as we can figure out his points holding.

For the gory details


Thanks in advance for all thoughts,

Simon

[mgoetze]

1. 4♥ is perfectly normal.
2. Pass is perfectly normal.
3. If you were playing with a human you would have a totally obvious instapass. With a robot... well... was this a basic robot? The bidding and defense seem a bit ridiculous for even an advanced bot. But in either case, playing with a robot will get you fixed once in a while, nothing you can do about it. You might guess correctly to bid 5♥ but it would suck a bit if GIB had a real double for a change.

[Antrax]

Is it reasonable to expect to make 4♥ on this hand if they let you play there?

[mgoetze]

Antrax, on 2012-February-04, 23:41, said:

Is it reasonable to expect to make 4♥ on this hand if they let you play there?

After 3 passes, the points will be divided pretty evenly among the other 3 players, so you can pretty much count on partner having 9 HCP. Now of course on a really bad day he will have ♠KQJ ♦QJ but statistically he is more likely to have one or two useful cards. And when he only has one useful card your ♣K might still be taking a trick. So without thinking too hard about it I would estimate your chances at over 50%.

[gwnn]

Antrax, on 2012-February-04, 23:41, said:

Is it reasonable to expect to make 4♥ on this hand if they let you play there?

Just a very approximate calculation says yes: there are three opponents and three aces at the table so center-hand opponent rates to have one (it is by far the most likely number in my opinion). Opposite an ace you are either cold (if it is in clubs) or you have a very good chance of making (club finesse, club queen from partner, another king, etc).

[Codo]

Sometimes doing the right thing is not rewarded while playing bridge.

To bid 4 ♥ is correct.
To pass 4 ♠ is correct. A double, btw had not been a penalty double with 4 tricks against their game in hand, but a strong 4 Heart bid with surprisingly much defence for that bid.
To pass the double is correct.

At least opposite human partners your bids look fine to me. I have not too much experience with gibs however.

Game makes, because of the heart chicane, the diamond finesse on and because you cannot get a club ruff. Bad luck.

[TWO4BRIDGE]

Decision 1:
3NT

[Codo]

Don, your advice at the B/I Forum to open a hand with 1822 is 3 NT? Sorry, that is horrible.
(I would open 3 NT because in the system I play, this is a 3 NT opening- but this is surely not B/I stuff.)

[daveharty]

I agree with opening 4H. However, if you expect to have to make a decision over 4S--and your post seems to indicate this is the case--then it might be worth considering opening something else, like 3H, and allowing yourself to get "pushed" to 4H. This kind of amateurish tactic shouldn't work against good opponents, but against the bots, it might increase your chance of actually getting to play in 4H.

[SimonFa]

Thanks for your comments, its nice to know I didn't blunder with a 4th hand opening at the 4-level.

I'll bear in mind Deave's comment about opening 3, it might work against some at one of my local clubs.

Regards,

Simon

[HighLow21]

I would be torn, but I would stick the double and their game would make. I'm actually least likely to make this bid White on White.

I'd venture that they can make a spade game far less often than you can make the heart game, so opening 4♥ seems reasonable. Just expect that, against good opponents and holding a small spade stiff, you will end up having to make a decision over 4♠ (or 5m) a fair amount of the time. Maybe as often as 30% to 50% of the time. This is especially true because you bid a game all by yourself in the passout seat. Why would you bid it if you didn't think you could make it? And if partner has some spades or a long minor and I have ♥ shortness, then surely there's a cheaper sacrifice?

(I'd be much happier to open 4♥ if I could exchange my spade holding with either of my minor suit holdings, by the way. Making 10 tricks in spades if I have a doubleton, or 11 tricks in any minor, is much less likely than them making 10 tricks in spades when i have a small singleton.)

The more I think about it, the more likely I am to pass it out or open 1♥, actually.

[nige1]

SimonFa, on 2012-February-04, 20:04, said:

IMPS, all white: ♠ 9 ♥ AKQT9852 ♦ 52 ♣ K8
(P) P (P) ?
Decision 1: For a fleeting moment a rule of 15 pass flies through the brain but that is obviously ludicrous. So what to open? It looks like ops could have a spade fit and if they have opening 1H could be fatal if it lets the them figure out their Spade holding. This looks like one of those "last guess ops" situations I've been reading about in Matchpoints. OK lets give 4H a go. Agree with reasoning and bid?

IMO 3♥ = 10, 4♥ = 9, 1♥ = 7, Pass = 5. In fourth seat, I like 3-level bids to show solid suits. so that partner can shoot 3N. Opening in fourth suit with very short ♠ may not be as dangerous as it first appears because since nobody has bid them so far, it is likely that partner has several.

SimonFa, on 2012-February-04, 20:04, said:

Decision 2: As expected 4S is returned via a double and bid, now what? Rule 1 of preempting states say your piece and then take a vow a silence. But is this a special case? I don't think so, if I thought it was worth 5H why not open it? So pass it is. OK so far?

Pass = 10, 5♥ = 5. You seem to have more defence than you promised

SimonFa, on 2012-February-04, 20:04, said:

Decision 3: Oops, didn't figure on having yet another decision... 4S doubled comes back. Now what? I'm really not happy now and starting to wonder if I should have passed or just gone for 5H. Does the same vow of silence hold? Does P have a some Spades? Its not unreasonable I suppose. I think I forgot to mention partner was a Robot and and the description of partner's double isn't very helpful as we can figure out his points holding.

Pass = 10, 5♥ = 7 (only because partner is a Robot).

SimonFa, on 2012-February-04, 20:04, said:

For the gory details

No overtricks. That's a relief

[Vampyr]

nige1, on 2012-February-08, 19:52, said:

No overtricks. That's a relief

Not many, anyway.

[flametree]

Your bidding was fine. Any human partner would bid 5H with north's cards rather than double.

[SimonFa]

Thanks everyone, some interesting thoughts. I was concerned about this bid in 4th seat but it looks like it was reasonable, perhaps some of my studying is paying off

Codo, on 2012-February-05, 09:14, said:

Don, your advice at the B/I Forum to open a hand with 1822 is 3 NT? Sorry, that is horrible.
(I would open 3 NT because in the system I play, this is a 3 NT opening- but this is surely not B/I stuff.)

I appreciate that Don's suggestion was a bit esoteric for us B/I, but I do like to see these thoughts occasionally, even if its something that I won't be using.

Having said that, I wouldn't like to see this area clogged up with too much A/E stuff.

Once again, thanks all for your time and thoughts,

Simon