[BunnyGo]

This was played with some BBFers in a team match. These two people had never played together before and so had very few agreements.

E/W are vuln and East dealt. E/W pass throughout:

South held:

AKQJ83, QJ865, void, K2

North held:

94, A732, AT9, A986

1♠-3NT
4♥-AP

comments? suggestions?

[neilkaz]

LOL at 3NT which could mean anything absent agreements. Certainly I'd respond 2♣ and hopefully things sort themselves out after that. When you play with very few agreements, sometimes you're more likely to not arrive at the optimal contract.

They're may be a part of the world where you respond with a natural 3NT, but I don't live in it and hate the bid, but if it is taken as natural then South could envision slam possibilites.

[inquiry]

i am not a fan of 3NT, but given that bid, I am very much not a fan of the 4♥ bid either, OVER 3NT, with no agreements, I would have tried 5♥, which gets you to 6♥ despite the 3NT bid.

Let's assume a minimum agreement of 2/1 GF, the options with north over 1♠ would be...
2♣ establish game force, and finds the heart fit, and gets you to slam I think when hearts are raised.

or 1NT forcing, which will elicit a jump to 3♥ which should start the ball rolling.

On the actual bidding, I have a small amount of sympathy for the 3nt bidder. Here 3nt assured game would be reached at least. Opener could have done more. I would assess the blame actually more to south, since 4♥ failed to show the playing strength of the hand, but the 3nt bidder is not without some of the blame as well. Lets say 65% on opener, 35% on 3nt bidder.

[Codo]

I do not care about 3 NT if I have no agreement. It gets my shape and my point count across. With a regular partner this had been another piece of cake.

4 ♥ is an underbid like Ben explained.

[neilkaz]

While 4♥ is an underbid, responder can be sure of getting to game if he just bids 2 ♣ as F1.

[Fluffy]

bidding 3NT is an insult to partner.

[gszes]

if playing 2/1 i do not care for the 3n bid
(I would prefer 1n forcing) but having said that

I have no heartache with the bidding until
S PASSED over 4h. Youve discovered at least a
9 card heart fit and you have THREE (lets
recount) YES THREE ACES.

There is a huge possibility there are no minor
suit losers and p has no idea your hand is
so slam oriented. You can imagine a high
% slam if p has as little as Akxxxx Kxxxx x x.

Since p has said we are playing in a major suit
I would bid 4n blackwood (cant be to play) and
bid 6h after p shows just 1 key card.

[MrAce]

Some funny comments, 3NT without agreement means 13-15 hcp balanced hand and no fit. I never heard 3NT denies 3 aces either.

As much as i dont like 3 NT bid, i think it is % 100 6-5 hands fault. Wouldnt he bid 4♥ with AJxxxx QJxxx Kx void ?

[jdeegan]

When I learned to play bridge at Bobby Nail's bridge club in Houston we used the Goren point count system. Responder has 12 HCP plus two tens. His/her hand also has three quick tricks. This, according to the Goren system, would add 1+ 'points' for a total of 13+. Now, Mr. Goren advised that 3NT show 16 to 18 'points'. Newfangled notions have degraded the 3NT bid to 12+ to 14+. If you insist on being modern, then 3NT is acceptable, although with this particular hand I like 2♣, the so-called 'approach forcing' method - said to be the very latest thing.

Assuming a 3NT response, then opener's hand is worth 16 'points' in high cards and three 'points' for the void. Well, any fool who can add can see that we are more than just a little in the slam range: 19 + (12+ to 14+) = plenty 'o stuff. I don't see two quick losers in my hand, so that is not an issue, plus I am playing the hand. If my luck had been running bad, I would have bid 5♥ (only with a very good partner). Otherwise, 6♥ normally, or 6♠ playing opposite Mrs. Crumley.

[dake50]

Got to 6H. They led a spade, won HK for a S-ruff.
Whew! Dodged that set.

[ahydra]

dake50, on 2012-March-04, 08:40, said:

Got to 6H. They led a spade, won HK for a S-ruff.
Whew! Dodged that set.

Then you should have taken the safety play in hearts (HA then another and now there's no way a spade ruff can occur)

As for the blame - if you're going to pre-empt your partner by jumping to 3NT, you should expect this kind of thing to happen. Anything wrong with 2C over 1S (whether playing 2/1 or not)?

1S-2C
3H-4NT (RKC hearts)
6D (1 or 3, void in Diamonds)-6H

ahydra