[nigel_k]

The South hand is not an opening bid for me, though it is close. However I agree with 3♠. I might pass a minimum with four spades but not including a stiff club.

The main problem is that North did too much, especially when partner bid under pressure and it's matchpoints.

[mike777]

MickyB, on 2012-March-20, 09:04, said:

No, stiff KD and Jxx spade with East, so if declarer plays on diamonds before drawing trumps he's fine.

hmm so keep forcing with clubs will not work then?

anyway seems like a tough hand all around, far from easy in bidding or play.

[655321]

I agree completely with wank and disagree with mikeh.

I would only open this hand w/r, although I don't actually hate the opening. But having opened, we have a singleton in the suit the opponents have bid and raised, and we have 4 spades, bidding 3♠ seems completely obvious to me. Passing because we are ashamed of having opened, with the plan of blaming poor partner for passing out 3♣ with his club length, doesn't make sense to me.

[MrAce]

To open or not is debateable i understand. I dont understand not bidding 3♠ once you open.

I see people who argues that bidding 3♠ here requires extras. I am pretty sure same people will argue that pd needs extras too to make a 2nd DBL at 3 level. Thus to reply their argument about trusting pd to balance, my answer is; NO i dont really think that my pd can balance with a lot of hands where we needed to compete.

AQxx
x
Jxxxx
Jxx

Do we really expect pd to make another DBL with these type of hands ? I dont. He is not even aware that we have a fit, he thinks his hand is happy in defending 3♣ with holding a stiff in my suit.

And i am not even mentioning the hands where he can hold 5 card ♠ that wasnt strong enough to start with 2♠, such as (actually i just mentioned )

AJTxx
xx
Qxxx
xx

ahydra, on 2012-March-20, 05:20, said:

North: "hmm, unlucky -1 here. Bad score though because they can't make 4C"
South: "ugh, partner, why did you have to raise to 4? I was merely competing"
North: "don't like my defensive prospects against 4C - also, you have probably only one club, I've got a 6-4, and the way I play 3S there you've shown extras... wait, what, you opened a 10-count?!"
South: "yea, got both majors and a nice shape, both nonvul so need to compete for the partscore"

North is finding excuses, if he really believed that his pd has extras, why didnt he bid game previous round ? Also he is saying " You probably have a stiff club..." And why did he think his pd had 4♠+stiff ♣+extras and bid only 3♠ ??

[Zelandakh]

One option here is to use the double to differentiate between ranges for Opener. So either an immediate 3♠ is invitational and double followed by 3♠ (if possible) merely shows competitive values or the reverse. I think the OP's post-morten should really start with defining what an opening bid is for this partnership. I would routinely open this hand but I have also discussed this with my partner and she expects it. It is probably only a positive to open light if it is within agreements (a bad system played well is better than a good system played badly).

[rmnka447]

Look at the hands, folks! 4 S on a total on 17 HCP is a little much. In all auctions, at some point, someone has to limit the value of their hand.

I don't have a problem with South opening 1 H on the hand. It does have 2 1/2 QTs, both majors, and intermediates in both suits. It's a VERY light opening. It's also OK to pass it if that's your style.

After the 2 C bid, the negative double is OK too because of the long Diamond suit. Normally, with a balanced hand, you'd need 10+ HCP to double at the 2 level. But here, if the opponents compete further to 3 Clubs, you'll bid Diamonds showing long diamonds and not enough values to bid 2 D directly.

After the 3 C bid, opener has a clear pass. Yes, he does know there is a 4-4 spade fit. However, a direct 3 S bid would shows at least 13-14 HCP and 4 Spades. The pass at this point limits his hand to a minimum opener. His partner will still have another chance to speak and allow his side to compete. If his partner, in pass out seat reopens with a Double, he will know his partner has the 10+ point hand and now a competitive bid of 3 S becomes OK. Doubler will then be in position to make the right decision should the opponents bid on.

As it happens, the negative doubler will bid 3 D when 3 C is passed back to him. Opener now knows that the doubler doesn't have a hand strong enough (11-12+ HCP and 5+ Ds) to make a direct free bid.

When the opponents compete to 4 C,the negative doubler has a tough decision to make. At IMPs, the decision is easy -- just pass and take your positive. At Matchpoints, the decision is more difficult. But looking at a stiff in partner's suit and the S A, prospects are good that 4 C can be defeated. Therefore, he should Double. They'll be times that 4C doubled will make, but that the nature of Matchpoints. But the issue is that 4 C undoubled down 2 is less than any partscore that you could make.

The defense should go singleton Heart to opener's A or K. Cash the second H honor on which doubler makes a discouraging signal in Ds. A third heart is led showing a suit preference for Spades. Doubler ruffs, cashes the S A, and continues Spades. The result 4 C doubled down 2 for a +300 and a good score.