[ahydra]

Not a bad game tonight now that regular pard is back from the USA - but these two hands could have gone somewhat better. Please enjoy the impromptu poetry, and then ATB.

1)
With East as dealer and vulnerability "both red"
Dealer opened the bidding: "One Diamond" she said.
South doubled for takeout, West bid One N.T.,
And North bid clubs at the level of three.

South panicked, for only two clubs did he hold;
He cuebid in diamonds, not feeling so bold.
With no stop in diamonds North called Three Hearts
And there it rested, but 'twas down from the start.

With no easy partscore and no making game
For minus two hundred, apportion the blame?

---

(1D = 4+)

2)

An interesting hand was the last of the night.
Our heroes were red, their opponents were white.
Holding a pointy six-five and thirteen Milton Count
West opened One Diamond; (One Heart)-Double came round.

"A fit!" thought West. "My partner has spades!
This is the time for a splinter to be made!"
With points of his own East said "Can this be?"
And pulled from the box good ol' RKCB.

"Two keycards," quoth West, "and no Queen of Spades."
But East may not have been on the same page.
"But you splintered", East murmured. "Can your hand be so small?
You can't have just two keys - you must have them all!"

Our heroes discovered, much to their dismay,
Aces win tricks and those tricks went away.
And despite the trump King dropping under the Ace
It's your judgement that our heroes will now face!

---

(1D = 4+, X will normally have 4 spades but doesn't guarantee it)

Thanks,

ahydra

[Cyberyeti]

1. bidding over 3♣ is absurd, you've shown everything you have, possibly and more.

2. 4♥ is OTT, 3♥ is enough 3♥-4♣-4♠ then ends the auction.

[PhilKing]

1st hand - don't really get why North didn't double 1NT.

2nd hand - where do I start?

[EricK]

1. The first call to mention is double by South
With shortage in clubs he might well shut his mouth.
But if double with this is a part of your style
Then on the next round he must Pass with a smile.

But North is not blameless from what I can see
His hand is quite good for defending N.T.
There's an excellent chance that the opps are in trouble
And he can express this by means of a double.

2. "Keycard" without any keycards is risky
And bidding the slam when you're off three is frisky.
Or did he imagine all five held by West?
In which case just bidding 5 Spades is best.
Partner will Pass you if he just has two
And you'll play it in five (and you might make it too)
There's no reason to fear (long as partner's alive)
If he has more keycards, he won't leave you in five.

[neilkaz]

Hand 1) South should pass 3♣ rather than fishing for game on this sequence with this min hand after PD fails to X 1NT.

Hand 2) East bids a slam in a likely 4-4 fit after what is presumably RKC showing 3 missing keycards?!!? ROFL I blame the opps for not doubling. East owes west an appology for this hand.

EDIT: Oops,,,after reading Eric's post I realize that east thought west had 5 key cards, but certainly with all 5 of the asked for cards, west won't pass 5♠...and yes...the decision to key card with no keys in hand was not prudent here.

[Codo]

What a wondernful way to present some problems- and what a great answer by Erik. Thanks folks, you made my day.

1. Problem: Double 1 NT and be very happy. Leave it in 3 ♣ which shows a weak hand with long clubs. With a strong hand, partner surely had doubled 1 NT. He had. He surely had... Well anyway, next time he will.

2. 4 ♥ is an overbid, and 6 ♠is wrong. If you are afraid that partner may pass 5 ♠, bid 7 with all keycards... But don't be afraid, partner won't pass 5 ♠ anyway...