[Zelandakh]

Round 7 brings to the table a pair of LOLs who will also end up somewhere in the middle of the field. You pick up a slightly above average hand at favourable but when you look back at the table the bidding is at the 4 level. Do you want to come in?

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The ladies are solid types. LHO will have (practically guaranteed) a 7 card suit and less than an opening hand while RHO will either have good heart support or a decent hand.

[32519]

Pass for me.
The ♣QJ are effectively completely useless as both fall under the ♣AK. So now your hand is reduced to 9 HCP. Your best bet is to try and beat 4♥. Double won't work as partner will probably take it for t/o. The ♠ suit is too weak to bid 4♠ directly.

[gszes]

No need to play the hero here--P might have been shut out of the
bidding over 3h (though maybe not since this partnership seems
to require few if any values to bid). When rho is willing to stop in 4h
and you are silent (for once) your p will know you have some values
and if their hand warrants it they may choose to sacrifice.

Let's say p held Kxx x xx Kxxxxxx. I would not bid 4c or 5c or whatever
but after lho stops in 4h it becomes a lot easier for me to sac in 5c
since p is highly likely to have at least some values and probably be
relatively balanced since they gasp took no action at favorable.

[Zelandakh]

I suspected that Pass on this hand would be unanimous and this is indeed what my partner chose. Unfortunately 4♥ is cold but was only bid at half of the tables - 3/14 MPs. 4♠ would have been 2 off for 6/14 (if doubled) or 13/14 (if not doubled). I think this is just too tough to find and it is just unlucky we came up against one of the pairs who chose to bid game. (As an aside, partner was not shut out; he held a 3334 6 count.)