[Tramticket]

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Pairs (EBU Simultaneous Pairs)

I chose to pass in second seat rather than bid 3♠ or a multi-2♦. Pre-empting in spades would have resulted in other difficult decisions.

What can I possibly do now?

[ggwhiz]

Lead a club?

[ahydra]

Perhaps passing and hoping for 100 is your best bet. Though, they might make it with trumps breaking and a possible hidden diamond fit - if you're too worried about that I guess all you can do is bid 3C and hope partner has six (he often will).

ahydra

[nullve]

2♠

[Tramticket]

 ggwhiz, on 2017-March-14, 11:04, said:

Lead a club?

Yes I did lead a club. I am not usually a fan of passing take-out doubles out of desperation - but I really could think of nothing better.

Partner had a good hand and we collected +300, where others were going off in spade contracts. I'm not sure that I would be brave enough to pass it at red vulnerability - or at IMPs.

[Tramticket]

 nullve, on 2017-March-14, 12:22, said:

2♠

I would have bid 2♠ if partner would have treated it as natural - but I doubt that.

Maybe bidding 2♠ artificial to pass the decision back to partner was a possibility?

[nullve]

 Tramticket, on 2017-March-15, 02:01, said:

Partner had a good hand and we collected +300, where others were going off in spade contracts.

I bid 2♠ on the (naive?) assumption that there were about 16 total trumps and hopefully almost as many total tricks. It wouldn't surprise me if LoTT was off by 1 or 2 tricks on this deal, though, as both sides seem to have a big proportion of their non-neutral honours in the wrong suits. But the results suggest that there were at most 13 total tricks, i.e. that LoTT was off by at least 3 given my estimate about total trumps. That's rare!

 Tramticket, on 2017-March-15, 02:05, said:

I would have bid 2♠ if partner would have treated it as natural - but I doubt that.

Maybe bidding 2♠ artificial to pass the decision back to partner was a possibility?

Whatever 2♠ is, I think partner should be able to figure out that I also have spades, if not 7 of them. The reason is that if opps know what they're doing, then they wouldn't choose to play in 2♥ over 2♠ unless they have at most 7 spades or 8+ hearts. And assuming 1♠ was not a psyche, partner must be looking at most a doubleton spade, but most likely a singleton or void (although I don't quite undestand why he would double 2♥ for takeout with a spade singleton or void). If a singleton or void, then there is no way I can have less than 4 spades. If a doubleton, then opps need to have an 8-card spade fit for that too be possible. So it's pretty far-fetched that I don't have 4+ spades. So I think partner would suspect that 2♠ was intended as spades, especially since alternatives meanings such as cuebid raise or stopper ask seem equally out of place.

[Zelandakh]

What is the difference between X, 2♠, 2NT and 3♦ from your partner in your system? What would be the difference in your methods between 2♠ and 2NT now? Depending on the answers, all of Pass, 2♠, 2NT and 3♣ could be LAs.

[Tramticket]

 Zelandakh, on 2017-March-15, 06:13, said:

What is the difference between X, 2♠, 2NT and 3♦ from your partner in your system?

Although we are a regular partnership, I have to confess that I don't know the answer to all of these. Double is take-out and definitely shows extra values; 2NT would show the minors based on extra shape (with 5-5 she probably would have bid 2NT last time, so clubs longer than diamonds); 3♦ would be an unlikely bid since it forces us to the four-level - it must also be based on extra shape. I'm not sure what 2♠ would have meant (possibly natural??)

 Zelandakh, on 2017-March-15, 06:13, said:

What would be the difference in your methods between 2♠ and 2NT now?

Again, this specific sequence and these bids are un-discussed. 2NT would probably be taken as natural, 2♠ would be taken as "forcing".

[Caitlynne]

Impossible bid? What about 2S! That is unequivocally, unambiguously, AND clearly natural and intended to play.

Think about it. Partner made a takeout double of hearts (primarily. Partner cannot have both minors only, or partner would/should have bid an unusual 2NT over 2H (or at his/her first turn). So, partner should have some spade tolerance. Even if partner does not have 2 spades, partner has to realize that you can and typically do have some spade length on this auction.

[Zelandakh]

 Tramticket, on 2017-March-15, 06:42, said:

Again, this specific sequence and these bids are un-discussed. 2NT would probably be taken as natural, 2♠ would be taken as "forcing".

I do not think there is any hand that really wants to bid a natural 2NT here, so I think using that as "pick a minor" is much better. That allows 2♠ to show a hand like this one, with spade length and no minor fit. Partner can still continue 2NT to force us to choose a minor if that seems like a good idea. With 2NT available for scrambling, I do not see any reason why 2♠ has to be forcing.

 Tramticket, on 2017-March-15, 06:42, said:

Although we are a regular partnership, I have to confess that I don't know the answer to all of these. Double is take-out and definitely shows extra values; 2NT would show the minors based on extra shape (with 5-5 she probably would have bid 2NT last time, so clubs longer than diamonds); 3♦ would be an unlikely bid since it forces us to the four-level - it must also be based on extra shape. I'm not sure what 2♠ would have meant (possibly natural??)

This seems like part of the problem here. We have so many calls available for takeout in this auction it seems that we should be able to do better. For example:

X = takeout of spades
2♠ = takeout of hearts
2NT = takeout of both majors

or

X = takeout of hearts
2♠ = takeout of both majors
2NT = both minors with extra shape

See how much easier it is when the double is better defined. For the first scheme we can pass, for the second we advance a natural 2♠. The auctions after partner's 2♠ and 2NT are similarly simplified.

In any case, I think the best call on your hand is 2♠ with any sort of sensible agreements. Failing that I would probably pass on the grounds that it looks like a misfit but we are essentially on a guess now and it is clear that sometimes this action is going to go horribly wrong.

[RD350LC]

I see this as a bad misfit. When I see a misfit, I stop bidding. In this case, pass, and prepare to lead a club.

[jogs]

 nullve, on 2017-March-14, 12:22, said:

2♠

2♠ may lose 5 spade tricks.

[msjennifer]

Leaving aside the possibility of a psychic opening by East,it is possible he has sub-opened.Partner can have a 2Suiter in minors wherein he could not overcall 2NT perhaps with a weakish diamonds.If that is so then he easily can have some strength in hearts like say Axx .Anyway,.I shall pass and lead a club.I do not see any point in bidding my spade suit now.( When one did not think it proper to open 2/3 S )

[IGoHomeNow]

Partner had many choices for competition over 2H. 2S, 2N and X are all some kind of takeout.

So first off, partner should have a bid that suggests defense. That means the double includes heart length. Most likely he is 1345. Double is a flex bid. It is takeout, but suggests defending if my hand seems suitable.

I cannot quite figure out the difference between 2S and 2N. I think 2S is a stronger hand than 2NT and that both bids show something like 6-4 in the minors.

But since I have a stiff club and QTx of hearts, I will pass. Do I love this? No. But if 3C gets doubled I doubt my JC will be enough to avoid a disaster. When pulling a double may also yield an ugly score, it makes more sense to slug it out there with a bit less than would normally be required. And this auction is begging the opponents to double us if we compete.

I think pass is clearly the best call, though I'd like to have a bit more high card strength.

[MrAce]

 IGoHomeNow, on 2017-March-15, 18:31, said:

Partner had many choices for competition over 2H. 2S, 2N and X are all some kind of takeout.

So first off, partner should have a bid that suggests defense. That means the double includes heart length. Most likely he is 1345. Double is a flex bid. It is takeout, but suggests defending if my hand seems suitable.

Pd can not be 1345 or he would have started double, not 2♣. Although it is very common among weak players to overcall 2♣ with the shape you gave, I doubt any adv+ player would do it.
If pd has a length in a major, that will be spades, not heart suit.

Here is an example hand from Vandy today (Board 11)

http://www.bridgebas...ch.php?id=49591

 IGoHomeNow, on 2017-March-15, 18:31, said:

Partner had many choices for competition over 2H. 2S, 2N and X are all some kind of takeout.

2♠ is cuebid and would be showing a hand that has source of tricks in clubs. Not take out for other suits.
2 NT is whatever you agree it to be, I personally play this as 6♣+4♦ and willing to compete at 3 level, not as strong as double. It usually comes when opponents play negative free bids though.

[Phil]

-470 or -570 seems like a bargain.

[Winstonm]

Partner is usually 6331 to overcall and double back in but here that is not so clear. Regardless, 2S is a disaster, 2H may be a disaster, so I bid 3C - the J may be useful.

[IGoHomeNow]

 Tramticket, on 2017-March-15, 06:42, said:

Although we are a regular partnership, I have to confess that I don't know the answer to all of these. Double is take-out and definitely shows extra values; 2NT would show the minors based on extra shape (with 5-5 she probably would have bid 2NT last time, so clubs longer than diamonds); 3♦ would be an unlikely bid since it forces us to the four-level - it must also be based on extra shape. I'm not sure what 2♠ would have meant (possibly natural??)



Again, this specific sequence and these bids are un-discussed. 2NT would probably be taken as natural, 2♠ would be taken as "forcing".

2S and double are similar. The difference is that 2S is a hand that would not be offering the option of playing defense. So it won't have much in hearts, but the double will. I would tend to think of this hand as being 4-6 or even 4-7 with a lot of playing strength. x xx AQJx AKJxxx
I'd read 2NT to be more on the competitive side, such as x xx Axxx KQJxxx. That leaves 3D for truly freaky hands like void Ax AJxx AKxxxxx. 3D is forcing to 4 level and so partner should push to a game with most anything useful.

[sfi]

 Tramticket, on 2017-March-14, 10:29, said:

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What can I possibly do now?

Looking for spade support from partner is a bit optimistic. If I bid 2S it would be hoping for the singleton 10 or something like that, and I don't much fancy that on this hand.

3C looks to be the normal choice on this hand. Partner has to be prepared to play there opposite minimal support. Maybe they forget to lead a trump and my hand is worth a couple of tricks.