[shyams]

MPs vs. bots (hand from Daylong MP tournament)

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1. Would you dbl (takeout) now? Is a 4♣ bid a better action?
2. Assuming you choose to double, and bidding goes (pass) 3♠ (pass), would you consider bidding game?

Thank you

[FelicityR]

Double allows partner to pass whereas 4♣ doesn't. If you X and partner bids 3♠ then I'm passing that, too. Partner wasn't able to bid 2♠ over 2♥. Partner realises that you are vulnerable and have chosen to X 3♥. If they have extra values where they are unable to bid over 2♥, they should make announce them not give simple preference.

[apollo1201]

Is this hand the reason why there’s a debate about what to open with 55 blacks?
More seriously, X has the flexibility to allow for a cheap escape at 3S, or a less likely 3HX or 3NT (one never knows with NV opponents). But the downside of a potentially expensive escape at 4D. 4C is more concomital.
In all cases, if partner bids 3S, I’m passing especially being vul at MPs. I’m likely facing sth like Hx S, unsufficient H to serenely transform, and no overly attractive minor combined with a lowish HCP strength to envision playing at the 4-level. Or part has 3-cd support but couldn’t even sneak in a 2S call. In all cases, I’m staying there.

[nudnikbp]

Four clubs. I want to bid my second suit.

[mesurina]

The problem arises in a hand playing with BBO bots. Last time I re-opened in this sort of situation the bot pushed to a slam assuming I had 20+ points! So playing with a bot I would pass.

Playing with a regular partner I would double. Partner may have a good heart holding so would pass or bid 3NT, I would pass any four level minor bid.

[JmBrPotter]

 shyams, on 2020-March-17, 04:56, said:

MPs vs. bots (hand from Daylong MP tournament)

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1. Would you dbl (takeout) now? Is a 4♣ bid a better action?
2. Assuming you choose to double, and bidding goes (pass) 3♠ (pass), would you consider bidding game?

Thank you

The double is fine. Your hand is good enough to compete for the partscore. However, partner lacks three spades with enough high card strength for a competitive 2♠ call over 2♥. The 2♥ bidder is behind you.

Unless West holds ♥AKQJxx for the overcall, West is a favorite to hold ♦K and ♣Q. That leaves you with 2-3 minor suit losers and 1-2 likely trump losers. You will be fortunate to make 3♠ (or a no longer available 3♣). With your nearly certain three minor suit defensive winners, your prospects defending an adverse 4♥ contract are quite good. North’s possible four-card heart holding may include a winner or complicate West’s declarer play so as to create a fourth side suit defensive winner. Any action over partner’s 3♠ is nearly certain to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

[msjennifer]

Sir. Personally, We would open this hand 1C and NOT1S .Since I have a ROBOT as my partner.I shall now PASS over 3H,.Certainly I do not wish to play in 4D, if that is what Robot bids.i may lose this this board but that does not matter.((after a wrong opening as per our ways in such a hand).We do not know what the hand RHO (ROBOT) holds and then there may be no defence against 4H if the LHO bids it.Why not take a chance and hope they don't bid 4H.Partner does not have the bare 5/6 HCP since he passes and also no entry perhaps to do anything like say D finesse.Worse if they double 4D.This is indeed a tempting hand and many hands can be constructed artificially wherein JUST ANY bid I make may br wrong or correct.With ROBOTS around you anything can happen.And lastly I am not a pessimist.If there is a condition that I MUST bid then I ,personally, shall bid 4C just in case the ROBOT has three cards in S or C. We would have opened this hand 1C and not 1S since there is enough strength to make a reverse bid in Spade.((and technically also there are only 4 losers in this hand).Then the bidding would have gone 1C-1H-P-3H-3S. 3S guarantees 5 cards since with 4 we would make a TOD.

[miamijd]

With a human partner, I X, not because it keeps 3hX in the mix (that will be very rare), but because it keeps diamonds in play (I have a good dummy for diamonds if partner has KJxxx of diamonds and out with a stiff spade).

GIB Bots, however, tend to pass for penalties when they shouldn't -- a lot. I wouldn't X with a H void with a bot for fear of a penalty pass. Probably I hold my nose and bid 4C, because the bots tend to correct to diamonds on their own (when they shouldn't) if they have a long suit.

If I did X and my GIB-bot partner bid 3S, I would pass. Same goes with a human partner. If partner didn't have enough to bid 2S over 2H (and he should absolutely strain to do so), then either he has only 2 spades or else (more likley) he has 3 spades and a really bad hand. Either way, a pumping defense (forcing you to ruff hearts) is apt to work quite well.

Cheers,
Mike

[shyams]

I thought the action I adopted was standard, barely deserving second thought. I doubled, then passed partner's 3♠.

I think I scored just over 35% on the board. It seems a larger proportion of Souths found a way to reach game which I found perplexing (hence the post).

[Cyberyeti]

 shyams, on 2020-March-21, 02:24, said:

I thought the action I adopted was standard, barely deserving second thought. I doubled, then passed partner's 3♠.

I think I scored just over 35% on the board. It seems a larger proportion of Souths found a way to reach game which I found perplexing (hence the post).

What was partner's hand ?

I think you will reach a game that requires spades 3-3 rather too often to want to be in it.

[Zelandakh]

 apollo1201, on 2020-March-17, 14:01, said:

Is this hand the reason why there’s a debate about what to open with 55 blacks?

It is indeed. Three questions to ask yourself if your system allows for a 1♣ opening with this shape:-

1. Am I prepared to bid spades twice if partner responds in and rebids my shortest suit?
2a. If I open 1♣ and the bidding comes back to me in 3 of my shortest suit, am I prepared to bid 3♠?; and
2b. If I do that, is it a better description of my hand than opening 1♠ and doubling or rebidding 4♣?

If the answer to any of these is No then it is usually better to open 1♠.

Clearly on this hand the answers to Q1 and Q2a are both Yes but with 3 good diamonds the answer to 2b is less clear. In any case, if I opened 1♠ here I did so with the specific intention of doubling in this spot so now I continue with the plan and it is then an obvious pass over 3♠ from partner. if we missed a good game I would like to see partner's hand. Most likely the robot needs a kick about raising on shape in competitive auctions...

[Cyberyeti]

 Zelandakh, on 2020-April-22, 06:48, said:

if we missed a good game I would like to see partner's hand. Most likely the robot needs a kick about raising on shape in competitive auctions...

97x, xxx, Kxx, xxxx is not a bad game and not raising.