[inquiry]

fifee, on Jun 15 2005, 01:34 PM, said:

Ben, I think your converter would be much better if we could line up who is bidding what.

4♠ is my choice if pd is making a weak jump overcall since we have 6♠ for that bid and very little outside. Opponents could definitely be headed for slam.

Patricia Anderson

Hi Patricia

Ideal lining up of the auction is something we all hope for. Our resident computer guru has not been able to figure out and ideal way to that however. I could provide links, but so far, this has been a stumper....

Ben

[Fluffy]

I think I missread it too thinking I was vulnerable.

[Dwingo]

Alain

Quote

4S - Minimum room and maximum pressure on opps !

You haven't see max. pressure yet

5♠

I get the feeling that slam is going to fail and I get a stronger feeling that opps is going to take the bait in bidding a blind slam.

Understand the risk when slam doesn't make and you go for 800 or 1100

Godwin

[joker_gib]

Hi Godwin,

I don't like the 5♠ bid because it really "tells" opps that they have a slam and it should encourage them to bid it ! (and as I have nothing in defence I think it will make)

On 4♠, I let them do what they want and I'm pretty sure that east's next bid (after dbl or a suit by west) will be difficult enough.

Alain

[inquiry]

Scoring: IMP

BPO-OO3F

West North East South

  - 1♣ 2♠ Pass
? your bid

---

Again, I apologize to the panel. This should have been a much more interesting problem, as I posted the wrong south hand (see explaination in earlier post in this thread. However, only Luis really complained about it (I agree luis, sorry).

Luis "I bid 4s but I strongly object the problem. This kind of problems depend a 100% on partnership style. With most of my pds I can be very sure they have a game or probably a slam so bidding 4s is a clear option. I had exactly the same hand some time ago, opener had a strong 1444, he would have doubled 3s for takeout but he decided that he had not enough to act over 4s. I really don't think this can be scored and I don't think we can get any interesting answers since everything depends on style. "

The other panelist at least tried to come up with some solution the inexplicable problem of why the opponents with so many points are not bidding. Did partner go way out on a limb and RHO is waiting to pounce with a spade stack when his partner reopens with a double? Can LHO have a true monster and only open with a nonforcing 1♣? The consensus vote of 3♠ seems logical to me for two reasons, that I will share is a moment.

Fred "3♠. There is a reasonable chance that the opponents have a slam. Is so then 4♠ might work out better, but playing 4♠ doubled could be a disaster if they don't have a slam (or if they couldn't have bid a slam). My 3♠ will make life a little harder for them, while keeping our side at a safe level.

Jlall "3♠. 4S or 3S, that is the question. At this vulnerability we might try 4S with the expectation (hope?) of going for at most 800 when they could easily have a slam. There are a few things that bother me about this though. First, we may go for 1100, its not likely but possible. Second, we may push them to slam on momentum. Sometimes if you just bid 3S they will stay out it. Since RHO passed over 2S I don't see them bidding a slam if the opening bidder couldnt start with 2C if I only bid 3S. Even if they have one, they will often miss it.

Reisig 3♠ - not jumping in with both feet

Ritong 3 spades can t find an astute psych , which could be pass..

Walddk 3♠ Opener has a good hand (no bid by my RHO). It's too easy for him if I just pass. Let us see if has the muscles to act over 3S. I would have liked to bid more, but not at these colours.

In fact, 3♠ seems so obvious the panel, Cherdano bid it without adding any comment, in fact, none is really needed. I guess I will have to say, I would bid 3♠ also, for two major reasons. First, I want a spade lead. Second, it prevents my LHO from cue-bidding 3♠ to show his, what has to be, truly very strong hand. Like Fred said, 3♠ just makes it a little harder on them.

But 3♠ and Luis’s 4♠ are not the only possible bids. Two of the panelist found two more bids. One out of very reasonable caution, one out of pure unadulterated fearlessness.

Fluffy Pass, don't have enough to make a bid.

Ng "3NT An 'action' bid at this vul. It's time to do something. I will be alone with this one, I know." ----A sound prediction, proven to be absolutely correct – ben ---     "We will be in trouble, if 2S was already an 'action' bid (but only with 5332). E-W presumably have game or slam, so this 3NT bid will disturb their action. I guess, West has 18-20 HCP (RHO was quiet), they have 26-30 points. My plan is: after double I will bid 4D, then 4H, then 4S:). I'm sure, after this sequence and ending at 4S, they will not double, but bid something else. If they pass 3NT (impossible, but who knows?), my score will be -450 (9 down, new record) with +5 or +14 IMP. If we play 4S double, we have 6-8 tricks, our score will be -800 or -500, not a big deal, and -4, +3 , +12 or +14 IMPs. Other possible bids are: 3S is the textbook bid, not too much pressure for opps, 4S is same as my 3NT, Pass is a 'chicken' bid: easy room for opps. 4C (pseudo splinter) would be good choice also, but only, if there are no kibitzer at my table. In case of 4Sx for -1100? I hope for +1370 or +1100 on other tables, but I have an excuse: sorry partner, one of my club card was among spades! "

So the odd little problem had some interesting points after all. Since several panelist considered 4♠, that bid is upgraded in the scoring. I also upgraded the cautious pass, since you are never going to out bid them anyway, and if your RHO is waiting to punish 2♠, then it is far safer at two than three spades.

VOTES  Panel  Score
3♠        7      100
4♠       1       50
Pass        1      50
3NT        1      30

[hrothgar]

>Ng "3NT An 'action' bid at this vul. It's time to do something. I will be alone with this
>one, I know." ----A sound prediction, proven to be absolutely correct – ben ---

I went with 3N.
Scant consolation, I know.
But one is better than no...

[inquiry]

hrothgar, on Jun 17 2005, 04:15 PM, said:

>Ng "3NT An 'action' bid at this vul. It's time to do something. I will be alone with this
>one, I know." ----A sound prediction, proven to be absolutely correct – ben ---

I went with 3N.
Scant consolation, I know.
But one is better than no...

I assumed he meant no one of the other panelist.. I certainly meant my comment that way.

Ben

[Double !]

There is another side to this, I think.
If you bid anything other than 3 spades, partner will never play you for this hand be it during bidding or defense.
Bidding 3 spades is defensible as it only suggests 3-card support, you have a top honor for partner to lead to should partner be on lead, you don't have great shape, (I think the impact of having 4 hearts is compelling), and doesn't say anything about your offensive-defensive potential other than to say you do wish to invite game given partner's 2 spade bid. To put it another way, bidding 3 spades is a "partnership bid". Give the hand more shape such as fewer hearts (making 4,5,6 hearts by opps conceivable) then pressuring with 4S might be better. Your ODR will have changed.
Oh, well, just a humble opinion by a tired school psychologist at the end of a very long school year (it's not over yet!)

[ng:)]

hrotgar:
"I went with 3N.
Scant consolation, I know.
But one is better than no... "

Thx Richard

My vote was (3NT) at white vs red (we were nv, they vul), see 9 down = -450.
So I don't understand Roland's comment:
"I would have liked to bid more, but not at these colours."

At other vul my vote is not 3NT, sry

Gabor

[Winstonm]

Seems to me as though white vs red vulnerability is as enticing to a bridge player as a cat is to a mockingbird. But in this situation, what does a bid really do?

We can assume partner to hold some 6-7 HCP, AQ9xxx, Jx, xx, xxx or the like -could be a little more or less. Still that leaves the opponents well short of slam unless their slam is based on fits and tricks. There is little doubt they have a game....but 3N might be tricky with 2/2 spades. Stranger things have happened than the opps going set in a 29 point 5C when we take 2 spades and either a diamond or a heart trick.

RHO is marked for some 9-11 HCPs, so it's a cinch he doesn't hold length in hearts; where is his length? Must be diamonds and clubs. Why didn't he raise clubs? Doesn't have enough. More an more it's looking like he holds either 2363 shape or 2354 or maybe 3254. Sure, it's nice to support with support, but I can't shut out the hearts when the opponents' don't hold that suit.

What does a spade raise accomplish? Well, it certainly helps my RHO evaluate his Jxx, Kxx, A109xx, Qxx as a bigger hand when he can place his partner with a singleton spade. In fact if I bid 3S and LHO continues with 4C or 4D I might actually succeed in getting them to a makeable slam. But what will this hand bid over pass and either 3D or 3C or double? More than likely, 3S, trying to get to 3N.
With the possible spade wastage (like Qx), opener cannot place the well-fitting cards either.

It's good to block when it accomplishes making life hard on the opponents - but to bid just to here oneself speak may sometimes aid the enemy more than ourselves.

So for my own choice of pass I have reviewed all the evidence and find it wanting and therefore acquit myself unanimously.

WinstonM

[Fluffy]

I passed because I though we were vulnerable and they weren't :-(

[kgr]

ng:), on Jun 18 2005, 03:19 AM, said:

My vote was (3NT) at white vs red (we were nv, they vul), see 9 down = -450.
So I don't understand Roland's comment:
"I would have liked to bid more, but not at these colours."

...see Roland's first post in this threat. He wisread the colours.

[Echognome]

As per Luis' strong objection to the problem, I had a question. I presume that our "partner" is a pickup expert on BBO. That is we are presuming that we are sitting opposite any of the panelists who will be able to work out most of our bids without discussion. Thus, we cannot rely on ANY partnership style. Isn't that supposed to be the case?

[Elianna]

Contestant's answers:

3♠ 16
pass 8
4♠ 5
5♠ 1
3NT 1