[AL78]

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MPs, Acol, weak NT, 3 weak twos. Your call?

[akwoo]

AL78, on 2023-February-18, 07:29, said:

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MPs, Acol, weak NT, 3 weak twos. Your call?

Playing K-S derived weak NT, I don't like it, but I bid 2N. I think this is too good for pass (which shows 15-16 balanced), and too weak to double without hearts.

But maybe in Acol, a 3♣ bid shows extras?

[TMorris]

I pass. KJ of ♠ are not pulling their weight. Double would usually imply longer hearts or a better hand although partner's pass of 1 ♠ suggests she will rarely have four hearts. We may well have a club fit but I have some doubts we are making 3 ♣, although we may do and we are vulnerable. In isolation this is a 17 count. On the bidding it's value has reduced significantly.

If I had to bid I would bid 3 ♣ but I have neither the club length nor, IMO, values to do so.

[helene_t]

3cl, we will usually have a minor suit fit. I don't think this should promise anything other than a desire to compete. Especially at MPs. I would like to have a more offensive hand but you don't always get the perfect hand.

[mikeh]

I don’t understand anything but pass. Our KJ of spades may be worth a trick but may be of zero value, plus they are cards the opps don’t have, which means their cards outside of spades are likely working. Partner saw us open 1D promising 4+ yet didn’t raise or double. 3C will sometimes work ou5 but 2N is bizarre and 3C isn’t my style

[AL78]

At the table I passed. I felt my hand had decreased in value after the overcall and although it is likely we have a minor fit, I didn't think my hand was good enough to bid 3♣. They made 2♠ and we got a bottom.

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I'm glad some here would take the same action, I wondered at the time if this was another example of me being too passive and allowing the opponents to push me around in the auction.

The traveller:

3♣E = -110
3♥N -2 -100
2♠S = +110
3♠S -1 -50
2♣E +1 -110

We got the only minus score as EW. We should get it down but after two rounds of diamonds and a diamond ruff (I led the three), either partner missed the club signal and led a heart or I got back on lead and failed to play a fourth round of diamonds for a trump promotion. Getting it one off would have given us one MP so still a bad board.

I guess this is a sympton of the enhanced randomness of a mixed standard and small numbers?