[Echognome]

Scoring: IMP

P - (3♠) - ?

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Was from a recent team match on BBO. There's an interesting play problem associated that Don may share with you if he gets around to it.

[Foxx]

Buggh. North's a passed hand, and that decreases the likelihood that we have a game and increases the chance that anything we try will get walloped.

Pass, and hope the deal is a misfit and RHO has put himself out on a limb.

[pclayton]

Pass.

Very, very tough problem.

Opposite a passed pard, Its possible, but doubtful he can cover 3 of my 4 non-spade losers. If pard wasn't a passed hand, I'd take a call.

Double is possible, and I might choose that at MPs. But double seems to try to compete for the partscore, which would not be the reason I want to jump into this auction. If I'm bidding, I'm closing my eyes and bidding 4♥. It, by far, has the best payoff for the risk.

I don't think this is a double and 4♥ over 4♣ - the pattern and strength just seems wrong.

I also don't want to give pard a headache if LHO tries 4♠. I think he deserves better trump if he bids 5♣.

[Apollo81]

I think I'll go with double. Pass runs th risk of missing a 9 or 10 card red suit fit, and 4h gives up on 3NT, 4c, 4d even though none of these is very likely the best spot.

[the hog]

I really don't know. I think I would probably double at the table and hope like hell the player at the other table faces the same problem.

[kenrexford]

I'd double also.

Partner may well end up delcaring 3NT with the opponents running the first seven spade tricks, though. That will be funny, at least.

[Fluffy]

I ain't sure but I like pass the best.

[FrancesHinden]

Double and hope.

[FrancesHinden]

Jlall, on Jul 18 2007, 01:06 AM, said:

I used to always bid 4H with this but these days I like Xing. The main danger is a 5C bid from partner but that's not likely nor a disaster necessarily.

Yes. I don't want to give up playing in diamonds, or defending 3Sx, or playing 3NT.

If partner bids 4C to me it is close between passing and bidding 4H. I play that (3S) x 4C 4H implies a choice of strains rather than significant extra values (so partner is allowed to bid 5D or 5C over it) so if I am happy partner is on the same wavelength I'll probably do that.

If partner bids 5C I pass.

If partner bids 4H or 3NT I pass content.

if partner bids 4D I don't know whether to pass or not.

[ArtK78]

I would pass.

Partner is a passed hand. It doesn't take too much in his hand to beat 3S (shortness in hearts may be sufficient), but it would take almost a perfect passed hand to make 4H or 4 of a minor. And what do you do if partner bids 4C?

Besides, acting here opposite a passed hand is a good way to go for four figures. Does the interesting play problem involve how to end play an opponent to keep the penalty to 800?

[Halo]

If you are favourites in the match ... double.

[Echognome]

I chose double and partner had:

♠Qx
♥J
♦Txxx
♣AKT8xx

He bid 5♣ and then it comes down to the play problem as he received the ♦Q lead. On the defense of cashing 2 spades first (opening leader had KJTxxxx) there is no chance.

NB: I messed up my hand slightly as had only AKxx of diamonds. Sorry if that affected your choice of bids.

[ArtK78]

So the bottom line is that 3S is going down and 5C is down off the top, and even if you avoid going down off the top it is a tricky hand (to say the least).

I stand by my pass of 3S.

[Echognome]

ArtK78, on Jul 18 2007, 10:08 AM, said:

So the bottom line is that 3S is going down and 5C is down off the top, and even if you avoid going down off the top it is a tricky hand (to say the least).

I stand by my pass of 3S.

3♠ goes one down on the actual hand losing 2♥, 2♦, and 1♣. But in 5♣ you have a chance of making a big gain. 4♣ looks like a very good contract. Note that this was when partner's length was in the shortest suit of the ones you offered him.

If partner held heart length, the chance of game goes up significantly.

[Halo]

You can't win them all (outside a forum).

[han]

I also like the double best, or rather, like the other calls less.

[pclayton]

Echognome, on Jul 18 2007, 10:04 AM, said:

I chose double and partner had:

♠Qx
♥J
♦Txxx
♣AKT8xx

He bid 5♣ and then it comes down to the play problem as he received the ♦Q lead. On the defense of cashing 2 spades first (opening leader had KJTxxxx) there is no chance.

NB: I messed up my hand slightly as had only AKxx of diamonds. Sorry if that affected your choice of bids.

Life sucks sometimes.

The problem is if you pass, its very possible pard's going to balance anyway with 4♣.

I still pass, but judging from the quality of the respondents that chose action, I'm wondering if I'm all wet.

I'm not tooting my own horn here over the fact that pass happened to be right.

[FrancesHinden]

ArtK78, on Jul 18 2007, 07:08 PM, said:

So the bottom line is that 3S is going down and 5C is down off the top, and even if you avoid going down off the top it is a tricky hand (to say the least).

I stand by my pass of 3S.

...while if partner's queen were not in spades but were in hearts, diamonds or clubs* you want to be in 5C and look silly passing out 3S.

As ever, one hand doesn't prove anything.

*the play in 5C is quite interesting opposite xx J 10xxx AKQ10xx but that's another question and you certainly want to be in it