[FrancesHinden]

Vul against not, matchpoints. RHO deals.

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[gnasher]

I hate having to pass, but I can't think of anything to bid.

[bluecalm]

Looks like easy pass. I wonder what are the alternatives. If expert MP players are choosing something that would be kind of revelation to me.

[mr1303]

Given I'm vul against not and the queen of diamonds is waste paper, I don't have that much more than I initially promised. If we are meant to play this one, partner should bid.

If the minors we reversed (and RHo was bidding clubs) I could try 2D, but this isn't worth the 3 level by itself.

[cloa513]

Opponents might well have missed 4S
e.g. AKQ in the opener hand
don't give them another chance.

[cherdano]

mr1303, on 2011-March-21, 17:04, said:

Given I'm vul against not and the queen of diamonds is waste paper, I don't have that much more than I initially promised.

Sounds like you should overcall more often. At red vs white, +100 instead of +110 or +140 is still a terrible result.

[Fluffy]

I would double, partner didn't bid 1♠ so he won't go crazy.

[FrancesHinden]

I'll tell you what happened.

My partner had this hand and doubled. Next hand bid 3D.
I had a 4=1=3=5 shape and bid 3S because I thought he was certain to have spades. With a 4=5=1=3 he would usually overcall 1H on the first round.

This was not a success.

The discussion afterwards was along the lines of: "If I pass we'll defend 2D for a poor result", "not as bad as playing in 3S", "we pushed them up a level, 3D was going one off", "but why shouldn't I bid when I thought we had a fit?", "you can't pass on my hand at matchpoints", "what were you going to do if the next hand passed and I bid 2S?", "pass", "so we can never get to our club fit","you could bid them","why should I when you are more likely to be 4522?" etc etc

This didn't really get anywhere.

Having seen this poll he still says it's right to double because passing out 2D is bound to be bad so you should try and improve matters one way or the other.
I still don't see the urgency to bid with short spades and Q10 in their suit.

[We are agreed it's wrong to act at imps, if that helps...]

[pooltuna]

HEY GUYS (and gals) This is a forum hand!!!! PASS is NEVER the right answer!! (of course I voted for it, too...so you know you are up Sheet crik)

[Siegmund]

Passing over 2D looks fine to me. NV I would stretch to bid 3C myself, to push them up that extra level, but Frances has told us exactly what's wrong with doubling

[cherdano]

Passing out 2♦ when our fit is in clubs is not nearly as bad as passing out 2M, especially red vs white.

[awm]

The thing is, pass does not end the auction.

Partner can balance. With a lot of 4135 hands partner should balance with a double, reaching the 3♣ contract. The opponents passing out 2♦ marks the overcall as a decent hand, so partner should be able to balance on a lot of marginal holdings in terms of high cards. She's already passed 1♥ so it's not like we can have game values either.

[655321]

FrancesHinden, on 2011-March-26, 12:27, said:

"If I pass we'll defend 2D for a poor result",
<snip>
"we pushed them up a level, 3D was going one off",

Doesn't seems as though there are many scores between -90 and +50, i.e. there may not be a big difference in matchpoints even when the operation is successful. Anyway, at this vulnerability -90 is not so bad, you beat all the chooks who think they have to bid too much on your hands!

[whereagles]

My instinct tells me to pass. If pard has some hcps and the black suits, he'll probably balance if this gets passed and we get to play our 3♣ contract.

The only other call I can think of is 3♣ but that's extremely risky. Well, it's matchpoints, so you might want to try that anyway.

[mtvesuvius]

Pass for me also, I'd like to bid, but don't really think anything is a reasonable option.

[kfay]

Does this guy appreciate that you are probably also aware that defending 2♦ won't be so hot?

[han]

If my partner thinks the double promises 4 spades then I certainly won't double. That's really strange to me though, how can this double promise 4 spades? Aren't 3523 and 3514 completely normal shapes for the second double, and isn't 3613 also possible?

[Fluffy]

did you think about doubling Frances? maybe 4♣ was playable

[whereagles]

han, on 2011-March-30, 05:43, said:

If my partner thinks the double promises 4 spades then I certainly won't double. That's really strange to me though, how can this double promise 4 spades? Aren't 3523 and 3514 completely normal shapes for the second double, and isn't 3613 also possible?

Well... and if you bid michaels on 5-4s overaller is bound NOT to have 4 spades, right?

[gnasher]

kfay, on 2011-March-29, 12:52, said:

Does this guy appreciate that you are probably also aware that defending 2♦ won't be so hot?

I don't think Frances would have acted with something like Axxx xx xxx QJxx.

Quote

did you think about doubling Frances? maybe 4♣ was playable

That sounds like the right action with 4135. What about 5134? Or would that already have bid 1♠?