[gurgistan]

This is from today's The Times of London.

Teams

---

(I have not given the whole of the bidding as it is not relevant to my question.)

Clearly, East does not think Partner's Gambling 3N is doable. So he bails, fair enough.

Could someone tell me what East would have needed to pass 3N as it looks doable enough to me?

I have only recently started playing Gambling 3N but it comes up so rarely anyways.

[hrothgar]

The hand that you are posting is a special case.

The gambling 3NT opener is white
The opponents are red

This means that 3NT down nine could very well score up as a near top.

Pulling 3NT shows a hand with sufficient defense that it expects a reasonable chance at setting 4M

♠ QJT9
♥ xxxxx
♦ KJx
♣ x

[nigel_k]

I assume you play this as having no more than a queen outside the solid suit. In that case you could pass since they can probably make 4♠ and haven't entered the auction yet. It is optimistic to hope that everyone passes, but 4♣ may make it even easier for them as RHO gets another chance. An immediate 5♣ is probably -500 which doesn't appeal much at IMPs but would be good at matchpoints.

But you are very unlikely to make 3NT. RHO will lead an ace, or find his partner's ace. Then they will quickly take at least five tricks. If partner has the ♦Q they can knock out the ♠K.

[gurgistan]

Thanks for two very good answers.

What hand does East need to just pass the 3N?

Does he need to have first/second round control in the majors and his lengthier minor?

[manudude03]

You are really looking for 2 hard tricks in 2 different suits (ie. A or KQ) and not short in both minors. As others have said, the opening lead should be an Ace, or maybe the ♦K, so this could go a long way down if one of the major aces are offside.

[Lurpoa]

hrothgar, on 2011-April-25, 13:32, said:

The hand that you are posting is a special case.

The gambling 3NT opener is white
The opponents are red

This means that 3NT down nine could very well score up as a near top.

Pulling 3NT shows a hand with sufficient defense that it expects a reasonable chance at setting 4M

♠ QJT9
♥ xxxxx
♦ KJx
♣ x

Right you are, very good comment !

[Lurpoa]

gurgistan, on 2011-April-25, 13:18, said:

This is from today's The Times of London.

Teams

---

(I have not given the whole of the bidding as it is not relevant to my question.)

Clearly, East does not think Partner's Gambling 3N is doable. So he bails, fair enough.

Could someone tell me what East would have needed to pass 3N as it looks doable enough to me?

I have only recently started playing Gambling 3N but it comes up so rarely anyways.

It looks like partner has a Gambing in ♣.

To pass you are supposed to stop the other colors.

Being NV vs to V, you sure can take a little gamble here yourself and pass.

[gwnn]

i'd pass

[the hog]

Looks like a pass to me.

[whereagles]

My pard keeps leaving me in 3NT when it's a near-sure to go down. I hate that, so I pull as often as I can. In this case I would leave it in, but just because 4♣ probably goes down as much as 3NT lol.