[biggerclub]

Partner opens, 1♠, RHO overcalls 2♣. You hold x, Jxx, Ax, 8765432 and discreetly pass. (You are playing negative doubles.) LHO bids 2♥. Partner emerges with 4♦. RHO passes.

Your call.

[Cascade]

I raise

[mikeh]

I bid 4♠

AKQJx KQJxx in his suits isn't enough for 4♦, so he has more, and 6-5 or 6-6 are likely, so I prefer the likely 6-1 10 trick contract, knowing that diamonds are solid.


I am not bidding from fear...I expect to make. If his diamonds are longer than his spades then he probably needs to go back to bidding school.

[biggerclub]

Partner held AKQJT9, -, QJ9xxx, A.

I think I am clearly in the wrong for passing 4D.

I worked out that she was 6-5 or maybe even 6-6. I just didn't keep going to work out her strength.

She ruffed the opening H lead, finessed against the Kd doubleton, led to the Ad, dropping the K, ruffed a H back to her hand, drew the last trump and claimed 7.

There were 3 different straight flushes on the hand, including 2 in 1 suit (Clubs).

[relknes]

biggerclub, on 2014-July-19, 12:36, said:

Partner held AKQJT9, -, QJ9xxx, A.

I think I am clearly in the wrong for passing 4D.

I worked out that she was 6-5 or maybe even 6-6. I just didn't keep going to work out her strength.

She ruffed the opening H lead, finessed against the Kd doubleton, led to the Ad, dropping the K, ruffed a H back to her hand, drew the last trump and claimed 7.

There were 3 different straight flushes on the hand, including 2 in 1 suit (Clubs).

That depends on what you think partner should have opened. With a 2 loser hand, I think a strong 2♣ is clear (or whatever your strong opening bid is)... but that is just me. You clearly have game in hand, regardless of the "mere" 17 high card points.

[biggerclub]

relknes, on 2014-July-20, 20:28, said:

That depends on what you think partner should have opened. With a 2 loser hand, I think a strong 2♣ is clear (or whatever your strong opening bid is)... but that is just me. You clearly have game in hand, regardless of the "mere" 17 high card points.

I PM'd partner with a comment about opening 2.5 loser hands, especially those that feature a stand-alone MAJ suit.

However, I am working on improving my game, not finding partner's mistakes.

In my "bridge comedy" routine, I do suggest changing the name of the game to "what my partner did wrong."

[the hog]

biggerclub, on 2014-July-21, 00:51, said:

I PM'd partner with a comment about opening 2.5 loser hands, especially those that feature a stand-alone MAJ suit.

However, I am working on improving my game, not finding partner's mistakes.

In my "bridge comedy" routine, I do suggest changing the name of the game to "what my partner did wrong."

What did your pd do wrong? Nothing! If he opened 2C and next hand bid 4H, what should he do? Bid 4S? Then find you with a D hon to make 6? Do you really think 1S will end the bidding on this hand?

[biggerclub]

the hog, on 2014-July-21, 01:02, said:

Do you really think 1S will end the bidding on this hand?

Only if I am the one who opens it.

When the spade suit stands alone -- even opposite a void -- I think 2c is a better choice. But I am not dogmatic about such things.

One of the leading players at our club put in a word for opening 1d -- anticipating competition and planning a 4s bid for his second call. One of the other leading players had a tongue in cheek quiz for my partner: "What do you call AKQJT9 of Spades?" . . . "Trump."

[relknes]

the hog, on 2014-July-21, 01:02, said:

What did your pd do wrong?

Depends on your agreements. If you play what my partner and I play, opening 1 of a suit with a clearly game forcing hand is a mistake.

the hog, on 2014-July-21, 01:02, said:

If he opened 2C and next hand bid 4H, what should he do? Bid 4S?

Yes. A 2♣ opener is always vulnerable to preemptive action, like any strong but vague opening bid, but that is the nature of the bid.

the hog, on 2014-July-21, 01:02, said:

Then find you with a D hon to make 6? Do you really think 1S will end the bidding on this hand?

And if he opens 1 of a suit, I will never put him one card away from a slam. With a hand like x, xxxxx, xx, xxxxx I will pass the 4♦ rebid when game in either of partner's suits is on. Although 1♠ is clearly not going to get passed out, once partner opens with it, we are never getting to slam when I have only one or two cover cards.
So, again, it depends on what your agreements are. If you are in the habit of opening 1 of a suit with game forcing hands with tons of distribution, then great, do that. But if, like me, you would never open at the one level with a hand interested in slam opposite ♦Kx and out, then open strong, and if you get preempted, so be it.

[mikeh]

biggerclub, on 2014-July-21, 09:03, said:

One of the leading players at our club put in a word for opening 1d -- anticipating competition and planning a 4s bid for his second call.

I would make a mental note to pay no attention to that player from now on, at least in terms of bidding theory.

Bidding shape accurately is a huge priority. There are times when one will choose to distort shape. Holding a minimum 5M-6m hand (other than both blacks were no rebid problem is likely to exist after 1♣), one tends to open the 5 card major, but this is done because there are two conflicting principles in play. Looking ahead, one sees that one may be unable to show the 5 card major, and the scoring method for bridge emphasizes majors over minors, without a significant distortion of strength. One has to therefore choose between distortions.

With a powerhouse 6-6, there is no reason to distort. Even if the auction were to go 1♠ (4♥]/5♣), one is going to reopen 5♦. We are happy to force to the 5-level if need be. Indeed, doing so will clue partner in to the playing strength of the hand far more than would 1♦ followed by 4♠ over 4♥....and just what did your 'leading player' suggest you rebid if the auction started 1♦ and it was at 5♣ when it came back?


Btw, on a related note, this is to me an easy, clear 1♠ call.

Note that opening 2♣ isn't ever getting you to slam, or at least not in a way that suggests either partner knew what he or she was doing.

We have 17 hcp and a total of 1 card in the rounded suits. This hand is NOT going 1♠ all pass. Well, it 'could' but it is extremely unlikely, to the point that the benefit to be gained from being able to bid reasonably descriptively regardless of interference justifies the remote risk of playing 1♠ making 4 or 5.

[biggerclub]

mikeh, on 2014-July-21, 11:02, said:

Btw, on a related note, this is to me an easy, clear 1♠ call.

Note that opening 2♣ isn't ever getting you to slam, or at least not in a way that suggests either partner knew what he or she was doing.

I don't see how 1S leads to a better slam decision. I prefer 2C as more descriptive of strength, letting partner know that just a single A could be crucial. (FWIW - in our methods, 2D over 2C promises at least one A or K) As I said above, I am not dogmatic about such matters. If I were, I would insist that all partners play a forcing 1 club opening. But that's another debate.

I do think that you finding the preference to 4S over 4D with my hand (x, ..., Ax, ......) was the best comment in the whole discussion. Anywhere. 4S is the best contract. An opening C lead scuttles 6S. 6D makes on some kind of amazing double dummy play that perhaps a few declarer's would find (depends on precisely Kx opposite Txx in the opponents' hands).

[biggerclub]

mikeh, on 2014-July-21, 11:02, said:

Even if the auction were to go 1♠ (4♥]/5♣), one is going to reopen 5♦. We are happy to force to the 5-level if need be.

Had she emerged with 5D instead of 4, I would have put her in 6. Knowing that she is not assuming that I have a nearly perfect card. All the more reason I should bid one of the games over her 4D. Very bad pass by me.

[relknes]

biggerclub, on 2014-July-21, 11:45, said:

4S is the best contract. An opening C lead scuttles 6S. 6D makes on some kind of amazing double dummy play that perhaps a few declarer's would find (depends on precisely Kx opposite Txx in the opponents' hands).

Maybe I am missing something obvious, but 6♠ doesn't seem to depend on anything but a 3-2 split in diamonds, club lead or not, unless one opponent is void in clubs.
Win the opening lead, pull trump, play to the ace of diamonds, force the king out with the queen, and if they split 3-2 your hand is all winners.

*edit: sorry. I see it now. 7 clubs + 2 level overcall + 1 in partner's hand = void in LHO