[mikeh]

Hanoi5, on 2015-April-15, 07:48, said:

Pass, Pass, 2NT, 2NT, X.

On the 4th hand I think I have way too much to just pass.

You are making a common mistake for players who pick up unexpectedly big hands....you feel obliged to 'do something' even tho the rest of the table is telling you, very clearly, that you should pass. Give partner 0-4 hcp with 4-5 hearts and ask yourself this: do I want to play at the 2-level or do I want to play higher?

Also, don't forget that you have a partner who is listening to the auction as well. Give him a 4 count with 5 hearts. He has made a bid that shows 0-5 hcp with 4-5 hearts. You now make a bid that is invitational opposite his action.....and he has a maximum.....wtf do you think he should do? He should bid game. Do you really want to be in game opposite a random 4 count with 5 hearts?

Sometimes pass is simply the best call available, even tho all our instincts are telling us that we have a good hand.

[WesleyC]

gordontd, on 2015-April-15, 09:11, said:

I suspect some of those who pass on the second one might not have noticed that the NT was weak, or are perhaps not familiar with defending against a weak NT.

I agree that over-calling a weak NT should typically be a constructive action, but NV at MPs feels like a special case (to me at least). Even over a weak NT, I'd rather partner acted with most shapely 8-10 HCP hands (suit quality permitting) and I'm prepared to advance conservatively as a result. Obviously, if you do maintain a sound over-calling style in this spot then passing 2H would be a mistake.

PhantomSac, on 2015-April-15, 04:18, said:

Would you bid over 1S 2H p ? with this hand w/r at MP? I don't see why that should be any different, except that LHO has a stronger range in that auction.

I think advancing (1NT) 2H (P) ??? is completely different to advancing (1S) 2H (P) ???, because over 1NT, partner is limited by the failure to make a penalty double. After (1S) 2H partner might still hold (14)15-17 HCPs, which is the major reason you would need to keep the auction alive.

[AyunuS]

Pass them all. I've found that in a lot of questionable situations where you probably can't make it, it's better to just hope they fail it. In none of them are you even sure you have a fit. You can't get stuck vulnerable at a level 3 bid with a combined about 19 HCP when your team doesn't even have a fit.

[wbartley]

Pass

[manudude03]

Well, it was interesting to see the answers (also cool to see it made the BBO news page)

Hand 1 (nv/nv):

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I bid a very risky 3D. I was not expecting partner's actual hand lol. He had QJ KJ Axxx Jxxxx (and yes, the opponents were in 3C on a 6-card fit.... This went -1 for an average.


Hand 2 (vul/vul):

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Here I bid 3S catching partner with QJx xxx KTx xxx. With some very friendly defense I made 10 tricks for +170 and a top. 3D would be 1 off.

Hand 3 (nv/vul):

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2H is natural (not guaranteeing a 2nd suit)

Here I bid 2N (natural invite), partner had JTx QJ9xx xx KJx. This made when RHO had ♦Qxx and 4 clubs and then didn't find the spade switch after winning the ♥K and LHO gets stepping-stoned. Passing 2H probably should have been the winner.

Hand 4 (vul/vul):

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Here I passed. Partner has Qxx Qxxxx xxx xx. An initial spade lead meant partner managed 10 tricks for +170 for an avg+.

Hand 5 (nv/vul):

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Here I passed. -5 was enough to secure a top (partner had QT9x AQx Kxx Jxx).

[ahydra]

manudude03, on 2015-April-16, 17:42, said:

Hand 3 (nv/vul):

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2H is natural (not guaranteeing a 2nd suit)

Here I bid 2N (natural invite), partner had JTx QJ9xx xx KJx.

Partner had WHAT?! Had someone removed the pass cards from his box?

Also sounds like this was a rather low-standard game with a 2-level overcall on 4 cards (or support with a singleton, lol) and that 2NT-5 which surely shouldn't have gone so many down. Trying to apply any kind of advanced thinking or strategies to club pairs games is a waste of time more often than not as I'm sure you know

ahydra

[Fluffy]

I would had liked to see your partner's face when holding ♣Jxxxx but open 1♦ due to system, LHO overcalls 2♣. He is undisciplined, he might have only 5. Now RHO rectifies to 2♠ as expected but then partner doubles to show a penalty pass of 2♣, that is 15 clubs on the deck already. But it is not over! RHO now bids 3♣ showing 3 of them. Time to check the back of everyone's cards?



FWIW I was thinking that maybe we should raise with the strong 4333 when partner escapes to 2♥. We have everything onside, so if partner is unbalanced we will have a lot of succesful finesses incoming.