[Fluffy]

 mikeh, on 2015-June-02, 15:22, said:

In my partnerships, such as they are, we generally don't use many game tries in the 1M 2M situation. Now part of that is that we usually play constructive raises, by an unpassed hand, but much of it is due to the benefits of blasting game without telling the opps about our hand. Defence is the toughest part of the game and on many hands the defence is pretty much going to depend on the opening lead.

If you are scared of leaking info just throw fake invites here and there to add noise. Deceiving dummy is free anyway.


OP must be playing a different system than I because 4 balanced is not worth a raise in my book. And north is obviously worth a game drive opposite a constructive raise, even opposite a 6-9 raise he is worth game.

[cherdano]

 Fluffy, on 2015-June-03, 07:38, said:

because 4 balanced is not worth a raise in my book

Huh? He has 4-card support, a doubleton and an ace!

[mycroft]

 Fluffy, on 2015-June-03, 07:38, said:

If you are scared of leaking info just throw fake invites here and there to add noise. Deceiving dummy is free anyway.

Until dummy tanks and refuses the invite, and has a hand like this one.

You're clear, of course, if you have a "nobody could think this is an invite" hand; it's just that the world breeds a better idiot...

[Fluffy]

even if the hand is borderline, nobody could think I am making a real short suit tral bid in clubs with ♣Qxx at least

[Fluffy]

 cherdano, on 2015-June-03, 09:30, said:

Huh? He has 4-card support, a doubleton and an ace!

I will assume you are joking arend, not because of your tone, but because you say having a doubleton is a feature.

[cherdano]

 Fluffy, on 2015-June-03, 15:32, said:

I will assume you are joking arend, not because of your tone, but because you say having a doubleton is a feature.

Not sure what semantic games you are playing here - surely 4423 is a better hand here than 4333. But I really don't understand how this hand is not worth a raise. Opposite AKxxx xx Axxx Kx my hand is worth approximately 4 tricks. Are you talking about a style where you need 8hcp or better to raise with a typical balanced hand with 3-card support? I am honestly lost what your point is.

[Fluffy]

My point is that this hand doesn't qualify as a single raise for me. Even when it is 6-9 or so for balanced hands. I can give you many counter examples where the hand is worth 1 trick also, and it will take much less brain cells than yours. Even zero tricks is possible.

About the doubleton issue, since every hand contains at least a doubleton except 4333, I don't evaluate doubletons as a positive, I just downgrade 4333s, I though this was more widespread and might aliviate things like what I saw this weekend:





A player transfered to clubs and passed over partner's strong NT his hand was:

♠104
♥KJ64
♦Q
♣KJ10943

When asked why he missed game he said that he though he had invited, and that his hand was worth only 9 HCP. Because ♦Q is worth nothing, so he had 4 in hearts, 4 in clubs, and 1 for the doubleton spade...