[Winstonm]

Had a couple of hands of interest today. What do you think is best? First this at imp scoring:

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Then this hand came up, again at imps:

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You may or may not agree with 2NT. Would you bid 2N, 3C or pass? Should you make another call?

[apollo1201]

On the 1st one, X is likely to get you to the best strain, as partner will bid their 6-cd H or 3-cd S. If they are 2533 (and opps overbid their D length), well, they might pass for a non dramatic IMP loss (300 vs. 420). Not sure what to do, though, with a shapely hand with C. On the other hand, 4S is vey committed and would a slightly better suit as partner could be singleton (1525 or 1624 with a non-great hand or suit that prevented a free bid of 3H). So I X and see what comes.

For the 2nd, how many cds did 1C promise? 2+ or 3+? How high / low can go the 2C? Is 3C a limit rase or a preempt? Trying to see how this would push partner to X balance rather than bid 3C. In all cases, I’m not Xing this, I am not bidding 3NT (which could be a make with some luck and H wide open), and hope to set this. 2NT was an intelligent bid but it might help opps now. Hoping the S10 will be key…

[DavidKok]

I agree with X on the first auction. I am also curious how strong partner would need to be to rebid 3♥ over 3♦. If the answer is 'not very strong at all' then maybe 4♠ is also an option. But we have extra support for all three suits, so X seems perfect.

What a bizarre auction for the second hand. Partner pulling 2NT (I like this bid) suggests a lack of values and long clubs, probably at least 5 (or maybe 6 if your 1♣ is 2+?), but also implies red suit tolerance. There don't seem to be enough cards in their hand. At the same time the opponents are cheerfully bidding 3 over 3, suggesting a 9 card fit. Maybe partner has something like 1=4=3=5 with around 6 points? If those points are primarily in clubs 3♠ rates to make. I'm passing, with great defensive values partner should probably have passed 2NT. Or did they think it was some kind of -ohl, or scrambling?

[Winstonm]

To clarify, 1C is 3 or more and 2C can be 4 cards but is normally 5. In comp, 2c is a simple raise and 4 clubs is more likely than if no competition .

[nullve]

1) I believe the most frequent shape around the table is

West: 2272
North: 2524
East: 3433

and that

total tricks >= total trumps

because of the double fit and all my quacks and intermediates being in our suits.

The true shape around the table is probably close to this, so by LoTT it's probably better to play 4♠ than defending 4♦X.

If I double ("takeout"), partner will pass with this shape (2524), so I'm going to bid 4♠ instead.

2) Pass!

[nige1]

Winstonm 'Had a couple of hands of interest today. What do you think is best? First this at imp scoring:'
++++++++++++++++++++++
I rank ...
1. 4♠s = 2 more ♠s than your reply promised.
2. Double = Extras.
3. Pass = Underbid, likely to end auction.

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Winstonm 'Then this hand came up, again at imps: You may or may not agree with 2NT. Would you bid 2N, 3C or pass? Should you make another call?'
+++++++++++++++++++++
Agree with earlier 2N bid. Now I rank ...
1. 3N = 2 ♠ stops and extra values for vul game at imps.
2. Pass = Sensible but timid.
3. Double = Dangerous as 3♠ might make.

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[StevenG]

I don't play 2/1 or any 5-card major system so this probably a stupid question. Can you bid 4♥ on the first hand? You've effectively denied 3 card support, I would have thought.

[Winstonm]

StevenG, on 2021-July-12, 15:40, said:

I don't play 2/1 or any 5-card major system so this probably a stupid question. Can you bid 4♥ on the first hand? You've effectively denied 3 card support, I would have thought.

Not stupid at all but bidding 1S does not deny a heart fit. You can bid 4h but it doesn’t mean you don’t have better than 2-card support. It really gets down to double or 4S but 4H is not a crazy bid

[mikeh]

Fwiw, I think 4S is clear on the first board. I’m not saying that it will always work, but I am saying that I don’t think it’s close at all.

While double is not ‘penalty’ neither is it purely takeout. It shows ownership of the hand with no clear direction, and will be passed too often, or find partner bidding 4H when 4S will often be better (and sometimes worse, of course)

Edited to add: we may belong in clubs. Picture opener with x AKxxx Jx KJxxx, but I don’t think we can get there from here.

On the second hand, I would not have bid 2N. We have no source of tricks and we aren’t interested in a game so I’d have bid the safest partial…3C, Now, at imps, I pass 3S. Even thinking of another action seems to me to be an overbid.

[Winstonm]

mikeh, on 2021-July-12, 17:40, said:

Fwiw, I think 4S is clear on the first board. I’m not saying that it will always work, but I am saying that I don’t think it’s close at all.

While double is not ‘penalty’ neither is it purely takeout. It shows ownership of the hand with no clear direction, and will be passed too often, or find partner bidding 4H when 4S will often be better (and sometimes worse, of course)

Edited to add: we may belong in clubs. Picture opener with x AKxxx Jx KJxxx, but I don’t think we can get there from here.

On the second hand, I would not have bid 2N. We have no source of tricks and we aren’t interested in a game so I’d have bid the safest partial…3C, Now, at imps, I pass 3S. Even thinking of another action seems to me to be an overbid.

These are good points. My thoughts at the time were that double was the most flexible bid but I think I underappreciated the 6th spade card - asking too much for partner to bid 4S on Jx, KJxxx, Ax, Kxxx or something similar.

I think pass is pretty clearcut on hand two.

[DavidKok]

Winstonm, on 2021-July-12, 19:23, said:

These are good points. My thoughts at the time were that double was the most flexible bid but I think I underappreciated the 6th spade card - asking too much for partner to bid 4S on Jx, KJxxx, Ax, Kxxx or something similar.

Pass (instead of 4S over X) may work very well on that hand. They can probably take 5-6 diamond tricks and a major suit honour, but what else? Lead diamond ace and another and sit back. In general I'm not too keen on bidding 4 over 4 in the hope of landing in an 8-card fit.

[Winstonm]

DavidKok, on 2021-July-13, 02:44, said:

Pass (instead of 4S over X) may work very well on that hand. They can probably take 5-6 diamond tricks and a major suit honour, but what else? Lead diamond ace and another and sit back. In general I'm not too keen on bidding 4 over 4 in the hope of landing in an 8-card fit.

I considered the problems but finally settled on double as most flexible