[Coelacanth]

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Matchpoints, stratified pairs, unknown opponents (but they don't seem to be "A" players)

2♥ would be artificial and game forcing. Otherwise "standard american" methods.

Your call?

[kenrexford]

1NT seems obvious. If partner did not open 1NT, then we cannot have 26 HCP for game unless partner has an unbalanced hand. If partner has an unbalanced hand with 15-16 HCP, he should bid again after 1NT, and then we can get more aggressive.

[mikeh]

I'm close to agreeing with Ken: I vote for what I think is the obvious 1N, but for somewhat different reasons.

I know that 40 years ago, or more, it was conventional wisdom that to bid 3N one needed 26 combined hcp. I think that has gone the way of the dodo.

25 is enough, provided declarer is reasonably skilled, and a good 12 opposite a good 12 will produce game about half the time.

I choose 1N because he should accept an invitational 2N with a decent 13, and I think that is too dangerous.

And if he has extras, he may be able to take another call over 1N.

We have to accept that we can't reach every good contract while avoiding bad ones. If you feel you should invite on this hand, you'll win some boards and lose (imo) more. But where we draw the line in these situations is largely a matter of temperament and experience. My temperament is conservative and my experience backs that up in this situation.

Look at it another way: inviting has two ways to lose.....either he raises to a failing game or it turns out that 2N is too high. 1N has only one way to lose.....he passes and you miss a making game.

[AlexJonson]

I like 2NT. Unlikely to be a bad score if partner is poor.

[Coelacanth]

I also bid the "obvious" 1NT, but was concerned that this was a slight underbid. I have 10 HCP and a decent secondary fit with partner's first suit, but the quality of my spots convinced me to take the low road.

On the plus side, I achieved a score I've never had before: +240 is the score for 1NT making 6.

Partner had

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I think this was a case of both partners taking a conservative view. I can understand partner not wanting to raise notrump with a singleton, and with 15 HCP opposite what could be as few as 6, I have no problem with his call.

I won the ♥J lead with the Ace and ran the ♣J, losing. When a heart came back I had 12 tricks. (Both opponents pitched a diamond on the run of the clubs, but they were 3-2 in any case.) A spade switch at trick 3 will hold me to 9 tricks (LHO had Kxx and RHO AJxx) but the heart play was reasonable (LHO could have had ♥KJTx, I guess).

[phil_20686]

Coelacanth, on 2012-April-19, 13:34, said:

I also bid the "obvious" 1NT, but was concerned that this was a slight underbid. I have 10 HCP and a decent secondary fit with partner's first suit, but the quality of my spots convinced me to take the low road.

On the plus side, I achieved a score I've never had before: +240 is the score for 1NT making 6.

Partner had

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I think this was a case of both partners taking a conservative view. I can understand partner not wanting to raise notrump with a singleton, and with 15 HCP opposite what could be as few as 6, I have no problem with his call.

I won the ♥J lead with the Ace and ran the ♣J, losing. When a heart came back I had 12 tricks. (Both opponents pitched a diamond on the run of the clubs, but they were 3-2 in any case.) A spade switch at trick 3 will hold me to 9 tricks (LHO had Kxx and RHO AJxx) but the heart play was reasonable (LHO could have had ♥KJTx, I guess).

1N in this auction should be 8-10 ish, so your partner is closer to just blasting 3N than passing imo.

[kenrexford]

This is not even remotely close. Passing 1NT is outright sick. I would rather splinter 3H than pass 1NT. Even 2D at the third bid is too light; i would jump to 3D.

[aguahombre]

kenrexford, on 2012-April-19, 14:18, said:

Even 2D at the third bid is too light; i would jump to 3D.

2D is the definition of this hand at the third bid. 4-1-3-5 and extra strength. Less strength would pass 1NT. We get to play in 2D if partner has XX KXX QJXXX JXX.

[kenrexford]

aguahombre, on 2012-April-19, 14:27, said:

2D is the definition of this hand at the third bid. 4-1-3-5 and extra strength. Less strength would pass 1NT. We get to play in 2D if partner has XX KXX QJXXX JXX.

Passing 1NT with 4135 after partner bids diamonds seems poor to me even on a minimum.

[AlexJonson]

My pair would be in game, because we didn't both underbid.

[mikl_plkcc]

2♦

1♦ showed only 4 ♦s, 2♦ shows more.