[Mbodell]

Normalish 2/1 strong nt sytem, IMP scoring team match:

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[Cyberyeti]

You're slightly unlucky in that if you play 3041, you will play 5♠ which is much better.

I think 4N is slightly overstating the south hand, N has said non serious in context. I'd probably bid 4♥ (whatever it means) over 4♦ and if partner signs off in 4♠ as here I'll give up.

Part of the problem with blackwood is that you would have no idea which black queen partner has if he only has one ace so are completely guessing, and here you guessed wrong.

[mike777]

prefer 4h rather than 4nt


so 4h then 4nt then 5h then 5s


expect to end up in 5s

[Cascade]

South's bidding is poor.

4♣ is hoping for something like ♠ KQ, a red ace and ♣ KQ. That is possible and so 4♣ is justified.

However the hand has not improved over 4♦ and therefore south should just continue cue-bidding and trust partner's judgement.

... 4♥ 4♠ should then end the auction.

Hard to criticise north:

1♠ normal

3♣ a bad maximum but there are extras

3NT definitely not serious

4♦ just being a good partner by cooperating

5♣ normal answer.

South compounded things by guessing badly over 5♣ - he wants to play in the suit with a black queen but has to guess.

[rmnka447]

Opener's hand got WORSE when responder made a 2 ♥ 5+ GF bid. Partner's ♥ values are less likely to be of value. So I don't think a 3 ♣ "high reverse" bid is right on the hand. Instead, I think a simple minimum response is right -- 2 ♠ or (if your style permits) 2 NT.

Once 3 ♣ is bid, it looks to South like he's got the World's Fair -- double fit with As in the fitting suits and controls in the outside suits. The momentum caused by the 3 ♣ bid makes it difficult for South to stop.

[mr1303]

I hate the 3C bid. With no aces and a hand with hearts opposite, this isn't really extras. 2S is much better.

My auction:

1S 2H
2S 4D (splinter)
4S

All pass

[the_clown]

I hate 3♣ with an aceless hand and singleton in partners suit.

Playing with myselft I would bid

1♠-2♥
2N-3♠
3N-4♠

[NickRW]

Agree that calling the N hand "extras" when it is ace-less and p is advertising likely wasted values opposite the shortage is a tad enthusiastic

[Cyberyeti]

NickRW, on 2015-March-02, 10:01, said:

Agree that calling the N hand "extras" when it is ace-less and p is advertising likely wasted values opposite the shortage is a tad enthusiastic

You have to be careful with this line of logic, you may just have enough cards that a slam makes anyway, is partner supposed to work out A10x, Qxxxx, Axx, Ax or A10x, Axxxx, J, Axxx is a good slam if you bid 2♠ ? you might get there but it's a lot easier if you bid 3♣.

We missed a good slam yesterday where in roughly similar circumstances partner didn't like his hand, but we just had enough to make the slam on power.

[NickRW]

Cyberyeti, on 2015-March-02, 10:16, said:

You have to be careful with this line of logic, you may just have enough cards that a slam makes anyway...

Yes, I quite agree that one can downgrade too much for undesirable features. But I stick by my opinion that in this case there aren't enough extras (of course this rather depends on both partners being on the same wavelength about what "extras" means)

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

#1 deciding to play 5C is stupid.
It is fine to say 3C is natural, but I guess, sometimes you have to bid a 3 carder,
and South did agree to play spades, so why did he decide that it is a good time to
change the horse in the midle of the race?
#2 the rest of the auction is ok.

With kind regard
Marlowe

[Cyberyeti]

P_Marlowe, on 2015-March-06, 04:41, said:

Hi,

#1 deciding to play 5C is stupid.
It is fine to say 3C is natural, but I guess, sometimes you have to bid a 3 carder,
and South did agree to play spades, so why did he decide that it is a good time to
change the horse in the midle of the race?
#2 the rest of the auction is ok.

With kind regard
Marlowe

Deciding to play 5♣ is not stupid, it's a gamble, partner might have had Kxxxx, J, KQJ, KQJx where 5♣ is much better than 5♠, even if partner has the Q♠ as well, 5♣ can survive spades 4-1. He could even have xxxxx, A, KQJ, KQJx.