[Mbodell]

IMP pairs.

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No other pair faced opponent bidding and half ended in 6♠ making 7 and half in 7♠ so 4♠+3 was -12.5 IMP (and perhaps contributed to the overly aggressive action that produced a -870 on the next board for another -12.5 IMP).

[ahydra]

Depends how you play the 4S jump (e.g. should East have started with 2D instead?), but assuming this is a normal "game going values with 5+ spades" bid, West should be heading to slam for sure.

ahydra

[helene_t]

Maybe West could still have made a move but I don't like East's 4♠ bid. Even if this doesn't strictly show a weak hand with 7-8 spades (matter of agreement), three keycards is too much.

[phil_20686]

East is too strong to just blast 4S IMO. He hasnt had the chance to pass so 4S is what you bid with like KJ9xxx Qx xxx xx or something. West has a normal pass of 4S opposite an expected 4S bid.

[rmnka447]

I think East should start with a 2 ♦ cue, then bid 4 ♠ over West's 2 NT call (showing 19+ and ♦ stopper).

I know 1 ♦ doesn't necessarily show ♦. But if the double is a take out of 1 ♦, 2 ♦ still needs to be the cue showing values.

After 4 ♠, East can use RKCB and 0/3 response must 3, so at least 6 ♠ is an easy call.

[Phil]

Agree East should take it slower but we still have a small slam without the ♥A so West gets a charge too.

[Zelandakh]

Phil, on 2015-November-12, 10:17, said:

Agree East should take it slower but we still have a small slam without the ♥A so West gets a charge too.

Like this?

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[kuhchung]

Wow, precision 1D opening standards have dropped.

edit: oh just saw the subtitle, hah. did he really psych in first seat?

[ggwhiz]

Too much leaping to game with WAY too much strength. 100% east, they must have a train to catch.

[Jinksy]

Zelandakh, on 2015-November-12, 10:31, said:

Like this?

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Are we really supposed to be playing opener for a first seat psyche? The K♥ looks to me like a sure trick opposite xx, so while E should have done something more encouraging, I think W was really wet.

[Mbodell]

kuhchung, on 2015-November-12, 10:48, said:

edit: oh just saw the subtitle, hah. did he really psych in first seat?

Yes. Good timing from Grant.

[chasetb]

Honestly, I am surprised by not only the votes for West, but also WHO voted for them. East not only has 12 HCP, but 12 PRIME HCP + SHAPE. Let's make West cuckoo, and give him/her ♠xxxx ♥Kxxx ♦x ♣AQxx . On the same auction (1♦) - X - (P) - ??? , I expect South to have a huge hand, so the King is in the hole, and 6♠ comes home ON 21 HCP!!! Heck, give West any of a bunch of standard minimum takeout doubles, and you have great play or are cold for slam. As is, if East just makes the normal 2♦ cuebid, they SHOULD get to 7♠.

The reason I don't blame West is that I would expect something like a pre-emptive sort of hand, maybe a hand with lots of soft values, and definitely denying 2+ Key Cards, for East's 4♠ bid. So, even with that monster of a hand, by my definition you will be off 2 tricks, so no point in West looking for slam.

Zel, I have a problem with your example hand. Not only would I never expect South to psyche in 1st seat, but North clearly has a responding hand, and might even take 2 bids looking for a resting spot.

[SteveMoe]

Some thoughts:
1) Psyching 1♦ Precision is legal only if the bid promises 3+ cards. Otherwise the opening is illegal and penalties should apply.
2) Defending 1♦, play the cue bid as natural, 2♥ as weak Michaels, and 3♦ as strong Michaels. This hand is too strong for 2♦.
3) East has a 2♦ call GF. 4♠ takes air out of the auction.
4) West hearing 4♠ should try 4N. 5♦(lottery winner!) begets 7.

[fourdad]

If the X is an opening hand with support for the unbid suits and, over a minor opening does NOT promise four spades (as a X of 1H would), then 4S shows an opening hand w/ 5+ spdaes. As W has an easy 20+ point count 6S should be automatic.
How can South alert "precision" on this hand? Is it not a pure psyche?

[gwnn]

fourdad, on 2015-November-13, 03:58, said:

How can South alert "precision" on this hand? Is it not a pure psyche?

Alerts disclose the agreement, not what you have. Otherwise it would rather defeat the purpose of psyching. Also, this happened in live bridge, so N doesn't know about the psyche, unless he's clairvoyant or a cheater (or ignorant about the rules).

[Zelandakh]

SteveMoe, on 2015-November-12, 19:14, said:

Some thoughts:
1) Psyching 1♦ Precision is legal only if the bid promises 3+ cards. Otherwise the opening is illegal and penalties should apply.
2) Defending 1♦, play the cue bid as natural, 2♥ as weak Michaels, and 3♦ as strong Michaels. This hand is too strong for 2♦.
3) East has a 2♦ call GF. 4♠ takes air out of the auction.
4) West hearing 4♠ should try 4N. 5♦(lottery winner!) begets 7.

1. Under which Law? Are you one of the players that thinks it is illegal to psyche an artificial call?
2. You could do that but you should not pretend that it does not have disadvantages against standard methods.
3. 2♦ is not GF for most. That does not make it the wrong call of course.
4. Would you still think 4NT was the right call if East had ♠JT9xxxx and no ♥A?

[mikestar13]

Zelandakh, on 2015-November-13, 17:08, said:

1. Under which Law? Are you one of the players that thinks it is illegal to psyche an artificial call?
2. You could do that but you should not pretend that it does not have disadvantages against standard methods.
3. 2♦ is not GF for most. That does not make it the wrong call of course.
4. Would you still think 4NT was the right call if East had ♠JT9xxxx and no ♥A?

Not under any Law, but under (admittedly blindingly stupid) ACBL regulation, which the Laws allow regulating authorities to make, at least arguably. Not any kind of violation in the sane bridge jurisdictions of the world.

[jodepp]

Agree with those who blame mostly East for a silly jump to 4♠, but West could (perhaps should) try RKC too.

[Mbodell]

gwnn, on 2015-November-13, 04:05, said:

Alerts disclose the agreement, not what you have. Otherwise it would rather defeat the purpose of psyching. Also, this happened in live bridge, so N doesn't know about the psyche, unless he's clairvoyant or a cheater (or ignorant about the rules).

Agree about the main points re: alerts obviously, but the hand actually happened online in a private tournament (Tuesday Lilypad game) but against people whom I know from playing a fair bit both in person and in this weekly online game.

Also, for those of you who think West could/should bid on. What would you expect bids to mean? Is 4nt obviously keycard (seems likely to me although 19 balanced with xx of spades might want to try natural, but probably too thin)? Are new suits at the 5 level a cue bid, or revealing a single suited power double in this suit?

[Zelandakh]

Mbodell, on 2015-November-14, 01:39, said:

What would you expect bids to mean?

4NT keycard and new suit GOSH seems the most logical to me.