[Blofeld]

Scoring: IMP

P _ (1♥) 2♥ (2♠)
4♠ (4NT) ?

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Had this hand earlier, and curious as to what people would have done with it. You have no detailed agreements with partner as to the meaning of 2♥. 2♠ was alerted as a good ♥ raise, and 4NT as keycard blackwood. What's your call, and what's you plan for later if the auction gets back to you?

[kfgauss]

We appear to be South and thus white on red, actually. I'll bid just 5♣, trying to help partner decide whether to sacrifice (my 6-5 shape is something extra at these colors, of course). I realize this doesn't get rid of things like the queen ask and actually gives them extra room, but partner can come in with 5♠ (or more) over the response to make things a bit harder, and I'm not willing to commit to 6♣ which really commits us to 6♠ and I'd like to introduce my minor to help partner out, so 5♠ is out.

I guess this may help the opponents in various sorts of decisions, but the decision of whether to sacrifice with 6♠ over 6♥ seems to be the most important one.

Andy

[mr1303]

I'll stick 5C in only because I'm at favourable. However, I'm not going to bid again under any circumstances. Trumps may well be breaking badly.

[adhoc3]

kfgauss, on Sep 29 2005, 01:11 AM, said:

We appear to be South and thus white on red, actually. I'll bid just 5♣, trying to help partner decide whether to sacrifice (my 6-5 shape is something extra at these colors, of course). I realize this doesn't get rid of things like the queen ask and actually gives them extra room, but partner can come in with 5♠ (or more) over the response to make things a bit harder, and I'm not willing to commit to 6♣ which really commits us to 6♠ and I'd like to introduce my minor to help partner out, so 5♠ is out.

I guess this may help the opponents in various sorts of decisions, but the decision of whether to sacrifice with 6♠ over 6♥ seems to be the most important one.

Andy

Totally Agree!

[whereagles]

I bid 5♠. The 6-5 is extras for me. Pard cannot go wrong because it's clear it's the opps' hand.

[Echognome]

I might be alone in this, but with 5-6 in the blacks, I'm bidding 2♣ first and then 4♠ later. It gets my suit lengths across nicely and will help partner in deciding whether to sacrifice. Of course, this depends entirely on your methods. (e.g. playing weak-strong michaels you cannot do this) If I held hearts and clubs, then I would begin with michaels for fear of getting both suits across.

[inquiry]

Echognome, on Sep 29 2005, 10:39 AM, said:

I might be alone in this, but with 5-6 in the blacks, I'm bidding 2♣ first and then 4♠ later. It gets my suit lengths across nicely and will help partner in deciding whether to sacrifice. Of course, this depends entirely on your methods. (e.g. playing weak-strong michaels you cannot do this) If I held hearts and clubs, then I would begin with michaels for fear of getting both suits across.

You are not alone, I am with you, but for a very odd reason. I play that funny version RAPTOR and my micheals cue bid would promise ♠ and ♦ specifically.

With ♠ and ♣, I can use RAPTOR, but ONLY WHEN HOLDING A sound opening hand or better. This falls short (well, it does have 22 ZAR points in distiribution alone, throw in the king of spades and it hits 26 without the solid club...but sound it is not). With weaker hands, that is this one, I have to start with one of the other of the suits. By starting club, then rebidding ♠ I paint a picture of this hand (normally 2♣ overcall would deny 4 card spade suit. But when I bid ♠ over whatever, the story is complete.

However, there is a big down side, which is.....

(1H) 2C (3C) Pass
(4N) ?

It has gotten a lot higher than I like and partner has no clue about spades... of course in the given auction, partner has a hint I migtht have ♣, but I might have ♦ instead. Of course, you face the same problem matt when you bid 2♣

[Fluffy]

Bidding 2♣ withou t a defensive trick is beyond my taste, I would jam a bit with 5♠ if they are weak pair since they might have no agreements, and 6 if I judge them good.

[han]

I see, the hand is not sound enough to show a 2-suiter, but is apparently good enough to bid 2C first and then spades at some high level...

[mike777]

Odd man out.

Prefer pass over 1h and not make 2 suited call at all. Pass now again.
Desolation Row.
Another Brick in the Wall for those who live near DFW.

[jdeegan]

I don't need FLT to figure our offensive prospects. We figure to take about nine tricks: four spades and five clubs or five spades and four clubs are the layouts most likely.

LOTT can be a bit treacherous when there are tons of tricks outstanding, but this hand looks to be fairly 'pure'. I am guessing 10 spades and 10 hearts plus my void will mean 21 tricks (maybe 20 or even 19 on a bad day). By bringing to bear my finely honed powers of subtraction, I have to go along with RHO's slam try (21-9=12 and 20-9 = 11). I can't tell whether they have six or not.

I badly want to lay some hurt on these guys if I can, and the best way I can see to do that is to bid 5♠. 5♣ has some merit in that it might (or might not) help pard later in the auction, but it just doesn't take up enough bidding room.

Something I recently learned in the BBO forum from one of the resident sages. If you make a bid in a competitive auction such that you don't know whether you want the opponents to take the push or to defend, then you have chosen the right level. That is exactly how I feel about a 5♠ call.

[Free]

I'd bid 6♣: taking away even more space, suggesting a good sacrifice opposite slam, denying an ace...

[Al_U_Card]

My version of Michaels would show S and C specifically, and pard knows that I can have more C than S but not the other way around. I will look forward to a sac over their 6H contract (if we are indeed wht vs red) otherwise pass.