[TheoKole]

Scoring: IMP

---

I was North when I faced this bidding problem.

The bidding had gone...

N-------E-----S------W
P-------P-----1 ♦-----P
1 ♥----P-----2 ♦-----P
???

Extenuation Circumstances - These may or may not impact on your decision.

1) This is the last hand of the last round of a regional tournament.

2) Swiss Teams Match scoring (Open Category) and you are currently in 8th place overall out of 30 teams at the end of the previous round.

3) While the top placings are out of reach, your team went into the last round with a 9 VIP lead over the next placed team in your section (1 - 11) (You had previously beaten this team by 21 - 10 Imps, so a tie between the 2 teams means you win the title for your section).

4) Due to a bidding mistake on your part on a previous hand in the round, you estimate that you have lost approximately 3 - 4 VIP's of your lead over the other team in the 1 - 11 section all other things being equal.

5) Your opponents are expert defenders (they are the current title holders of the National Womens Pairs "A Team" and are part of the National Women's Team "A Team" of your country. A mistake on your part is likely to be severly punished.

6) Unknown whether this women's team is in contention for the Women's Section Title or not. (Perhaps not knowing was a mistake as this may affect their bidding decisions at the other table.)

You are vulnerable, what is your bid?

Theo

[luke warm]

play reverse flannery

i'd pass also, maybe they'll balance...

[mike777]

good players bid 2h, I bid pass, oh well

[Fluffy]

I don't understand most of what you've written theo .

But anyway I find pass kinda clear, if I feel on need of a swing, and 140 scores better than 130 then I'll try 2♥

[TheoKole]

Fluffy, on Oct 29 2005, 09:07 PM, said:

I don't understand most of what you've written theo .

But anyway I find pass kinda clear, if I feel on need of a swing, and 140 scores better than 130 then I'll try 2♥

Perhaps I should have explained a little more about the setup of the tournament and the rating system in Greece.

Ranks for players in Greece are separated from 1 to 16 depending on how many Black, Gold and Placing Master Points a player has. A player can only win Placing points by coming in at least 3rd place at a regional or national tournament. In order to achieve Rank 9 you must have earned 3.0 Placing Points which is equal to coming in first in a regional or national tournament.

In addition, while in an "Open" Category of a tournament anybody can play, there is also a 1-8 Category which is closed to any player who is Rank 9 and above.

In practice, the "Open" category of a tournament includes mostly players who are Rank 9 or higher with few exceptions.

However, in addition to the first, second and third places for the "Open" category of the tournament there is also a first place for the best team in which all the players are Rank 1-11 and a first place for the best team in which all the players are all women.

In Greece, there is a national tournament every year, only for players of Rank 12 and above. The top 2 teams of this tournament become the National "A Team" and the National "B Team". In addition this tournament decides the "A and B Teams" for the Categories "Men, Women, Teams, and Seniors". These teams go on to represent the country in International tournaments.

The team I played with had an average Ranking of 6 (between the 4 players) so you could say that we were definite underdogs to play in the "Open" category.

We played in the "Open" category mainly for expierience and I have to say that I really enjoyed myself, although I was very nervious at the end.

I really feel drained of energy right now after 3 days of bridge but I can't wait till next year .

I included this explanation of the ranking system and tournament structure to give everyone a feel of the situation when I had to make my bidding decision for the hand in question.

Maybe it was because I was tired, but it sure felt like it was one of the hardest bidding decisions I've had to make in months.

Cheers

Theo

[whereagles]

pass, wtp?

Opener has 6 diamonds, no 4 spades and a min. Where do you think you're going? Even easier for those who use to support on 3 cards.

[mike777]

TheoKole, on Oct 29 2005, 10:03 PM, said:

Fluffy, on Oct 29 2005, 09:07 PM, said:

I don't understand most of what you've written theo .

But anyway I find pass kinda clear, if I feel on need of a swing, and 140 scores better than 130 then I'll try 2♥

Perhaps I should have explained a little more about the setup of the tournament and the rating system in Greece.

Ranks for players in Greece are separated from 1 to 16 depending on how many Black, Gold and Placing Master Points a player has. A player can only win Placing points by coming in at least 3rd place at a regional or national tournament. In order to achieve Rank 9 you must have earned 3.0 Placing Points which is equal to coming in first in a regional or national tournament.

In addition, while in an "Open" Category of a tournament anybody can play, there is also a 1-8 Category which is closed to any player who is Rank 9 and above.

In practice, the "Open" category of a tournament includes mostly players who are Rank 9 or higher with few exceptions.

However, in addition to the first, second and third places for the "Open" category of the tournament there is also a first place for the best team in which all the players are Rank 1-11 and a first place for the best team in which all the players are all women.

In Greece, there is a national tournament every year, only for players of Rank 12 and above. The top 2 teams of this tournament become the National "A Team" and the National "B Team". In addition this tournament decides the "A and B Teams" for the Categories "Men, Women, Teams, and Seniors". These teams go on to represent the country in International tournaments.

The team I played with had an average Ranking of 6 (between the 4 players) so you could say that we were definite underdogs to play in the "Open" category.

We played in the "Open" category mainly for expierience and I have to say that I really enjoyed myself, although I was very nervious at the end.

I really feel drained of energy right now after 3 days of bridge but I can't wait till next year .

I included this explanation of the ranking system and tournament structure to give everyone a feel of the situation when I had to make my bidding decision for the hand in question.

Maybe it was because I was tired, but it sure felt like it was one of the hardest bidding decisions I've had to make in months.

Cheers

Theo

what the heck....have no idea what the heck this means at 2 am on a saturday night.

No wonder the Greeks rule the world.

[luke warm]

Jlall, on Oct 29 2005, 08:35 PM, said:

luke warm, on Oct 29 2005, 08:31 PM, said:

play reverse flannery

i'd pass also, maybe they'll balance...

Don't see how that would help with normal flannery shape.

LOL... that's why one of my nicks is lysdexic

[Fluffy]

I don't find this as a problem, but that is becasue I was taught to pass this kind of auctions. So when I face the situation, remember that, and pass quickly with confidence. Passing quick helps the opponents to reopen as well.

[cherdano]

Theo, this is a pass for me, and the surrounding conditions really don't matter to me. Making swingy bad bids just because you have made a bidding mistake on a previous board is just bad IMO.

Arend

[TheoKole]

Thank you all for responding.

At the table, I also passed and with confidence I believe.

The other side did not balance, they know a misfit auction when they hear one, and they did not double on which I would run out to 2 hearts and make as the cards lie. These are expert players and defenders as I said. A trump stack behind partner ment down 3 (-300) even though he played the hand as good as possible.

They reached 3NT at the other table which made on a VERY lucky placing of the cards, with 5 Hearts, 1 Diamond, 2 Spades and 1 Club. I am not sure of their auction to 3NT.

This double score combined to make a handy win for our opponents.

In our 1-11 section, the other team in contention for the title played very well to beat their opponents, and we ended up losing the section title by 1 VIP.

Those are the breaks I guess.

Theo

[Winstonm]

I see this as a really tough call - although I'm as quick as almost anyone to let it die in a no-fit auction, this hand isn't screaming for that action. There is no reason to believe that the 6-0 fit will play better than a 5-1 or 5-2 heart fit or heavens, even a 5-3 heart fit (unlikely). I wouldn't fault a pass or a 2H bid - guess it depends on whether or not your luck is in.

Winston

[han]

Agree with Winston. I guess pass is better.

[Kalvan14]

A slight preference for 2♥, but I would not fault a pass.
The result at the other table is not really significant: oppos might have forced their luck for tactical reasons, and at 2.00 am the strangest things might happen.
I would like to see partner's hand: 1 would anticipate 3-1-6-3 (or even 7 diamonds, taking a card from any suit). A semi-balanced hand (even 3-2-6-2) would be disappointing, unless ♦ are quite good.


From the poll results, pass or 2♥ are almost equal. IMHO, this is a situation which might be influenced by the table feeling