[Echognome]

Scoring: IMP

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The last problem for today (I've arbitrarily decided to post 3 problems a day), involves hand evaluation within your system.

Does this 4333 12 count constitute an opening in your system?

Opposite a weak balanced hand, will responder invite game or bid it?

[hrothgar]

Fine, we overbid to 3N.
Our auction was simple and direct

1N - (P) - 3N - all pass

Like you're not gonna do the same.

For me, the major issue on this hand is not whether to bid game, but rather whether or not to trot out Stayman for the weak NT opening. The control rich hand argues in favor of exploring a suit contract. Ultimately, however, I thought that it was better to force the opponents to defend blind. With luck, they'll blow a trick.

I'll note in passing that South's prospects for making 3N improves significantly after a major suit lead. I like our auction. It just didn't happen to work well this hand...

[Gerben42]

Only if playing 1NT as 11 - 13 (then open 1NT) or 14 - 16 (then open 1♣). If not, then open the other hand in 3rd seat and invite.

In both cases I end up in 2NT with these NS hands.

[MickyB]

Our auction was a fair bit longer! Basically, it consisted of a 11-13 1NT rebid and a invitational 2NT, which was accepted.

[Gerben42]

I don't see how you can accept that invite, sorry.

[hrothgar]

Gerben42, on Nov 19 2005, 08:37 PM, said:

I don't see how you can accept that invite, sorry.

Perhaps its more difficult if you're only looking at one hand?

[Gerben42]

Assuming I have shown 11 - 13 balanced in South I do not accept the invitation, I don't need to look at the North hand for that.

[MickyB]

Our style is to accept on any excuse - 2NT is a silly place to play a contract! My partner accepted, and I probably would have done as well.

Having said that, I've just Binkied these two hands, and the results surprised me; responders is above average for a 12 count, and openers is closer to 11 points than 12. Ok, you win

[inquiry]

Well, i am fairly sure we will be the only pair in this contract. Our auction was:

Board Three
Hannie
AQJ2
QT4
J92
Q82

Inquiry
954
AK75
AT8
J74

P-1♣
1♠-Pass

We have a reputation for opening light, yet I agree with Han's pass of north's hand (my display rotated from presention at top of thread). Systemic rebid with my hand is 1NT, and 1NT rebid instead of my pass might be better, but that risk getting too high. We open very light (as you will see later), so I considered pass seems to be reasonable shot. If I had bid 1NT, we surely would be in 2NT as Hannie would have to make a game try with his maximum pass. The reason I didn’t bid 1NT was because I was worried about the “raise” to 2NT (actually by going through 2♣ as we play the xzy convention). Here I am looking for a plus. If this was Matchpoints, I might have risked 1NT anyway, but matt instructed us to bid as if it was teams.

[mike777]

assuming south is dealer not north
1c=1h
1s=2nt
p

2nt=scattered 12-13 hcp minus/average only 4 hearts.
P= I think this hand is a terrible 12 hcp.

[Gerben42]

Quote

2NT is a silly place to play a contract!

I agree with that but that doesn't mean that if you have a bad hand that you say well I have a 10, lets raise. If you have a bad hand you have a bad hand, 2NT will be hard enough.

And if you open 1NT 11 - 13, no way I am going to jump to 3NT on just an average 12-count.

[han]

Given that I chose not to open the north hand (11pts sounds about right for this quacky 4333 hand) I cannot imagine accepting an invite once you do open.


I agree that if you are going to overbid, then you should do it like Richard and Free did. You will be overboard on some hands, but such a fast auction will allow you to make some contracts that wouldn't be made otherwise. Moreover, it becomes impossible for the opponents to double you.

I would have passed the north hand playing 12-14 NT's too Richard.

[Winstonm]

P-P-1C-P
1S-P-1N-P
2N-P-P-P

Guaranteed that's how our auction would go.

[Cascade]

Our 1NT range is Good 11-14. Kermit thinks this means that we interpret "Good 11" differently. She thinks that I think "Good I have 11 I can open".

Anyway back to the hand we bid ...

1NT 2♣
2♠ 2NT
Pass

This is our only way to invite 3NT without a five-card major so 2NT did not promise hearts.

[awm]

Elianna opened 1♣ on the north hand and rebid 1NT over my 1♥. Since 4333's tend to play poorly and I didn't necessarily want to reach a 12 opposite 12 game on this hand, I tried 2NT and we played there. Good to get a plus score on this board I think.

[Gerben42]

Gerben's Fantunes auction:

At this vuln. South is opening 1NT more like 11 - 14, so Cascade's auction.

[Fluffy]

1♣-1♥
1♠-3NT

kinda simple, not very effective but this game is around 35%. Not that bad.

[Chamaco]

I pass South's hand as we play (12)13-15 NT, with GOOD 12 opened, but despite that, when North opens 1NT, I'll leap to game.

[mike777]

Our bidding was:

1c=1h
1s=2nt
p

[luke warm]

1nt (12-15) : 2d (game force, which is a mistake - but 12 count with 5 controls it's hard not to)
2nt (any 4333) : 3nt (4333 opposite 4333)