[mike777]

Jlall, on Dec 8 2005, 11:52 AM, said:

I never claimed 7H was "right," indeed I doubt anyone would be so silly as to say any bid is "right" on a hand like this. I do think it is definitely possible for some bids to be clearly inferior, for instance a 7N bid. I did not claim this was the case either for 6N, but I do wonder why it is ever better than a 7H bid (they are similar because both force to 7H) so I asked.

You seem to be trying to guess what the player did at the table while I'm trying to discuss the various tactics involved in actually bidding this hand.

One possible tactic for newer players is to try and just bid your hand or make the normal lead/ etc and make what seems like a normal 7H bid to you. Several advantages to this tactic.
1) If you make what seems like normal bids/leads, plays, your expert partner can teach you alot when they point out your bid was far from normal and where your "normal thinking" is way off base.
2) This really allows your expert partner to trust your bids/leads and plays on the more simple hands. She will have a good idea what hands are just plain too tough for your level of play and what hands are up to your standard of play.
3) Just spending a short amount of time playing on bbo shows one what passes for "normal" leads or "normal" limit raises or invite hands compared to what standard books teach.
4) On this hand bidding 7H seems normal to my level of play but just look at all the responses and thinking on this hand!

[PMetsch]

I think the best bid with this hand is 7♣. Now the opps will not bid 7♠, because they are afraid of a ♣ ruff.

[FrancesHinden]

Jlall, on Dec 8 2005, 11:52 AM, said:

I never claimed 7H was "right," indeed I doubt anyone would be so silly as to say any bid is "right" on a hand like this. I do think it is definitely possible for some bids to be clearly inferior, for instance a 7N bid. I did not claim this was the case either for 6N, but I do wonder why it is ever better than a 7H bid (they are similar because both force to 7H) so I asked.

You seem to be trying to guess what the player did at the table while I'm trying to discuss the various tactics involved in actually bidding this hand.

I think it's hard to discuss tactics without knowing who the opponents are, or at least their standard.

The usual guiding principle is "bid to the level where you don't know what you want the opponents to do". The problem with this hand is that you know that whatever level you bid, you want them to double you.

You are fairly certain that 6S is making.
You would be surprised if 7S went off, but not hugely so; however you know that 7H will be extremely cheap anyway.

So the only useful discussion on tactics here, is the best way to persaude the opponents to defend. There are three approaches:

- Bid 6H and then pass out 6S. I think this is the best way to defend 6S and not a grand. It's what you might do if you don't mind conceding 1010 but don't want to concede 1510.

- Go slowly and hope they mis-guess and/or psyche. I quite fancy a 'lead-directing' 6C call, except we are on lead and they'll know it's a psyche. Pity. This is the 4H, 5H, 6H route, and tends to work best against weaker players.

- Bid 7H. This is probably the best chance of getting doubled against good opponents (take away as much room as possible), but also it increases the chance of defending 7S. The difficulty is that opponents sometimes think 'I was happy to play in 6S, but 7H is likely to be so cheap that I don't mind bidding a marginal 7S'.

[han]

PMetsch, on Dec 9 2005, 08:56 AM, said:

I think the best bid with this hand is 7♣. Now the opps will not bid 7♠, because they are afraid of a ♣ ruff.

Yeah, they might not want you to lead your void.

[beatrix45]

My guess is PASS. Why help the opponents? If they settle at six, maybe, just maybe I will try the sacrifice at 7♥. I can't save over seven spades.

P.S. Reviewed the latest thread. Wrong again! Would they have reached seven anyway?

[mgtusi]

Hi all,

At the matter of fact, the 7♥ bid was made by Xavier Michaud Larivière ; Cronier bid "only" six !

We must give to Cesar what it's belong to him


Michel

[Winstonm]

I think it is fair to assume that Zia would say, "It depends on what heat your are in".

In heat #1, follow your instincts as whatever you do will surely be right or the opponents will get it wrong.

In heat #2, make the most straightforward bid under the conditions.

In heat 3#, pass and hope the opponents don't get to 7.

By the way, does anyone subscribe to this hot, neutral, cold concept that Zia wrote about in his book?

Winston