[the hog]

There have been a few posts on balancing situations. Here are a few more competitive situations, all playing Match points.

(1D) 1S (1N) P
(2D) X

Tx Axxxx xxx Kxx

1) Would you pass over 1N
2) Do you now bid "only" 2H
3) Assuming you bid 2H, this gets passed to you and the 1N bidder now bids 3D. Do you pass, X or bid 3H?

[pbleighton]

I get to reply first. "Fools venture in.."

"(1D) 1S (1N) P
(2D) X

Tx Axxxx xxx Kxx

1) Would you pass over 1N
2) Do you now bid "only" 2H
3) Assuming you bid 2H, this gets passed to you and the 1N bidder now bids 3D. Do you pass, X or bid 3H?"

I assume 1N bidder passed after partner's double.

1) Yes, I pass.
2) Yes, 2H, my DK is badly placed.
3) Double.

Peter

[hrothgar]

Hmm

(1) I lean towards pass, but am not firmly convinced.
(2) Having passed initially, I would jump to 3H
My King of Clubs should be pulling full weight. I like my heart suit.
(3) Partner is now marked with a stiff Diamond and 3 card heart support.
His most likely shape is 5314.
If they can make 3D, we're only down 1 in 3HX
My choice of action depends on our the vulnerability.

[flytoox]

Quote

There have been a few posts on balancing situations. Here are a few more competitive situations, all playing Match points.

(1D) 1S (1N) P
(2D) X

Tx Axxxx xxx Kxx

1) Would you pass over 1N
no

2) Do you now bid "only" 2H
3h
3) Assuming you bid 2H, this gets passed to you and the 1N bidder now bids 3D. Do you pass, X or bid 3H?
if non vs vul, dbl, if vul vs non, i will bid 3h

[the hog]

Should have posted the vulnerability.
All Green.

[inquiry]

(1D) 1S (1N) P
(2D) X

Tx Axxxx xxx Kxx

1) Would you pass over 1N

If those heart x's are true x's, yes, I would pass. When RHO bids 1NT, it is very dangerous to bid without a fit. I follow (not surprisingly), Robson/Segal rules on this auction. Over 1NT...
2C = both majors (longer in unbid major)
2D = "good" raise of partners major
2PM = 2 partners major is preemptive
DBL = presumably fit, but penalty oriented
Jump cue-bid = strong offensive oriented raise.
I have used the 2C bid (showing both majors) with 5-2 instead of 5-3, but with really good spots in the other major (QJT97) and doubleton honor in first major. This hand does not qualify.

2) Do you now bid "only" 2H

This is a tough decision. I have a great hand for the auction. Nothing wasted in diamonds, a fifth hearts, and the club king is likely going to be very useful. I don't make takeout doubles with 5-4 in the majors and short diamond, I bid spades and then double back later, so I expect my partner can be 5-4-1-3 or similiar. So I will bid 3H's now. Partner will be able to work out that I have no real spade fit (I could have used 2C earlier), not a great heart suit (I could have bid 2H over 1NT or doubled), not great hcp values (I could have dbled 1NT). So he will be able to work out just about what I hold, 5-6 hearts, scattered hcp, some hope to reach game.

3) Assuming you bid 2H, this gets passed to you and the 1N bidder now bids 3D. Do you pass, X or bid 3H?

This is tougher. This is matchpoints after all. One thing, I am darn certain we could make 2H's. So I am not all that happy about having to defend 3D. I suspect if they were vul, I would double, and hope for +200. If they are not vul, I will take the push to 3H's now. I think the have a 9 card diamond fit, and we have a likely 9 card heart fit... this again assumes my partner follows the bid the five card suit first and double later theories (as, surprise, espoused by robson/segal).

Ben

[Free]

1) Would you pass over 1N
Yes, my suit is rubish and I don't know anything from opponents cards: LHO possible 4-card H, RHO possible 4+ card S. And I have to much losers (1 too much).

2) Do you now bid "only" 2H
Yes, my suit is rubish but if opponents bid correctly, partner has most likely a 3-card support. He's also weak (otherwise he would've jumped) so we have a fit and the possibility to play at 2-level. Only 2H, again because of all the losers. Partner now will know I have 9 losers so he can decide what to do.
Btw, supporting spades is another option imo, but in my partnership it's a possible suicide because we start bidding from 4-cards...

3) Assuming you bid 2H, this gets passed to you and the 1N bidder now bids 3D. Do you pass, X or bid 3H?
Pass. I've already showed my strength (weakness) by passing and bidding 2H later, so my partner should decide.

[the hog]

I believe I should have bid 3H on this at Matchpoints despite the law
Pd held

AQ98xx
KJx
A
xxx

3D can be defeatd one trick and with careful play I can make 3H.

[Free]

Hmmm, with this hand my partner would've bid 3H, so we're in the right contract ;D

[luis]

Quote

There have been a few posts on balancing situations. Here are a few more competitive situations, all playing Match points.

(1D) 1S (1N) P
(2D) X

Tx Axxxx xxx Kxx

1) Would you pass over 1N
2) Do you now bid "only" 2H
3) Assuming you bid 2H, this gets passed to you and the 1N bidder now bids 3D. Do you pass, X or bid 3H?

1) No, I bid 2h
2) No, I bid 3h
3) 3h

We must be very close to winning a game in this hand. In fact
I'm tempted to bid 4h over pd's double but a jump to 3h should be
enough.

Luis

[inquiry]

Quote

Hmmm, with this hand my partner would've bid 3H, so we're in the right contract ;D

Free are you saying that with...
AQ98xx
KJx
A
xxx

and after forcing partner to bid something with 2Dx (the 2H bid could be under considerable pressure), and then hearing them bid 3D and your partner pass you will then unilaterally choose to bid 3H with this hand after your partners pass directly over 3Diamonds? I think that would not be a good bid. Your 1S and double back in has spoken your values. It is up to your PARTNER, not you to evaluate his hand and decide what to bid. A three heart bid by this hand is masterminding the hand. You will get away with it some times, but if 3H is right, your partner is the one who will know, not you.

I think the problem Ron had was a) not bidding 3H immediately after the double, which should have ended the auction, and not bidding 3H over 3D (or doublling if they were vulnerable, as I noted above).

Ben

[Free]

You have a sure fit, because otherwise I'd bid 2S (weakest of all, and since I didn't support from the first time it would be from a 2-card). And you have only 6 losers, partner has 9. This means 3-level...

[luke warm]

1) yes
2) yes
3) 3H

if they're taking 9 tricks, we're down one and vice versa.. in the long run i think it pays to compete 3 over 3 with 17 total trumps.. there's also the off chance that partner has 4 hearts, but i wouldn't expect that