[Kalvan14]

Scoring: MP

P-(1H)-P-(P)-?

---

It looks quite an easy one, doesn't it?

[HeartA]

yes, easy pass for me.

[adhoc3]

Where's HCPs and spades? The open should be some NT if the opener has strong 5332. If nobody miscount or misclick....I bid 1S.

Not easy at all.

[vang]

pass, i refuse to re-open with all honours in their suit.

[P_Marlowe]

Yes, pass.

I know which contract I want to defend.

Partner did not make a take out, depending
on the strength you require, this means he
could be fairly broke, because he will have a
shortage in hearts.

With kind regards
Marlowe

PS: Maybe 1H was a psych bid, ... but then
I am willing to be fooled.

[mcphee]

The only time I could ever have a bad thing happen is when partner has 4S AQxx 3H little and reasonable C cards like KQ to some number. I am susrprised that all have passed and if my partner is short in H they clearly have nothing to act with. So they buy it for 1H and I give up on looking for the magic hand to make 4S.

[pclayton]

Pass of course. If pard has heart shortness and a decent hand, we'd have heard about it.

[inquiry]

I am long/strong in their suit, and partner didn't take any action over 1♥. This is a very easy pass.

[joker_gib]

Pass. Opener should have a monster !

Alain

[Al_U_Card]

It is clear that RHO is broke. Pard has at most an opening hand without Spades. Your balancing act will not end in 1NT after a 1S balance as pard cannot have H enough to bid 1NT. Just a disaster waiting to happen.....(remember if they have a fit we have a fit) so just pass

[Fluffy]

Against weak opponents 1NT

[Kalvan14]

Are you really sure?
My guess is that the points on this hand are more or less shared.
It is also reasonable to assume that Pard did not come in because he had just 10-12 HCP and/or a distribution unsuitable for a t/o. Plus, he's in the sandwich position (which is why we tend to open light in the 1st positions, and to make light t/o in 2nd).
It's all NV, so 1♥-2 is just 100.

[pclayton]

One of two things is going on.

The 1st is that pard is relatively broke and couldn't take action over 1♥. If this case, LHO is loaded. They might or might not have a better spot in another strain, or NT, but if I take a call, they'll certainly get to a better spot. Pass works best.

The second is that pard has a little heart length, but doesn't have the right shape for initial action. 2=3=4=4's come to mind especially. The opps don't necessarily have a preponderence of strength, but they are definitely in the wrong spot. Pass works even better.

In the end, we are probably fighting over 50 a trick in hearts. +100 / +150 / +200 all look likely against our +90 in say 2♣. Were fighting over 1-4 IMPs probably. Whoop-de-doo.

Nevertheless, I can't see how bidding can improve out lot here.

[mikeh]

Pass

Can you beat 6♦?

AKx
Jxxxx
AKJxx
void


opposite

Qxx
x
Qxxxx
xxxx

Now, I am not for one moment suggesting that the opps can bid and make slam after this start, but their chances of doing so are increased if you bid.

And the counter to this (admittedly small but real type of risk) is what? Partner is unlikely to have a hand on which we can make game, and we have no assurance of any kind of fit that would allow us to make any contract we might bid.

I would agree that partner probably has a hand with which we could do better than defending 1♥, but we have no assurance that we can get there. Thus, if he holds some 2=2=4=5, we may enjoy playing 2♣. How do we get there, while preserving our chances of playing 1N when that is right or in ♠ when that is right.

So while defending 1♥ may not be the best possible contract, it may be the best contract possible (and, yes, I know the arguments that say that there is no difference: all real bridge players know that there is a significant meaning to the distinction)

[Kalvan14]

All this is nice, and true.
OTOH, it is MP (and not IMP), and club matchpoints at that, against 2 oppos who are not the brightest stars in the sky. Pard may have a hand unsuitable for an immediate overcall. To make it short, I balanced with 1♠.

Pard had AQTx Jxx Qxx Kxx, with my LHO holding Kx Txxxx AKx Axx. For once everyone had his bid (myself excepted ).
Playing in spades, 9 tricks are on the table (with a lil help you make 10).
Oppos limit is 2♦; playing in hearts the room was making 4 or 5 tricks (mostly 5).

The real issue IMHO is not finding a top in a club game. It is rather rethinking the conditions for balancing. A hand which plays in 2 suits (plus hearts ) should not be automatically passed because it has a strong holding in opener's suit.

[mike777]

The problem is if you expect your partner cannot hold this hand. Many might bid x or overcall 1s on a 4 card suit with partner's hand. I would x.

[pclayton]

Sorry I didn't notice MPs vs IMPs. I feel just strongly about passing at MPs.

Occasionally we get a "look what an oddball bid I made and how it worked splendidly" post. I don't see what these posters are after Acknowledgement? Praise? Peer approval?

Taking action over 1♥ is not something good players do. Sorry.

Wayne used to make posts like this all the time, but he's gotten a lot better about it

Plus I think he's improved as a player.

[Echognome]

I certainly agree with your sentiment Phil. I know I make some sick bids in the name of Matchpoints that work out more often than they should. At teams, I wouldn't dare as the times I get caught out would more than make up for the times I get away with it. Perhaps it's also that my usual opponent at teams is better than my usual opponent at MPs.

[Kalvan14]

mike777, on Jan 12 2006, 07:26 PM, said:

The problem is if you expect your partner cannot hold this hand. Many might bid x or overcall 1s on a 4 card suit with partner's hand. I would x.

In the sandwich position, I do not blame my partner for passing (I might have overcalled 1♠, but it's touch and go).
Thanks anyway for being the only one to have had the courtesy of addressing the problem I was posing.