[FrancesHinden]

This is a very unusual hand, because I have found on these forums I nearly always agree with mikeh, certainly more often than with anyone else. Even stranger, I open 2C less often than many people seem to. Still, he put the arguments for opening 2C very well.

- on this particular hand (major suit length, HCP), you could easily be passed out in 1D
- I don't mind so much opening at the 1 level if I might miss game to make the auction easier, but I prefer to open 2C if I am making slam opposite the right balanced 0-count (xxx xxxxx xx xxx has OK play for a heart grand)
- Even on the best possible start: 1D from me, 1 major from partner, I won't be able to find out if partner has the one or two key minor honours to make a small or grand slam; if I open 2C he will look favourably at various 5-counts.

Anyway, opening 2C wasn't the cause of the problem.
The initial 2D response is unobjectionale, as is the 3D rebid playing nothing fancy.
Responder's second call is very tough indeed. I gave the hand to my two regular partners (without knowing opener's hand) and one bid 4D and the other 3H. Neither bid 3NT, though I actually admit to some secret sympathy for 3NT at matchpoints. It can't promise a stop in every suit!

The worst call in your auction IMO was opener passing 3NT. Looks like a clear 4H call: tell partner what you have. You still might be making slam while going off in 3NT. Although it's possible to construct hands where 3NT is the best spot, you can get out into 4NT on some of them. I can't construct that many hands where 3NT makes and 4NT and 5D don't (Jxxx xx xx QJ10xx or similar, possibly).

I imagine I would end in 5 or 6 diamonds on these hands.

By the way, while I'd like to say that 2C - 2D - 3D - 4D - 4H is natural, I bet you'd bid 4H on something like

AQx
AKQ
AKJ10xx
x

[whereagles]

FrancesHinden, on Apr 5 2006, 01:18 PM, said:

The worst call in your auction IMO was opener passing 3NT.

Well, why not allowing that

2♣ 2♦
3♦ 3♥

can be made on 4 cards? Better to miss the 5-3 fit if opener now rebids 3NT than the 44 fit if responder is unable to bid 3♥ with his 4 carder.

Besides, if responders would-be 5 card heart was any good, he might have tried 2♣-2♥ already.

If you see what I mean...

[inquiry]

mr1303, on Mar 31 2006, 05:16 AM, said:

Scoring: MP

---

Auction went as follows:

2C 2D
3D 3NT
Pass

With the obvious problem, which got us precisely 0% of the matchpoints. Who was most to blame?

Since in another thread I showed the multi-2♦ opening with an acol 2 in a minor, I will answer here that this was an unforunate auction for the system being played. For me the bidding would have been.

2♦-3NT
6♥-Pass

Where,

2♦ was either weak either major, 23=24 balance or acol 2 in either minor

3NT = 4-4 (precisely) in the majors, raising the preempt in the majors

6♥ = practical bid in uncharted waters. 4♦ here would be acol two in the minor and get you raised to 5. 4♥ would be to play, 5♥ would not be helpful since you hold AKQ, how is partner to bid on? So you have to "gamble" on 4♥ or 6♥ here.