[Echognome]

Scoring: MP

(P) - P - (1♥) - X
(3♥) - P - (P) - X
(P) - 3♠ - All Pass

---

NS made 3♠+3 when the ♠Q fell doubleton. How would you apportion the blame for being in the partscore between North, South, and opponents/bad luck?

(Note that NS were both understanding of each other's calls and didn't blame each other.)

[whereagles]

I dunno... North might have reasoned South was short in hearts with extras and bid 4... South might have reasoned he only needed like Qxxxx of spades in North to make..

Neither was clearly at fault. They both took a slightly negative view and missed out on a game. That's just it as far as I am concerned.

[ArcLight]

North needs to look at his/her hand in light of the additional bidding.
I would assume the opps are 5-4 in hearts, thus pard is void.
Pard made a 2nd takeout double at the 3 level.
-He has no heart losers.
-You have 5 spades, so he will probably have no more than 1 spade loser.
-With 5 trumps you will have entries to your hand for finesses through opener.
- you can ruff some Club losers, lets say pard has 1.
- you have the ♦Q, an honor in one of pards suits. Pard may have just 1 ♦ loser
Thats 3 losers in the worst case.

Bid 4♠.

Then its up to South. You passed the first time, then jumped to 4. If he wants to try a slam thats up to him.
But I'd be scared of turning a making game into a losing slam with his hand.

4♠ seems best to me

[inquiry]

North close to 100%

South can do no more. North, on the other hand, has a very good hand for spades as pointed out above. Let's forget about rationalization of shortness and losers as Arclight did (which, BTW is a fine way to evalaute the hand, but he has been done that already). Instead lets evaluate this hand via ZAR points, since this is one published way to quantify with numbers what kind of action might be considered on weak looking but fitting hansd.

1) 5431 distribution is worth 13 ZAR points

2) ♠J, ♦Q is worth 3 ZAR points, ♥JACK is worthless

3) Superfit exist (at least nine card fit, and we expect 5S + 4S) so zar misfit points can be added. Expect partner to be something like 4-0-5-4 or 4-0-4-5. So misfit is 4 in hearts, 1 or 2 in D, and 3 or 4 in clubs. That comes to 9. So add the greater of 9 (the ZAR misfit points) or the normal zar fit points. Here normal zar fit points is 1 pt for spade JACK, and 4 points for doubleton club and the holding five spades. Since 9 is greater than 5, add 9.

So the total Zar points for this hand is 13+3+9 = 25. In fact, north should not pass 3♥ but have bid on immediately. Now, rather you beleive in ZAR points or not is another matter, but as you can see, on this hand, they would have worked to help you decide on "close" decision (is it REALLY that close?). For what it is worth, south has around 40 ZAR points in support of spades, 40+25 =65 which is more than sufficient points for slam and almost enough for grand slam. Of course, off two aces, no grand would ever be considered (Zar's "reality" check).

[hotShot]

Most blame goes to north.

1) He can expect a 9card fit in ♠, so bidding 3♠ over 3♥ is covered by the LAW.
2) There are no wasted values, even the J♥ is usesfull in a crossruff .
3) He should upgrade his hand for the ♣ shortage.
4) opps bidding 4♥ is no threat

[FrancesHinden]

North has an easy 4S bid.

[Joe de Balliol]

Very little blame to South. 4♠ not unreasonable with his hand but neither is passing 3♠

I'd be bidding 4♠ with the North cards, because it's hard to visualise a South hand where 4♠ has no play.

J

[Poky]

North 100%.

Pass after 3♥ is OK, but after 2nd double - 4♠ is the right bid.

[SoTired]

North could bid 4S, analyzing that South is 4-0 in majors, and knowing that the 5th spade, DQ, and singleton club are gold. Of course, that could lead South to bid 6S, which works on the current hand, but switch South's minor holding and 6S gets killed.

But I also blame South. Give North almost nothing with 5spades or SQxxx and out and 4S has good chances.

So what are the range of hands that North should hold that would pass 3H, but bid 3S over the 2nd double? I find it hard to believe that one working Q and J plus a singleton makes the hand too strong for 3S.

[mike777]

North but I could understand a 4h bid by south and not an x with a void for those of us who hate to x with voids. .

[P_Marlowe]

North was a bid conservative,
he does know about the heart void
with partner and he "knows" that
partnership has a 9 card spade fit,
but put me in the North seat my partner
in the South seat and the bidding may
be duplicated.

South certainly has not a hand to force
to game opposite nothing and NOrth did
not promise anything.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Free]

North, because he's counting HCP at the wrong moment...