[kenrexford]

First Hand:

Scoring: MP

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On this first, the critical pips are shown; the non-critical pips are unknown but guessed. Neat hand from this weekend. 1NT(15-17)-X(one minor or both majors)-2NT(one minor or 3244/2344 quantitative)-P-3♣(forced)-all pass.

Spade King lead (not Rusinow). Plan the play.

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Second Hand:

Scoring: MP

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West opens 2♥. North overcalls 2♠, doubled by East. South tries 3♣, passed to North, who insists upon rebidding this tremendous spade suit for some reason. This is again doubled by East, who finds this humorous at this point.

South, finding much less humor, insists upon rebidding his clubs (4♣), figuring that the indications of talent from the auction so far suggest that he better at least declare. This, shockingly, ends the auction, most shockingly without a double.

West leads the A-K of hearts, dropping his partner's Qx. A third heart is ruffed by East with the 7 and over-ruffed by Declarer. What next?

[the hog]

Second hand:
I cant really see much more than the K of C hoping to drop QJ now in either hand.
A note on the bidding: if X of 2S was penalty, then S is a total nutter for pulling this holding the stiff S A.

[Flame]

The_Hog, on Oct 22 2006, 10:01 PM, said:

Second hand:
I cant really see much more than the K of C hoping to drop QJ now in either hand.
A note on the bidding: if X of 2S was penalty, then S is a total nutter for pulling this holding the stiff S A.

Im not in love with 3♣ but i think 3♠ and double were worse bids.

[HeartA]

3C was very very bad, and 3S was worse. I don't want to comment on 4C.

[kenrexford]

On the first, 3♣ made with Qxxx behind the KJ.

Spoiler

Win the spade Ace and return a spade. You are playing for KQJx opposite 98 doubleton. If the defense slips by cashing spades, you can ditch a diamond on the spade 7. This reduces RHO to Qxx. Win the return, cash diamond ace and ruff. Finesse the Jack. Cash the Ace. Cross to dummy with a second diamond ruff. Pull the Queen. Not a 100% line, but giving the opponents the ability to err on the spades cannot hurt.

On the second, 2♠ would be down two for -500. 4♣ was down one (-100) in practice, for -100 and a good score.

Spoiler

Sneak the club 6 past QJ5/QJ2 to your left.

[HeartA]

kenrexford, on Oct 23 2006, 07:36 AM, said:

On the second, 2♠ would be down two for -500.  4♣ was down one (-100) in practice, for -100 and a good score.

I don't care how much number you would get from 2S-X for THIS specific hand. It is simply wrong to run to 3C with an honor support. As a matter of fact, opps were sleeping passing out 4C. If 4C were doubled and defended properly, you would get -500 also. And this -500 is DIFFERENT from -500 due to 2S-X: the former lose your trust between partnership.

[FrancesHinden]

Which spade does RHO play on the opening lead?

[kenrexford]

The nine hit on the first spade.

As to the pull after 2♠ is doubled. Since when does an overcall of 2♠ demand spades as the final contract? Sure, the pull of 3♠ to 4♣ was odd, but likewise was the pull from 3♣ to 3♠.

I just do not understand why there is such hostility to the initial 3♣ call. Partner announced five spades in a contested auction. This was doubled, suggesting a stack (it was 5-0). Clubs offers at least a reasonable hope of a nine-card fit. Even when clubs are not so kind, the expected spade shortness to the left, and the known spade length to the right, both suggest that clubs will be favorably not stacked, even if partner is void (they were 3-3). If artner is void, only seven small spades (the actual holding) will exist when there is a sound double and partner lacks a two-suiter with diamonds, which can be passed.

In other words, 3♣ offers two reasonable landing zones -- playing clubs without expectation of a stack and playing diamonds when partner holds something like 5350 pattern.

In practice, partner, who is a professional player and teacher and author, apologized for not passing 3♣, which is a tad difficult to double holding A72. Give me KJ109xxx and opener Qxx, and 3♣ is easy to make.

As to the 4♣ call, that was largely based upon table feel, and justified by that more than mathematics.

[the hog]

kenrexford, on Oct 24 2006, 05:43 AM, said:

The nine hit on the first spade.

As to the pull after 2♠ is doubled.  Since when does an overcall of 2♠ demand spades as the final contract?  Sure, the pull of 3♠ to 4♣ was odd, but likewise was the pull from 3♣ to 3♠.

I just do not understand why there is such hostility to the initial 3♣ call.  Partner announced five spades in a contested auction.  This was doubled, suggesting a stack (it was 5-0).  Clubs offers at least a reasonable hope of a nine-card fit.  Even when clubs are not so kind, the expected spade shortness to the left, and the known spade length to the right, both suggest that clubs will be favorably not stacked, even if partner is void (they were 3-3).  If artner is void, only seven small spades (the actual holding) will exist when there is a sound double and partner lacks a two-suiter with diamonds, which can be passed.

In other words, 3♣ offers two reasonable landing zones -- playing clubs without expectation of a stack and playing diamonds when partner holds something like 5350 pattern.

In practice, partner, who is a professional player and teacher and author, apologized for not passing 3♣, which is a tad difficult to double holding A72.  Give me KJ109xxx and opener Qxx, and 3♣ is easy to make.

As to the 4♣ call, that was largely based upon table feel, and justified by that more than mathematics.

Hm Ken, it sounds like you are the C bidder. The reason that 3C is a very poor bid is that the overcaller has shown a decent S suit by overcalling 2H with 2S - usually 6 or a very good 5. Partner has the S A - an excellent card. You have no guarantee of improving the contract and you are a level higher. It is the C bidder who should apologise for bidding 3C!

[kenrexford]

The 3♣ call is based upon a seven-card suit, with nine well-placed HCP's and no particular reason to believe that clubs is NOT a better strain, but clear indication that spades is likely a very poor strain. Plus, the double suggests that hearts are 3-2, with the third heart being ruffed in dummy with the spade Ace if spades are trumps.

On the actual hand, three clubs would have made because of a defensive error, down one without the defensive error. In contrast, defending 2♠ is easy, down two rather simply.

I'm curious what hand partner will need to have where (1) the double of 2S is clear and (2) clubs is an inferior strain, even one level higher. Keep in mind that partner's hand must not be in a vacuum -- it must leave the opponents with a reasonable layout for the auction. If you find that hand, how frequently will that hand occur as opposed to layouts where clubs is clearly superior? Also, weigh that against hands where the result is the same, but the double of the higher club contract not so obvious.