[pclayton]

Lost our 1st IMP match to a pretty good team last night by 13 over 28 boards. Teammates were fighting, and you and you pard had some very tough decisions. Here's a few of them:

1. ♠AKxx, ♥AKxx, ♦QT, ♣AJx. Red on white - RHO opens 2♠ as dealer. Plan the auction please if pard bids 2N (lebensohl), 3♣ or 3♦.

2. ♠Kx, ♥AQx, ♦Jxx, ♣QJ98x. Same RHO, same vulnerability, and opens 3♦. You decide to pass, LHO passes and pard reopens with a double.

3. ♠Q, ♥ATxx, ♦KJx, ♣AKQxx. Vul vs not. You open 1♣, LHO overcalls 1♠, pard passes and RHO cues 2♣. You double (takeout of spades), and LHO retreats to 2♠. P - P to you.

[ohioply]

1. we don't play lebensohl so he would double, or bid 3c,d,or h. I would bid 4nt (ace asking) he has at least 12 hcp and I have 21 we can prob make 6nt or 6h if he bid them
2. 5 clubs
3. double - partner could have a spade stack and pass but if not he will bid something

[cherdano]

1. It is really tempting to do more after X-3C, but I have trouble counting the tricks to 12 or (sometimes) 11. I will bid 3N (which is not necessarily a sign-off).

2. Yeah 3N is tempting But preemptors' partners aren't easily talked out of leading partner's suit, so I guess I have to bid 5♣. If partner is 4432, at least they can't lead a diamond yet

[mikeh]

1. Double then 3N over most responses, including lebensohl. This is too easy.. where is the catch? I assume that we did this at the table and then got heat for it.

2. 5♣. 3N may be best. Pass may be best. But 3N may be a disaster and we are not likely to get rich against 3♦.. and 5♣ seems like middle-of-the-road to me. Plus we are well-positioned for the post-mortem (a joke, in case you are worried that this is a legitimate concern)

3. Pass. Why can't we defend here? What is there that says we have 3-level safety? My parners usually hold J9xx xxx xxxx xx... your's hold better when rho has invitational values? We are not missing game and there is more chance that both sides fail in their partscores than that both sides succeed. Put that ♠Q into another suit, and I double.

[the hog]

1) X followed by 3NT
2) 5C
3) Pass

[pclayton]

1. I bid like all of you; 2N followed by 3N. It was a total disaster. Pard had a 2=4=3=4 near yarb and went -4. Other table made a super strong 2N overcall by hemming and hawing for 3 minutes.

I wonder if there's an intelligent way to get back to the 4-4 heart fit after the 3N call.

2. I thought about 4♣, 5♣, 3N and even pass. I gave the hand to Chris Larsen who agaonized over it for a good 2 minutes and finally passed. I tried 4♦ and pard bid 4♠ and then bid 5♠ over 5♣(thinking I made a cue). He held: AQJT, Kxx, Txx, ATx. Diamonds didn't block (opener had AKQxxx), so the 4-2 fit was down only 1. 4♠ is a CTC special and is the only game that makes, although 3♦ x'd is a real struggle.

I figured we might pick up 2, since 3N looks possible on this, even if there is a ♦ call. Indeed. Our teammates opened 1♦ on xxx, Jxx, AKQxxx, x (playing strong club). Opps somehow got to 3N which the ♦ bidder doubled which is about to go -2. Opps correctly judged to pull to 4♣; which attracted a rhythm double for -710.

3. I've sort of alluded this hand on the other thread. A funny thing happened at the table. I held this and doubled the cue, but it was alerted as lead-inhibiting. After 2♠, RHO tanked with the 3532 10 count and I checked. Pard held: Txxx, void, Qxxxx, Jxxx. I don't agree with either of his passes, but I think I can double the balance. I still doubt we are getting to 5 minor though, which was (5♣) bid at the other table.

[Apollo81]

X..3N, 5c, and X all seem pretty auto to me.