[Winstonm]

Seeing how I started this I should chime in I guess. As Peter has pointed out, the extreme flexibility of this auction leaves partner room for anything from
a minmum 2-suiter to just short of a jump shift.

Some example hands might be:
xx, x, AJxxx, AKxxx
AKx, x, AQxxx, KJxx
or
x, AQ, AQJxxx, K10xx

Point being that in 2/1 parner could hold quite good hands and still have no better bid available than 2C, which means that with hands that can still produce game it is important for responder to keep the ball in the air, so to speak.

But then you have to realize that 2/1 was designed for imp play and is therefore geared to improved game and slam bidding and less so on accuracy in partscores.

Ergo, in my thinking the only way to keep this thing intelligently alive iis with a false preference to 2D - and as sure as this happens it will go all pass and partner will hold - x, Kxx, AQJx, Kxxxx. Ce la vie.

[han]

I agree with Adam, this hand makes a good case for rebidding 1NT on 1-4-4-4 and 1-4-5-3 hands (I expect that Adam didn't mean 1-3-5-4 hands, but maybe he did?). I'm also glad that my partner doesn't open 1D with 4-5 in the minors.

I agree with Winston's 2♦, at least we know we are in a 5-1 or better, and all of our honors are working.

Whatever Flytoox was intoxicated by, it must have been strong stuff. I'm not talking about his choice of 2NT (don't get me wrong, it seems a really bad call), but I think he misquoted the convention Fred and Brad play (I thought they used 2M to show 5-4 hands, not 4-5) and he accused Ron to use uncivilized language. I couldn't find it, this seems Ron's most civilized post in years

[awm]

Yes, I do (sometimes) mean 1-3-5-4 hands. My choice of rebid on this hand depends on location of values and with good hearts I would indeed bid 1NT.

And Apollo can count to 9. Say we get a spade lead (or heart lead followed by spade switch). The remaining cards are:

xxxx xxxxx K AQ
x xx AQJxx Kxxx

It certainly looks like there are three club tricks and five diamond tricks (if diamonds 4-3) to go with the spade ace we just scored, but in fact the entries are hopelessly tangled. If we cash dummy's minor suit honors there is no way back to hand, and if we overtake either honor it eliminates a trick. Of cours eI suppose opener could have the diamond ten too, but this hand is getting perilously close to a 1NT opener (for some of us anyway).

In any case the point is that while there do exist hands with 14-15 points that would pass 2♦ and thereby miss a game, there are also plenty of hands where bidding 2NT gets us to a ludicrious contract that goes down multiple tricks. Since the hands with 16-18 hcp for opener will take another call over 2♦ anyway, we're probably better off not to push on this hand.

[the hog]

jtfanclub, on Feb 1 2007, 07:38 AM, said:

Winstonm, on Jan 30 2007, 09:38 PM, said:

Scoring: IMP

1D-1S
2C-???

It's the last board of a tightly fought match.  You are quietly kibitzing this hand - (you have a hefty side bet on this team) when the player hands you the cards and claims a pressing need for the restroom...an hour later everyone is still waiting and the director forces you into the fray as a substitue - what call do you make?

---

I don't understand...or maybe I'm just ridiculous.

It seems like, on the first bid, when responder called 1♠ he's decided that his hand is worth a second bid. So I'm going to call 2♥. If partner rebids 2♠ I pass happily.

I'm not saying that I like the auction...I'm wishing that he'd bid 1♥ the first time, in which case I'd say 2♦ the second time. But now that I've been forced to call 1♠, I think I have to remain constant.

Obviously, there must be a flaw in my logic, but what is it?

2H is 4th suit forcing. Many even play this as a gf. It is NOT a natural bid. So you can't bid 2H.

Furthermore Fly, that was a very polite comment about the quality of your 2NT bid. I gave you the benefit of the doubt by suggesting you were not yourself when you made it. But....

Whatever Flytoox was intoxicated by, it must have been strong stuff. I'm not talking about his choice of 2NT (don't get me wrong, it seems a really bad call), but I think he misquoted the convention Fred and Brad play (I thought they used 2M to show 5-4 hands, not 4-5) and he accused Ron to use uncivilized language. I couldn't find it, this seems Ron's most civilized post in years

Like an old cheese Hannie, I have mellowed with age. I used not to suffer fools gladly. Now I realise that there are so many fools around that you have to suffer them or you will be lonely.

[Winstonm]

Quote

I agree with Winston's 2♦,

This is the first time in my last 1,692 posts that Han has agreed with me - I need to write down this date.

[jtfanclub]

The_Hog, on Jan 31 2007, 08:42 PM, said:

2H is 4th suit forcing. Many even play this as a gf. It is NOT a natural bid. So you can't bid 2H.

Ah, that explans that. Much appreciated.

[han]

Don't get used to it Winston, I don't know what I was thinking.