[Fluffy]

Scoring: MP

S - W - N - E
1♥-X -XX-1♠
ps-ps-2♣-ps
3NT??!

---

XX+2♣ almost guarantees 4♦ and 4(+)♣

3NT went -2 very quickly

[gwnn]

On a scale of 10, 9.7 .

But I'm not sure.

[whereagles]

South 100% for not having opened 1NT

[mikeh]

I admit that I am fortunate that in my serious partnerships, we would open 1♥ since we do not play 15-17 1N 1st seat nv. In all other situations, I'd likely be down very, very quickly after 1N [P] 3N... altho if West made the 'mistake' of bidding with his 4=4 majors, we'd not do very well either

As it is, after 1♥, the 3N bid leaves me speechless, regardless of the inference about N's hand (an inference that I wouldn't draw, personally)

So, in terms of rating the mistake..... if by a 'good' player, 100 out of 100: it is an insulting bid, to all other 3 players at the table. If by someone not up to 'real expert', then 85 out of 100, because that player may not appreciate the available options.

3♣ seems crystal clear to me. We can still back into 3N: if partner bids 3♠, my 3N will/should scream doubt... since I did not bid notrump on either of my previous opportunities.

[awm]

A lack of methods may take some blame here. It'd be nice to know, for example:

(1) Is 2♣ forcing?
(2) Would 3♣ by opener by forcing?

Anyways, bidding 3NT like this when you know a spade lead is virtually guaranteed and have no real spade stopper seems like a bad idea. I'd try 2♠ over 2♣ and see what that fetches me. Unfortunately I'd still probably end up in 4♣ which is no picnic either (I suppose -1 instead of -2 saves a few matchpoints).

[Apollo81]

gwnn, on Mar 20 2007, 02:26 PM, said:

On a scale of 10, 9.7 .

But I'm not sure.

9.9 out of 10

[keylime]

I am going to stick neck out, and blame EVERYONE for this mess, even East for being innocent.

[mikegill]

I think everyone but north took a leave of their senses here.

1) South's hand looks like 1NT to me. You have serious rebid problems if you don't. Granted, this may lead to 3N -2 also, but at least you give them a blind lead - a heart would give the contract if the ♦Q were onsides. We won't even discuss 3N, which is totally out of left field.
2) West's hand is nothing like a takeout double - unless he has a medical condition preventing him from telling the difference between ♥ and ♦.
3) East should bid at least 2♠ (and a serious argument could be made for 3). Being 5-5 in two suits partner promised 3+ in (and will have 4+ in at least one of unless he's exactly 3235) sounds like a good reason to jack up the bidding, regardless of any redoubling that's happened. Of course, if his partner's takeout doubles frequently look like that, his major mistake was not finding a new partner.

[kenrexford]

South's opening may have been fine. N-S are allowed to be using a weak notrump, no?

The jump to 3NT after the pass is interesting. Insane, but gutsy. I'd like it a lot if he held A-empty or better yet A-Q in hearts. KQxxx is too slow a value. You might get away once on the spades but have no quick route to nine tricks.

Heck, with AKxxx in hearts, I might jump to 3NT (at IMPs) with Jx in spades (or worse).

But, not with slow values.

[Codo]

South bid of 3 NT was so silly, he should better try oregami, tic tac toe or maybe he should start collecting stamps or beer bottles.

The blame factor:
1 ♥ 0
X 7 (offshape)
XX 1 (shows the strength but not the shape)
1 ♠ 3 (with 5-5 2 ♠ is better)
pass 1
pass 0 great bid
2 ♣ 0 fine
pass 3 I have a two suiter haven`t I?
3 NT 10 (from10) speechless

[Fluffy]

I was jsut asking about the 3NT, other bids so far are 'decent'.

[whereagles]

Well, what can South do after 2♣? He has the points to play 3NT and a positional stopper.

If you wanna get super-scientific, I suppose South could try 2♠ asking for a stop, to which North would bid 3♣ showing a min and no stop (he would bid 3♠ with half-a-stop, so as to protect South's eventual positional half-stop). Then South would pass for +110.

But isn't it simpler to just play the odds and bid 3NT? You see, next time you go scientific there's a mix up and you end up in a ridiculous 5♣ -2 when 3NT was a push all the time