[sceptic]

Scoring: IMP

---

West North East South

 -     -     Pass  1♣
 3NT   Pass  Pass  Dbl
 Pass  Pass  Pass  

[gwnn]

how about

1♣-X-p-1♦;
p-1NT(about 19-20 bal, stopper)-all pass ?

[Gerben42]

There is no need to gamble 3NT right away, you can simply start with a Dbl. The likely continuation would then be:

1♣ Dbl P 1♦ P
1NT

Now West has shown his hand: Too strong for a direct 1NT so about 19 - 21 HCP, balanced.

[helene_t]

West can start with a double and then bid 1NT. 3NT is crazy.

[Walddk]

I assume NS play weak NT since South opened 1♣. Anyway, West's 3NT does not show a hand like this. All strong (also balanced) hands start with a double. A 3NT overcall should be something like

♠ Kx
♥ xx
♦ AKQ10xxx
♣ Ax

20 balanced as in your example is no excuse for bidding 3NT. That hand has no source of tricks. My example hand has.

Roland

[han]

South also doesn't have a double.

[inquiry]

comments views and slatings welcomed, how would you bid this,,,

I would open south with 1NT, not 1♣

I would not have jumped to 3NT over 1♣ as west (see roland's post).

After 1♣-DBL-Pass as EAST, I would have bid 1♦ and then 1NT rebid as WEST.

I would not have doubled 3NT as south ---- see rolands post, although to be honest, I don't think WEST can have such good diamonds with me holding the AKJ

[han]

So basically, both east and north were flawless.

[paulg]

Hannie, on Mar 27 2007, 04:05 PM, said:

So basically, both east and north were flawless.

So where was Wayne sitting?

[sceptic]

I was kibbing

[Walddk]

There is actually a lesson to learn here in my opinion. Intermediates love to add convention upon convention, the more the merrier, one of which is the unusual 2NT. So West knew he could not bid 2NT, and the consequence must "obviously" be 3NT with a 20 count balanced.

I wish someone would stop them from adopting all kinds of meaningless conventions. Yes, the textbook is double with West's hand, but I'd much prefer a natural 2NT to an unusual 2NT if 3NT is what you think you must bid with that hand.

At least EW would have stopped in 2NT and no-one would have doubled (not that I think South has a double of 3NT either).

Roland