[Free]

I'd rather bid 5♦ or pass. Bidding ♥ looks like pushing them to slam (but this is something we might actually want if p has ♦A)...

[kenrexford]

5♦. I'll begrudgingly convert the double.

[awm]

I am confused by the 5♦ bids. What is the point of this call? Why should we bid our singleton rather than the suit where we have a 12-card fit? Keep in mind that we are the ones on lead against six spades.

I'll go with 6♥, pass 6♠, lead a diamond. It seems possible that partner has the ♦A or can otherwise set the slam via diamond tricks.

[whereagles]

We probably have 1 diamond trick against a spade contract, but I really doubt we can make 2. I'm going to pass now and bid 7♥ if they decide to bid a slam.

[dicklont]

I like 6♥. 5♦ is too clever for me.

[Winstonm]

Pass - it is rubber bridge, after all. If they have slam, let them find it by themselves. In the meantime, I won't give them a choice to collect an easy +800.
I mean, so far they haven't even made 4S, and if partner holds the two aces for his bid they might not make it.

I have no other plan but to pass and try to beat what they bid.

[pclayton]

Many run-of-the-mill rubber players are going to be happy with their game at white.

Just pass.

6♥ at any other form of scoring.

[han]

I bid 6H.

Winston, you hold 7 hearts (7!) so partner's heart ace won't hold.

[mikeh]

I was tempted by pass, since rho may have extras, LHO may fear RHO stretched, and so on: often times the opps are both heavy for their calls and are catering to either being light.

However, we know that LHO has a stiff or void heart: if he has a void, then it is highly unlikely that he will pass even with a minimum.

Bidding 5♦ is also tempting, not because of lead issues (we will probably be on lead) but because it may cause the opps to misplace cards on the auction: LHO with Kxx in diamonds may get carried away feeling that partner is marked with a stiff, and so on. But that requires quite a parlay, and may get partner not cashing his second diamond trick after we make that lead... after all, why should he play us, rather than declarer, for short diamonds?

either 5 or 6♥ rates to be best, but I don't know how we choose between them.

I am going to bid 5♥, because I will pass 5♠. If they bid 6♠ (presumably after LHO bids 5♠ or 6♥ or makes a forcing pass), I will let them play there.

What persuades me it that we have a chance for a plus against 6♠, and I think there is too much risk of -500 by bidding 6♥.

I am not a rubber bridge player, and I don't know the percentages well enough to be comfortable, but if they make slam after a ♦ lead, then I suspect we are 800 in 6♥ and that can't be a good result, even compared to allowing them to make the first game and a 500 slam bonus.

[Edmunte1]

Some comments:
1) It's a 5 to 1 chance (83%) that partner holds ♥A, so, except a club uppercut , we'll lose maximum 4 tricks in our ♥ contract
2) Opener has surely 5+♣ (holding maximum 1♥ and opening 1♣), so clubs is a secondary suit for opps.
3)Frequenty if 6♠ makes, 7♠ will make too, due to the club suit (we'll ruff ♦ or if partner has a stopper in ♣, when he'll get the hand in clubs, possibly will cash the ♦ trick)
4) I prefer on this kind of boards to use ''put opps to take the last guess'' tactic. So my bid will be 6♥. Why? I can live with small loses (going 2 down in 6 ♥ instead of 1 in 5♥ or writing +50 in 5♠), but winning when, due to lack of space:
-opps play 6♠ instead of 7
-opps doubling us for 1-3-500 instead of their cold slam
-opps bidding 6♠ and going down (i'll pass 6♠ obiously)
-opps bidding 7♠ and going down

[mike777]

6H

KISS

Will try and win match on another deal.

[the hog]

It is impossible to sensibly answer this question unless you know the other the other rubber bridge players and their tendencies. Playing against a strong player eg Michael Courtney, Gunnar Hallberg et al, a 5D bid is just plain foolish. Playing against known weak players, 5D might be a good play.

Against unknowns I pass and wait to see what happens, (if anything.)

[Codo]

I would bid 5 Heart and let them guess. I am afraid that they will guess right too often if I bid 6 Heart.

[Apollo81]

I'd bid 5♥

[pclayton]

I doubt those that bid 6♥ here have EVER played rubber bridge.

You are conceding 300 - 500 above the line at best, and they might might an inspired guess and bid a 6 we can't beat. Most of the time, they'll take their 120 below, and hope for the rubber on the next deal.

I can respect 5♥. It looks like 300 max and could be a cheap 100 against their game on.

[dburn]

Jlall, on Oct 29 2007, 09:16 PM, said:

I like 6H planning to pass 4S.

Si la jeunesse savait, si la vieillesse pouvait... et si la loi permettait.