[Cascade]

Dealer: West Vul: None Scoring: IMP

♠ 986 ♥ QJ7 ♦ J72 ♣ KQ64

West North East South

 1♥    1♠    2♥    ?

[joker_gib]

Impossible to pass this for me : 2♠

[Fluffy]

pass? 3♥ closer IMO

[whereagles]

Yeah 2♠ seems par. You have to bid and other actions will put you in the 3 level.

[BillHiggin]

I am trying hard to imagine a reason to consider pass as a valid alternative. I cannot find one.
2♠

[kenrexford]

There is a justification for a pass. When NV, one would expect partner, with at most two hearts, to balance anyway. Bidding 2♠ would be nice with Kxx or Axx, for lead purposes, or even Qxx, but xxx is not so good. With QJx in hearts, I'm concerned that a raise might induce a three-level call from partner that may be ill-advised (in compeition).

So, my gut tells me to pass. I won't because I feel very uneasy with my thinking, and partners rarely get angry when I raise with values and support. But, I'm not sure that raising is really the right decision.

[P_Marlowe]

2S, but there is a case for pass.

You dont want partner to bid 3S
over 3H, but he may well do it, if
you show some life now.
But if you dont show some life, you
may not have the chance to defend
against 3H.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Codo]

P_Marlowe, on Oct 31 2007, 09:21 PM, said:

2S, but there is a case for pass.

You dont want partner to bid 3S
over 3H, but he may well do it, if
you show some life now.
But if you dont show some life, you
may not have the chance to defend
against 3H.

With kind regards
Marlowe

But he will just bid 3 ♠ if this seems to be right.
He does not expect 4 trumps or a side suit shortness in your hand. So he can act in the knowledge that you have a semibalanced hand with 5-10 points. IF 3 Spade is right opposite this, he will bid it, else he won´t. If your hand then as unecpected values, like extra shape you can bid after 3 Heart comes round to you.

[Apollo81]

I don't think there is any case for pass.

[helene_t]

I would raise even if p played the "skip bid" card before bidding 1♠

[keylime]

I would expect my pard to sharply discuss my pass after the game if I elected that at the table. I have some values, and even tho I have a pancake hand, I do owe them one raise only to up the pot.

[han]

There are arguments ffor a pass but there is no case.

[Trinidad]

Why would I pass?

If partner has a maximum overcall we can make game. I raise to 2♠. The real question would be if I would accept a game invitation by partner, after I have raised to 2♠. I wouldn't, but it's close. The actual problem (raise to 2♠ or pass) is a no brainer.

Rik

[jdonn]

Hannie, on Oct 31 2007, 09:03 AM, said:

There are arguments ffor a pass but there is no case.

Bingo

[bid_em_up]

Knowing that I am outnumbered, I think I can make a fairly reasonable case for pass.

Negatives for 2S

1) This hand isn't as good as it initially looks.
2) No aces in hand.
3) All values are slow.
4) Flat distribution.
5) Would prefer to defend 3H/4H than play 3S/4S. Probably not a good idea to encourage partner into bidding 3S or 4S.
6) Wasted heart values.
7) Do not want a spade lead vs. any contract by the opponents.
8) We already know that partner is short(ish) in hearts, if he cannot reopen (either with X or 2S) after 2H p p, it simply is not our hand.
9) Partners 1S overcall could be fairly bad given the nature of overcalling on just about anything that most seem to play today.


Positives for 2S

1) We have three trump. Support w/support, right?
2) We have 9 hcp (although 3 are likely wasted).
3) 4S might be a good sac over 4H.
4) It's more fun to bid. Passing is boring. (Ok, so I made this one up.)

Sure seems like the minus's outnumber the plus's for 2S.

The only way 2S can be absolutely right is if you are playing a sound overcall structure.

However, I certainly don't expect to change anybody's mind. I'd probably even bid 2S myself, but there are certainly a lot of considerations in favor of pass.

[whereagles]

bid_em_up, on Oct 31 2007, 04:20 PM, said:

It's more fun to bid. Passing is boring. (Ok, so I made this one up.)

That solely is enuff for biddin'

[jillybean]

Clearly 2♠ is the favored action. Was there BIT before 2♠ and the opps cried foul? IMO pass is not a LA, result stands

[Cascade]

jillybean2, on Nov 1 2007, 05:35 AM, said:

Clearly 2♠ is the favored action. Was there BIT before 2♠ and the opps cried foul? IMO pass is not a LA, result stands

No nothing like that.

After the event when we were going through some hands I suggested that there was a case for passing. Pretty much listing bid_em_up's reasons above. Well these were my reasons from memory:

1. ♥QJx is near worthless

2. Bad distribution 4-3-3-3

3. Soft values

4. You don't want to encourage partner to bid 3♠

5. Bad trumps

Alternatively the hand has no good holding:

spades xxx is the worst holding you would have for a raise

hearts QJx is obviously bad

diamonds and clubs Jxx and KQxx are both dubious although one rates to be at least semi-useful if partner has heart shortage and therefore minor length.

I too am not sure I would pass but I wondered if there was a case for it.

Of course I compounded things by making a crap bid and went for 800.