[sceptic]

Scoring: IMP

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West North East South

1♣ Pass Pass 1♥
1NT 2♥ Pass Pass
Pass


playing sayc with some agreements, we have played before so no pick up partner, but not many advanced agreements

Team match the other side go to 4 spades making +1 at imps

Q1/. would you overcall 1 spade with Norths hand

Q2/. do you agree with 1 heart in the balancing position or do you prefer X

Q3/. after the 1NT bid by opener what would you assume she had?

Q4/. do you agree with 2 hearts or would you prefer 2 clubs as a cue bid to show 3 card support and 10+ hcp (bear in mind passed seat showing max raise

Q5/. What do you take 2 hearts as

Q6/. how would you bid these hands over the 1 club opener?

[TylerE]

I think N has a double of 1NT, which should be penalty on this auction. Not forced, but certainly interested. Looks to be going off 3 or 4.

[P_Marlowe]

#1 yes
#2 I prefer a t/o, because you are too strong for
1H, you are allowed to borrow a king from partner,
which would give you 19HCP
#3 opener showed a 18/19 NT bal. hand
#4 2C should show an opening hand, just
because you passed the first time, does
not mean you cant hold an opening bid
On the theory that partner borrowed a king,
you are max. for a single raise, but you have
only a single raise
#5 competitive, shows some live but not much,
given that opener promised half aof the deck,
that leaves partner with 5/6HCP
#6 1S by North, 2C by South, ending up in 3NT or
4S

With kind regards
Marlowe

[hrothgar]

Q1. Easy 1♠ Overcall

Q2. Clear balancing double

Q3. The meaning of 1NT would vary somewhat by partnership, but it would never show a weak NT with a Heart stopper

Q4. 2♥ strikes me as an extreme underbid, especially considering the original pass. I'd like to bid 1♠ natural and forcing

Q5. Roughly nine losers with three card support

Q6.

(1♣) - 1♠ - (P)* - 2♦**
(P) - 2♥ - (P) - 2♠
(P) - 4♠

* a really aggressive type might raise clubs after a 1♠ overcall (I wouldn't)

** 2♦ shows 5+ Hearts

[sceptic]

another question if south doubles what should north bid?

[helene_t]

N's initial pass is borderline IMHO.

S is too strong for a balancing overcall. Not by a huge margin, but still. Start with X.

W's 1NT is a typical beginner's mistake. Too bad it didn't get punished. N might have doubled 1N for penalties after which game would be reached (E runs to 2♦) but 2♥ is not unreasonable IMHO.

[Gerben42]

Quote

Q1/. would you overcall 1 spade with Norths hand

Yes with most partners, Pass is not crazy though.

Quote

Q2/. do you agree with 1 heart in the balancing position or do you prefer X

Dbl is more flexible with such a strong hand.

Quote

Q3/. after the 1NT bid by opener what would you assume she had?

18 - 19 HCP, sort of balanced and a ♥ stopper

Quote

Q4/. do you agree with 2 hearts or would you prefer 2 clubs as a cue bid to show 3 card support and 10+ hcp (bear in mind passed seat showing max raise

2♥ is correct opposite a balancing 1♥

Quote

Q5/. What do you take 2 hearts as

A constructive raise in ♥, can be quite solid as partner balanced.

Quote

Q6/. how would you bid these hands over the 1 club opener?

1♣ Pass Pass Dbl
1NT Dbl Pass Pass
Pass

or if opener does not make the same mistake:

1♣ Pass Pass Dbl
Pass 2♠ Pass 4♠
Pass Pass Pass

[mcphee]

1. 1S overcall is not ideal but ok. I personally do not like to overcall weak suits with minimum hands where I am unsure this is the lead I would like. When the suit is S you are likely able to balance later easily. I likely would pass this hand but would not take issue with 1S.

2. I would bid 1H as dble may lead to missing the 5-3 H fit and find the 4-3 S especially here as partner has failed to o/c in S. I do not feel that 1H understates the hand really. If partner is unable to bid something I am not missing anything.

3. The NT rebid indicates 18-19 balanced. West is suicidal to choose this bid.

4. 2H is a tad timid and for me this is a 2C advance.

5. 2H indicates sould raise of H for me. I do not agree that dble is penalty of 1NT and play it simply is competitive showing values. For example how about hands holding 4S 4D 2H and 3C and approximately 8-10 hcp, what are you to do? Passing is not for me. Using double as a flexible call has more advantages.

[ArtK78]

1) Never. Unless your 1♠ overcall shows 13 cards.

Obviously, most of the posters disagree with this. I really do not understand why they want to overcall a ratty suit on a ratty hand. Most players would not open this hand. Why they want to overcall on Qxxxx is beyond me.

2) I prefer double. An simple suit bid in balancing seat should have an upper limit of about 14-15 HCP.

3) A 1NT rebid by opener after partner passes a one bid (or fails to act after an overcall by opener's LHO) shows a hand too good to open 1NT, i.e., about 18-19 HCP. Apparently, opener doesn't agree with this or is ignorant of this.

4) North should double 1NT. North has to show values. Even if 1NTx makes (and I doubt that it will opposite most balancing hands) it is not game. Given that your side should have almost all of the high card strength outside of declarer's hand, he is playing the whole hand without an entry to dummy. Unless he based his 1NT bid on a long suit (extremely unlikely given your club holding), your side should beat 1NTx, perhaps more than one trick.

5) 2♥ shows about the same as a normal raise of an opening 1♥ bid to 2♥.

6)

1♣ - P - (P) - x
(P) - 1♠ - (P) - 2♥
(P) - 4♥ - All Pass

[Codo]

1. I would pass, I dislike the suit. But I consider to be the minority and would never argue with a partner who bids 1 Spades.

2. I learned here that 1 Heart is limited to 15 or 16 HCPs. Even then it is in the range, so I have no problems with this bid. And opposite to others I like to bid my 5 card majors, so I would do this- intending to show my spade tolerance later if necessary.

3. 1 NT shows 18-19 with a good stopper.

4. Maybe north thought about the rule: Substract a king from your hand and hand it over to the balancing seat. In this case 2 Heart is okay. But I had not used this rule, so I had tried 2 Club. Double is fine too, afteral, they don´t have a running suit, so they should not have enough HCPS to make.

5. 3 Hearts not inviting

6. up to 1 NT doubled or via 2 Club up to 4 Heart.

[Poky]

sceptic, on Jan 21 2008, 01:55 PM, said:

Q1/. would you overcall 1 spade with Norths hand
Q2/. do you agree with 1 heart in the balancing position or do you prefer X
Q3/. after the 1NT bid by opener what would you assume she had?
Q4/. do you agree with 2 hearts or would you prefer 2 clubs as a cue bid to show 3 card support and 10+ hcp (bear in mind passed seat showing max raise
Q5/. What do you take 2 hearts as
Q6/. how would you bid these hands over the 1 club opener?

A1. Yes
A2. Clear-cut 1♥
A3. 18-19 balanced or similar
A4. 2♣ clear-cut
A5. Heart support, ~6-9
A6. 1♠ overcall, 2♣ cue etc.

[Sambolino]

Quote

Q1/. would you overcall 1 spade with Norths hand
Q2/. do you agree with 1 heart in the balancing position or do you prefer X

1. no
2. X

[skjaeran]

1. Yes, I'd overcall 1♠ with this hand.
2. The high card strength is there for a double, but I prefer 1♥ with this ratty suit - double followed by a heart bid later should show a real suit.
3. The 1NT rebid should show 18-19 or a hand with similar playing strength.
4. North has an obvious double of 1NT.
5. 2♥ shows a weaker hand.
6. (1♣) 1♠ (p) 2♦ (transfer)
(p) 2♥ (p) 3♠
(p) 4♠

[MFA]

1) 1♠. Clearcut in my style.
2) Prefer 1♥. Double + ♥'s is awkward on such a bad suit, and I'm minimum for that action anyway.
3) 18-19 or tricks.
4) 2♣. Not comfortable with double here opposite a reopening. Partner is supposed to pass this with all balanced or nearly balanced hands.
5) 2♥ is up to around 10.
6) (1♣) - 1♠ - (pass) - 2♥ transfer, good+ raise
(pass) - 2♠ - (pass) - 3♥
(pass) - 3NT* - end.
* 3♠ also possible, raised to 4.

[the hog]

1) Clear 1S overcall. (Unless you have changed your identity to Caspar Milquetoast.)
2 Prefer X by the Sth hand, but don't object to 1H.
3) Balanced 18-19
4) prefer 2C
5) 2H is a tad weaker than you have, but not much
6) 1S overcall, 2C cue etc