[rogerclee]

IMPs, All White, Fourth Seat

♠Jx ♥QJT8x ♦AJ8xx ♣x

(1♥)-Dbl-(P)-?

[nige1]

rogerclee, on Mar 29 2008, 02:35 AM, said:

IMPs, All White, Fourth Seat  ♠Jx ♥QJT8x ♦AJ8xx ♣x
(1♥)-Dbl-(P)-?

IMO 1N = 10, 2♦ = 9, _P = 7, 2N = 5, 3♦ = 4.
Assuming that 1♥ shows 5+ ♥. If 1♥ shows only 4 then _P becomes more attractive.

[helene_t]

2!d, won't object to 1N or pass. But no stronger bid please.

[whereagles]

I'll go with a wimpish 1NT. Thing is, if pard has a strong hand with clubs, 2♦ now will definitely complicate his task.

[jdonn]

Jlall, on Mar 29 2008, 03:43 PM, said:

Why will people not pass with this hand?

I do!

[skjaeran]

PASS!

[nige1]

Jlall, on Mar 29 2008, 03:43 PM, said:

Why will people not pass with this hand?

Because ...

• You pays your money; you weighs up the probabilities; and you makes your choice - - we don't all have the bidding judgement of Jlall
  
• We don't all have the defensive skills of JLall
  
• Pass tends to be conclusive. Partner may have followed JLall's modern teaching and doubled on some ♠ monster or freakish pointed 2-suiter But after we pass he may have no come-back
  
• Partner may forget to lead a trump His double didn't promised any, so he may not even have a ♥ to lead
  
• Passing is a bit of a gamble We can practically underwrite a partscore our way Whereas 1♥X will sometimes make, occasionally with overtricks.
  
• Our declarer play tends to be better than our defence and it's more fun

[gnasher]

Both pass and 3♦ seem reasonable to me. I can't imagine why anyone wants to bid 1NT - I don't have a balanced hand, I do have a good suit and plenty of playing strength, and I can construct a 13-count where I'd expect to make 3NT. The upside of bidding 1NT is far less than the upside of either pass or 3♦.

[whereagles]

1NT is to allow pard to bid 2♣ if he happens to be strong. If, on the other hand, it's LHO who's strong, I'll bid 2♦ if doubled. Who knows, maybe they think I'm in trouble and double me again for 2 overtricks

[Fluffy]

I think its very close, the reason I don't like pass is that opponents will play at the 1 level when we have an 8 or 9 card fit, if partner misses the lead, we will lose the control of the hand.

I think we are also too strong for 2♦, but also our hearts on ofense won't be great.

I would probably pass at MPs, but at IMPs I will just bid 3♦.

[nige1]

gnasher, on Mar 30 2008, 01:56 PM, said:

Both pass and 3♦ seem reasonable to me. I can't imagine why anyone wants to bid 1NT - I don't have a balanced hand, I do have a good suit and plenty of playing strength, and I can construct a 13-count where I'd expect to make 3NT. The upside of bidding 1NT is far less than the upside of either pass or 3♦.

Imagination is my long suit John McLaren described some of my efforts as "outside three sigma" On this hand, however, 1N is a down-the-middle choice if you play it as constructive. We might have got richer defending but notrump is likely to be the best part-score or game for our side