[Hanoi5]

Playing in a butler tournament you open 2nd hand:

Scoring: IMP

---

Pass 1♣ Pass 1♦
1♥ ???

[jtfanclub]

This is one of those hands that's either ridiculously simple or I think it's really simple and I'm about to get very confused.

Why would I even consider any bid besides 1♠? I'm not close to a game force, and anything fancy my partner would take as a cue in support of diamonds. Passing is right out, because if the next call is 3♥ (or even 2♥ if my partner is weak) it puts my partner in an impossible position.

[FrancesHinden]

what he said

[Hanoi5]

Then let me continue the bid:

Pass 1♣ Pass 1♦
1♥ 1♠ 3♥* X
Pass ???

What now?

[ASkolnick]

I pass. If partner has 4 clubs with me, that is the only time we can guarantee 3N making. I will take the chance of going -670 since I think there is a good chance they are going -2. Besides, where are there tricks coming from?

[jtfanclub]

ASkolnick, on Apr 9 2008, 11:37 AM, said:

I pass. If partner has 4 clubs with me, that is the only time we can guarantee 3N making.

If partner has 4 clubs, why aren't we playing in 6 clubs?

These hands make me nervous- since I haven't shown my club length yet, and my hand is about as suited for slam as possible, I'm scared that we're missing a club slam.

[whereagles]

First bid 1♠, a non-problem. Then pass the dbl; pard should be 3253 or 3262.

[jtfanclub]

whereagles, on Apr 9 2008, 11:48 AM, said:

First bid 1♠, a non-problem. Then pass the dbl; pard should be 3253 or 3262.

2? Opps will more often than not have a 9 card fit on this auction.

Why can't partner have 3163 or 3154? Or even 3064?

(Sorry, I'm posting too much)

[whereagles]

jtfanclub, on Apr 9 2008, 04:58 PM, said:

whereagles, on Apr 9 2008, 11:48 AM, said:

First bid 1♠, a non-problem. Then pass the dbl; pard should be 3253 or 3262.

2? Opps will more often than not have a 9 card fit on this auction.

Why can't partner have 3163 or 3154? Or even 3064?

(Sorry, I'm posting too much)

3163 I agree he might have. But then again, after a low heart lead they're gonna be murdered.

3154 or 3064 pard might have bid 4♣ on them. Definitely on 3064. Even if he's 3154, a heart lead will have the same effect as above.

[Hanoi5]

Isn't the double asking for a stopper to play 3NT? I mean, how would he do that anyway?

[jdonn]

1♠ first round wtp.

PASS on the second. Why are people giving partner club support when we showed clubs?? His most likely shape by far is 3253, with 3262 coming in second. I expect a massacre here.

[awm]

I'd be a bit concerned about passing here. Give partner some:

♠Qxx
♥xx
♦Axxxx
♣Kxx

Yes, you will beat 3♥, probably -3 for 500 at these colors. But 5♣ is cold and 6♣ is pretty good. If partner has the same hand with one fewer heart and one more diamond (and partner having stiff heart is not really unlikely given the opposing bidding) then 6♣ is cold and 7♣ has play. And this hand probably doesn't even have the values for double.

So I'd be pretty concerned about missing a club slam in order to defend 3♥, which while surely failing may not even go for more than the value of our game with us red and them white.

I think I'd try 4♥ over this, honestly tempted to blast 6♣ and see how I do.

[cherdano]

1♠ shows an unbalanced hand, so partner knows we have at least 5 clubs. We have 3 aces and a void in partner's suit, I am certainly not worried about them making 3♥! I am slightly worried about missing a club slam opposite 3-card support, but even then +1100 might be a better score...

Oops I misread the vulnerability, can you please always put our hand in the South seat?

[kenberg]

Seems I see this differently than others. Of course 1S on the first round. But the double of 3H I take to show a good hand w/o a clear direction. It may well suggest that I bid 3N with a heart stop (often I would, whatever the intent) but I don't think it is a command. Partner has a stiff heart (they have 9) and at most three spades (else he would make my life easier by bidding some number of spades) and so I think some clubs in his hand is pretty likely. I have considerably more values and somewhat more clubs than I have shown, partner has forced me to 3N or higher w/o knowing of either, I think this hand makes either 5C or 6C. I don't see how partner can think I have diamonds, and we don't seem to have spades, so I will bid 4H and let partner choose the level of the club contract.

If he bids 4S over 4H I will think again, since that could reasonably be to play on something like QJx with his stiff heart.

This seems to be at odds with everyone else, but a guy has to do what a guy has to do.


Ed: Written before the last two posts appeared. Maybe I am less alone.

[whereagles]

awm, on Apr 9 2008, 05:18 PM, said:

I'd be a bit concerned about passing here. Give partner some:

♠Qxx
♥xx
♦Axxxx
♣Kxx

Yes, you will beat 3♥, probably -3 for 500 at these colors. But 5♣ is cold and 6♣ is pretty good.

what are you talking about? That's a clear raise to 4♣

[kenberg]

What is the winning action?

[Hanoi5]

This is partner's hand:

---

Who should be blamed for not arriving to a slam?

[TimG]

Sorry, I did look back for the auction, just not that far...

[Codo]

TimG, on Apr 16 2008, 08:46 PM, said:

Hanoi5, on Apr 16 2008, 05:32 AM, said:

This is partner's hand:

Dealer: ????? Vul: ???? Scoring: Unknown

♠ QJx ♥ x ♦ AKxxx ♣ Qxxx

Who should be blamed for not arriving to a slam?

Wouldn't the answer to that question depend upon the rest of the auction?

Why?

We can blame partner like we always do.

[Hanoi5]

Quote

Then let me continue the bid:

Pass 1♣ Pass 1♦
1♥ 1♠ 3♥* X
Pass ???

Well I said 3NT and my partner passed. Who's to blame then?