[kfay]

Scoring: IMP

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After an auction with no opposition you find yourself in 7♠ in the FISU games in Lodz. You'd better make this because the other table is only in 4♠.

LHO leads the ♠3.

I'm not sure but I think the percentage line is the winning line.

What is it?

[rbforster]

Maybe I'm not seeing something better, but testing for hearts 3-3 (ruffing high) and failing that ruffing our 3rd club and hooking the diamond seems like ~65%.

[han]

I don't think that the percentage line is the winning line.

I'd be interested in how people think these two hands should be bid.

[Echognome]

han, on Sep 4 2008, 10:31 AM, said:

I'd be interested in how people think these two hands should be bid.

Playing 2/1 (I won't bore people with a relay auction)

1♠ - 2♥
2♠/NT(1) - 3♠
...
(1) Depending on which you use to show the 6th spade.

I think it's very clear to bid 3♠ once you know of the 6th spade given your holding of Hx in spades and good controls outside of spades. The rest of the auction depends on whether 3NT is an offer to play or if it's serious or frivolous. Let's say 3NT is serious.

3NT - 4♣
4♦ - 4♥
4NT - 5♠
5NT - 6♥
6♠ - Pass

Let's say 3NT is frivolous.

4♣ - 4♥
4♠* - 5♣
5♦ - 5♥
6♠
*Note South does not have extras given the serious try, but North should go on.

Finally, if 3NT is a choice of games it's a lot harder.

4♣ - 4♥
?

Here I can't say whether I'd bid 4♠ or 5♦ as South. I do know that I'd pass the North hand over 4♠, so I think South should bid 5♦ over which North can bid 5♥ and then 6♠ over 5♠ (South is only worth the one try).

[han]

1S-2H
2S-2NT
3S-3NT

This is not serious. This is a suggestion to play 3NT.

[cherdano]

1S 2H
2S 2N
3S 4C
4D 4S
4N 5S
6S

Obviously, 4C is the crucial decision. Responder is completely unlimited, there is no serious 3N, how much should 4C promise? I think an immediate 4S over 3S should show a slam unsuitable hand, and with such great honors we have to show some slam values despite only holding 13 hcp.

4H over 4D would be an overbid, but of course opener will drive to slam anyway (either with 4N or with 5C).

[mike777]

getting to 6s seems easy....7 seems tougher..


1s=2h
2s=3s
3nt!=4c
4d=4h
4nt=5s
6c=6h
6s=p

[FrancesHinden]

Rob F, on Sep 4 2008, 07:08 PM, said:

Maybe I'm not seeing something better, but testing for hearts 3-3 (ruffing high) and failing that ruffing our 3rd club and hooking the diamond seems like ~65%.

Sometimes spades are 4-1.

I think I can improve on this line slightly:

1. Win in hand. A, K of hearts, H ruff high if necessary. If hearts are 3-3 finish drawing trump and claim. Otherwise:

1a. If RHO has the doubleton heart, cash the SQ, ruff a heart, draw trumps and eventually take the diamond finesse unless you believe a very unlikely minor suit squeeze is developing.

1b. If LHO has the doubleton heart take a club ruff then the diamond finesse.

This is less good than you suggested because hearts might be 5-1, but is still above 50%.

2. A simpler line is to ruff a club and run trumps, making any time the same hand has 4+ hearts and the DK. This is a little under 50%.

I also think I might be missing something better, it's too early in the morning for me..