[inquiry]

Dealer: East Vul: NS Scoring: IMP

♠ ♥ KT874 ♦ AKJ9762 ♣ 3

West North East South
 -     -     Pass  1♦
 3♠!   Pass  Pass  4♥
 4♠    5♦    Pass  Pass
 5♠    Dbl   Pass  ?


This is a hand from a recent BBO team match (sponsored by BBO poland). Your partner took a preference to 5♦ and doubled 5♠ in what is clearly a forcing pass situation (he will know you have five ♥ on this auction, and at least six diamonds).

What do you bid?

[hrothgar]

I wish that I had seen the match so I knew the "right" answer.

With this said and done, I'm passing. Partner knows that I have an extreme 2 suiter.

I'd prefer to hold one less Diamond
I'd prefer if I I had more defensive values in Hearts.

However, I don't think that my hand is abnormal enough to warrant disrespecting partner's decision. Hell! LHO was originally planning to play 3S and now he is doubled at the five level without a peep from his partner and an ugly trump split...

[joker_gib]

Well, I have described my hand (which should be stronger) and partner has probably no ♥ fit and a lot of ♣ ! So, I would trust him and pass

[OSH]

Pass, I'm not sure that "5Sx will be good", I have an idea that west bid 3s and then 4s just to be doubled, but it seems the only way to get a plus score....

[inquiry]

hrothgar, on May 10 2004, 10:32 AM, said:

I wish that I had seen the match so I knew the "right" answer.

Not exactly sure what the right answer is myself, and I saw the match...

I do know what the final contract was and the result of that contract.

[inquiry]

joker_gib, on May 10 2004, 10:36 AM, said:

Well, I have described my hand (which should be stronger) and partner has probably no ♥ fit and a lot of ♣ ! So, I would trust him and pass

Well... one thing for sure... this is a forcing pass situation. So a pass by your parnter would invite slam (and show a ♠ control). So "trust" partner is not such an issue. He has to double without a ♠ control or on a hand where he is not thinking slam (your pass of 5♦ may however, remove the slam implications of a pass... what do we think?

Ben

[Free]

I'll pass, but I don't say it WILL be good, just that it SHOULD be good enough. But since this post, I guess it's the wrong decision...

[inquiry]

Free, on May 10 2004, 10:43 AM, said:

I'll pass, but I don't say it WILL be good, just that it SHOULD be good enough. But since this post, I guess it's the wrong decision...

This is a tally up the result kind of thing... What is the winning call at the table is hardly important. But we will discuss reasons for passing and bidding I guess at some point.

Ben

[joker_gib]

inquiry, on May 10 2004, 10:41 AM, said:

Well... one thing for sure... this is a forcing pass situation.

Well Ben, I'm not really sure about the forcing pass situation because my partner did not dbl 3♠ so that the opps must have points (not clear who attacks and who defends).

What my partner is trying to tell me by his dbl is that he thinks that it is better not to bid at the 6 level. Not sure of course that this is the good decision but bridge is a game of 2 persons and I'll go for his decision, I'll pass.

Alain

[luis]

I bid 6d after this proably wrong line of reasoning:
a) my pd bid 5d by himself so he has legitimate diamond support, he bid 5d to make.
my lho is not insane, he bid 3s, 4s and 5s so he must have a solid 8 card suit, probably 9.
c) if my lho is not insane why is pd doubling 5s? I think because he has no help in hearts, probably a singleotn or a void.
d) I can't discard the idea of them actually making 5sx
e) Without a trump lead 6d may have a chance, LHO maybe void in diamonds so he will be forced to lead a spade or something else

[flytoox]

better pass than to change and lose a pd.

[flytoox]

luis, on May 10 2004, 07:35 PM, said:

my lho is not insane, he bid 3s, 4s and 5s so he must have a solid 8 card suit, probably 9.

well, if this is not insane, then i think no bid is insane.

[luis]

flytoox, on May 10 2004, 07:44 PM, said:

luis, on May 10 2004, 07:35 PM, said:

my lho is not insane, he bid 3s, 4s and 5s so he must have a solid 8 card suit, probably 9.

well, if this is not insane, then i think no bid is insane.

Sometimes you bid as if you were an idiot intentionally, don't tell me you never did that on purpose.
I'd love to know the tempo and expression in LHO's face as he bid 4s and 5s. I need to determine if he is setting a trap or just insane as flytoox says.

[inquiry]

Luis is right, your LHO is "walking the dog".. and has really good ♠'s. So 5♠ making is a concern (turns out it can't make, but that is another story). Luis is also right, partner will be short in ♥, certainly no more than two (as he could have passed 4♥, and you have a good reason to suspect the ♥Ace is well place for you.

The hand was.

Scoring: IMP

---

West North East South

 -     -     Pass  1♦
 3♠!   Pass  Pass  4♥
 4♠    5♦    Pass  Pass
 5♠    Dbl   Pass  6♦
 Pass  Pass  Pass  

As you can see, 6♦ makes (3-3 ♥ a bid help), but surely 5♦ makes. What happens to 5♠? Win 1♠, 1♣, 1♦, 1♥, for down two.

Would you double with north hand, as I did, or bid 6♦? Partner did force you to the five level vulnerable versus non-vul, but you lack an honor in either of your partners suits. Our opponents played 5♦ unmolested after, I think, 1♦-(4♠)-P-(P); 4NT-(P)-5♣-(P); 5♦-all pass.

Ben

[flytoox]

inquiry, on May 10 2004, 08:05 PM, said:

Luis is right, your LHO is "walking the dog".. and has really good ♠'s. So 5♠ making is a concern (turns out it can't make, but that is another story). Luis is also right, partner will be short in ♥, certainly no more than two (as he could have passed 4♥, and you have a good reason to suspect the ♥Ace is well place for you.

The hand was.

Scoring: IMP

---

West North East South

 -     -     Pass  1♦
 3♠!   Pass  Pass  4♥
 4♠    5♦    Pass  Pass
 5♠    Dbl   Pass  6♦
 Pass  Pass  Pass  

As you can see, 6♦ makes (3-3 ♥ a bid help), but surely 5♦ makes. What happens to 5♠? Win 1♠, 1♣, 1♦, 1♥, for down two.

Would you double with north hand, as I did, or bid 6♦? Partner did force you to the five level vulnerable versus non-vul, but you lack an honor in either of your partners suits. Our opponents played 5♦ unmolested after, I think, 1♦-(4♠)-P-(P); 4NT-(P)-5♣-(P); 5♦-all pass.

Ben

Ben, this kind slam is really not biddable. switch the singleton c to singleton s, 5d is the most you can make. I think your dbl is right, take the sure plus is better than a blind gamble. After RHO's 3,4,5s, do u really think h and d will break favorably to you? I would expect RHO has long s suit plus some club, rather than h.

[inquiry]

flytoox, on May 10 2004, 05:06 PM, said:

Ben, this kind slam is really not biddable. switch the singleton c to singleton s, 5d is the most you can make. I think your dbl is right, take the sure plus is better than a blind gamble. After RHO's 3,4,5s, do u really think h and d will break favorably to you? I would expect RHO has long s suit plus some club, rather than h.

Thanks...

I will be sure to tell Mishovnbg and luis it is not biddable. With the hand, i too would have passed 5♠X'ed. But i think that one has to give some credit to them for considering alternatives. I only reported the hand and asked what people would bid.

[Fluffy]

If you though 6♦ was a good contract why ddin´t you bid them on the last round? not that a double on a forcing pass sequence is the kind of 'encouraging' thing you are looking for at all.

Thank and kiss west for helping you to keep on your feet making your life easier.


Nobody suggested to open 1♥ with that hand? let me be first (and last)

[the hog]

Well opening 1H will certainly be an unpopular choice. I would have to do it systemically or bury the hearts forever.

"Thank and kiss west for helping you to keep on your feet making your life easier."

Fluffy, if West looks anything like your profile picture, I would definitely not kiss him, (her). Actually that statement of yours makes me a bit worried about you. lol

[mishovnbg]

Hehe, Ben
I vote against my own choice to bid 6♦ ...
Will be interesting to know that both Rumen's and Boian's bids are 6♦ almost without thinking . They primary afraid of 5♠ making, if p don't have A♣ or 6♦ making, if he do have it... As I posted in my poll, science is not enough sometimes...
Misho

[inquiry]

mishovnbg, on May 11 2004, 09:31 AM, said:

Hehe, Ben
I vote against my own choice to bid 6♦ ...
Will be interesting to know that both Rumen's and Boian's bids are 6♦ almost without thinking . They primary afraid of 5♠ making, if p don't have A♣ or 6♦ making, if he do have it... As I posted in my poll, science is not enough sometimes...
Misho

Thanks for update, Misho.

Well, fly, there is the definitive solution to the problem. Rumen, Boian, Luis, and Misho (despite his vote against the bid, I know WHAT he bid at the table), all bid 6♦. Luis quoted fear they can make 5♠ as well as noted the bad ♥ support partner has, and Misho gives same answer for the other gold stars. That is good enough for me. The logic may also include, 5♠X is not going to get rich. Why? Partner could have doubled 4♠, but choose to freely bid 5♦], and at this vul, he will be expecting more defensive tricks from you hand (you may have ZERO defensive tricks, especially if partner has 4 ♦’s.)