[Hanoi5]

Against a good pair at this table you face the second board after getting nailed in the first. You pick up a nice hand:

♠Qxxx
♥AKxx
♦AQxx
♣10

With no-one vulnerable you're preparing to open 1♦ (your partner, who dealt, passes in front of you) when you see that bid from RHO. What do you bid now?

Hidden spoilers and question:

Spoiler

I took a spade and put it in the clubs and bid 1NT, 2H from LHO, 2S from partner, LHO bid 3H, I competed with 3S, RHO came up with 4H and it came back to me, what would you have done then?

[JLOL]

Pass the first time.

In your actual auction I would bid 4S over 3H and don't think it's close.

[kfay]

I would have just passed.

Given this start I've got something to think about I guess. Immediate reaction is to get my gun but upon reflection I think that 4♠ probably is a make, so I'll bid that.

Edit: I guess it really depends on HOW good these guys are. Probably they're leading trumps which could destroy me (unless partner turns up with K10xxx it would be ok maybe). They must know they're at risk of pushing us to game, which is a minus, but they can't possibly envision my stiff club... I'm less sure but I'll still bid, I think.

[gnasher]

Pass the first time, hoping to be able to show this hand on the next round. A 1NT overcall risks playing in notrumps when you should be in a major, playing in clubs when you should be somewhere else, and defending two of a suit when you should be playing your 4-4 major-suit fit. Even if it goes
  1♦ 1NT 2♣ pass
  pass dbl
which is quite a good start, it's quite likely that partner will misjudge, expecting you to have a doubleton rather than a singleton.

Would
  1♦ pass 1♥ pass
  2♥ 2♠
show this hand?

With your actual auction, I'd move the small spade back to where it came from and bid 4♠ over 3♥, but it's a bit of a guess. He might have as little as KJ10xx x xxx xxxx, which gives us play, but it isn't a great contract.

[mtvesuvius]

kfay, on Jan 20 2009, 12:55 PM, said:

I would have just passed. 

Given this start I've got something to think about I guess.  Immediate reaction is to get my gun but upon reflection I think that 4♠ probably is a make, so I'll bid that.

Edit:  I guess it really depends on HOW good these guys are.  Probably they're leading trumps which could destroy me (unless partner turns up with K10xxx it would be ok maybe).  They must know they're at risk of pushing us to game, which is a minus, but they can't possibly envision my stiff club... I'm less sure but I'll still bid, I think.

I agree. What do we do when LHO passes, partner Xfer's to ♣? This is unlikely, but pass cannot hurt you. My 2nd choice is a 1♥ bid

[ArtK78]

I also would pass the first time, but on the auction as it occurred I would bid the spade game. And I would bid the spade game immediately - I would not "compete to 3♠." Game could claim opposite Kxxxx of spades and out in partner's hand (2-2 spades and the ♦K onside, 2 club ruffs in dummy).

[mikeh]

ArtK78, on Jan 20 2009, 01:54 PM, said:

I also would pass the first time, but on the auction as it occurred I would bid the spade game. And I would bid the spade game immediately - I would not "compete to 3♠." Game could claim opposite Kxxxx of spades and out in partner's hand (2-2 spades and the ♦K onside, 2 club ruffs in dummy).

agreed

[OleBerg]

I bid 1nt the first time. I might pass if facing conservative bidders, but I would rather get in now, than later at a higher level.

3♠ is insane (unless it is an attempt to be doubled in 4♠). Game is excellent facing:

♠ xxxxxx
♥ xx
♦ xx
♣ xxx

[whereagles]

Like the LOL man.

By the way, I take it that's justin?

[akhare]

Hanoi5, on Jan 20 2009, 12:48 PM, said:

Against a good pair at this table you face the second board after getting nailed in the first. You pick up a nice hand:

♠Qxxx
♥AKxx
♦AQxx
♣10

With no-one vulnerable you're preparing to open 1♦ (your partner, who dealt, passes in front of you) when you see that bid from RHO. What do you bid now?

Hidden spoilers and question:

Spoiler

I took a spade and put it in the clubs and bid 1NT, 2H from LHO, 2S from partner, LHO bid 3H, I competed with 3S, RHO came up with 4H and it came back to me, what would you have done then?

I have no problems bidding 1♥ on this hand. Good suit, length in their suit, opening hand...

[Phil]

I pass and I don't think its close. With some luck I can double a 2♣ call on my right.

[Codo]

1 NT has two serious flaws: it is quite on the lower end and the clubs are too short.
When it goes 1 ♦ 1 NT x 2♣ X or something similar, you better call for a doctor. Someone will need it after the board.

So I pass and pray. But I accept that most bidding sequences now won't let me compete again.
Say 1♦ pass 1 NT pass pass
1 ♦ pass 1 M pass 1NT
1 ♦ pass 1M pass 2 M
1 ♦ pass x ♦ pass pass

Of course it is often best to let them play, but....

After the brave bid you made, I join the chorus and try 4 ♠.

[gnasher]

Codo, on Jan 21 2009, 09:17 AM, said:

1♦ pass 1 NT pass pass

I'd double, showing a flawed takeout double, then convert 2♣ to 2♦.

Quote

1 ♦ pass 1M pass 2 M

If their major were hearts, I'd bid 2♠. On a good day, partner will expect this to be only a 4-card suit, and will infer that I have a minor as well. This might not work well opposite a 2236 shape, but then nor would 1NT.

Quote

1 ♦ pass x ♦ pass pass

If they've made a non-forcing raise to the two level, we could back in with 2♥, again suggesting only four and therefore another suit as well. I agree that over 3♦ we're probably stuffed.

[Hanoi5]

It would have been:

1♦ Pass 1♥ Pass
1NT

And then we are fixed. 2♠ doesn't look good then, does it?

[Codo]

gnasher, on Jan 21 2009, 08:02 PM, said:

Codo, on Jan 21 2009, 09:17 AM, said:

1♦ pass 1 NT pass pass

I'd double, showing a flawed takeout double, then convert 2♣ to 2♦.

Okay, this will work- as long as partner will not play us for a diamond stack and a penalty double of diamonds. But I think, he should get it right.

Quote

Quote

1 ♦ pass 1M pass 2 M

If their major were hearts, I'd bid 2♠. On a good day, partner will expect this to be only a 4-card suit, and will infer that I have a minor as well. This might not work well opposite a 2236 shape, but then nor would 1NT.

On a bad day, he plays you for a raptor kind hand with 5 clubs and a hand where you judged not to come in at the first round.
Maybe he even plays you for a hand with 7-8 HCPS and 5 Spades, with which you did not like to enter the bidding first round.

Quote

Quote

1 ♦ pass x ♦ pass pass

If they've made a non-forcing raise to the two level, we could back in with 2♥, again suggesting only four and therefore another suit as well. I agree that over 3♦ we're probably stuffed.

Yes this is really easy. 2 Heart obviously must promise a two suiter. But surely with clubs, because else, why didn't you double for the majors?

To be honest, I have no clue how my regular partner would understand these bids. I may have even misunderstandings opposite myself here.