[FrancesHinden]

Scoring: MP

1♦ x P 1♥
?

---

[Mosene]

2♦ or pass. I went with 2♦ to prevent a possible 2♣ bid from LHO. Yes - I am a diamond short, but my Aces more than make up for it. What does a double show in this situation?

[helene_t]

Hey, am I the only one who votes 1NT? I thought it was obvious.

Of course I won't exactly be happy if p takes 1NT out to 2♣, but then I can still bid 2♦ if I want, so I don't see the advantage of an immediate 2♦.

Pass won't make us rich at this scoring and vulnerability, I think.

[mikeh]

pass

we haven't missed a game, yet, and partner is still there... if I double (ugh) or bid 1N (less ughier but still ugh) I will probably get more club action from partner than my hand can stand. If I pass and partner bids clubs, he will have more of them than he needs to if I were to invite him to participate.

Heck... the auction is not yet over (altho it may be) and, if it is, this may be our best hope for a plus anyway... imagine rho with 3=3=4=3 minimum and lho with 4=3=2=4. Ok, colour me an optimist

[mike777]

2d

second choice pass, but prefer 2d.

[mtvesuvius]

I like Pass and 1NT. At MPs I will bid 1NT because I don't think we will get rich by passing, however at IMPs I may pass because often partner will bid again and we will get someplace decent. Yes I don't have the perfect distrubution, but 1NT seems like a winner.

[paulg]

I would pass and not consider it close.

This is because my partner is likely to show (transfer to) a 4-card major with practically no points, and we have weak and strong diamond raises available, so there is less incentive to consider something than perhaps some other partnerships.

p

[hotShot]

If LHO is short in ♦ as promised than we have a ♦ fit, but there might be a bad split. I would need 3 covers from Partner to make 5♦.
♠Q, shortness in ♥ and ♦ Q or extra length in ♦ could be enough for that.
If LHO has 4♥ (he should have at least 3) than partner is left with ♥ single, so we are very close to makeing 5♦ here. So pass is not really a choice. We would need a forcing bid that suggests ♦, but there is no such bid. We don't want to make a bid that encourages partner to bid ♣, so dbl and NT could lead to diversion. 1♠ is a misdescription of my hand.
This leaves 2♦, although nonforcing it hope it does not end the auction.

♠xxx ♥x ♦xxxx ♣xxxxx is to weak for even a weak ♦ raise, but with ♦ 2-2 5♦ has chances.

[jdonn]

1NT. Why would I not show my strength, especially when no one is vul at mps and I can be the first to 1NT? I don't really care if partner bids clubs, that leaves me well placed to bid diamonds.

[H_KARLUK]

PASS

[Apollo81]

jdonn, on Mar 10 2009, 03:00 PM, said:

1NT. Why would I not show my strength, especially when no one is vul at mps and I can be the first to 1NT? I don't really care if partner bids clubs, that leaves me well placed to bid diamonds.

agree

pass runs a risk of the opps stealing the bacon in some contract (very likely 1♥)

[whereagles]

2♦. Very similar to the other problem.

[hanp]

On the forums it is so tempting to bid 1S.

[kenrexford]

hanp, on Mar 10 2009, 08:43 PM, said:

On the forums it is so tempting to bid 1S.

That's my call. It would be my call away from the forums. Why not show the fifth diamond below 1NT? Having a spade "fit" is remote, but also possible. Wherever we end up, I'd rather show my strength as suit-oriented when I have Aces and Spaces with Shortness.

[oldman5757]

I waffled all over the place on this one, and then missed that this was MPs. So cancel my X, and count me for 1NT.

[FrancesHinden]

I stupidly got the vulnerability wrong.
You are at red.

That probably changes the answers of half the people who replied!

Anyway, If you:

pass - you concede -80 in 1H
bid 1NT - you are +50 in 2H
bid 2D - you are either +110 or -100 in 3D depending on the lead
bid 1S - you are +110 in 2S

1S is the winner.

I didn't seriously consider it at the time, but I'm coming round to the idea. The actual layout isn't that surprising.

edit: missed out what happens if you double, to be honest I'm not sure how the auction will progress, but you will probably end up converting 3C to 3D.

[hanp]

Woohoo, from now on I'll only play forum bridge: assume a weird call is called for on every hand.

Would you mind posting the actual layout Frances?

I think 1S seriously risks playing a 3-3 fit btw.

[FrancesHinden]

it was something like

...........................J10xx
...........................x
...........................xxx
...........................Jxxxx


Qxx.......................................................xxx
KQJx......................................................10xxx
Q10x......................................................Jx
Axx........................................................KQ10x

I woulnd't have doubled 1D, but what do I know?

[orlam]

Would partner really pass out 1H at matchpoints?

[Mosene]

I must be missing something - what lead sets 3 diamonds?