[gwnn]

Scoring: MP

1♠-x-3♠-4♥

end

---

My apologies to 655321 about the last 4 options, but there appears to be a distinct demand for these.

[rfedrick]

No blame. (I marginally prefer X = 2ptp, but we'd get to the same contract).

Apart from the fact that it presumably happened to go off this time, what's wrong with getting to 4♥?

[the hog]

0% to either player.

[hotShot]

South looks at his 11 HCP and both LHO and partner have promised opening strength, so obviously 3♠ must have been preemptive (where is the alert?). This means that LHO and MHO have minimum opening strength. Too much of South HCP are wasted in ♠ so I don't think that bidding 4♥ is the best move.

North has a minimum dbl (unless you have a different agreement), but the ♠A is a big minus, so I would evaluate the hand as subminimum and I consider dbl not to be the optimal choice.

But both bids are not unreasonable, but I'll choose 50-50.

[miguelm]

I blame South entirely.
Knowing his partner holds a singleton spade (or even a void), a big part of his hand is wasted in 4H.

[mcphee]

It is a little unfortunate S elected to bid 4H looking at KJ9 of S when perhaps 3N is not at all unreasonable as no one is sure N holds 4H. Even if he does 3N holds a lot of appeal to me facing a stiff S. At least your HCV are working more and you do require 1 less trick for a possible pushy game.

I think the N player was right making the t/o dble.
I think S could have elected to dble responsive or try 3N, both better choices than 4H, although dble would also lead to 4H.

There is no alert required for the weak jump to 3S after a t/o dble

[kenrexford]

Not the worst game ever bid, under pressure. If you get a boring spade lead, or even a lead of the King of clubs, you still have chances. Plan on losing two hearts and a club, with diamonds coming in, and all is well.

[mtvesuvius]

I see nothing wrong with North's double. South's 4♥, as others have said, was a bit agressive, and with all the ♠ values that look to be wasted, I think 3NT may be better... Nonetheless, there is not blame for every low percentage game you reach, especially under pressure.

[655321]

I would be happy to be in 4♥ here. Perhaps opener has the ♥A doubleton, he likely has the ♦K, and a spade lead seems more likely than a low club. So no blame for me.

I don't agree that South should be aiming for 3NT. He has 11HCP with no real source of tricks. Partner' has a singleton spade, so his double could be relatively light on HCP.

gwnn, on Apr 23 2009, 04:23 AM, said:

My apologies to 655321 about the last 4 options, but there appears to be a distinct demand for these.

LOL. Actually, as I post this, everyone has chosen one of the options that add up to 100%

[mikeh]

I think anyone who would bid 3N as S should be shot... oh, how wonderfully well we bid when we know partner holds the spade A

Gimme a break... opposite the normal 1=4=4=4 with a stiff small spade are we seriously suggesting that 3N is the best spot?

As for bidding 4♥... yes, it is a touch agressive, but we are not getting there, even when it is a good contract, unless we bid it... since we have far too much to expect partner to reopen... and there will be a host of hands on which it is a good spot... x AJxx AQxx Qxxx is enough to make me want to be there, and it will often make opposite less. Heck, on the given hand, if opener leads the club K, who know what will happen? Qxxxx AJx Kx KQx....... xxxx Qx Jxxx xxx as an example.

What blame there is goes, imo, to North. I sympathize with the double, but he has minimum values for the call and should, imo, devalue the hand because of the stiff spade A and the weak heart suit. Give me x Axxx AQxxx Jxx, and that is far more a double than the actual hand... note, and this is not coincidental, that such a dummy makes 4♥ a better contract than on the actual hand...still not a good spot, but better.

Would I be happy passing as N? No. I would rank N's choices as Pass, double and 2♦ in that order, with pass ranking slightly higher than double, and 2♦ a distant third.

All in all, not a lot of blame to go around... and an object lesson as to why almost everyone now plays that the jump raise of spades is weak.

[whereagles]

mikeh, on Apr 23 2009, 03:46 PM, said:

I think anyone who would bid 3N as S should be shot...

jeeezuz man, not even Mao-Tse Tung was such a butcher

[jdonn]

There is no blame. They were both minimum and both had wasted spade values, but both made utterly normal bids.

[rogerclee]

I guess I'm out there, double > 3N > 4♥ with the south hand.

Of course north gets no blame, this would have been better posed as a bidding problem for the south hand since north's double was very routine.

[kenrexford]

Out of curiosity, just to properly assess the blame, what was the entire layout and lead and defense? I'm curious if 4♥ had play, in which case Advancer gets a little more grief.

[MarkDean]

I know that I am very much in the minority here, but I would not double with the North hand. It has 7 HCP outside of spades, and we are competing against the highest ranking suit, all red. Sure it could work out, but it could also lead to -200 or to declarer taking an extra trick from the additional info.

I agree with South’s call, but it is pushy. I think bidding 3NT is really out there. This hand commonly has just one spades stopper: partner is marked with a stiff on the auction, and the chances that LHO has the ace and one of the Q/T seem pretty high. And where are we getting our tricks from that fast?

[gwnn]

opener had qtxxx qjxx k kqx I think

I'd like to play 3spx with these hands is there really no way that can be arranged?

[jdonn]

gwnn, on Apr 23 2009, 03:27 PM, said:

opener had qtxxx qjxx k kqx I think

I'd like to play 3spx with these hands is there really no way that can be arranged?

By playing penalty doubles instead of responsive doubles. Of course most of us would think the cost is too great.

[kenrexford]

gwnn, on Apr 23 2009, 03:27 PM, said:

opener had qtxxx qjxx k kqx I think

No prayer there.

[Fluffy]

I don't care if 4♥ is a good contract, my best shot by bidding it is to double 4♠. Opponents were competent enough to leave it. But that's not always the case.