The Never-Ending Problem Bid then declare the mess...
#1
Posted 2009-April-24, 07:14
♠ Axx
♥ xx
♦ AJT8xx
♣ Ax
You deal:
1♦ - (P) - 1♥ - (3♠)
???*
*If you pass, partner will double, now what?
#2
Posted 2009-April-24, 08:02
With kind regards
Marlowe
Uwe Gebhardt (P_Marlowe)
#3
Posted 2009-April-24, 08:07
#4
Posted 2009-April-24, 08:49
#5
Posted 2009-April-24, 09:52
655321, on Apr 24 2009, 09:07 AM, said:
Yes, both choices are obvious.
#6
Posted 2009-April-24, 10:02
3NT was my first reaction. The more I think about it, the more I like it.
Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com
#7
Posted 2009-April-24, 10:03
fred, on Apr 24 2009, 04:02 PM, said:
3NT was my first reaction. The more I think about it, the more I like it.
Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com
Thought about it some more - perhaps I have lost my mind
Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com
#8
Posted 2009-April-24, 10:05
#9
Posted 2009-April-24, 10:16
#10
Posted 2009-April-24, 10:20
Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com
#11
Posted 2009-April-24, 10:20
655321, on Apr 24 2009, 09:07 AM, said:
Same for me, although I don't hate passing over the double.
#12
Posted 2009-April-24, 11:22
fred, on Apr 24 2009, 11:03 AM, said:
fred, on Apr 24 2009, 04:02 PM, said:
3NT was my first reaction. The more I think about it, the more I like it.
Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com
Thought about it some more - perhaps I have lost my mind
Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com
If it makes you feel any better, if I could declare like you, and playing against my usual foes, I probably would bid 3NT straight off.
Ok, maybe that didn't come across quite as supportive as I might have hoped.
"gwnn" said:
hanp does not always mean literally what he writes.
#13
Posted 2009-April-24, 11:44
fred, on Apr 24 2009, 09:03 AM, said:
fred, on Apr 24 2009, 04:02 PM, said:
3NT was my first reaction. The more I think about it, the more I like it.
Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com
Thought about it some more - perhaps I have lost my mind
Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com
Im just thrilled to hear that even Fred somtimes loses his mind in this game
Bridge should be fun!
#15
Posted 2009-April-24, 12:33
jillybean2, on Apr 24 2009, 05:44 PM, said:
fred, on Apr 24 2009, 09:03 AM, said:
fred, on Apr 24 2009, 04:02 PM, said:
3NT was my first reaction. The more I think about it, the more I like it.
Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com
Thought about it some more - perhaps I have lost my mind
Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com
Im just thrilled to hear that even Fred somtimes loses his mind in this game
I certainly do, but my latest thinking is I may have been too hard on myself in this case when I used the term "lost my mind".
Really the only problem I see with 3NT is that partner will play me for a much stronger hand - if I knew he was going to Pass 3NT, I think I would bid it.
The point is that, if I make the normal Pass, there are lot of hands partner could hold in which 3NT is either laydown or very good for which he will not even consider doing anything other than passing out 3S. Here is a nice example of a minimum:
xx
xxxx
Kxx
Kxxx
Sure you are down if hearts are 5-2, but LHO did not overcall 1H. Sure you are down if you misguess diamonds, but I would be willing to take my chances.
And obviously partner could have a significantly better hand than this example and still Pass out 3S - if you Pass he has to be very concerned that you might have a balanced 12-14 in which case it could be dangerous for him to balance with a marginal hand.
So maybe my self-claim that I lost my mind was somewhat of an overbid
Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com
#16
Posted 2009-April-24, 20:01
#17
Posted 2009-April-25, 07:30
Ruff the lead and play the diamond K, if RHO follows I'll overtake with the ace. If the diamonds aren't 4-0 I'll ruff another spade and will make it as long as a small club to the ace is not ruffed.
If RHO shows out on the diamond king, I'll duck the diamond and take my chances with the club finesse in order to secure the two entries needed for the spade ruff and drawing trumps.
If RHO ends up having 4 diamonds after the diamond king with some crazy shape, I'll play another diamond back to the dummy's queen and then a club to the Ace. Draw trump and hope that RHO has a king singleton or doubleton in clubs.

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