[Phil]

All vul. MPs, 97xxxx, Tx, Qxx, xx

(1♣) - dbl - (1N) - ?

1N is alerted as 10-11 HCP.

Do you pass or bid 2♠?

If you pass, you hear 2♣ on your left, pass, pass. I assume you bid 2♠.

You then hear 3♣, pass, pass.

Now what?

[MarkDean]

I would bid 2♠ the first time.

[the hog]

2S the first time is an easy bid. After all, this does not promise the earth. Why would you pass?

[Echognome]

2♠ first time. The hand sucks, but we have 6 spades and need to show them.

[rogerclee]

I'd bid 2♠ the first time, bidding 3♠ the second time is beyond words.

[jdonn]

Has the world gone mad? I pass the first time, and the way the auction continued 2♠ the second time was fine, and easy pass the third time. Btw it has nothing to do with the scary alert of 1NT, it's because I have nothing.

[quiddity]

It may not promise the earth, but doesn't the free bid promise at least one control?

[Codo]

I would have passed first and bid 2 spade later for sure. What exactly are the upsides of this direct call?

The only cal I am not sure of is whether I compete with 3 spade or not. I normally do, but my partner hates it.

[whereagles]

This is a very, VERY easy 2♠ over 1NT. If pard is paying any sort of attention, he'll know your bid is more based on shape than strength.

LHO will probably still bid 3♣ over it and then it's up to pard. You can pass with ease.

[the hog]

whereagles, on May 13 2009, 04:38 PM, said:

This is a very, VERY easy 2♠ over 1NT. If pard is paying any sort of attention, he'll know your bid is more based on shape than strength.

LHO will probably still bid 3♣ over it and then it's up to pard. You can pass with ease.

Totally concur.
Roland, the upside of the call is that you have MADE it. You don't have to bid at the 3 level - fast in fast out. Partner knows you are bidding on shape, after all, did you X 1NT?
I assume Josh is joking when he says "Has the world gone mad?"

[Codo]

(1♣) X (1NT) 2♠
(3♣ ) X pass

(Same is true after LHO had bid 2 NT.)

How do you feal today? Do partner know that you have zero defence? Do you sit or run?

Lets say, just for the record that LHO had made a semibluff with long clubs. How would you feal after partners 3 Heart response to your 2 Spade?

I agree that there are times where you need to bring in your suit at any cost as soon as possible. But I doubt that this is one of them.

[whereagles]

I doubt that auction will ever happen. And if it does happen, pard will probably have something like a 18-19 balanced hand (opps psyched or something), in which case he'll set them by himself.

[ArtK78]

Apparently many of the forum members believe that the requirements for a free bid in this auction is 13 cards, many of them in one of partner's presumed suits.

Personally, I like to have more than a 2 count. I know that my partner will think that I have more than a 2 count if I bid 2♠ directly. He might also think that my suit is better than xxxxxx, although that is a secondary consideration.

Pass on the first round is clear. I will balance with 2♠ and pass thereafter.

[gwnn]

happy and easy p, 2♠, p. we are vulnerable after all.

[mtvesuvius]

Pass, 2♠ then pass. Seems easy

[mikeh]

I'm with josh in this one

[jdonn]

The_Hog, on May 13 2009, 04:46 AM, said:

I assume Josh is joking when he says "Has the world gone mad?"

I'll go farther, bidding is hopelessly terrible. And both vul at mps! What are you worried will happen that is bad? You will miss a game if partner can't act again? You can't set 1NT on lead with your six card suit but can make 2♠? You have a vulnerable sacrifice you will miss?

I can think of two justifications to bid the first time. One is an underlying ego regarding aggressive bidding, in the sense of thinking "Pass with six spades opposite a takeout double??? Blasphemous, not me!" The other is using platitudes, such as "bidding doesn't show the earth" and then implying that means bidding is very easy on a balanced two count. Neither has much to do with bridge.

[gnasher]

Here are some better reasons for bidding immediately over 1NT:

- If we're going down in 2♠, it will be easier for them to double us if we let LHO rebid his clubs first. On some hands where it would have gone
  pass (2♣) pass (pass)
  2♠ (dbl)
it will instead go
  2♠ (3♣)

- It obstructs their constructive bidding by taking away LHO's red-suit reverse, and perhaps also his invitational 3♣ (depending on whether they play Good-Bad 2NT).

- If we pass and LHO bids more than 2♣, it may shut us out of the auction when we can make 3♠ or have a cheap save in 4♠. Partner might not think that Axxx AKxx Kxxx x has enough extra to bid again after opener rebids 3♣, especially if you play fairly traditional takeout doubles.

This post has been edited by gnasher: 2009-May-13, 10:05

[MarkDean]

Yes, we could have a game, especially if partner has a stiff club, but that is not really why I would bid. To me there are a few reasons to bid: we could definitely go plus in 2S with them making 1NT: all they need is a spade stopper, an ace and five club tricks (I know I am old fashioned and I do not expect partner to have club cards), we could go -100 when it is hard for them to double, but most likely, we have made it harder on them: LHO has less room. It is not some macho pride: we have 9-10 spades, why would we not want to compete in this auction?

[Phil]

I passed. I didn't think with 9-10 spades it was very likely they were stopping at 1N. Perhaps if RHO raises to 2♣ we have a tougher problem.

I balanced with 2♠. I also took the push to 3♠ (pard held AQTx K9xx Ax Qxx; perhaps he has a double of 3♣ or a 3♠ call). It worked out fine. LHO was K AQxx T9x Axxxx (?!).