[Cascade]

Scoring: IMP

1NT* (2NT**) 4♥ (5♦)
PASS (PASS) 5♥ (PASS)
PASS (6♦) ?

* 10-13 can be offshape

** minors

---

Do you go again?

Do you agree with the bidding so far?

[Phil]

I would have bid 5♥ first. Then I'd feel better leaving matters to pard.

[kenrexford]

I would have bid 6♥ the first time, but I'm crazy.

[Hanoi5]

Yeah, 6♥ from me.

[benlessard]

The chance of buying the hand at 4H (W vs R) were too small for not bidding 5H directly (assuming 5H preempt is available)

As for 6H or not my decision would have been made before i bid over 5D. Usually If you think they might make 6D and are ready to sac at 6H then pass 5D dont bid 5H, unless you play against a weak pair that dont know bluff or like its the case here that you are almost willing to sacrifice at 6H against a vulnerable game. If partner show 2 aces then 6HX -2 is still cheaper than 5D making.

The basic principle is forced them to take the last guess rather then endplaying yourself in the last guess.


Also a good strategy imo is to pass 2nt. Letting them use all the science they know. If they bid 6m or stop at 5 with confidence you sac, otherwise you pass. The idea is they cant bluff you if they dont know you can sacrifice and that the information from their bidding is more useful to you than to them.

[Codo]

I have no problems with 4 ♥, it is no way sure that they can bid 5 of a minor.
Of course here 5 ♥ may had worked better here.

Now I think, I described my hand well, so no need to bid again. I would pass and leave it to partner. He knows that I have many hearts and no defence, so he can find the right bid easier then me.

[helene_t]

Agree with Roland.

[mich-b]

4♥ was normal , 5♥ was normal , and since that is the case, and my bidding implies that my hand looks like what I actually have , I will Pass now (suggesting 6♥ , a Dbl would discourage that) , and leave the decision to partner.

It looks like he is now in a better position than me to evaluate our combined prospects in defense and/or offense.

[benlessard]

Quote

4♥ was normal , 5♥ was normal , and since that is the case, and my bidding implies that my hand looks like what I actually have , I will Pass now (suggesting 6♥ , a Dbl would discourage that) , and leave the decision to partner.

It looks like he is now in a better position than me to evaluate our combined prospects in defense and/or offense.

Partner may easily have the ace of H doubleton and a likely trick elsewhere. -1430 instead of -300. Partner is not really well placed to make an intelligent decision, we have a 9th H and a diamond void. He will not play us for both these features.

Imo we are already in bad shape compared to making a sound bidding plan after 2Nt.

[jdonn]

I am not going to go back and tell all my friends that I chose to defend any contract on any auction when holding this hand.

(Ok, maybe kidding if they bid 7♦ next)

Seriously, ask your partner after the hand if he expected a 9 card heart suit, a void, and 0 defensive tricks. If he did, don't lose that partner. If you assume that with most people, you are kidding yourself.

[Codo]

So, for what purpose is the diamond void critical?

Do you make more or less tricks in offense or defense with 2911 or with 2902? Or is it about the same?

Partner knows that we have at least 8 hearts, or what do you think?
He will know that dummy is a big favourite to hold a void in hearts, so he won't give his ace of hearts too much credit in defence.

In the meanwhile you know nothing about his hand besides his opening and his failure to bid 5 heart or double 5 diamond.

If you think that you are in a better place to judge then he is....

[gnasher]

Codo, on Jul 9 2009, 07:39 AM, said:

So, for what purpose is the diamond void critical?

Do you make more or less tricks in offense or defense with 2911 or with 2902? Or is it about the same?

2902 will be worth one more trick in offence opposite, for example:
  xxxx Ax xxx AKxx
  Axxx xx xxx KQJx

Having an extra card opposite partner's high cards also reduces our defensive prospects.

[Cascade]

gnasher, on Jul 9 2009, 06:53 PM, said:

Codo, on Jul 9 2009, 07:39 AM, said:

So, for what purpose is the diamond void critical?

Do you make more or less tricks in offense or defense with 2911 or with 2902? Or is it about the same?

2902 will be worth one more trick in offence opposite, for example:
  xxxx Ax xxx AKxx
  Axxx xx xxx KQJx

Having an extra card opposite partner's high cards also reduces our defensive prospects.

... but not if you could have ruffed something with your stiff trump in a 9-2-1-1

[dake50]

What was my A-ask slam try over 2NT? I try that instead of 4H.

[Cascade]

dake50, on Jul 9 2009, 07:45 PM, said:

What was my A-ask slam try over 2NT? I try that instead of 4H.

don't have an ace ask.

maybe it should be 4NT on the theory that with an invitational to slam hand we can double 2NT to begin with.

[Codo]

gnasher, on Jul 9 2009, 03:53 PM, said:

Codo, on Jul 9 2009, 07:39 AM, said:

So, for what purpose is the diamond void critical?

Do you make more or less tricks in offense or defense with 2911 or with 2902? Or is it about the same?

2902 will be worth one more trick in offence opposite, for example:
  xxxx Ax xxx AKxx
  Axxx xx xxx KQJx

Having an extra card opposite partner's high cards also reduces our defensive prospects.

And when you switch the holding of opener in the minors, whould you like to have your minors 11 or 02?

Okay, as they seem to have more diamonds between them then clubs, your examples are more probably, but is the difference really so big that this is the difference between 6 Heart and pass?

Anyway, your examples are hands where we should pass 6 Diamond despite the fact that opener should have even more HCPs. The task to construct hands, where 2902 makes 6 Heart a better defence then 2911 is much harder. Espacially given the fact that they had liked to stop a 5 ♦.

[jdonn]

Codo, on Jul 9 2009, 01:39 AM, said:

So, for what purpose is the diamond void critical?

We won't lose any diamond tricks.
It suggests more diamonds with the opponents.

Quote

Do you make more or less tricks in offense or defense with 2911 or with 2902? Or is it about the same?

More on offense on the hand with the void since partner's strength is (far) more likely to be in clubs.
More on defense on the hand with the singletons since the opponents will have fewer diamonds on average, and since we can lead our other singleton and maybe get a ruff at trick 2.

Quote

Partner knows that we have at least 8 hearts, or what do you think?

What I think is that 8 and 9 do not equal each other. Maybe after opening a 6 card major I'll stop rebidding it, since partner already knows I have at least 5.

Quote

He will know that dummy is a big favourite to hold a void in hearts, so he won't give his ace of hearts too much credit in defence.

I agree.

Quote

In the meanwhile you know nothing about his hand besides his opening and his failure to bid 5 heart or double 5 diamond.

LOL, yeah just that
Partner is balanced or semi balanced.
Partner has 10-13.
Partner didn't raise our heart bid.
Partner didn't double their diamond bid.

We know nothing about partner's hand, nothing at all but those useless pieces of information!

Quote

If you think that you are in a better place to judge then he is....

I am. I have a 9 card suit and a void. That puts me in a better place to judge than he is. No matter how many ...s you put at the end of your sarcasm.