[Jlall]

None vul imps:

T9xxxx
xxx
Axx
J

Starting with you:

P 1C 1N p
2H 3C 3S p
?

[olliebol]

4♠seems clear.

[ArtK78]

Pass seems clear.



Seriously, where are 10 tricks coming from? Partner clearly has a lot of values in the black suits. That probably means there are a lot of losers in the red suits.

I am not saying that it won't make 10 tricks. But I think it is anti-percentage. And we are not vul.

[awm]

I'm bidding game. Give partner a mediocre hand like:

♠AQxx
♥AQx
♦xx
♣Kxxx

Not a maximum, wasted values in clubs, etc. But consider where the opponents cards are likely to be. Game is basically on two of three finesses through the opening bidder. This hand is also a quite minimum 1NT overcall, partner could easily have another point somewhere without calling it a maximum.

[kenrexford]

Let's try an average, boring hand.

Everyone here apparently doubles a lot with 16-counts despite being balanced if the hand has 4432 shape with two clubs. So, partner likely has 4342 with a doubleton in one of the red suits. Maybe only three spades, but still a probable ruffing value on the short side.

So, maybe ♠AQxx ♥AQxx ♦xx ♣Kxx?

Opposite that hand, I expect to lose one club, one diamond. I'll probably have no problem ditching a low heart on the club King. So, I need to hold AQAQ in the majors to one loser, with our strength over theirs, meaning making finesses.

The entries pausity is illusory. I have the diamond Ace. That's enough to lead a club toward, with a probable return back by a club ruff (maybe the needed course), or to finesse a spade and then return in spades (when partner has four).

So, I'll go.

Not sure what partner's 3♥ or 3♦ options might have meant, though, and how this affects things.

The tricks, then, will be six spades, two hearts, one club, one diamond, one diamond ruff, for 11, minus one somewhere, for 10.

[Fluffy]

everyone is too sure of partner having 4 spades for my taste. AQx or KQx is all that he needs for his bid at this vulnerability IMO.

lets give him a red doubleton, what are the 13 likelly tricks? our 6 spades, 3 in a red suit (ruffed), 2 in the other red suit, and 2 in clubs (Discarding the other red suit).

This means that unless partner covers the third round of spades with his lenght, he will need 5 tricks from his honnor power to make game.

I am sorry but I lol at those who give partner ♣K and say that this is wastage when it is obvious that it is giving us a trick!

Give partner spade wastage and see how good game is:

KQJx AQxx xx Axx

Hopeless.

I just pass.

[jjbrr]

kick it in

[MFA]

I would bid 4. Partner is favourite to show up with a very useful red doubleton, and then there is not that far to 10 tricks.

Fluffy, on Oct 23 2009, 12:19 AM, said:

Give partner spade wastage and see how good game is:

KQJx AQxx xx Axx

Hopeless.

I just pass.

'Hopeless' is a tad pessimistic, I think.

[maggieb]

Fluffy, on Oct 22 2009, 05:19 PM, said:

KQJx AQxx xx Axx

Hopeless.

Unless I'm misreading something, this seems like a fine game to me.

[Fluffy]

game is hopeless, partscore you can still make it

[Jlall]

Fluffy, on Oct 22 2009, 05:34 PM, said:

game is hopeless, partscore you can still make  it

What are you talking about? You lose 1 diamond and 1 spade and if the heart hook is on you lose 1 heart. So you are on a finesse through the opening bidder.

Anyways I posted this because I read it in a match report of a flight B GNT match involving hrothgar and barmar. Barmar thought the author was harsh towards the players, so I read the whole writeup. He described bidding 4S on these cards irrationally exuberant lol. I thought it was a good bid.

[Fluffy]

ok, I am a moron duh

[mike777]

4s..I got 6s and a stiff and an outside A.

[the hog]

4S for me.

[jdonn]

It seems really obvious to bid game to me, I would not have considered this a problem at all. Can't believe people are really passing. Partner may even well have a doubleton in a red suit. AKxx xx KQxx Axx is probably cold for 5, and why shouldn't his hand be this good, no one made him bid on the 3 level opposite maybe nothing. The 3♠ bid also suggests his club holding isn't defensive. Also remember this is a 1NT overcall, he can easily have 18.

[Phil]

WD Barmar.

I think if you are passing hands like this at IMPs you need to grow a backbone.

[maggieb]

Phil, on Oct 22 2009, 07:39 PM, said:

I think if you are passing hands like this at IMPs you need to grow a backbone.

How about w/w MPs? I guess I pass but I don't feel strongly about it.

[gnasher]

I'd have opened 2♠. Not having done so, I'd bid game now. Partner will have 4-card support nearly all the time; if he doesn't, he'll have an offensive hand like AQx KQJx xx Axxx.

Over 3♣, opener could have bid 3♦ or 3♥ instead of 3♠. At least one of these bids should be used to distinguish between a minimum and a maximum.

[jchiu]

Closer to psychic 4♥ cuebid than pass

[dellache]

I would bid 4♠ and bid it fast, as if I'm sure to make it (avoid a Double).
An Ace, an extra spade, our honors seem to be well placed, and pard may optimize dummy play because of the bidding inferences.

I would pass at MP maybe, on a very windy day.