[cnszsun]

Scoring: IMP

1♠-2♠-3♠-4♥
4♠-5♥-dbl-AP

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[hotShot]

I don't like South bidding, but I guess 3♦ instead of 3♠ would have shown a stronger hand. The double of 5♥ suggests a hand with (more) defense (more ♥'s or ♥ values) power, but South is not that strong to try for slam, and someone told us "The 5-level belongs to the opps".
With opps and partner using much bidding space, I think there is not much North can do.

So I blame opps(60%), the system (30%) and South (10%).

[hanp]

I would double 2S with the south hand. I think that 3S shows a more offensive hand with fewer HCP, and double shows about 10+ HCP, often balanced. This wouldn't solve the problem, bidding 5 over 5 when it is right is hard. Perhaps the auction would go

1S - (2S) - Dbl - (4H)
4S - (5H) - ...

Now it seems feasible to get to 5S.

[dcohio]

Instead of 3♠ south should have bid 3♥ (cuebid opponents implied suit) showing limit+ raise in spades.

[Codo]

A South I had used the bid I had for inviting to game. If this is 3 Spade, I would be surprise, but okay, I will take it as given for this problem.

And with such a defensive hand I had always doubled 5 heart. I am not really interessted in playing 5 or more spade after a simple competetive 4 spade from partner. And I have enough stuff in the minors to beat 5 Heart.

I had bid 1 Spade and 4 Spade with the north hand and I had passed the double to reach the same silly contract as they did here.

No atb at all.

[andy_h]

I'd bid 3H by South.

[Fluffy]

I also think south has a clear 3♥. After that he will still double 5♥, but now north has a reason to bid 5♠.

Opponents had gambled that the side suit was covered, and they found singleton in partner's hand, you often have to pay when they gamble and hit. Don't worry too much.

[ArtK78]

I really do not understand South's bidding.

3♠ is a purely competitive call, not invitational to game. If the partnership has no other means of showing an invitational or better hand, surely a 3♥ bid would be the right way to go.

North freely bid 4♠ over 4♥. When East bids 5♥, South should not double with such minimal defense. Given that he did not show strength with his 3♠ call, this is not a forcing pass situation; however, doubling on the South hand would be compounding the error. I would sooner bid 5♠ than double, but pass has got to be right.

Had South shown strength on the first round of bidding, his pass now would be forcing, and clearly that would be the right action.

[billw55]

ArtK78, on Jan 6 2010, 10:31 AM, said:

Had South shown strength on the first round of bidding, his pass now would be forcing, and clearly that would be the right action.

Agree 100%.

And also that south should pass anyway, this doesn't look like such a great defensive hand, that south should choose unilaterally to defend. Certainly, I see nothing north could/should have done differently under the circumstances. But with a heart void, he might have made the winning bid if south had not submitted such a strong vote for defending.

Maybe not a lot of blame here, but what there is can only be south.

[aguahombre]

If south had bid 3H at the first opportunity, then I think FP would have been in effect and required a double on the next round (suck offense for previous action). But then the blame would shift to North for not pulling.

Good fallback rule: always plan your bidding so that partner gets the blame for the final mistake.