[straube]

You are dealt 8653 Q8 QT2 AQ65 and are first to speak.

It's matchpoints and favorable vulnerability.

The bidding goes P P P 1N ?

1N is announced as 12-14 hcps. You have the option to bid 2C which shows spades and clubs.

Pass or bid 2C? Why and how close is your decision?

[mtvesuvius]

Pass. My suits are crappy, I'm balanced, I have no spots, I have a terrible hand, I have random queens everywhere, and I have a nice lead against 1N. Need I say more?

[nigel_k]

I will bid 2♣. I agree with eveything Adam said but bidding 2♣ gives us an excellent chance to play in our best fit at the two level not vulnerable, and I am a passed hand so partner will not take this too seriously. I prefer to avoid defending 1NT at matchpoints if possible.

[pooltuna]

EDIT: I misread the post thot partner opened 1NT

[Phil]

Wot?

[mike777]

mtvesuvius, on 2011-March-04, 14:29, said:

Pass. My suits are crappy, I'm balanced, I have no spots, I have a terrible hand, I have random queens everywhere, and I have a nice lead against 1N. Need I say more?

ditto

[straube]

Mel's rule for competing over NT....

Subtract your losers from the total of your two longest suits. With 2 or more, bid something...

8653 Q8 QT2 AQ65

losers=3 + 1.75 + 2.5 + 1 =9.25

8-9.25= -1.25

Suggests pass.

[hrothgar]

Too weak for me (and I am way more aggressive than most in competing over NT with balanced hands)

The Red suit queens suggest defending
The weak spade suit means that its likely that the opponents will be able to hit us in Spades
When AQxx in clubs is the stellar point regarding your hand, its time to pass

The only (slightly) encouraging thing is that partner is a passed hand.
He is likely to be balanced which increases the chance that we have a fit in one of the black suits.

Its nice that i can show both suits with one bid.
Even so, I'm going quietly...