[Nilz]

1.

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LHO and partner pass, RHO opens a weak nt. New partnership, no agreements, all overcalls natural, double is penalties. Please rate the following calls, or say if you would make a completely different bid: 2H, x, P.
Feel free to say if vul/scoring affects your decision too.

2.

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Do you bid? If not, what's the smallest change that would make you bid?

[Foxx]

(1)

Nilz, on 2011-April-28, 16:06, said:

LHO and partner pass, RHO opens a weak nt. New partnership, no agreements, all overcalls natural, double is penalties. Please rate the following calls, or say if you would make a completely different bid: 2H, x, P.
Feel free to say if vul/scoring affects your decision too.

After some consideration, double would be my choice. Not because I expect to get rich on defense; the opponents are likely to have somewhere to run. But by doubling and bidding hearts over their runout, I can convey the playing power of my hand. We are a prohibitive favorite to make game opposite such as ♠Axxx ♥xxx ♦xx ♣KQxx. In judging whether to move on, partner will know that heart support, and side-suit quick tricks and shortness are good.

2♥ is next best and pass is shy. Sure, pass is probably the single most likely way to go plus, but should that be the extent of our ambition with this hand? Most of the time we will do better playing in hearts than collecting NV fifties against 1NT. Thus my choices would be 2♥ at matchpoints, and X followed by a minimum heart bid at IMPs.

(2)

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Do you bid?

It makes me ill just to think about coming in with this hand.

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If not, what's the smallest change that would make you bid?

I don't know, a couple more aces?

[kayin801]

1) Pass is obvious

2) Pass is awful

... wait I got those backwards.

[Phil]

1. 2♥

2. I would need some rather large changes to bid.

[quiddity]

1. 2♥. I don't want to double and then bid 3♥ after LHO transfers, I think that shows a better hand.
2. Seems close to me. I'd bid with a stiff heart.

[rogerclee]

I just have some comments on the second hand.

1) You should definitely pass.
2) Often consider doubling instead of bidding 4S if it's possible, with 51(43) it's normal to double or pass. Bidding 4S puts all your eggs in one basket, doubling gives you more ways to win.
3) I think doubling is probably better than bidding 4S, but both seem kind of crazy.

[Quantumcat]

In the second one, maybe with one or zero hearts, with an extra spade, and with better quality spades (i.e. including the ten-nine or more), I MIGHT bid 4♠. Only cause of the vulverability, if North has a decent hand he is more likely to bid 5♥ than double. I want good quality spades cause missing the ♠AJT98, those are the sorts of cards that North will want to have to double, and if I have them, his choices are limited to pass or 5♥.