[daveharty]

Four more problems from last night's club game. You are playing standard-ish 2/1 with a regular partner this week, who is a sound bidder and pretty good card player.

1.

---

Your opponents for this board are a known quantity; RHO is almost certain NOT to have her bid.

2.

---

Worth an invitation?

3.

---

The three calls I considered at the table were double, 2S, and 3S. What do you think of each, and what would your plan be?

4.

---

Your partnership style is not to open balanced 11 counts, though this comes close. Your call now?

[ArtK78]

daveharty, on 2011-August-05, 08:26, said:

Four more problems from last night's club game. You are playing standard-ish 2/1 with a regular partner this week, who is a sound bidder and pretty good card player.

1.

---

Your opponents for this board are a known quantity; RHO is almost certain NOT to have her bid.

2.

---

Worth an invitation?

3.

---

The three calls I considered at the table were double, 2S, and 3S. What do you think of each, and what would your plan be?

4.

---

Your partnership style is not to open balanced 11 counts, though this comes close. Your call now?

1. Pass. I don't have a reasonable action other than pass over 2♣.

2. No. Assuming that we are playing 15-17 1NT openers, partner has a maximum of 14 HCP. This is matchpoints - why stretch for what rates to be a borderline game anyway when you could be turning a plus into a minus by doing so?

3. Double. A direct cuebid or splinter would deny holding 4 hearts. I will cue bid later or raise clubs as appropriate.

4. I don't understand the 1NT bid. As you say, this is a near opener in your methods (and a full opener for a lot of players). So 1NT is clearly an underbid.

Now I double. I have to get across to partner that I have "stuff." I certainly would not mind defending 3♦x if partner chooses to pass the double.

[Phil]

I'm going to assume club game = matchpoints.

1. Good problem. I'll start with a x. I don't think trapping with 98xxx looks right, even though against an unsound bidder it might work. We don't have an obvious tap suit. I think we can take a lot of tricks on a 4-3 heart fit - if they lead trump, establish spades, and if they lead clubs, crossruff. I also considered a pass, but a) I still have a (bigger) bidding problem opposite a reopening double, and b) I don't know that I'm completely happy if partner passes it out, as I doubt +100 will be a good score.

2. Obvious pass at MPs.

3. Double. Can't afford to miss hearts at MPs. If partner rebids 1N, 3♠ describes this hand to a tee.

4. Crack. I think +300 is likely, opposite a good 5-2-1-5 and we are a long way from 9 tricks in NT on a diamond lead.

[wyman]

1. lol @ your description of opps. I'll pass and see what partner does. I'm not bidding NT if that's what you're getting at, and if she's known to overcall light, I'll let 2Cx float; I have trumps and a pretty defensive hand.

2. No

3. I'll X to introduce hearts. It's MP after all.

4. 3N. Unfortunately, clubs is wrongsided, and I can't handle a diamond thru this dummy.

[BunnyGo]

1) I'll double. Even against the type of opponent you're facing (where you're guaranteed one extra trick on defense from the RHP), I'm not sure I want to trap pass...and against this type of opponent, they often get to 3♣.

2) No, never at matchpoints.

3) Double for hearts. There's time to show clubs and spade shortness later.

4) WHACK! I'll take that plus please, thank you. 3NT might make, but we don't have to have more than a few slow spade tricks, 1 heart trick, 2 diamonds, and a few clubs. Not enough to make 3NT, but easily enough to take 3♦X down 2 or 3.

[jdeegan]

1. Looks like a classic pass to me.
2. Pass. No reason to push.
3. Perfect hand for a double. You can then support clubs til the cows come home.
4. For me this would be a problem hand, and the solution would depend somewhat on how aggressive my partner's bidding would be. IMO he should be at a minimum have a weak opening bid with 10 black cards, say:
AQxxx
xx
x
AJxxx
You generally won't beat 3♦ doubled opposite this.
So, for me it's either pass or bid 4♣, depending on table feel. Mostly, I would like to bid 4♣, since it might make or give me a shot at 4♦ doubled. On my example hand, for example, you will usually make 4♣ esp. if the opps lead diamonds early and set up your king for a heart discard.

[rhm]

daveharty, on 2011-August-05, 08:26, said:

Four more problems from last night's club game. You are playing standard-ish 2/1 with a regular partner this week, who is a sound bidder and pretty good card player.

1.

Your opponents for this board are a known quantity; RHO is almost certain NOT to have her bid.

DBL. If you pass what will you do if partner reopens with a double?
Even if RHO often does not have her bid, she will bid the same if she does and this time her clubs seem to be good.
I do not like my prospects in 2♣ doubled when opponents are not even vulnerable

2.

Quote

Worth an invitation?

No, particularly not at MP.

3.

Quote

The three calls I considered at the table were double, 2S, and 3S. What do you think of each, and what would your plan be?

3♠. I give up on ♥. But I may get to a good slam in ♣ or 3NT instead.

4.

Quote

Your partnership style is not to open balanced 11 counts, though this comes close. Your call now?

3NT, which must be based on a ♣ fit. West should correct with weak ♣. North may never get in to lead ♦. Those who double may get disappointed.

Rainer Herrmann

[daveharty]

1. Okay, looks like most are passing here, which is what I did, although I also considered doubling like Phil. I guess the more interesting question is, What do you do when partner reopens with a double?

2. I thought it was a fairly obvious pass too. +150 for a near bottom. DAMN YOU FIELD!

3. I'll wait a little while before revealing my folly on this hand.

4. I chose 3NT. I'm surprised by ArtK78's objection to 1NT; opposite a simple overcall, I thought this was about exactly what I should have. At any rate, the auction continued: (pass)-4C-(4D) back to me. Now what?

[BunnyGo]

daveharty, on 2011-August-05, 12:33, said:

1. Okay, looks like most are passing here, which is what I did, although I also considered doubling like Phil. I guess the more interesting question is, What do you do when partner reopens with a double?

If I passed the first time, I'll sit for the double and lead a trump.

Quote

2. I thought it was a fairly obvious pass too. +150 for a near bottom. DAMN YOU FIELD!

I'm a bit surprised. I don't expect that field to bid close games. Next time, the key finesse won't work.

Quote

3. I'll wait a little while before revealing my folly on this hand.

Looking forward to it.

Quote

4. I chose 3NT. I'm surprised by ArtK78's objection to 1NT; opposite a simple overcall, I thought this was about exactly what I should have. At any rate, the auction continued: (pass)-4C-(4D) back to me. Now what?

Double...that said, I doubled 3♦. You win this BAM.

[MrAce]

1- DBL, i am too strong to pass and then bid 2♠ over pd's DBL.

2-Pass

3-3♠

4-DBL

[rhm]

daveharty, on 2011-August-05, 12:33, said:

4. I chose 3NT. I'm surprised by ArtK78's objection to 1NT; opposite a simple overcall, I thought this was about exactly what I should have. At any rate, the auction continued: (pass)-4C-(4D) back to me. Now what?

Pass, I have shown my hand. But I would rather bid 5♣ than DBL now. I have one sure defensive trick (♥A). The ♦ honors are not well placed.
RHO is weak and distributional, probably short in ♣s with 4 ♦s and length in ♠s. I expect partner to be void in ♦, either 6-5 in the black suits and a doubleton ♥, or 5♠=3♥=0♦=5♣.

Rainer Herrmann

[VM1973]

daveharty, on 2011-August-05, 08:26, said:

Four more problems from last night's club game. You are playing standard-ish 2/1 with a regular partner this week, who is a sound bidder and pretty good card player.

1.

---

Your opponents for this board are a known quantity; RHO is almost certain NOT to have her bid.

2.

---

Worth an invitation?

3.

---

The three calls I considered at the table were double, 2S, and 3S. What do you think of each, and what would your plan be?

4.

---

Your partnership style is not to open balanced 11 counts, though this comes close. Your call now?

1. Pass and wait for your partner to reopen.
2. You have 23 zar points (the equivalent of 11.5 HCPs) or maybe 11 if you discount the ♣Jack. Assuming partner will have 12-14 I'd say it's worth an invite.
3. You're probably going to end up in 3NT or 5♣ but it can't hurt to check on the heart situation. Double (negative).
4. I don't know how to advise you on this hand. Constructive bidding in response to overcalls is the weakest part of my game.

[daveharty]

1.

---

If you passed intending to pass partner's reopening double, +800. Declarer can't get to dummy.
If you doubled, partner will declare NT, +400.
If you bid NT yourself, -50.

2.

---

The layout was kind. If you invited, +400.

3.

---

If you doubled, I'm not sure that you could get back to the cold slam in clubs, but I'll assume you could stay out of the doomed heart slam (the defense will have two chances to get their club ruff). +650, the most common result.
If you bid 3S, +1370 for a shared top.
If you bid 2S (as I did, in a momentary brain freeze; I swear I meant to pull out 3S!), +600 in 3NT for a terrible score. I won't let you recover.

4.

---

I doubled 4D and partner sat, for +100 and a rotten result. I didn't really agree with partner's bidding, though I have some sympathy. I share Rainer's view that the 3NT bid must be based at least in part on a club fit, so I would have bid 5C in his shoes. If you raised clubs, +620, unless you really think you could have gotten to the cold slam; if so I won't argue! If you doubled 3D, I doubt partner would sit for it, so you might reach 5C too.

[ArtK78]

3. It seems like you would get a pretty good result for getting to 4♥ making 650 (680 if no club ruff).

4. What is wrong with getting to 4♠? If there is a club ruff, it is likely to be a natural trump trick. 4♠ rates to make 650, beating everyone except for those in 6♣.

[daveharty]

ArtK78, on 2011-August-11, 11:50, said:

4. What is wrong with getting to 4♠? If there is a club ruff, it is likely to be a natural trump trick. 4♠ rates to make 650, beating everyone except for those in 6♣.

I thought you might be right, so I went back and looked at the hand record. There is indeed a club ruff available, and it comes in the short trump hand, so +620 SHOULD be the max result in spades. The only pair who took eleven tricks in spades was inexplicably playing in 2S, but even their silly score beat ours.

And you're right about the other hand, I misspoke. There were no 620s, everyone was making 11+ tricks.

[whereagles]

daveharty, on 2011-August-05, 08:26, said:

Four more problems from last night's club game. You are playing standard-ish 2/1 with a regular partner this week, who is a sound bidder and pretty good card player.

1.

---

Your opponents for this board are a known quantity; RHO is almost certain NOT to have her bid.

2.

---

Worth an invitation?

3.

---

The three calls I considered at the table were double, 2S, and 3S. What do you think of each, and what would your plan be?

4.

---

Your partnership style is not to open balanced 11 counts, though this comes close. Your call now?

1. Seems like a canonical pass. Other bids are considerable distortions and there's no response to a dbl what we would like to hear.

2. Unless pard has a tendency to open 1NT on 14-counts, this is a textbook invite.

3. If you're going to bury the hearts, you might as well bid the splinter. If you don't want to bury the hearts, it's an easy dbl. You will subsequently pass pard's 3NT or dbl of 4♠ or bid 5♣ if pard passes a spade bid by opps. Seems like an easy plan here.

4. Having passed originally, 1NT is the correct bid. Now dbl, to show this good 10-11 count with defensive values. Pard isn't broke or anything, so opps are going to have a hard time making this.

[VM1973]

whereagles, on 2011-August-13, 07:48, said:

2. Unless pard has a tendency to open 1NT on 14-counts, this is a textbook invite.

I'm also surprised that a good portion of the people here wouldn't invite with this hand. If this isn't an invitational hand then what is?

[TheoKole]

1. Pass, I don't have a reasonable bid. Whether I will leave in a reopening X by partner which is sure to come is uncertain. I have to REALLY know the ops style and even this is uncertain. Even unsound bidders sometimes have their bids. If I REALLY know this op I will leave the X by partner in.
2. Pass, no need to push on an unlikely game. My spot cards make this hand a very bad 11.
3. I am torn between X for ♥ and an immediate 3 ♠ splinter in support of ♣. I do not want to miss a ♥ fit for game, but I think that if we have a slam it will be in ♣. The hand seems very slamish and I admit it could be very wrong not to X for ♥, but I am really worried about a 4 ♠ call by South. I think I will go with my gut and bid 3 ♠ splinter.
4. WHACK. X for penalties.

How you did well,

Good luck, Theo

[jmcw]

whereagles, on 2011-August-13, 07:48, said:

3. If you're going to bury the hearts, you might as well bid the splinter. If you don't want to bury the hearts, it's an easy dbl. You will subsequently pass pard's 3NT or dbl of 4♠ or bid 5♣ if pard passes a spade bid by opps. Seems like an easy plan here.

Agree with this. If your not doubling then why bother playing negative DBL. I see no reason to give up on a ♥ fit.

VM1973, on 2011-August-13, 08:42, said:

I'm also surprised that a good portion of the people here wouldn't invite with this hand. If this isn't an invitational hand then what is?

Looks invitational to me too. With 13 I would just go to 3NT. Presumably, the passers dont like the flattish shape and soft honors, I suppose 12 HCP becomes an invite.