[gwnn]

2M-p-3M-p
4M

2M-p-3M-x
4M

I saw the second auction in USA2 vs Sweden, it certainly wasn't a great advertisement for the sequence (-300 when USA2 still had some work to do to make it -130), but it got me wondering. Should opener be allowed to do something (and, I guess, define the 3M bid at least to some extent) or does the urge to do so just show that he should have opened 3 (or 4!) ?

[Free]

I can only think of 1 situation where it will probably result in a good score: NV vs V with a poor 7 card M that was too weak to open 3M. When partner raises to 3M, you'll normally have a 10 card fit, so 4Mx may be a good result against opps' likely game contract.

[aguahombre]

Not if partner has blood pressure issues.

[pooltuna]

gwnn, on 2011-November-02, 03:43, said:

2M-p-3M-p
4M

2M-p-3M-x
4M

I saw the second auction in USA2 vs Sweden, it certainly wasn't a great advertisement for the sequence (-300 when USA2 still had some work to do to make it -130), but it got me wondering. Should opener be allowed to do something (and, I guess, define the 3M bid at least to some extent) or does the urge to do so just show that he should have opened 3 (or 4!) ?

As captain of the ship you should have this sailor keel-hauled

[pooltuna]

Free, on 2011-November-02, 03:53, said:

I can only think of 1 situation where it will probably result in a good score: NV vs V with a poor 7 card M that was too weak to open 3M. When partner raises to 3M, you'll normally have a 10 card fit, so 4Mx may be a good result against opps' likely game contract.

Gwnn's subtitle may apply to your post.

[kenberg]

I lack any references for this but I am pretty sure that there are expert American pairs, so it's not only the Swedish players, who believe that the auction does exist. If a pair plays a highly disciplined weak 2, I suppose that it shouldn't exist but no one (well hardly anyone) does that these days. It probably is not crazy to define 3M as "This should be right almost no matter what you opened 2 on" and still allow for the possibility that, on some hands, opener going on to 4M could be right.

The approach is heretical and we all know what happens to heretics, but sometimes they turn out to be right.

[aguahombre]

kenberg, on 2011-November-02, 09:22, said:

I lack any references for this but I am pretty sure that there are expert American pairs.

Shortened your post.

[gwnn]

Aguahombre, are you saying that the Swedish players from the BB quarter finals were non-experts? Just wondering.

[aguahombre]

No, I was taking a cheap shot at American pairs, which they don't deserve....in the interest of making a bad joke.

[kenberg]

aguahombre, on 2011-November-02, 10:09, said:

No, I was taking a cheap shot at American pairs, which they don't deserve....in the interest of making a bad joke.

Humor on the internet is always risky, unfortunately. But we must try!

[JLOGIC]

Definitely, I have bid this way many times and seen many other good players bid this way before.

The hand in USA 2 vs Sweden was very surprising though.

[nigel_k]

If you have good shape but a bad suit, the hand can improve a lot when partner raises.

[ggwhiz]

nigel_k, on 2011-November-02, 13:04, said:

If you have good shape but a bad suit, the hand can improve a lot when partner raises.

I've most often done this with a decent 6 card suit and a bad 5 one on the side.

AT9xxx, x, x, KTxxx works for me too.

[nige1]

• 2M-p-3M-p; 4M should be rare unless, on closer inspection, your ♠ AJxxxx ♥ xxx ♦ Kx ♣ xx becomes ♠ AJxxxxxx ♥ xxx ♦ Kx ♣ -
• 2M-p-3M-x; 4M is more common e.g. ♠ KQxxxx ♥ Axxxx ♦ xx ♣ -

[Phil]

Had lunch with the local god of bridge yesterday and he told me about holding Axxx QT9x KT xxx w/r at MPs and he played with another, um, good player. 2♦ - dbl - he bids 3♦, 4♥ on his left.

Pard just couldn't resist the save with x x Q7xxxx KJTxx. The LGOB kindly suggested his partner double next time.

[wyman]

Phil, on 2011-November-02, 16:26, said:

Had lunch with the local god of bridge yesterday and he told me about holding Axxx QT9x KT xxx w/r at MPs and he played with another, um, good player. 2♦ - dbl - he bids 3♦, 4♥ on his left.

Pard just couldn't resist the save with x x Q7xxxx KJTxx. The LGOB kindly suggested his partner double next time.

I did this to KFay in a national pairs event recently (sorry buddy). We agreed to X from now on to handle this "I want to save, but maybe you want to convert" situation.

[JLOGIC]

If it went 2S p 3S p ? and I had QJxxxx ---- KQJx xxx red at imps I would certainly bid 4S.

[JLOGIC]

On the other hand if RHO doubled I don't think there's any hand I would bid immediately on, I would just pass and possibly bid later (and possibly double). Maybe 6-5.

Maybe 2H p 3H X I would bid immediately more often, especially since I can show my 2nd suit and get partner involved.