[Fluffy]

Scoring: IMP

East-South
2♣-???

---

2♣= strong

[inquiry]

No need to bid 2♥ as a lead director, since I will be on the lead...

We all know the bidding is going to start...

2C-P-2D-P; Y

Where Y is 2S or 2NT, at least most of the time. In that case I will be on the lead.

If both were vul I would bid 2♥. But with vul and they are not, I will pass.. Maybe they will stumble into 3NT and then I surely know what to lead.

Ben

[jdulmage]

I concur, I will be on lead, so no need for lead direct.

Pass

[whereagles]

I bid 2H. That might turn out to be frivolous, but a lot of other things might happen as well.

[Free]

I bid 2♠. My partner won't bid crazy in this vulnerability, even with lots of ♠s he won't bid at 3-level, and he should alert my bid as possible psych!

[flytoox]

Free, on Oct 17 2004, 07:31 PM, said:

I bid 2♠. My partner won't bid crazy in this vulnerability, even with lots of ♠s he won't bid at 3-level, and he should alert my bid as possible psych!

Free, I think you tried too hard. I am sure most of time it wont work out.

[flytoox]

I vote for 2H. Though maybe I should pass, but solid suit makes me for 2H.

[the hog]

Pass and hopefully lead a H against some number of NTs.

[Fluffy]

Free, on Oct 17 2004, 07:31 PM, said:

I bid 2♠. My partner won't bid crazy in this vulnerability, even with lots of ♠s he won't bid at 3-level, and he should alert my bid as possible psych!

I wonder, why don´t you bid 4♥ directly, this is where you will land anyway, and probably will give less info

[Free]

Fluffy, on Oct 18 2004, 01:35 PM, said:

Free, on Oct 17 2004, 07:31 PM, said:

I bid 2♠.  My partner won't bid crazy in this vulnerability, even with lots of ♠s he won't bid at 3-level, and he should alert my bid as possible psych!

I wonder, why don´t you bid 4♥ directly, this is where you will land anyway, and probably will give less info

That's too dangerous

[inquiry]

whereagles, on Oct 17 2004, 02:50 PM, said:

I bid 2H. That might turn out to be frivolous, but a lot of other things might happen as well.

Like forcing them into their moysein spade fit with only one heart stopper rather than an unmakable 3NT?

[inquiry]

Fluffy, on Oct 18 2004, 08:35 AM, said:

I wonder, why don´t you bid 4♥ directly, this is where you will land anyway, and probably will give less info

I am not landing in 4♥ unless partner bids... do you see, I am passing...

[whereagles]

inquiry, on Oct 18 2004, 02:49 PM, said:

whereagles, on Oct 17 2004, 02:50 PM, said:

I bid 2H. That might turn out to be frivolous, but a lot of other things might happen as well.

Like forcing them into their moysein spade fit with only one heart stopper rather than an unmakable 3NT?

Hum... funny you mention that. Just yesterday I had, at love all, in the following auction

AQJ9x
xxx
xxx
xx

pard RHO me LHO
pass 1NT 2S ...etc

now the opps used Lebensohl and managed to avoid the doomed 3NT (pard had spade king), to land in a cold 5C. No swing because the same happened at the other table, lol! The 2S overcall was quite mistimed (pard passed initially) and afterwards I realized it was a strategical error.

Now I see it's much the same with overcalling the 2C opener. Unless pard has some unlikely freak, 2H is bound to accomplish nothing but steering opps into the correct game/slam

[inquiry]

whereagles, on Oct 18 2004, 11:28 AM, said:

inquiry, on Oct 18 2004, 02:49 PM, said:

whereagles, on Oct 17 2004, 02:50 PM, said:

I bid 2H. That might turn out to be frivolous, but a lot of other things might happen as well.

Like forcing them into their moysein spade fit with only one heart stopper rather than an unmakable 3NT?

Hum... funny you mention that. Just yesterday I had, at love all, in the following auction

AQJ9x
xxx
xxx
xx

pard RHO me LHO
pass 1NT 2S ...etc

now the opps used Lebensohl and managed to avoid the doomed 3NT (pard had spade king), to land in a cold 5C. No swing because the same happened at the other table, lol! The 2S overcall was quite mistimed (pard passed initially) and afterwards I realized it was a strategical error.

Now I see it's much the same with overcalling the 2C opener. Unless pard has some unlikely freak, 2H is bound to accomplish nothing but steering opps into the correct game/slam

Experience is the Best Teacher... Been there, done that.... :-)

Ben

[whereagles]

Actually, it's simple to arrive at the same conclusion by analysis, as long as one manages to control one's bidding instincts and make a check in terms of "what is the bid bound to acheive". Not easy to this in the heat of the battle, mind you. That's where experience comes in

[inquiry]

whereagles, on Oct 18 2004, 12:13 PM, said:

Actually, it's simple to arrive at the same conclusion by analysis, as long as one manages to control one's bidding instincts and make a check in terms of "what is the bid bound to acheive". Not easy to this in the heat of the battle, mind you. That's where experience comes in

Take a few seconds (well maybe more than a few) before each bid and play (same tempo with all ahnds, even clear passes, etc). This reduces the heat of the battle and helps you focus.. Also, BEFORE biddign get to you (or back to you), consider the most likley actions by the other players and your responses.. don't wait passivel to see where the biddign is when it gets to you. This provides you with extra valuable thinking time without giving the appearance of a problem, even when you have one. Analysis takes time.. .looking and seeing all those nice hearts and a side ace to boot does not. It is hard to stop knee jerk responses if you hadn't been thinking before hand.

Ben

[pclayton]

I don't think its close. 2♥ accomplishes nothing.

I'm not even sure I'd take a call on this white / red.

If I bid 2♥, lots of really bad things can happen: 1) They steer clear of the unmakable 3N, 2) I get doubled and go for the stratosphere, 3) They bid the unbiddable slam, based on the lack of wasted heart cards.

[cf_John0]

The_Hog, on Oct 17 2004, 06:44 PM, said:

Pass and hopefully lead a H against some number of NTs.

I agree with Ron.

[Chamaco]

I bid 2H.
I have 6 sure tricks in the bags, the wors scenario is down 2 doubled for -500.

If pard has nothing useful they will set us by 2 trciks but they will likely have a NT or spades game, so we will lose 100 or 80 points at most.

If pard has 1 trick, we will go down 1 doubled, not a diaster.

The worst case scenatrio is when pard has some strength and they have no game, so the sac may be a phantom.
This is the worse that can happen.

On the other hand, even at this vuln:
1) it is not easy for 2C opener to settle for doubling opps

2) the bidding sequences after 2C is interfered are not as clear as in an uncontested auction.

All in all, I stick in my 2H bid, following the "Rule of 2/3/4", since opener's hand is still nebulous and this is the best situation for damaging their bidding.

[HeartA]

Though it is most likely I will be on lead, it is also possible partner's lead. And most of the time a 2C opener has un-flat hand, so maybe partner. 2H overcall sets a start to sacrifice/compete with opps. If partner does like H, it is ok too.

I will overcall 2H.