[wyman]

Teams w/r

x / xxx / Qxx / AJ10xxx

1C (1S) ?

2C is competitive in your methods, 3+ C preemptive, jumps are fit.

Also interested in what you'd do at r/w if it makes a difference.

[kuhchung]

limit raise for me but I dunno if that's insane

[Phil]

Limit raise. We find 3N, teammies find 4♠. Good job us.

[aguahombre]

wyman, on 2012-July-23, 12:38, said:

Teams w/r

x / xxx / Qxx / AJ10xxx

1C (1S) ?

2C is competitive in your methods, 3+ C preemptive, jumps are fit.

So you have to use 2S as non-descript LR+? We would have to choose with our methods between 2S L+ denying spade stop and 3S Spl....probably going for 3S with our sixth club

[wyman]

aguahombre, on 2012-July-23, 13:36, said:

So you have to use 2S as non-descript LR+? We would have to choose with our methods between 2S L+ denying spade stop and 3S Spl....probably going for 3S with our sixth club

Indeed, 2S is LR+, 3S is splinter.

[aguahombre]

wyman, on 2012-July-23, 14:15, said:

Indeed, 2S is LR+, 3S is splinter.

Now, make it a "mixed" splinter on this auction...using 2S with the stronger hands, and we can let the ball be in opener's court.

[Phil]

wyman, on 2012-July-23, 14:15, said:

3S is splinter.

Not a transfer to 3N?

[SteveMoe]

No assurances my ♦Q is working. I hate Qxx in suits partner has not bid. Rating this as 8.5-9 losers I will bid 3♣ and see what develops. I will bid one more time if opponents compete. If partner is on 18-19 Balanced I expecct him/her to bid 3N. If 11-14 balanced we're probably well placed.

[wyman]

I thought this was difficult at the table. I lamented that the colors were w/r (we have mixed raises available vulnerable) and selected 5C. We played undoubled for -100, and our teammates bid their icy cold spade game for win 11.

But even after this, I wasn't thrilled with my choice (nor my options). Thanks for weighing in.

[Phil]

5♣ is one of those wacky calls that might work.

[wyman]

Phil, on 2012-July-26, 14:40, said:

5♣ is one of those wacky calls that might work.

Is it? I figured partner was pretty polarized between a wk NT and a 1.5NT. In the former case, 5♣ seems like it's probably ok. In the latter, indeed, we might miss 3N (or 6C). But we might miss 3N anyway if I bid a preemptive 3C, as some recommended, and it's also quite likely we're making 5C in this case (I think). 2C might work better, I admit, but we pay the price when LHO can get a cheap spade raise, fit-jump, or other lead-director in.

As for the splinter, I think I'm ill-placed to judge, then, over (4S) X. Isn't pard expecting something defensive? And if we sell (are we ever selling?), I've telegraphed the spade-holding.

As for the limit-raise, I felt again like we'd be guessing over a dbl of 4S. '

Of course, partner might be left guessing over 5C. Or we go + in 3N and 4S but - in 5C.

I really wasn't sure. 5C didn't strike me as 'wacky,' though.

[Phil]

If you judge partner to have a weak NT, or a heavy weak NT, then 5♣ makes even less sense, since partner rates to have some defense. If partner has some clubs, you'll certainly hear more after your club raise, right?

I do agree a splinter is an overstatement.

[MickyB]

When you say that 3♣ is preemptive, does that mean it is to play opposite an 18-19 NT? That's fine, but obviously quite infrequent.

I suggest 3♣ is to play opposite a 12-14 NT but enough for game opposite an 18-19 NT, regardless of vul. Unbalanced hands can sort themselves out, they have a big fit hence some degree of safety.

[wyman]

Phil, on 2012-July-26, 15:43, said:

If you judge partner to have a weak NT, or a heavy weak NT, then 5♣ makes even less sense, since partner rates to have some defense. If partner has some clubs, you'll certainly hear more after your club raise, right?

I do agree a splinter is an overstatement.

Not sure what you mean. I just meant that I'd expect that most of the probability mass is on partner having either a 11-14 NT or a 18-19 NT. And I think the distribution is heavily skewed toward his having the 11-14.

MickyB, on 2012-July-26, 16:39, said:

When you say that 3♣ is preemptive, does that mean it is to play opposite an 18-19 NT? That's fine, but obviously quite infrequent.

I suggest 3♣ is to play opposite a 12-14 NT but enough for game opposite an 18-19 NT, regardless of vul. Unbalanced hands can sort themselves out, they have a big fit hence some degree of safety.

Yeah, with this partner, at these colors, 3C would be less than constructive. This is perhaps not ideal, but it was what I was working with.

So we're on the same page, you're suggesting to pass with, say: x / xx / Qxxx / Jxxxx? Sounds like 3C is mixed then. What does a 2C bid look like?