[nikos59]

The Bridge World magazine innovated some 10 years ago
by proposing the D problems in its Bidding panel, where
players were asked to choose among alternatives, but some
alternatives had further (usually tough) ramifications.

Something akin to a D problem happened to me last night.

You hold:
5
K
AKQ742
KQJ74

At IMPs/game all, pard opens a weak 2S. Next player passes.
It is up to you. New suits at 3 level are forcing, 2NT is Ogust.
No other understandings.

If you bid 2NT Ogust, partner will reply 3H showing a good suit
(2 top honours) in a weak hand.
If you bid 3 of a minor, partner will repeat his suit, 3S, denying
a fit (3 cards) and implying no other feature and weak hand.
If you bid 3NT, 4H, 4S, 5 minor partner will pass.

You are asked to bid now and also give your next move if
you choose any of the bids that have continuations.

nikos

[pclayton]

nikos59, on Nov 23 2004, 08:37 AM, said:

The Bridge World magazine innovated some 10 years ago
by proposing the D problems in its Bidding panel, where
players were asked to choose among alternatives, but some
alternatives had further (usually tough) ramifications.

Something akin to a D problem happened to me last night.

You hold:
5
K
AKQ742
KQJ74

At game all, pard opens a weak two. Next player passes.
It is up to you. New suits at 3 level are forcing, 2NT is Ogust.
No other understandings.

If you bid 2NT Ogust, partner will reply 3H showing a good suit
(2 top honours) in a weak hand.
If you bid 3 of a minor, partner will repeat his suit, 3S, denying
a fit (3 cards) and implying no other feature and weak hand.
If you bid 3NT, 4H, 4S, 5 minor partner will pass.

You are asked to bid now and also give your next move if
you choose any of the bids that have continuations.

nikos

I love these problems, NOT

(Deleted; thought I read 2H, not 2S) Phil

This post has been edited by pclayton: 2004-November-23, 12:02

[PriorKnowledge]

3D, followed by 5C.

I hope partner will have an ace to make, but not 2 aces to miss slam.

[inquiry]

pclayton, on Nov 23 2004, 12:53 PM, said:

2N seems OK, since it apparently tells me pard has AQ 6th of his suit leading to 4♥ that looks tempting at MP's, but the defense will probably lead a spade, and looking at even Jxx of hearts, will punch dummy and promote a trump.

It seems clear from nikos's write up partner opened 2♠, not 2♥.

[nikos59]

Ooops!
Ben is (as usually) right -pard opened 2S!

I edited the original posting accordingly.
I also added the form of scoring: IMPs

Nikos

[mike777]

3d then 5c

agree with Prior except I know my partner will not have 2 aces, hope he has ace of spades.

[Chamaco]

At IMPS, I will play this hand in 5 of a minor, starting with 3D and rebidding 5C.

This lose when pard has no aces.
The alternative (play in 4M) requires good partnership understanding on the meaning of "good suit": if it promises only top honrs, it is almost useless (e.g. AQ653).
I think "good suit" should mean = a suiit which will play for 1 loser even opposite a pard singleton or void, so it MUST contain good intermediates.
KQJT8x or AQJ98x may be such a suit.

With the latter agreement, bidding 4M is safer.


Without such agreements, it's a shot in the dark :-)

[Gerben47]

I agree with 3♦ ; 5♣. I'd rather have a bid to ask for a singleton in partner's hand. If he has none that's good.

[joker_gib]

mike777, on Nov 23 2004, 03:33 PM, said:

3d then 5c

agree with Prior except I know my partner will not have 2 aces, hope he has ace of spades.

And I agree with you !

My partner cannot have 2 aces in a weak two

[Chamaco]

joker_gib, on Nov 24 2004, 12:36 PM, said:

mike777, on Nov 23 2004, 03:33 PM, said:

3d then 5c

agree with Prior except I know my partner will not have 2 aces, hope he has ace of spades.

And I agree with you !

My partner cannot have 2 aces in a weak two

The problem is not whether p has 1 or 2 aces (obviously not 2), but whether he has 1 or none: if he has 1, 5m is the best contract, if he has zero, 5m is unmakeable, and only 4S may have some play.

[Fluffy]

I´ll bid 4♠, it has the greater chances to be competed by opponents wich is kinda wellcome.

[Antoine Fourrière]

3♣ followed by 3N or 5♣.
Diamonds? Which diamonds? Oh now I see, you mean the diamonds my partner might solidify with his own high honor if only I asked him.
Game is not good. I need an ace and some help in the minors, and I would pass at MPs. There may be some stealing to perform.
If I get in with the ♥K at 3N at trick one, I want to score one or two club tricks peacefully.
If I play 5♣ with a known spade singleton, I may also score that ♥K if RHO holds the ♥A.

[whereagles]

I pass. I don't think I can make anything.

If I need points, I would bid 3S, with the intention of luring them into a 4H which I'll double

[inquiry]

If this is matchpoints, I bid 3NT over 2♠ (remember. matchpoints isn't like real bridge anyway.. hehehe). If LHO has heart ACE it rates to make as long as your partner has a little something.

At imps, you are too good to pass, as you will miss a vulnerable game. IF your partner never opens weak two with two aces, bid 3♦ then 5♣, as you can't afford to miss a vulnerable game. You are down if partner lacks an ace, but hey its imps.

ben

[joker_gib]

And you have good chances partner has an ace as this is a vulnerable weak two !

[EarlPurple]

I could bid 4NT to see how many aces partner has, though it will probably be 1 or 0, and in the latter case I could be down in 5♣ with 3NT cold, partner having, perhaps KQxxxx QTx xx xx

The natural action is simply 3♦ given that it's forcing. Maybe on the above hand partner will show me his heart feature with 3♥ and I can bid 3NT.

[nikos59]

Well, in reality it was my partner who held the
problem hand and it was me who had opened
a vul. weak 2S with a minimum, an acceptable
one in my view:
KQ10986
Jxx
xx
xx

Yes, weak and balanced, but the suit seemed excellent to
me.

My dear partner blasted 4S which seemed atrocious to me
(sorry Fluffy, you can find atrocious my opening 2S).
This went an inglorious 3 down, mercifully undbled.

At the other table (same opening) they took a tortuous way to 5D
and went they arrived there our team-mates
knew enough to double. One down only, but 200,
so only 3 imps away.

Now that I think of it, 4S has the merit of being
difficult to double.

[Fluffy]

Your hand is ok, just you have what I don´t wish , maybe passing was teh accurate one after all.