[Fluffy]

I was dealt yesteday this beatiful collection:

♠AQJ9843
♥-
♦AKJ43
♣8


Expecting some action in third position, I was happy to see partner open the bidding with 1♥, he rebid 2♣ over my 1♠ opponents being silent.

Now I could try 3♦ to show 5-5 GF, but as far as I know 7-5s are not very good at showing, and 3♦ gets me with no rebid if partner bids the normal 3NT over it. So I tried 2♦ to have a spade rebid next at least. Feel free to coment if you think something else is better.

Partner bid 2NT over 2♦ wich clearly located ♦Q on his hands, that's one of the 3 cover cards I need for grand, so I was happy with my start, ♠K can also be ruffed out with his ♦Qxx probably so only ♣A is missing.

I bid 4♦ now trying to set trumps, hoping partner would cuebid 4♥ if he has ♥A, that way I can know about ♣A using 4NT blackwood over 4♥ or 4♠ and bid grand over 5♣.

Partner bid 4♥ and I did keycard as planned, he answered 5♣ (3-0) wich was not expected, could he think ♠K is a keycard? did he forget agreements and is answering 14-30?, don't know but at this point I am not forcing to slam with all this doubts. So I settled for 6♦

LHO, an old lady but whoom I rate as advanced, instadoubled and it came back to me, now it looked like LHO had 2 aces and something else, maybe ♠K or maybe diamond lenght, but what is partner's hand? its hard to imagine hands without aces nor ♠K and opening values, is 6♠ better?, if LHO has ♦10xxxx and partner ♦Qx it is, but partner could be void in spades...


all in all I passed not really convinced, LHO took a bit to lead and finally produced a low diamond, this was the hand:

---

♦10 won the trick and nobody was really nervous, I unblocked ♠K and plaed a diamond to hand, RHO pitching ♥2 (std), sad, now I had no real chances to make, except for a missdefence, I started to play spades untill LHO ruffed with ♦Q, she took some time and again, but for a second time she didn't want to commit to cashing an ace, she exit with a trump removinf dummy's last one. I had one more bullet left, started to run all my tricks ending up with:

---

But LHO was not colaborating she took another deep though but pitched ♥A to put my slam down

feel free to coment if you would take another route with my hand, my partner's 4♥ bid is dreadful, and I also berated him for 2NT althou in retrospect 2NT is not that bad, althou it would not be my choice.

[monikrazy]

It seems to me that 1♠, 2♦ under represents the strength of S hand. And after that we don't ever show our length in spades.

Edit:

I would respond 2♠ to opening bid, not 2♣, was a little mixed up in my first response.



Also, I think N probably does better to pass with his hand than open the bidding.

[manudude03]

monikrazy, on 2012-October-26, 14:37, said:

It seems to me that 1♠, 2♦ under represents the strength of S hand. And after that we don't ever show our length in spades.

I would bid 2♣ to show points initially, planning to show my strength in spades later in the auction.


Also, I think N probably does better to pass with his hand than open the bidding.

Partner opened. Are you really responding 2C when you are 7-5, when neither suit is clubs?

I would bid 3S over 2NT to set trumps. Then we can see if partner bids 4C. If he does, then I guess I just bid 5H exclusion.

[bigbenvic]

Agree with Monikrazy, I'd pass with the North hand (reverse the majors and I'd open)

Over your 2♦ bid I'd bid 3♦ with the north hand, gets the shape out there. You can then bid 3♠ and with the stiff King North should bid 4.

TBH I'm probably going down in 6♠ as after partner denies 2 (or 3) controls I would still like my chances in 6♠

[kenberg]

I can also see some point in not opening the N hand, but many would, and for that matter I probably would, so let's assume it starts 1♥. I believe that if I were playing with my clone it would then continue:
1♥ 1♠
2♣ 2♦
2♥ 2♠
3♠

My thinking so far:
1.After the 2♣ bid I am not optimistic about diamonds, I would rather cast my fate with my quite good seven card spade suit.
2. After 2♦ I think (well, my clone thinks) the main message of 2♥ is that I am forced to bid something and I am not bidding NT with my holding. If NT is right, you bid it pard.
3. After 2♥ my 2♠ should show great confidence in playing this in spades.
4. If pard can rebid 2♠ opposite my spade silence, the stiff K should be trump support.

We still have to stay out of 6, but this start should give us a decent chance.

It's always easier when we see both hands, but I think there is a reasonable chance my clone and I would bid these hands this way.