[Cascade]

Scoring: IMP

---

West North East South

 -     -   Pass   1♣
 3♠  Pass? Pass   Pass?


Should North or South act over 3♠ ?

Or are we fixed ?

Note: A 1NT opening is not an option since we play 11-14 1NT.

[pclayton]

Yuck!

Given that South is either unbalanced or a strong NT, North should probably take a call. Oh, you wanted to know what to bid? I'm still thinking.

As far as the South hand, I don't know. I hate that 2245 pattern, but I have a lot of extras and my hand is fairly prime so I think I need to bite the bullet and double. What is North supposed to do with: x, Axx, Kxxxxx, Kxx (where SIX is excellent)? A pull of 4♥ to 4N shows this pattern I think.

Assesment: South: 25%, North: 25%, Opponents: 50%.

[pbleighton]

North is a clear pass IMO.

South - 3NT, but I have a lot of sympathy for pass.

Peter

[joker_gib]

Very difficult hand (for both North and South) , Wayne !

As I always say, this is why we all do preempts !

I hope not to have such hands often in the coming year

Happy new year all !

Alain

[paulg]

I'd bid 3NT with the North hand.

Actually I think the problem is made a lot easier in your system as partner is either unbalanced or strong balanced. We do not have an 8-card heart fit so I'll take my chances with 3NT which should have some play.

In my system, where 1♣ is either side of a 14-16 1NT it is more difficult, as partner could have a weak NT. However I'd probably still bid it

Double is also an option, as I don't feel it GUARANTEES 4 hearts. However 3NT looks more likely that 4♥ on a 4-3 fit.

In terms of blame, this is a partnership problem. If North is passing such hands then South cannot pass. However my opinion is that North should be bidding something.

Not easy though.

p

[Free]

I also think the North hand can bid 3NT. It's imps, we're V, so with 10HCP and a control ♠ you should go for it imo.

[whereagles]

Maybe South can bid 3NT, though pass is sensible. North should not, in my opinion, bid 3NT with a hand that he would bid 1C-1NT. That's just letting the opps jerk you around.

[Fluffy]

Both can make take out oubles, north's one is clearer.

[Cascade]

cardsharp, on Jan 4 2005, 12:23 AM, said:

Actually I think the problem is made a lot easier in your system as partner is either unbalanced or strong balanced. We do not have an 8-card heart fit so I'll take my chances with 3NT which should have some play.

I disagree that 3NT should have some play.

If partner has no spade control which I think is more likely than not then we need 9 running tricks this is possible but far from likely.

Sometimes we will have nine running tricks with my one stopper.

Sometime partner will have another stopper and we can establish nine tricks.

Sometimes we will have fewer than nine tricks with my one stopper.

Sometimes even with two stoppers we will not be able to establish nine tricks.

I do not think that the net affect of this is enough to warrent bidding 3NT. A double dummy simulation had 3NT making only about 35% of the time which is close to the odds needed to bid a vulnerable game but there are a couple of negatives to factor in:

1. Often 3NT was down more than one

2. Some of the times it makes opener would have acted so it is not necessary for us to bid.