[Gerben47]

Well as you might guess from the title this hand is very distributional.

Scoring: IMP

---

RHO opens 1♦, you play 2-suiters either preemptive or very strong (0-4 losers).
Do you
a ) Bid 1♠
b ) Bid 2NT showing both majors

Anyway, I chose ( b ) and LHO doubles. Partner gives preference to 3♠, how nice!
Do you
a ) Raise to 4
b ) Make some kind of slam try

I chose (a) and LHO bids 5♦. Partner doubles and you...

a) Pass
b ) Bid 5♠

[Free]

First of all, I'd also start with 2NT, since you can show your extreme length in ♠ later. After a 3♠ bid from partner, it depends on what your agreements are. I'd immediatly start a slam try in most situations.

[FrancesHinden]

I've shown 0-4 losers with at least as many spades as hearts (with 5-7 I would have bid 4H not 4S). I have one extra spade than I've shown, but I also have AAK in defence. I pass.

(Last time I had an auction like this I took at 1700(!!) penalty.)

[inquiry]

I don't like any of the auction up to now, here is why.

1) Is it clear to your partner that you have the good hand rather than the preemptive hand? With them passing first and bidding 5♦ now, probably yes, but are we sure?

2) You held a gun to your parnter's head, forced him to pick between the majors. He could easliy be...

xx
x
QT98
QJxxxx

And with WEST bidding 5D, he rates to possibly be void in spades. So you can very easily have 3 spade losers, 1 club loser and a slow heart or two loser.

I would have cue-bid 4♦ or started with simple 1♠ overcall planning on bunches of hearts next.

Ok.. so what to do now. You told your partner you had a lot of major cards (given he could have a hand like the above), but lacked "slam interest" (given no cue bid slam try). He will not expect minor suit tricks from you and he choose to go for a penalty. Your hand hasn't gotten any better... heed your partners warning, pass, and hope for two hearts and a diamond trick.

Now, some will suggest (and perhaps reasonably) that you should bid on to take out insurance against 5♦ making. But the insurance could easily be too expensive.. i doubt 1700 but 1100 is not at all out of the question and that could easily be 1100 opposite nothing for them.

[mila85]

I would bid 4d over 3s.

[jikl]

I am a 1♠ bidder too.

Sean

[nikos59]

Ben's advice is sound, but when God gives me
12 cards in the majors, He does not intend me to
defend 5D.

So, heed God or heed partner?

In a real-life partnership you may heed partner,
because it is well known that God forgives unlike
most partners.

But in BBO this argument is less strong, so
by all means I bid a pious 5S.

nikos

[bearmum]

Gerben47, on Jan 29 2005, 03:29 AM, said:

Well as you might guess from the title this hand is very distributional.

Scoring: IMP

---

RHO opens 1♦, you play 2-suiters either preemptive or very strong (0-4 losers).
Do you
a ) Bid 1♠
b ) Bid 2NT showing both majors

Anyway, I chose ( b ) and LHO doubles. Partner gives preference to 3♠, how nice!
Do you
a ) Raise to 4
b ) Make some kind of slam try

I chose (a) and LHO bids 5♦. Partner doubles and you...

a) Pass
b ) Bid 5♠

♥♥WELL as I play Michaels I would START with 2♦ and over a possible 5♦ prempt (if P passes it) would X --- asking P to bid his BEST major

[luke warm]

i'd also bid 2♦ and not 2nt (what would you bid with spades/clubs or hearts/clubs?)... i'll go along with bearmum

[Double !]

right or wrong, I play Michaels' weak or strong, not intermediate. The hand is, perhaps, stronger than intermediate via LTC due to being 7-5. Isn't the more co-operative way to bid this hand and elicit partner's participation/ contribution by bidding my suits naturally.

(BTW, for any historian that's interested, according to "Contract Bridge Summary" by Albert Morehead: 1963, pp 75., Michaels' at that time was described as being "6-11 hcp, at least 4-4 in the major suits" over 1 of a minor", or "10+ hcp, at least 5-5 other M and unknown minor, without limit". How things have changed..............)

[Gerben47]

The system is given so it's either 2NT for both majors or 1♠. Also partner doubles 5♦, you can't change that either!

[flytoox]

mila85, on Jan 28 2005, 03:01 PM, said:

I would bid 4d over 3s.

Me too. And I will bid 5S over pd's dbl.