[cherdano]

It's matchpoints, noone vulnerable. RHO dealt and opens 1♠. What do you do with ♠T32 ♥AK3 ♦ AK8 ♣KT52?

Would you bid differently at other conditions?

[sceptic]

I voted for 1nt, there can only be 10or 11 points out there so odds are if your p has them all you get into 3nt if not they play 2 or 3 spades, I think x is wrong because you cant bid a suit after it ( well 4!C is not ny idea of a good suit) and if you x then bif NT (I think, but I am not sure it guarentees a spade stopper)

waiting to be shot down in flames, but an opinion is an opinion LOL

[jillybean]

Clear double to me, I can't bid 1nt without ♠ stopper surely?

jillybean2

[Walddk]

The is no ideal bid available, so you must choose 1 of the following 3.

1. 1NT. Shows the range and a spade stopper. The latter is a lie. If NT is where we belong, the contract is wrong-sided.

2. PASS and hope partner can reopen if LHO passes too. Partner will do his utmost to keep the auction alive with as little as 8 hcp. If he passes, it is not entirely impossible that defending is right. If LHO bids, it is often a wise move to stay out of this completely.

3. DOUBLE. Not the ideal shape, but compensating values.

I would double and pass any suit partner bids at the 2-level. I will raise 1NT to 2NT. I believe that it's right to come in now, and double is the least of evils in my opinion.

Roland

[flytoox]

you have to dbl. cannot afford to pass.

[pbleighton]

Double, the least bad bid.

Peter

[inquiry]

I play Raptor 1NT overcalls, so 1NT here is not an option for me. Therefore I would double because I play Raptor. However, even if my 1NT was balanced 16-18 or 15-17, or 16-19, or similar ranges, I would still double.

Ben

[pclayton]

I double to, but its just 15+ - usually balanced. Great hand for it - we tell pard our values and it rightsides the NT.

[whereagles]

I bid 1NT. I don't give a damn about stoppers. Never have, never will. Who says we'll be playing NT anyway?

Besides, if pard is so worried about the stopper, he can ask if I have one or not with a 2H "transfer":

1S 1NT pass 2H
pass ..?

2S = 1/2 stopper (Qx, Jxx, Txx, xxxx)
2NT = full stopper, min
3x = no stopper (xxx, xx)
3S = 2 stoppers if you like
3NT = full stopper max

[mike777]

whereagles, on Mar 30 2005, 03:10 PM, said:

I bid 1NT. I don't give a damn about stoppers. Never have, never will. Who says we'll be playing NT anyway?

Besides, if pard is so worried about the stopper, he can ask if I have one or not with a 2H "transfer":

1S 1NT pass 2H
pass ..?

2S = 1/2 stopper (Qx, Jxx, Txx, xxxx)
2NT = full stopper, min
3x = no stopper (xxx, xx)
3S = 2 stoppers if you like
3NT = full stopper max

Realize almost all play transfers here but maybe we should not.
Having strong hand on lead can often make the difference on a hand.


So 1nt=2h could be to play and start all invite hands with 2clubs?
This puts nt bidder back as declarer with 4 hearts and invite but otherwise we can play hand with lead up to us with weak and h or D or clubs.

[luke warm]

i tend to agree with whereagles re: stoppers, but that really isn't the issue on this hand/bidding... if there is a stopper, supposing we play nt, partner has it... i want the lead coming to him rather than going thru him, so i'd double

[the hog]

X
Can't bid 1NT because its raptor. However even playing a 15-17 NT ovecall, this is a X rather than a 1N overcall. I would consider bidding 1NT with Jxx, but not with this holding.

[joker_gib]

Double !

Only 3♥ but good ones and the general strength compensates the poor shape.

Alain

[Fluffy]

Double also, pass would be also a good option, but not today.

[Gerben42]

Double. Even if you have 1NT available as balanced hand.

[P_Marlowe]

Double.

No second choice, the bad shape is compensated
by the points.
It seems, that People who will bid 1 NT, tend to
play against opponents, who will not lead spade,
because "they promised a stopper". And of course,
they wont alert the 1 NT bid, because it's natural ....

Marlowe

[Free]

Dbl seems the best, and pass gets away with the second price imo.

[Echognome]

P_Marlowe, on Apr 1 2005, 03:50 AM, said:

Double.

No second choice, the bad shape is compensated
by the points.
It seems, that People who will bid 1 NT, tend to
play against opponents, who will not lead spade,
because "they promised a stopper".  And of course,
they wont alert the 1 NT bid, because it's natural ....

Marlowe

Since when does one have to alert if their bid does not show a stopper? What if two suits are bid? Do I have to have a stopper in both or else my bid should be alerted? It might not be sound bridge, but I hardly believe it says anywhere in the laws that a NT bid must contain a stopper of a bid suit, lest it be alerted.

I choose double by the way.

[Fluffy]

I can remember a hand very similar to these being posted on an expert panel.

The hand was instead ♠10xx/AQ/KQJx/AJxx, wich is way different since there you will have a real unsolvable problem after partner answers 2♥.
Still the consensous was to double (my 1NT scored less points than those bidding 2♦, only above 2NT, grrrr).