[Laird]

Hello All

Maureen and I played a few hands together the other night and appart from 2 maybe 3 daft boards we played 'no bad'... over the 12 boards we ended up slightly +

Board 5 caused us some soul searching and with her agreement I have posted it for expert comment or otherwise...

n/s vul

n(Hallway) s(Laird)
s Q1053 s -
h 10742 h 82
d AKQ94 d J92
c - c AKQ109764

east west
s AK964 s J872
h AKJ h Q963
d 1083 d 65
c 32 c J85

Bidding

W N E S
p 1s 3c
p 3d p 4c
p p p

Whilst I made 13 tricks this seems unsatisfactory because we were not even in game...how should this be bid more effectively as apparently 5d or 6c can be made?

The dilemma

I can see 4 losers, should I show support for diamonds likely ending in 5 or punt to 6c knowing I have likely entry to Maureens tricks (unknown quantity), Maureen doesnt feel strong enough to continue higher. Is there a better bidding route which shows the picture more clearly altogether - we try to play Acol.

Maureen and John:-

[Free]

Hi,

First of all, I would've opened with the N-hand. You have 11 HCP, 5440-distribution with both majors, and only five and a half losers. After that your partner knows you have an opening value, and he has 8 playing tricks. By cue-bidding you should be able to find the D-fit, and otherwise you partner should be able to bid 5C on his own.

Secondly, say you have passed with the north hand, it's not good to bid 3C with the south hand. Normally it's weak, intermediate or opening value (what you've discussed), but this hand is way too strong for that. I suggest 1S-Dbl and later on bid your clubs. That way north will know where the bidding should go with 3 tricks in D.

I think you guys shouldn't stare too much at point count, because distribution can do miracles! Re-evaluate your hand by distribution and then try to show your hand the best possible way. N has 11 HCP with a good 5-card suit and a void, S has 8 playing tricks in C. Seems to me you both underbid your hands which is too bad.
After the bidding p-1S-3C-p-3D-p-? I also think S can also bid 4D because you have a fit and he has a long suit. 5D is a big risk, because he doesn't know if you can reach the long suit... A spade-lead is killing 5D, but there's nothing ops can do against 5C.

[Codo]

Hi Laird,

tricky hand to bid.
First: 5 Club or 5 Diamond is the last makable game after a Heart lead. No slam possible. Okay 6 clubs will often make, because West has no clue to lead a Heart.

Second: I can hardly accept a pass with maureens hand. Hands with a void are often hard to bid. Pd "always" have length in your short suit. But here, you can always rebid your diamonds. No problem, a clear 1 Diamond opener.

3 Club is okay. Yes the hand is strong, but to have a game, pd needs to stop any suit and be able to reach my hand. Too much to do for a passed hand. Or she needs 5 tricks in a 5 club game. Too much to think about too.
So 3 club is okay as a tactical bid opps. a passed hand.

Anyway, Maureen did a very very lucky move after 3 Club. Maybe due to perfect understanding or maybe afraid of her chicane in pds suit: 3 Diamond was the master bid for this hand. (but the next 100 hands it would be just a disaster...)
Now there was a possiblity to reach 5 in a minor.
But unluckily you did not imagine her hand and forget the golden rule: Always show fit with partner.

But anyway: To miss 5 Diamond/5 Club with 21 combined HCPs is not the biggest sin.

Kind Regards

Roland

[luis]

Hi Laird, my opnion:

I agree with my fellow posters in that the north hand must open. This is not an option to me, pass is a poor bid. Once east opened 1s I think that 3c is not a good bid either I think 3s asking pd to bid 3nt with a spade stopper is a better bid. Your hand is not exactly an obstructive preempt, you have a very good chance to have a game in your side with that excellent solid suit, if you bid 3c you give away the chance to play 3n.
In summary you have an opening bid facing a gambling hand and you bid it as a passed hand facing a preempt. Bid what you have, open when you have an opening bid and try to reach 3nt if you have 8 tricks in your own hand.

Luis

[inquiry]

Hi,

The first question I have would be for Acol players (I don't play it). Can you open 1D with lightish hands in first and second seat? With North, I would open 1D. This is automatic for people who apply rule of 20. 11HCP, 9 cards in two long suits = 20, and ten of spades and 9 of diamonds along with four other cards in diamonds is worth another point the way I count to 20.... so this is a 21 hand, one more than needed.

I suspect that after East bids spades, you will always make 7C as finding a heart opening lead will be tuff. However, opening 1D is not going to easily simplify the auction for you. In fact, there are two possible chances for "bidding misunderstandings" for NS that either work well.... or very poorly after north opens 1D.

First, anyone who hears a 1D-(1S)- and makes a negative double with south's hand will probably endup in at least 5C,maybe 6C as North will be bidding hearts and then diamonds trying to escape from clubs. I can imagine an auction like....

1D-(1S)-DBL-(3S) 3S=weak
4H-(P)-5C-(P) 4H = expect magic fit
5D-(P)-6C-(P) 5C = whoops
P-(DBL)-all pass 5D = cue bid or club escape

An alternative choice (and my preference) to a really of beat negative double is to make a forcing 2C call.

1D-(1S)-2C-2S 2S=weak
P-(P)-3S-(P) 3S=forcing
3NT-all pass 3NT=spade stopper

Here South's pass in the hopes of running 8 clubs would sping a huge leak when partner fails to a heart stopper.

The only way to logically bid the perfect 5C (which probably still loses imps to the 6C bidders) if for South to simply up and bid it. My choice would be.....

1D-(1S)-2C-(2S)
P - (P) - 5C

but at matchpoints, playing 5C might look silly with 3NT rolling home. But this seems the most descriptive way to bid this hand.

After the initial pass, I am personally not fond of the 3D bid. I think this should show club support, and serve as a "lead" directing bid. But then, that is not the standard agreement most people have.

[hallway]

My biddings not the only dilemma

Why is it that when I print out the above the bidding sequence changes on the printed page ?

lol I thought the lad had had a dram too many ;D

[hallway]

Ben,

The answer to your question is (just playing basic Acol) - No I don't open lightish hands in 1st seat unless the strong/long suit is a Major. 3rd seat - yes I would have.

I took J's - 3C (jump o/call) to be 6-10 with 6 card suit
(I had the notion that 4C would have been a pre-empt)

with a void in Clubs (someone, somewhere said that a void in partners suit is a detriment ) I thought it prudent (with 11hcp) to at least show the diamonds (only 5 of them but I thought - nice !)

When John rebid 4C I just thought - oops - misfit - he might have 2-2-2-7 - pass

Having read the above posts I see that by not opening 1D it deprived us of bidding room.