[AL78]

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Potentially a double game swing on this hand but we (I) got it wrong. I was East and doubled because I was playing with an improver and bidding 1NT 2NT to try and show a two suiter might confuse her. I didn't fancy competing to 4♦ and either pushing them into a making game or going for -200 but as it happens bidding on is the winning action. That was worth 1/8 MPs. I should have been less wussy.

[LBengtsson]

'Wussy' good word, but I do not agree with its usage here. N/S should be in 4♠. 5♦X is a good save but whether you should take the hit at MPs I am unsure of. You and your partner are not at fault here imo. Just N/S for failing to get to game.

[helene_t]

I think you did OK. W has three trumps and a void which you might lead, and a minimum for her voluntary 2♦ bid. E has extra shape but you showed it more or less with your 3♦ bid. Your 3♦ bid makes it more difficult for opps to distinguish between a competitive and an invitational 3♠ bid (assuming they don't have the agreement that 3♥ would show the invitational raise) so they may well be in the wrong contract.

All things taken together, neither of you have compelling reason to do anything. I wouldn't call it crazy if either of you had bid 4♦, just saying that it's perfectly OK that you both passed.

[AL78]

LBengtsson, on 2023-March-03, 09:19, said:

'Wussy' good word, but I do not agree with its usage here. N/S should be in 4♠. 5♦X is a good save but whether you should take the hit at MPs I am unsure of. You and your partner are not at fault here imo. Just N/S for failing to get to game.

Not just a good save, it makes, double dummy at least. A quick glance suggests a bit of cross ruffing and the club ace onside allows a couple of additional club tricks to be established. The one pair in it doubled went off.

[johnu]

AL78, on 2023-March-03, 05:05, said:

I was East and doubled because I was playing with an improver and bidding 1NT 2NT to try and show a two suiter might confuse her.

?? RHO bid 1♠ so where's the confusion with a jump to 2NT which is a classic unusual NT bid.

[LBengtsson]

AL78, on 2023-March-03, 10:44, said:

Not just a good save, it makes, double dummy at least. A quick glance suggests a bit of cross ruffing and the club ace onside allows a couple of additional club tricks to be established. The one pair in it doubled went off.

Yes, you are right AL78, on my analysis also. Though I am unsure whether you can bid it as a sacrifice that fortunately makes. Imo I cannot see a auction that arrives in 5♦X

[AL78]

LBengtsson, on 2023-March-03, 16:42, said:

Yes, you are right AL78, on my analysis also. Though I am unsure whether you can bid it as a sacrifice that fortunately makes. Imo I cannot see a auction that arrives in 5♦X

I'd have to ask one of the pair who did arrive in it.

[pescetom]

LBengtsson, on 2023-March-03, 16:42, said:

Imo I cannot see a auction that arrives in 5♦X

1C P 1S 2NT
3S 4D 4S 5D
X P P P
?

[AL78]

LBengtsson, on 2023-March-03, 16:42, said:

Yes, you are right AL78, on my analysis also. Though I am unsure whether you can bid it as a sacrifice that fortunately makes. Imo I cannot see a auction that arrives in 5♦X

I have found out how they got there:

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[akwoo]

johnu, on 2023-March-03, 14:49, said:

?? RHO bid 1♠ so where's the confusion with a jump to 2NT which is a classic unusual NT bid.

It takes a fair amount of learning bridge before you learn the unusual NT convention.

Partner has to have something to bid over the 1N. You have a 5 loser hand, maybe a 4 loser hand (since the QD might very well not be a loser). You're definitely worth a 4D balance. (Not balancing for fear they will then bid game is basically playing for your opponents to have made a mistake. Do you really think your opponents are that bad? Do you want to be trying to win against opponents who are that bad?)

[pescetom]

AL78, on 2023-March-04, 10:50, said:

I have found out how they got there:

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I guess that is the weak NT equivalent of my hypothesis

[dokoko]

AL78, on 2023-March-03, 05:05, said:

Potentially a double game swing on this hand but we (I) got it wrong. I was East and doubled because I was playing with an improver and bidding 1NT 2NT to try and show a two suiter might confuse her. I didn't fancy competing to 4♦ and either pushing them into a making game or going for -200 but as it happens bidding on is the winning action. That was worth 1/8 MPs. I should have been less wussy.

Does your improver (in principle) know that a 2NT bid would show a two-suited hand? If yes you should bid it - even if she might get it wrong. How is she going to improve if she gets no opportunities to handle such situations?

[dokoko]

(1♣) p (1♠) 2NT
(p) 3♦ (3♠) 4♦
(4♠) 5♦ (p) p
(dbl)