[han]

---

2S was invitational or better with exactly 3 hearts. What would you bid?

[MrAce]

I will make a game try and bid 4♥, probably an overbid with those 4 spades to park and knowing pd has only 3 trumps but i believe in thinking positive (Is this MP or IMPS ? )

[rogerclee]

3C, but obv we are always bidding game.

[dkham]

4♦, if this is taken as a splinter. We've not got a great hand, but this will tell partner if we have a double fit or not.

[gnasher]

4♥. I don't like anything that gives away information en route, because this is the sort of hand where game makes on the wrong lead, or on a defence where LHO assumes I have short spades. Imagine dummy with ♦KQxxx and ♣xxx: I want LHO to switch to a club at trick two.

I also don't want to put them off saving, which might be our best way to get a plus score.

This post has been edited by gnasher: 2012-August-21, 03:23

[phil_20686]

What methods do I have?

I think you should probably splinter. Obviously its possible that game is failing if partner has much diamond wastage, but its also possible that slam is cold opposite fairly moderate hands: AQ Axx Jxxx Kjxx,

[han]

phil_20686, the hand you gave makes for a pretty good 7, doesn't it?

[phil_20686]

han, on 2012-August-21, 04:02, said:

phil_20686, the hand you gave makes for a pretty good 7, doesn't it?

yes?

[dake50]

Did partner have fit bids? He didn't use one.
I strongly suspect D-waste.
Would partner 2NT with S:AQ? Even holding H:Axx -
intending H-raise next?
I'm going pale 4H.

[Phil]

I will assume that we are playing strong NT and five card majors. I'm climbing out on a limb, I know.

3♣ accomplishes a lot. It doesn't give the defense a road map to beat 4. Partner can counter accept with 3♦ or sign off with 4♥ which are very bad news for us, and I'll be content with 4.

Or, partner can bid 3♠ or 4♣ which are great news for us.

If partner bid 4♥, I'd be a little nervous, since a hand like x Axx Qxxxx KJxx is possible.

[JLOGIC]

gnasher, on 2012-August-21, 03:19, said:

4♥. I don't like anything that gives away information en route, because this is the sort of hand where game makes on the wrong lead, or on a defence where LHO assumes I have short spades. Imagine dummy with ♦KQxxx and ♣xxx: I want LHO to switch to a club at trick two.

I also don't want to put them off saving, which might be our best way to get a plus score.

I'm usually in this camp but our hand is extremely good, I think slam is too likely to do that on this hand. I'd bid 3C FWIW

[TimG]

Phil, on 2012-August-21, 09:21, said:

If partner bid 4♥, I'd be a little nervous, since a hand like x Axx Qxxxx KJxx is possible.

The opponents have 8 spades and 8 diamonds and half the high cards in the deck. 3♣ might make it easier for the opponents to compete (which might help us bid slam, so might be OK).

I guess this just makes me think that the level of competition to this point may indicate that responder is likely to have the "or better" part of "invitational or better", making whatever information we can exchange through bidding 3♣ more likely to help us than the opponents.

[han]

Partner had AKJ Axx KJxxx xx. Even though the diamonds values fit badly, 7H made.

[TimG]

han, on 2012-August-21, 11:12, said:

Partner had AKJ Axx KJxxx xx. Even though the diamonds values fit badly, 7H made.

That's not really a great slam is it? You have to deal with the 4th spade (presumably after drawing trumps) and the club hook could be off. Also, you could suffer a spade ruff at trick one. Maybe this is a pessimistic view.

Did 4♥ end the auction?

[Phil]

Slam is very good. If trump are 2-2, you can claim on a trump squeeze if the ♦A is on your left, since there isn't a shape you'll have to guess. If the club hook works, then 7 makes the same way.

When trump are 3-1 (stiff on your left) and they lead a spade the play gets pretty interesting. If you judge the ♣K is on your left, it seems you run all the trump but one to get to:

♠AKJ ♦KJx ♣xx

♠xxxx ♥x ♣AQx

- If LHO reduces to 3=0=2=3, hook the spade, ruff a diamond, ♠AK, ♦ pitching a club. You'll make the long spade and the ♣Q for 11 and 12.

- If LHO reduces to 3=0=3=2, play ♣A, ♣, and the trump squeeze operates.

- If LHO reduces to 2 spades, now you play spade to the J, ♠A, and ♦J pitching a club. LHO has to give you #12 with a club or the ♦A play (the ♣A is the entry to your long spade. Note this requires LHO to have ♦AQ.

This is such a beautiful and complex ending I wouldn't be surprised if I've made a technical error.

edit: As cool as this is, all we need to ruff a club and get to the trump squeeze.

How did the play go Han?

[TimG]

My double dummy solver says 11 tricks is the max when the overcall is:

♠QT764 ♥9 ♦A965 ♣K97

♠QT764 ♥9 ♦Q65 ♣K975

♠QT764 ♥9 ♦AQ62 ♣K97

I haven't looked at the play, but each time a spade lead is the right start.

[MrAce]

Phil, on 2012-August-21, 12:28, said:

Slam is very good. If trump are 2-2, you can claim on a trump squeeze if the ♦A is on your left, since there isn't a shape you'll have to guess. If the club hook works, then 7 makes the same way.

When trump are 3-1 (stiff on your left) and they lead a spade the play gets pretty interesting. If you judge the ♣K is on your left, it seems you run all the trump but one to get to:

♠AKJ ♦KJx ♣xx

♠xxxx ♥x ♣AQx

- If LHO reduces to 3=0=2=3, hook the spade, ruff a diamond, ♠AK, ♦ pitching a club. You'll make the long spade and the ♣Q for 11 and 12.

- If LHO reduces to 3=0=3=2, play ♣A, ♣, and the trump squeeze operates.

- If LHO reduces to 2 spades, now you play spade to the J, ♠A, and ♦J pitching a club. LHO has to give you #12 with a club or the ♦A play (the ♣A is the entry to your long spade. Note this requires LHO to have ♦AQ.

This is such a beautiful and complex ending I wouldn't be surprised if I've made a technical error.

edit: As cool as this is, all we need to ruff a club and get to the trump squeeze.

How did the play go Han?

Did you quote someone else recently in another topic about the usage of "IFS" ?

[Phil]

TimG, on 2012-August-21, 14:00, said:

My double dummy solver says 11 tricks is the max when the overcall is:

♠QT764 ♥9 ♦A965 ♣K97

♠QT764 ♥9 ♦Q65 ♣K975

♠QT764 ♥9 ♦AQ62 ♣K97

I haven't looked at the play, but each time a spade lead is the right start.

Yes, a spade lead will mess it up since you are exposed to a spade ruff. In addition, you need three entries for potential trump squeezes, since the defense can take another one off when you lose a club.

[lalldonn]

han, on 2012-August-21, 11:12, said:

Partner had AKJ Axx KJxxx xx. Even though the diamonds values fit badly, 7H made.

I'm not sure I would want to be in slam opposite that. Also, not saying partner should move if we just bid 4♥ but he must at least be close. All that said I like 3♣. The reason I don't bid 4♦ isn't so much the void as it is that my black suits are very different which a splinter won't help partner figure out.

[han]

I jumped to 4H, and partner gave it a long thought before passing. They led the ace of diamonds, so that made it easy, but the club finesse was on and there was no spade ruff. The grand would have made as Phil described.