[The Casual]

http://tinyurl.com/lt68guw

Got this the other day but was a little surprised when I couldn't find a bid to reasonably describe the hand. Maybe I whimped out when I passed it so what does everyone else suggest?

[ArtK78]

I would probably call 1NT on those cards, hoping that my absolute maximum in HCP compensates for the somewhat below par stopper in spades. While it may be right to pass a strong hand in direct seat over an opening bid when there is no good call available, there has to be a limit to how strong one can be and not call.

I am sure that others will agree with the pass. I just can't bring myself to do it.

[MrAce]

The Casual, on 2015-May-01, 14:40, said:

http://tinyurl.com/lt68guw

Got this the other day but was a little surprised when I couldn't find a bid to reasonably describe the hand. Maybe I whimped out when I passed it so what does everyone else suggest?

I'd do exactly what you did. Alternatives are 1 NT and 2♦ and DBL, none of which impresses me more than the pass that I am not happy with.

[helene_t]

dbl could work but I am not really keen of having to bid either 2♠ or 3♦ after a 2♥ response from partner.

I dunno. Probably I would pass, especially if I could do it quickly enough not to put partner under ethical pressure. I would not critizise dbl, though.

2♦ doesn't feel great but maybe it is a reasonable bid. 1nt I could imagine at matchpoints if nonvulnerable.

[mikeh]

We're red v white and partner passed, while RHO was in second seat so won't have psyched, etc.

1N would be everybody's choice, I think, if we knew that it would end the auction, and even then we are risking -200 when they can make only 80-140. But we will often scramble 7 tricks on offence while scoring fewer on defence, so we'd bid.

However, there are two other players who could cause us significant harm....LHO and CHO. We have nowhere to go if we get doubled...yes, we run to diamonds, but we have no real reason to think that that plays 2 tricks better than 1N, and it could be 800 rather than 500. And partner might take us seriously and bid game.

2♦ is worse than 1N in several ways while we'd need some luck for it to be better.

Double makes me want to puke...this is not a good hand on which to declare a 2=4 heart fit.

Pass and hope someone else bids.

[steve2005]

mikeh, on 2015-May-01, 16:25, said:

We have nowhere to go if we get doubled

It's advancer's job to decide weather and where to run, not yours. you have 18 pts a semblance of a stopper and are control heavy. Partner may have a 5+ card suit to run to. Almost every first bid is an overbid by definition so if your always worrying about being doubled there is going to be a lot of pass outs.

2♦ is ridiculous, should never be overcalling a 4-card ♦ suit nor any 4-card suit at the 2-level.

Double is closer but you would have to rebid 2N over 2♥ which shows better hand so stick with 1N.

[alok c]

Double.Partners response should always be cheapest 4carder.

[mikeh]

alok c, on 2015-May-02, 00:57, said:

Double.Partners response should always be cheapest 4carder.

Wrong. Partner will always bid the other major if 4=4 in that suit and a minor and will often do so with 4 cards in the major and a longer minor. Games in the major are too important.

[alok c]

mikeh, on 2015-May-02, 04:52, said:

Wrong. Partner will always bid the other major if 4=4 in that suit and a minor and will often do so with 4 cards in the major and a longer minor. Games in the major are too important.

Judging my hand partner cannot have more than 5/6 pts.So playing in cheapest partscore should be the target under such cirumstances unless partner is having a very freak hand .

[nige1]

The Casual, on 2015-May-01, 14:40, said:

http://tinyurl.com/lt68guw Got this the other day but was a little surprised when I couldn't find a bid to reasonably describe the hand. Maybe I whimped out when I passed it so what does everyone else suggest?

Partner deals at red. You hold ♠ 9 x x x ♥ A T ♦ A K Q x ♣ A J x
Pass (1♠) ??
IMO 1N = 10, Pass = 9, 2♦ = 8, Double = 7. I bet the Casual's pass scored well.

Added 2♦ to the list of possible calls

This post has been edited by nige1: 2015-May-03, 16:20

[phoenix214]

In my regular partnership, the 4th hands is on pressure to act here, because it is possible to pass strong bal hands here, so pass for me seems easier, if pd is not acting now, she has almost nothing anyway...

[rhm]

mikeh, on 2015-May-01, 16:25, said:

2♦ is worse than 1N in several ways while we'd need some luck for it to be better.

steve2005, on 2015-May-01, 16:53, said:

2♦ is ridiculous, should never be overcalling a 4-card ♦ suit nor any 4-card suit at the 2-level.

I beg to differ.
You know where at least 9 spades are, leaving not that many for partner.
It is quite likely that partner will have some diamond support and that you will be able to ruff spades.
The diamonds are strong and the overcall is only off by one card anyway.

Note that the diamond overcall would have done well opposite both the actual South as well as opposite the East hand
I think 2♦ is a good bid, particularly at matchpoints.

Rainer Herrmann

[benlessard]

I prefer heavy 1NT overcall and to reopen light with shortness. In MP I would never pass with south hand.

Its just a style that served well and i wouldnt change it.
Obviously many prefer to have lighter 1nt overcall and sounder balancing X.

EX this hand where i tought X was totally routine but 97% prefered pass

http://bridgewinners...g-problem-5148/

[aguahombre]

1NT is o.k. with a partner who will consider it to be a strong NT...and who has the brain to xfer to spades as a checkback for a real stop when inviting or bidding game in NT.

[rhm]

aguahombre, on 2015-May-03, 23:07, said:

1NT is o.k. with a partner who will consider it to be a strong NT...and who has the brain to xfer to spades as a checkback for a real stop when inviting or bidding game in NT.

I can understand that if you balance with a notrump bid in fourth position.
But overcalling a five card major with 1NT should show a hand suitable for notrump play and not all balanced hands in the announced range are.
Often you wrongside notrump.
It would not occur to me to checkback on spades holding something like Qxx or Jxx or even Txx.
Doing this type of xfer to spades as a checkback give opponents all sort of help to find the right opening lead.

Rainer Herrmann

[helene_t]

alok c, on 2015-May-02, 07:27, said:

Judging my hand partner cannot have more than 5/6 pts.So playing in cheapest partscore should be the target under such cirumstances unless partner is having a very freak hand .

Suppose you have
♠xxx
♥Jxxx
♦Jxxx
♣xx

and partner doubles 1♠.

If you bid 2♥ and partner now bids 2♠, forcing you to bid again, you can bid 2♦ and you have described your hand well: lower half of your initial 0-8 point range, 4 hearts and 4+ diamonds.

If you start with diamonds you would have to either overbid by bidding your hearts (reverse), or bidding the diamonds again which may well lead to a 4-3 fit when a 4-4 fit was available.

So always bid the highest ranking 4-card suit in response to a 1-level take-out double.

In response to higher level doubles it is debatable, though, since the dbl will sometimes be based on just two of the three unbid suits.

[WesleyC]

Without the ♠9 this would be a tough problem, but on this hand I think 1NT is clear.

Much of the time it'll be a wash scoring up 90/120 vs 50/100 on a partscore deal but once in a while partner will have values for game and spade holdings that provide at least one stopper. Qx, Kx will often give you 1 stopper, JT (or better) will always work. Vul vs NV partner could also have a hand that with short spades, values and a long, weak suit that makes game cold in a different strain and they might be afraid to balance.

[WesleyC]

helene_t, on 2015-May-04, 06:52, said:

Suppose you have
♠xxx
♥Jxxx
♦Jxxx
♣xx

and partner doubles 1♠.

If you bid 2♥ and partner now bids 2♠, forcing you to bid again, you can bid 2♦ and you have described your hand well: lower half of your initial 0-8 point range, 4 hearts and 4+ diamonds.

In this kind of situation, it's not unreasonable to play that a change of suit (even to a lower suit) shows slight extras. However you certainly shouldn't ever bid 2D with a 4/4 because partner's double (almost) promises 3+H while they might occasionally have a doubleton diamond.