[cencio]

---

The result at the end was 2 spade plus 1

[apollo1201]

Bidding and cardplay (a forcing defense should put W in trouble as he doesn’t seem to be able to set up his C in due time after ruffling from the start) were probably as disastrous.

Or was it a misunderstanding, N thinking t/o and S thinking penalty?

More seriously, you have to agree on how to deal with interventions on your 2C artificial strong opening. You can play that:
- pass = nothing to say, weak usually
- a suit = natural 5+ cards, « presentable » suit, positive hand (maybe 5+ HCPs)
- X = values, usually balanced or semi-bal w/o stopper
- NT = values w/ stopper, balanced or semi-bal
- cue = a bit more values (8-ish at least), 3-suited (4441, 5431 with lousy suit...) to help opener visualize slam potential before a further preeempt by 4th hand to speak

Here, N, having an ace and 2 jacks, is in the positive territory and X is ok despite the unattractive shape.

As S, now. After the X, game seems likely and you need 3 down in 2SX to outscore that game. Unless opps is used to stick his neck in the auction with a non-descript 5332 headed by SKQ, we are no where close -3 at the moment.

Furthermore, slam could be on as partner is not limited (although we likely have 2 balanced shapes and will need more than just 5 or 6 HCPs from partner such as DA and KQC to risk slam).

Anyway, having said that, it seems that leaving the X will often lead us to a smaller score than bidding on.

End of the aucution could be 3H-4H or 2NT-3NT with N signing off ASA he can.

[Cyberyeti]

What's the problem ? 2♠x is -2 with any competent defence and while 3N makes, 4♥ may well fail so no great damage done. Oh, you misdefended it.

[cencio]

Cyberyeti, on 2019-March-21, 05:54, said:

What's the problem ? 2♠x is -2 with any competent defence and while 3N makes, 4♥ may well fail so no great damage done. Oh, you misdefended it.

But for me it is interesting.In the bidding with 28 points penalize or not.
And there are 2 spade -2 on the paper.
But try to play, i don t think that all are able to do it.
One has to oblige to ruff his beautiful heart.

[apollo1201]

Cyberyeti, on 2019-March-21, 05:54, said:

Oh, you misdefended it.

I guess play went C to A, C to K, SK to A, HA ruffed, draw trumps and surrender 2D tricks, making 9.
What Jxx to lead from?

[Cyberyeti]

apollo1201, on 2019-March-21, 06:06, said:

I guess play went C to A, C to K, SK to A, HA ruffed, draw trumps and surrender 2D tricks, making 9.
What Jxx to lead from?

Well I'm playing ♦A to have a look and probably playing another, partner then switches to hearts and declarer runs out of trumps.

[lamford]

Cyberyeti, on 2019-March-21, 06:08, said:

Well I'm playing ♦A to have a look and probably playing another, partner then switches to hearts and declarer runs out of trumps.

I am as well - when I look at all four hands. A black suit lead or switch lets through 2Sx. Normal is to play that pass of 2S is 5+ and double is 0-
4, but one can interchange those, or change the range.

Regardless, South's pass is ridiculous. I cannnot see any defence to 4H as long as South does not play misère.

[Cyberyeti]

lamford, on 2019-March-21, 06:22, said:

I am as well - when I look at all four hands. A black suit lead or switch lets through 2Sx. Normal is to play that pass of 2S is 5+ and double is 0-
4, but one can interchange those, or change the range.

Regardless, South's pass is ridiculous. I cannnot see any defence to 4H as long as South does not play misère.

I hate leading un unbid Jxx and trump feels wrong.

You have to guess correctly in 4♥ who has which minor (I'd happily overcall with the spades he has and ♦Jxxxx, but I admit clubs are more likely), it's quite easy on the lead of ♠K to lose 2 spades a club and a heart particularly if you play W for the diamonds.

[Tramticket]

lamford, on 2019-March-21, 06:22, said:

Regardless, South's pass is ridiculous. I cannnot see any defence to 4H as long as South does not play misère.

I'm probably being stupid, but the losers are one heart, two spades and one club. I guess that, after we find out about the trump break, we cash the side-suit winners and finish in dummy with the diamond ace before ruffing a diamond?

[Tramticket]

Tramticket, on 2019-March-21, 06:49, said:

I'm probably being stupid, but the losers are one heart, two spades and one club. I guess that, after we find out about the trump break, we cash the side-suit winners and finish in dummy with the diamond ace before ruffing a diamond?

Missed Cyberyeti's reply

[Cyberyeti]

Tramticket, on 2019-March-21, 06:49, said:

I'm probably being stupid, but the losers are one heart, two spades and one club. I guess that, after we find out about the trump break, we cash the side-suit winners and finish in dummy with the diamond ace before ruffing a diamond?

Correct, 2 black aces 3 diamonds, 4 top hearts and a diamond ruff.

[rmnka447]

I think that it is more in vogue now to play Dbl as weak and Pass as showing values. Then here the South hand can Dbl to show the hand and North carry on from there.

If you are going to show a suit freely over the intervention, it needs to be a pretty good one and be with decent values, maybe a good 7-8 count. There's nothing wrong with just showing values and trying to show your suit later. That way the big hand gets to start telling his/her story. There's no guarantee about what the big hand holds. It could be a distributional hand that gets preempted by your free bid.

[sfi]

Cyberyeti, on 2019-March-21, 05:54, said:

What's the problem ? 2♠x is -2 with any competent defence and while 3N makes, 4♥ may well fail so no great damage done. Oh, you misdefended it.

I'm not sure you can call a club lead a misdefence. It's cold if the C4 is the first card on the table.