[TWO4BRIDGE]

IMPs
all white

( 1C ) - ??

x x x
A Q J x x x
J x x
x

I bid 2H ... all passed

Partner though I should have overcalled 1H ... because 2H "shut him down" .
Partner held:
A K Q x
K x
Q 9 8 x x
x x

One opponent held the ♦ A K bare, so you made 10 tricks if you didn't lose a ♦ honor under the A or K .
( ♠ split 4-2 ) .

[Cyberyeti]

We'd have duplicated your auction, and felt aggrieved that a hand that has 4 obvious losers on most distributions is rather tricky to defeat on the actual layout.

Chalk this one up to experience, there should be 2 diamonds, a club and a diamond ruff off this (but on this layout, finding the diamond lead and club underlead is a bit tough). Even if you knew partner had ♥AQJxxx, he needs a minor suit stiff as well to give 4♥ a chance. Vulnerable I might consider moving, but NV I don't think it's winning bridge, the danger is x(x), AQJxxx, xxx, xx(x) where you have 4 easy losers and a probable extra diamond so 3 isn't safe. Even 3613 needs a 3-3 spade break to make 4 if opener wins the first club and plays a trump.

[aguahombre]

If that is not a 2H overcall, then we are using the bid for some other gadget. Perhaps your resulting partner would have rather had a nice slow revealing auction ---either stopping rightly in 3H, or wrongly in 4H and telling the opponents how to defend.

[billw55]

hmmm .. edited out dubious reply

Yes, 2♥ I think.

[rmnka447]

Definitely a 2 ♥ bid IMO.

Did your partner have trouble envisioning how many tricks your side might take if you hold some normal WJO suit like AJxxxx, AQxxxx, or even QJxxxx with a little something outside? It certainly looks like at least 9 tricks should come home. The question is whether you can find a 10th trick.

I think partner's contention that you "shut him down" is a red herring. If partner made a forcing call over 1 ♥, you'd simply show less than an opener. The difference is that partner couldn't be sure exactly how many ♥ you had and 4 ♥ might not play so well if you have only 5 ♥s.

With red pockets (vulnerable), I'd think a 4 ♥ bid would be automatic with partner's hand.

But not vulnerable, the decision is not so clear because bidding game or not is about a wash at IMPS. Personally, I'd still bid 4 ♥ because I find it easier to explain going down than why I wasn't there when it makes.

[ggwhiz]

It's not at all clear to get to game even if you do overcall 1♥. Since the opps can make 3♣ (at least) and have 10 of them they are likely to sound tough at some point over that but 2♥ shut them up.

I'm +170

[MrAce]

If this is not a 2♥ overcall, then i am Angelina Jolie.

[dkham]

Agree your partner is resulting, did you have any doubt of this when you posted the thread?

[neilkaz]

This is a routine weak 2. If not 2♥ here, then you and your resulting partner should use the bid for another purpose.

[SteveMoe]

2♥ - obvious.
Any interest in using advancer's 2N as shortness ask? - or is this resulting too?

[Phil]

MrAce, on 2012-August-22, 05:36, said:

If this is not a 2♥ overcall, then i am Angelina Jolie.

Well, you are certainly not Brad Pitt....

[JLOGIC]

Why would you want to be in game?

[SteveMoe]

JLOGIC, on 2012-August-23, 09:06, said:

Why would you want to be in game?

With
A K Q x
K x
Q 9 8 x x
x x
I don't - it seems to be a K light.
However peeling back one more layer, IFF partner is short in ♣ and more than a min, then I am interested. The question seems to me to be whether we can locate the answer w/o by-passing 3♥. 3♥ might already be too high opposite some garbage mins, but we are NV...Just a thought.

[JLOGIC]

I'm saying knowing both hands, I would not like to be in game. Usually you will get a club lead and they will shrug and play a diamond and get a ruff. Maybe sometimes they have to guess whether to cash a club or give a diamond ruff if RHO has Hxx of diamonds and wins the club, plays diamond diamond to him and he can't read the clubs and diamonds and must guess.

I guess RHO will have AK doubleton or stiff honor more often than usual after opening a club, and maybe I am underestimating that, but still seems like a pretty bad game. The winnign defense will usually not be difficult, even if RHO had Kx of diamonds he would shift to it rather than try to cash another club since he will need his partner to have the DA to beat it usually looking at that dummy.

[rwbarton]

SteveMoe, on 2012-August-23, 16:04, said:

However peeling back one more layer, IFF partner is short in ♣ and more than a min, then I am interested. The question seems to me to be whether we can locate the answer w/o by-passing 3♥. 3♥ might already be too high opposite some garbage mins, but we are NV...Just a thought.

If you want to cater your methods to it, yes. You can even do it without giving up the natural 2♠ bid. For example 2NT showing game interest opposite a max with the right shortness, then 3♥ = max & short ♣, 3♦ = max & short ♦, 3♣ = min OR max & no shortness OR max & short ♠, over which 3♥ signs off, 3♦ = bid 3♥ unless you are max & short ♠.

[gszes]

most bids in bridge are designed to be successful overall. Anytime we have to waste some of our
precious bidding space for a preempt something is going to go missing. Hopefully it hurts the opps
more than it hurts our side. This hand is a very reasonable weak 2 and it is only a lucky lay out
that allows your side to make 4. Note that if your short suit had been spades instead of clubs 4h
would have 2c and 2 dia losers off the top and only a friendly lead could save you from going down.
Your p was resulting and that is a shame. Keep up the good work

[FrancesHinden]

I'd have overcalled 3H.