[Antrax]

Matchpoints, unfavourable.

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In this seat and vulnerability, you can assume no diamond losers (given your hand). Partner will not have a four-card major so there is no point in looking for a major-suit game.
What do you bid?

[SteveMoe]

2N Asking - Ogust, feature, whatever our agreement...

[Hanoi5]

3NT.

[Cyberyeti]

Ogust doesn't help here, I'd bid 3N if I played that, but if I play a feature ask, I'll use it. If partner shows a club shortage or major suit card (depending on what you show) I don't want to be in NT.

AJx, xxx, KJxxxx, x is going to play much better in 5♦ (or 4♠ but you struggle to get there) than 3N.

[Antrax]

I bid 3NT and went two down on the run of the clubs. In retrospect, I think bidding 3NT is a mistake. You have six diamond tricks and the ♥A. Anything beyond that is a gamble.
If clubs are running, the defense will have two chances to find that out, because you will have to give up the lead at least once. The only way to make nine tricks safely is betting that partner has an ace, or that partner has a club stopper and the ♥ finesse is right.
If I could do it again, I would bid 3♦ and look for an opportunity to penalize.

[Cyberyeti]

Antrax, on 2013-February-20, 07:55, said:

I bid 3NT and went two down on the run of the clubs. In retrospect, I think bidding 3NT is a mistake. You have six diamond tricks and the ♥A. Anything beyond that is a gamble.
If clubs are running, the defense will have two chances to find that out, because you will have to give up the lead at least once. The only way to make nine tricks safely is betting that partner has an ace, or that partner has a club stopper and the ♥ finesse is right.
If I could do it again, I would bid 3♦ and look for an opportunity to penalize.

TBF, you'll fairly often get a major suit lead which increases your prospects eg dummy has ♠x, ♣Kxx and on a spade lead won by the A you're now cold.

[wank]

partner must have an outside card for a 2nd in hand red pre-empt so you'll make 3nt unless the clubs are open. depending what 2nt is you could look for features and play 5d if it's spades. the trouble of doing that of course is that you offer them the option of Xing partner's potential 3C bid and if partner bids hearts you put them off that lead.

bidding 3d is crazy. you know your side's got around 25 points. why would you expect the opps to bid at the 3 level?

[TylerE]

Cyberyeti, on 2013-February-20, 10:26, said:

TBF, you'll fairly often get a major suit lead which increases your prospects eg dummy has ♠x, ♣Kxx and on a spade lead won by the A you're now cold.

I've started leading the other minor nearly 100% of the time on this auction (and also similar auctions like 1m-3N), and it usually works out ok.

[Antrax]

We don't have a feature ask, otherwise 2NT is obvious IMO.

Why would they tend to lead a major on this auction? I thought so when bidding 3NT, but on later inspection, they know opener could very well have a four-card major, so shouldn't they just lead their longest suit and hope?

[Cyberyeti]

Antrax, on 2013-February-20, 23:28, said:

We don't have a feature ask, otherwise 2NT is obvious IMO.

Why would they tend to lead a major on this auction? I thought so when bidding 3NT, but on later inspection, they know opener could very well have a four-card major, so shouldn't they just lead their longest suit and hope?

Most people when they open 2♦ won't have a 4 card major but could have 4 or even 5 clubs.

[Antrax]

Of course, but opener, knowing that, chose to bid NT.

[Cyberyeti]

Antrax, on 2013-February-21, 04:07, said:

Of course, but opener, knowing that, chose to bid NT.

OPENER bid 2♦, declarer bid 3N.

There is no reason for declarer to be 4432 rather than 4333 or 4234 with one heart stop if he thinks the diamonds will run and he has a good chance of 9 tricks. Yes you lead your longest suit, but what do you do with equal length, most people lead the major.

[Codo]

And if I bid 100 times 3 NT with this hand and they allways lead a club, I would bid 3 NT again if I have the opportunity.
My dog is too old to learn new tricks.

[Antrax]

I'm not sure bidding 3NT when you can count 7.5 tricks is +EV in matchpoints. Is it?

[Codo]

My partner is vul. against not, he is in second position to speak. He simply does not hold just KJxxxx in diamonds and out. That would be EV- in mps.

But please go on and bid 3 ♦ with your powerhouse, I am happy with my 3 NT.

Had partner opened white in first hand 2 Diamonds, you may have a case, but surely not at this vul and position.