[trevahound]

This is my first time trying to post a hand and a poll; apologies if I have the wrong forum or poor technique.

Club game, matchpoints, strong field for a club game, all experts at the table. You are 2nd chair, all vuln.

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Your call. How close is it?

Thanks in advance. Also, better posting technique is welcome as well.

Brian Zaugg

[TylerE]

Pass, and not especially. If partner was REALLY looking for slam opposite such (admittedly fitting) garbage of this he wouldn't have bid an immediate 4♠.

If you were going to show support the time to do so was over 5♦.

[kuhchung]

not pass

[karlson]

I would have bid over 1♦, I would have bid over 5♦, and I will bid now.

[cherdano]

Good problem. I would bid 5♥, but it's close between that or 5♠.

[nige1]

 trevahound, on 2015-February-04, 18:05, said:

This is my first time trying to post a hand and a poll;
apologies if I have the wrong forum or poor technique.
Club game, matchpoints, strong field for a club game, all experts at the table.
You are 2nd chair, all vuln. Your call.
How close is it?

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IMO 5♠ = 10. Pass = 9. 5♥ = 8. A close decision because it is usually easier to make 3 tricks than 11

[Phil]

Definitely bid. I think you need to find a call over 1♦.

[wank]

passing is woeful. 5h should be a choice of major considering you didn't bid originally so i'd go for that.

i would have bid originally though.

[benlessard]

5H look totally normal. It will show a spade tolerance because of the failure to overcall over 1D.

[trevahound]

 trevahound, on 2015-February-04, 18:05, said:

This is my first time trying to post a hand and a poll; apologies if I have the wrong forum or poor technique.

Club game, matchpoints, strong field for a club game, all experts at the table. You are 2nd chair, all vuln.

---

Your call. How close is it?

Thanks in advance. Also, better posting technique is welcome as well.

Brian Zaugg

Thanks for the replies, all. I was the opener, South's double was preceded by a very long bit and some apparent agony, and then LHO (North) who is a friend and mentor (and a platinum life master) bid 5♥. We were not harmed or damaged in any way, but I wanted to know if passing was an logical alternative with his hand, as not passing was absolutely clearly suggested by the table UI. I would have passed, but these situations are hard at the table, and passing might not be logical at all.

Thanks again -

Brian Zaugg

[mikeh]

 trevahound, on 2015-February-05, 16:31, said:

Thanks for the replies, all. I was the opener, South's double was preceded by a very long bit and some apparent agony, and then LHO (North) who is a friend and mentor (and a platinum life master) bid 5♥. We were not harmed or damaged in any way, but I wanted to know if passing was an logical alternative with his hand, as not passing was absolutely clearly suggested by the table UI. I would have passed, but these situations are hard at the table, and passing might not be logical at all.

Thanks again -

Brian Zaugg

I'm late to the thread, but I don't think that pass is a logical alternative.

I don't agree with those who would have bid over 1♦. A vulnerable pre-empt should deliver a slightly better suit than Kxxxxxx and out. A 2♥ call is possible and, if I were forced to bid, would have been my choice, but pass is certainly a reasonable option.

It is useful to bear in mind that in these auctions, 4♠ followed by double, slow or fast or in tempo, all say the same thing: he bid 4♠ on power, not as a pre-empt.

Look at N's hand in that context: partner voluntarily bid 4♠ to make, and we have this hand. We may not be able to make anything at the 5-level, and I infer from your comment about not being damaged, that bidding didn't work out. Still, bidding has to be the percentage action. And if we are bidding, 5♥ seems unavoidable, altho I imagine partner will be agonizing again after we introduce at the 5-level a suit we couldn't bid at the 1-level If he has a stiff heart, he should pull.

I think passing here after an in-tempo reopening double is flat out weird.

[TylerE]

I don't think X here is reopening. 4♠ announces a single suiter. With a flexible hand and power, partner should haved Xed than bid 4♠. 4♠ then X is just a powerful single suiter.

Something like ♠AKJxxx ♥Ax ♦KJx ♣Kx maybe?

[mikeh]

 TylerE, on 2015-February-06, 16:01, said:

I don't think X here is reopening. 4♠ announces a single suiter. With a flexible hand and power, partner should haved Xed than bid 4♠. 4♠ then X is just a powerful single suiter.

Something like ♠AKJxxx ♥Ax ♦KJx ♣Kx maybe?

I would bet very long odds that he doesn't hold KJx in diamonds. Do you really think that opener would bid 5♦ on a weak 4 card suit?

AKQxxx Ax xx KQx is more like it, altho the slow double suggests longer spades...maybe AKJxxxx Ax x KQx

On reflection, bidding 5♥ may not be wise....many of the layouts that I see as consistent with the auction play at least as well, and sometimes better, in spades as in hearts.

[benlessard]

 mikeh, on 2015-February-06, 16:22, said:

I would bet very long odds that he doesn't hold KJx in diamonds. Do you really think that opener would bid 5♦ on a weak 4 card suit?

AKQxxx Ax xx KQx is more like it, altho the slow double suggests longer spades...maybe AKJxxxx Ax x KQx

On reflection, bidding 5♥ may not be wise....many of the layouts that I see as consistent with the auction play at least as well, and sometimes better, in spades as in hearts.

For me a passed hand bid a new suit at the 5 level got to show a spades tolerance 100% of the times, overcaller will often pick 5M depending on the ace of trumps, he want to avoid a t2 ruff.

[jpeak948]

Im a real user of overbiding intervention. A lot of people dont understand. To bid after 1 D opening it takes generally between 8-16 PH OR 10-17 PHD. Obviously, to protect your sort you must bid. The purpose of that is to avoid ***** 3 nt bid. But in this situation South has no ENTRY in his hand so not necessary to bid. I find thats a perfect sacrifice hand. All depend of your p reaction. 4 S? Its not a sacrifice bid first. I think North has approximatly 12-14 pts but good distribution. One thing is sure opps will make their contract. So South must bid. Down 2 maximum 500 pts VS 600 + Why not 5 S? I dont like 5 H because dummy would be North. If North bid spade, he has minimum 7 spade.

[jpeak948]

8-16 PH OR 10-17 PHD intervention