[badderzboy]

Scoring: IMP

Both pairs play acol
E- S- W - N
1♥-p- 1nt-p
2♦-2♠-3♥-3♠
4♥-X - p- p

---

1NT shows < 4spades
2♦ shows weak hand at least 5-4

I was South do u agree with initial pass and subsequent 2♠
(1NT would be 15-17 for us here).


followed closely by...

Scoring: IMP

Both pairs play acol
E- S- W - N
1♥-p- 1nt-p
2♦-2♠-3♥-3♠
4♥-X - p- p

---

Feel free to comment on bidding but we play ACOL

Fortunately we are all good friends and had a poilte laugh about them but when the gods are against you...

Steve

[Free]

First hand, playing acol, aren't you supposed to bid 2♥ with the West hand? I always liked the style of supporting on 3 cards in acol, since it has some preemptive effect. About the rest of the bidding, I can agree until the 3♠ bid. 4♥ is pushing it without good reason: opps have ♠s, you have ♥s, it's survival of the strongest, in this case ♠s. You only have an 8 card fit, opps have 9-10♠s, LOTT tells us to pass for sure.
South's initial pass was ok, you have too much ♥s for a Dbl. The only alternative is 1♠ imo, which I would bid.

2nd hand, I just don't understand why West jumps to 4♠ You're in a misfit auction, p has length (and probably some strength as well) in ♣s, and you might be blocked in certain suits. A simple 2♠ should be more than enough imo.
Obviously you were quite unlucky that the suit was split 7-6-0-0, but still, 4♠ is a very poor bid imo.

[han]

What's the problem on hand 1? The opponents have messed up, and you are collecting a nice number, while there is no game your way.

[badderzboy]

To clarify I was south and so the only bid I made was 2!S and X on hand 1

On hand 1 none of our group would normally bid 2♥ with 3 as it may be a 4 card suit and we can support after partners rebid if necessary.

The 2-level bid promises 10+ pts and 7/8 losers so I guess West raised to game on his 7 card suit and 6 loser hand. I personally might have bid 3 rather than 4

Steve

[Free]

Always useful to count losers when you don't have a fit yet...

[badderzboy]

I agree Free I'm just guessing but with a 7 card suit do u really expect partner to show a fit and it has a suit quality of 10 (3 Honours + 7 cards) already.

[Free]

badderzboy, on Jun 13 2005, 02:57 PM, said:

I agree Free I'm just guessing but with a 7 card suit do u really expect partner to show a fit and it has a suit quality of 10 (3 Honours + 7 cards) already.

Well actually, today I've been kibitzing a little, and I encountered twice a similar situation!! One player had a nice 7 card ♠ (is this coinsidence?) and his partner was once void, once stiff (with trumps 4-1)...

[Double !]

re: first hand

I very infrequently overcall in a 4-card suit (although the frequency has increased slightly). However, if there was ever a time, this looks like the time to do it. A 1S overcall might be the last chance you have to get into the bidding safely. What you lack in spade length, you compensate for by your heart cards. Are you really balancing after 1H-P-1NT-P-P-?

[the hog]

First hand:
I would have overcalled 1S. This is not everyone's cup of tea, but you have to get in early. West has a 2H bid, regardless of whether there is a S overcall or not. 3H from West is a gross overbid and shows why he should have raised Hearts in the first instance. 4H is bad.
South is also not exempt; coming in with 2S here is very risky and that is why I prefer an immediate 1S. North is the best bidder at the table.


Re hand 2:
4S with this 6 loser hand and a void in partner's suit? This is a bit rich. I would bid 2S. In modern Acol a jump after a 2/1 is game forcing and I really don't fancy the void here, hence 2S only and not 3S. As a matter of fact there is also a lot to be said for a simple 1NT after 1S; again I would devalue responder's hand because of the S void.

[mr1303]

Quote

On hand 1 none of our group would normally bid 2♥ with 3 as it may be a 4 card suit and we can support after partners rebid if necessary.

Another reason why I REALLY don't like Acol.

Suppose partner has this hand:


x
AQJxx
Axxx
Kxx

This hand will open 1H, hear a 1NT response. Now it doesn't have enough to jump shift by quite some way, so rebids 2D. When he gets a preference of 2H, how is he supposed to know that partner has a useful 8 count with 3 card support for his first suit, rather than some horrible 5/6 count with only a small doubleton in support

[Gerben42]

Would also overcall 1♠. Only 4 cards but have a look on this subject in Lawrence's Complete Book on Overcalls. You have an excellent suit and well place side honors.

As long as it is the opponents who play Acol I will support the system

Anyway, I think it was good to bounce in with the ♠ and you got rewarde with a juicy penalty.

2nd hand: Why the rush to 4♠? A simple 2♠ will do as this shows 6 cards and a minimum hands. So you have 7 cards and a minimum hand, so what... Your void is in partner's suit! East won't know how quick to pass that

The East hand for me is not a 2♣ bid but I heard that in Acol you are supposed to bid a 2/1 on junk so I guess it was the right bid.