[mike777]

Swiss teams both vul.

Axx...Qxxxx..x..xxxx

1S-(4D)-?

[DavidKok]

Pass. I think 4♠ is quite likely a good contract, but I'm afraid partner will play me for more if I bid it.

[mw64ahw]

Partner has extras so 4♠.
If I'm wrong then the opponents are making and we're down 1

[shyams]

Pass. If I bid now, there's a chance partner will get excited about a slam.

Hope partner reopens; if it happens, I have an easy 4♠ bid.

[harikannan]

Pass. If partner can't reopen, we probably don't have a game.

[jillybean]

---

[mw64ahw]

jillybean, on 2025-May-05, 09:49, said:

---

That's not the same hand as the OP

[mikeh]

mw64ahw, on 2025-May-05, 01:33, said:

Partner has extras so 4♠.
If I'm wrong then the opponents are making and we're down 1

I’m interested in learning your methods. Does partner hold his cards in a certain way when holding extras? Maybe having his cards in his left hand shows extras and in his right shows a minimum? I’m always looking for ways to know what partner has, other than the traditional approach of listening to the bidding, since if one just relies upon the ethically available information, maybe fourth seat, yet to bid, holds a strong notrump, lol.


Just kidding about wanting to find ways….but intrigued nonetheless by your apparent confidence that you know what partner has.

[mw64ahw]

mikeh, on 2025-May-05, 11:08, said:

I'm interested in learning your methods. Does partner hold his cards in a certain way when holding extras? Maybe having his cards in his left hand shows extras and in his right shows a minimum? I'm always looking for ways to know what partner has, other than the traditional approach of listening to the bidding, since if one just relies upon the ethically available information, maybe fourth seat, yet to bid, holds a strong notrump, lol.


Just kidding about wanting to find ways….but intrigued nonetheless by your apparent confidence that you know what partner has.

I have 6, overcaller about 8, with 8 playing tricks at EV, and opener a minimum of ~12 leaving 14 unaccounted for. So probability wise opener has extras. 4♠ on balance should make given the joint modified loser count suggests 3 opposite a minimum. If I go 1 down undoubled then I score better than opponents making 4♦ or better. If I Pass we may be out of the game. If I have a stronger hand there are other bids available.

[P_Marlowe]

Hi,

This is a similar problem, as the the problem posted in the thread.

https://www.bridgeba...0770-seriously/

This time only we happen to have responder.
Assuming the diamond shortage, a useful shortness, you could make the 4S call.
If you do, be prepared to go overboard.
Basically they got you, and you need to decide, if you bid 4S or not.

If we switch diamonds with hearts, ..., 4S gets more attractive, you may also
defend against a making game.

With the club shortage and diamond length you should pass.

[mike777]

Coming back to bridge. First sectional tournament in decades. 4 days of exhaustion playing with partnership desk pleasant partners who all play stripped down 2/1. No splinters, no lebensohl etc.
Third day you come out and your parked car has been hit, but drivable, note left. Spent this morning at dealership where they tell you it will take about 2 weeks to fix.

This was from Sunday play with a guy you played a couple of times with. Stripped down 2/1. At least he has pulled me aside to tell me I make the worst, unexplained opening leads which is giving me a headache, smile. I am trying to remember hopefully correctly Bird/Anthias books but perhaps imperfectly but I keep quiet.

Somehow, shockingly, you have won first four out of six playing entire field.
I chalk it up to a very lucky draw so far.
All of the decisions and play seemed pretty clear by forum problems.

Match 5 are clearly serious local players.
With decades of playing experience. Possible platinum level. My teammates hate the idea of playing them. I tell them them think how much we can learn and improve.

Turns out this hand decides the match.
I am the one spade bidder if it matters.

If it helps in match six you will lose by roughly 5 thousand imps but it feels like more. Smile.

[P_Marlowe]

mike777, on 2025-May-05, 14:22, said:

<snip>

I am the one spade bidder if it matters.

<snip>

You like to open light, ..., this makes bidding 4S less attractive, the chances that it makes go down,
and red minus tricks are costly.

But then you dont know your p, maybe this kept you in check.

[akwoo]

mike777, on 2025-May-05, 14:22, said:

This was from Sunday play with a guy you played a couple of times with. Stripped down 2/1. At least he has pulled me aside to tell me I make the worst, unexplained opening leads which is giving me a headache, smile. I am trying to remember hopefully correctly Bird/Anthias books but perhaps imperfectly but I keep quiet.

Bird/Athinas leads prioritize not giving away a trick double dummy, at the expense of keeping your partner (especially one who can't make inferences from the bidding and dummy themselves) in the dark.

Traditional leads are more likely to give away a trick, but they also help your partner a lot more.

If you've got a partner who has never played with Bird/Athinas leads, you might not want to use them, particularly at IMPs.

[johnu]

P_Marlowe, on 2025-May-05, 12:09, said:

With the club shortage and diamond length you should pass.

jillybean misquoted responders hand in the hand diagram from the OP post which was Axx...Qxxxx..x..xxxx.

The hand should be something like

---

[jillybean]

Sorry, I had the minors reversed.

---

My follow up question was, what if it comes back to you?

[P_Marlowe]

jillybean, on 2025-May-05, 17:56, said:

Sorry, I had the minors reversed.

---

My follow up question was, what if it comes back to you?

4S

[P_Marlowe]

johnu, on 2025-May-05, 16:54, said:

jillybean misquoted responders hand in the hand diagram from the OP post which was Axx...Qxxxx..x..xxxx.

The hand should be something like

---

I know, I said, with the original a direct hand 4S is an option, with the misquoted hand Pass is obv.

[harikannan]

I guess partner has a singleton diamond or 4 hearts. With 5323, without a maximum opener, i will not reopen. So, i bid 4H.

[gszes]

mike777, on 2025-May-04, 23:03, said:

Swiss teams both vul.

Axx...Qxxxx..x..xxxx

1S-(4D)-?

If x = negative double that is my (mildly risky) choice. The vul game bonus beckons and I would like to play in the best possible contract. 4h and 5c (if p bids either) might easily offer better play than 4s. The neg x also makes it more difficult for p to go slamming with no known trump fit so they will most likely be limited to bidding 4h 4s or 5c which we can happily pass.

IF our hand was Axxx Qxxxx x xxx I feel 4s would be the number 1 choice. If so, that is sort of what our hand looks like in 4h or 5c.

This is not a strong hand but it is quite a bit better than Axx Qxxx xx xxxx and not taking some action seems to carry a greater risk of missing a vul game. Playing in the best contract might also avoid a penalty x.

It is important to note that the neg x is effective here because we can pass all of partners normal actions (4h 4s 5c). This is because we would start with negative x and belatedly support spades to show a hand that is stronger than a direct 4s bid. So like using stayman, when we intend to pass 2d 2h or 2s, this bid can be made with less power than normal.

[mw64ahw]

gszes, on 2025-May-06, 05:38, said:

If x = negative double that is my (mildly risky) choice. The vul game bonus beckons and I would like to play in the best possible contract. 4h and 5c (if p bids either) might easily offer better play than 4s. The neg x also makes it more difficult for p to go slamming with no known trump fit so they will most likely be limited to bidding 4h 4s or 5c which we can happily pass.

IF our hand was Axxx Qxxxx x xxx I feel 4s would be the number 1 choice. If so, that is sort of what our hand looks like in 4h or 5c.

This is not a strong hand but it is quite a bit better than Axx Qxxx xx xxxx and not taking some action seems to carry a greater risk of missing a vul game. Playing in the best contract might also avoid a penalty x.

It is important to note that the neg x is effective here because we can pass all of partners normal actions (4h 4s 5c). This is because we would start with negative x and belatedly support spades to show a hand that is stronger than a direct 4s bid. So like using stayman, when we intend to pass 2d 2h or 2s, this bid can be made with less power than normal.

Makes sense. I would hope that with a minimum hand/shape (5xx4) opener wouldn't take the 5♣ option.