Post by P***@yahoo.comMasterpoints Pair Game, Vulnerable vs Not
S: A72
H: K
D: AT82
C: AKQ73
S: J83
H: QT82
D: J743
C: 52
We play DONT over strong NT openings...2C shows clubs and a higher
ranking suit. Opponents play systems on over X or 2C and they play
Jacoby Transfers.
Ugh. Don't play DONT. But it is good for finding 4-2 breaks, not 3-3
ones. DONT overcalls are usually only 5-4 or 4-5 in the suits (sometimes
4-4) since 5-5 isn't common and the point of the method is to overcall
often so you must not wait for 5-5. Often partner has 2 in the lower
suit and may as well try to improve the contract. But that often runs
out of a 5-2 fit to a 4-2 fit. If partner always passes with 2 in the
overcall suit and 2 in a higher suit, then you find the 4-2 break even
more easily when the overcall suit was 4 cards.
Post by P***@yahoo.com(1N) 2C (2D) P
(2H) X (P) 2S
P P P
I sure wasn't happy about that one.
Don't misplay DONT. The hand is too strong to pass at this vulnerabilty.
2C is silly because it will probably end the auction and you will usually
make 2C with an overtrick or 2 and do even worse than for 1NT down 3 when
you have a cold game. You may as well double, showing a 1-suiter. (See
the Woolsey defense for ways to get extended meanings out of a double.)
Partner will sometimes pass this. Here he should bid 2C pass/correct
and you have to guess what to do. 2NT natural seems best. Partner will
probably pass and you might even make. When it makes, it often scores
better than 2C. 2C is also far from cold, and often losers 2S 1H 2D
and 0-2C depending on the club break.
After 2C, partner should try to improve the contract by taking it out,
but the friendly opponents took it out first. Apparently they are
playing stolen bids, with 2D a transfer. That is even worse than DONT.
The X is then reasonable as takeout. It must show a lot of playing
strength and probably HCP since with just 5-5 or more shape you should
bid a suit. Partner might gamble a pass of it. Then over 2S, don't
pass since you don't have spades. Try 2NT and end up in 3D which is
probably your best contract after 2HX and may even be better than 2HX
(it it is +110 instead of +100).
Post by P***@yahoo.comMe: If my higher ranking suit were spades, I would have bid it. The
double of 2H shows strength and support for spades, but implies that my
two suits are clubs and diamonds.
No, you shouldn't bid 2S with only 4 cards. The double shows that much
better. Double also shows the shape better. 5431 shapes are ideal for
takeout doubles. With 6421, and 4 spades and extras, still double so
as to play in the 6 card suit and not in 4-3 spade fits of 4-2 spade
breaks. Partner has to know whether 2S shows 4 cards instead of 5+
so that he knows when to pass it.
Post by P***@yahoo.comMy Partner: I don't know why you couldn't double with four spades and
three diamonds.
Correct. The X shows 4 spades only, or a very strong or very flexible
hand that doesn't want to be passed out in whatever it bids.
Post by P***@yahoo.comOver my 2S bid, you should have bid 3D showing that you
only had three spades, and also showing your 20 HCPs. Then, I might
have bid 3N.
Wrong. 3 diamonds shows a good diamond suit, not ATxx. I think it must
show diamonds much better than clubs, else you would have bid 2NT to
play or scramble to a minor, but only 5431 shape else you wouldn't have
doubled 2H. 20 schmoints is far from enough to try to play 3D with
ATxx opposite no support.
Partner's pass of (2D) showed a lot. It showed no interest in bidding.
Not much is needed to bid. 4-4 in the majors and not to short in diamonds
and a few HCP is enough if X would be takeout. Partner either has a major
to take out too, or a diamond suit to pass with. If (2D) showed hearts,
then just 4 spades may be enough for the takeout X. This affects the
further bidding -- you shouldn't try hard to find a spade fit when you
have only 4 cards, since partner either has less than 4 spades or low HCP.
Bruce