Three Hands -- Game or Not?

[P***@yahoo.com]

Three hands for you. Decide if you want to game force on the following hands with the following auctions, at matchpoints. You play standard 2/1 systems.

Hand #1:

S: AKT4
H: KT95
D: T952
C: 6

The auction goes:

1C (P) 1H (P)
2H

where you and your partner have an agreement that the raise to 2H will not be made with less than four hearts in this sequence. Equal vulnerability.

----------

Hand #2:

S: 852
H: Q732
D: AKT94
C: T

Your partner opens 1S in first position, equal vulnerability:

1S (P) ?

If you elect to bid something below 2S, partner bids 2H next (opponents are silent). What then do you bid?

----------

Hand #3:

S: QT85
H: AKT
D: 94
C: QJT5

Your partner overcalls a weak two bid in balancing seat, favorable vulnerability.

(2H) P (P) 2S
( P) ?

[Douglas Newlands]

Post by P***@yahoo.com
Three hands for you. Decide if you want to game force on the following hands with the following auctions, at matchpoints. You play standard 2/1 systems.

The question is not what your bidding system is but how light you open.
I'll assume you are conservative openers, like most 2/1 players seem to
be, to make it easy.

Post by P***@yahoo.com
S: AKT4
H: KT95
D: T952
C: 6
1C (P) 1H (P)
2H
where you and your partner have an agreement that the raise to 2H will not be made with less than four hearts in this sequence. Equal vulnerability.

Goren sees 13 points and bids game.
Three top diamond losers is a worst case scenario.
You might guess better after a 2S trial bid but maybe not and
that will guarantee the diamond lead.

Post by P***@yahoo.com
----------
S: 852
H: Q732
D: AKT94
C: T
1S (P) ?
If you elect to bid something below 2S, partner bids 2H next (opponents are silent). What then do you bid?

Goren sees 12 points. However, partner is unlimited so a 2D response
seems right in case partner's going past game.
4H seems right next since the hands seem to fit well.
4C would be very descriptive but there's not slam invitational values here.

Post by P***@yahoo.com
----------
S: QT85
H: AKT
D: 94
C: QJT5
Your partner overcalls a weak two bid in balancing seat, favorable vulnerability.
(2H) P (P) 2S
( P) ?

Goren sees 13 points but partner has bid some of those values already
so, borrowing from the future, Goren might make a cue raise of 3H.


doug

[P***@yahoo.com]

Post by Douglas Newlands

Post by P***@yahoo.com
S: AKT4
H: KT95
D: T952
C: 6
1C (P) 1H (P)
2H
where you and your partner have an agreement that the raise to 2H will not be made with less than four hearts in this sequence. Equal vulnerability.

Goren sees 13 points and bids game.
Three top diamond losers is a worst case scenario.
You might guess better after a 2S trial bid but maybe not and
that will guarantee the diamond lead.

Post by P***@yahoo.com
----------
S: 852
H: Q732
D: AKT94
C: T
1S (P) ?
If you elect to bid something below 2S, partner bids 2H next (opponents are silent). What then do you bid?

Goren sees 12 points. However, partner is unlimited so a 2D response
seems right in case partner's going past game.
4H seems right next since the hands seem to fit well.
4C would be very descriptive but there's not slam invitational values here.

Post by P***@yahoo.com
----------
S: QT85
H: AKT
D: 94
C: QJT5
Your partner overcalls a weak two bid in balancing seat, favorable vulnerability.
(2H) P (P) 2S
( P) ?

Goren sees 13 points but partner has bid some of those values already
so, borrowing from the future, Goren might make a cue raise of 3H.
doug

I am with you on all three of these, all of which happened last night and contributed to a night of bad results. Here's what happened:

Hand #1:

Partner's hand is:
S: Q85
H: A763
D: A4
C: KT97

The Common Game analysis by the expert said:

" Ed Antosz Hand Analysis
West North East South
Pass 1♣ Pass
1 ♥ Pass 2 ♥ All pass
This evening we begin with a reasonable little contract. East supports her partner when she shows a minimum opening hand. There is no reason for West to go any further. North will likely start a diamond, Declarer may win in dummy and play a second round intending to ruff a diamond or two in dummy.
Declarer may now draw one or two rounds of trump before she cashes her top spades and ruffs her two losing diamonds in dummy. This line should win two overtricks as the defense will only win one heart, one diamond and one club."

At the table, I bid 4H making. I was a bit appalled at the expert analysis stopping in 2H.

Hand #2:

This one was a disaster.

Partner's hand:

S: KQ974
H: T865
D: —
C: AKJ2

The bidding was 1S-2D-2H-4H. These two hands can't make any game. Because of my 2/1 bid, partner was overly enthusiastic even though my 4H bid showed no slam interest...if nothing else, his void in my bid diamond suit should have slowed him down. We played in 5H, down 2. He criticized my 2D bid, though he agreed that in response to a one spade bid (and based on the NLTC), my hand is a minimum spade game.

Over on the Bridge Winners site, this hand rates a 1N forcing bid, rather than 2D bid according to the majority. But at least three people (Douglas, Ronald, and me) thought 2D was the bid. Perhaps 2/1 bids shouldn't be made with less than 10 HCPs? Is there a lesson for me here?

Board #3:

Partner had:

S: AK974
H: 86
D: J8652
C: 4

and bid 3S over my 3H cue-bid. We missed the spade game.

[Player]

This shows that some experts are eggspurts. I have never heard of this guy.

[Charles Brenner]

Post by P***@yahoo.com

Post by Douglas Newlands

Post by P***@yahoo.com
S: AKT4
H: KT95
D: T952
C: 6
1C (P) 1H (P)
2H
where you and your partner have an agreement that the raise to 2H will not be made with less than four hearts in this sequence. Equal vulnerability.

With those intermediates 4H is irresistable.

Post by P***@yahoo.com

Post by Douglas Newlands

Post by P***@yahoo.com
S: 852
H: Q732
D: AKT94
C: T
1S (P) ?
If you elect to bid something below 2S, partner bids 2H next (opponents are silent). What then do you bid?

Goren sees 12 points. However, partner is unlimited so a 2D response
seems right in case partner's going past game.
4H seems right next since the hands seem to fit well.
4C would be very descriptive but there's not slam invitational values here.

Post by P***@yahoo.com
----------
S: QT85
H: AKT
D: 94
C: QJT5
Your partner overcalls a weak two bid in balancing seat, favorable vulnerability.
(2H) P (P) 2S
( P) ?

Goren sees 13 points but partner has bid some of those values already
so, borrowing from the future, Goren might make a cue raise of 3H.
doug

S: Q85
H: A763
D: A4
C: KT97
At the table, I bid 4H making. I was a bit appalled at the expert analysis stopping in 2H.
This one was a disaster.
S: KQ974
H: T865
D: —
C: AKJ2
The bidding was 1S-2D-2H-4H. These two hands can't make any game. Because of my 2/1 bid, partner was overly enthusiastic

4H was overly enthusiastic first. You could see the prospect of multiple losers in each major suit; little chance to discard the spade suit if playing in hearts. Even if you initially reckoned the hand worth 4S, the 2H bid made it worse.

Post by P***@yahoo.com
... Perhaps 2/1 bids shouldn't be made with less than 10 HCPs?

That's what they say.

Post by P***@yahoo.com
S: AK974
H: 86
D: J8652
C: 4
and bid 3S over my 3H cue-bid. We missed the spade game.

and the NT game, a very tempting possibility.

[Ronald]

Partner's hand is: S: Q85 H: A763 D: A4 C: KT97
This evening we begin with a reasonable little contract. East supports
her partner when she shows a minimum opening hand. There is no reason for
West to go any further.
At the table, I bid 4H making. I was a bit appalled at the expert analysis stopping in 2H.

Very strange indeed. IMO this is a clear invite. I would bid 2S asking for
shortness and bid 4H unless pard shows D shortness. But an LST in S or a
reraise should also get you to 4H.

Partner's hand: S: KQ974 H: T865 D: — C: AKJ2
The bidding was 1S-2D-2H-4H. These two hands can't make any game.
Because of my 2/1 bid, partner was overly enthusiastic even though my 4H
bid showed no slam interest...if nothing else, his void in my bid diamond
suit should have slowed him down. We played in 5H, down 2. He
criticized my 2D bid, though he agreed that in response to a one spade
bid (and based on the NLTC), my hand is a minimum spade game.
Over on the Bridge Winners site, this hand rates a 1N forcing bid, rather
than 2D bid according to the majority. But at least three people
(Douglas, Ronald, and me) thought 2D was the bid. Perhaps 2/1 bids
shouldn't be made with less than 10 HCPs? Is there a lesson for me here?

I don't change my mind, although I would go via 1N with my regular partner
because we open light. I guess that is also why Ron the Greatest voted 1N.
No reason for your partner to get exited with a 14 point hand.

Partner had: S: AK974 H: 86 D: J8652 C: 4
and bid 3S over my 3H cue-bid. We missed the spade game.

No one to blame IMO.

[p***@infi.net]

Post by P***@yahoo.com
Three hands for you. Decide if you want to game force on the following hands with the following auctions, at matchpoints. You play standard 2/1 systems.
S: AKT4
H: KT95
D: T952
C: 6
1C (P) 1H (P)
2H
where you and your partner have an agreement that the raise to 2H will not be made with less than four hearts in this sequence. Equal vulnerability.
----------
S: 852
H: Q732
D: AKT94
C: T
1S (P) ?
If you elect to bid something below 2S, partner bids 2H next (opponents are silent). What then do you bid?
----------
S: QT85
H: AKT
D: 94
C: QJT5
Your partner overcalls a weak two bid in balancing seat, favorable vulnerability.
(2H) P (P) 2S
( P) ?

(1) 4H, given the promise of four card support. I don't like the shape or the singleton in partner's suit much, but the good spots make up for it.

(2) 1S-1NT; 2H-3H. Visualizing Axxxx AKxx xx xx, game chances are good but not laydown (needs good splits somewhere), arguing against even an invitation. But the hand qualifies for an invitation under almost any method and partner's range is quite wide; we could have twelve tricks opposite AKQxx Axxx xx xx, for example.

(3) Cut partner some slack, 2S might be only 9 hcp or so and it isn't clear how valuable the AK in hearts are. But again I think I'd better at least invite.

[t***@att.net]

#1: Under the conditions that 2H shows 4, then 4H.

#2: Same here.

#3: How strong is a balancing 2S? I'd raise with 3H; All points are working but I don't know if there are enough of them. I do keep the opponents from grabbing the first trick most likely.

[Ronald]

Post by P***@yahoo.com
Three hands for you. Decide if you want to game force on the following
hands with the following auctions, at matchpoints. You play standard 2/1 systems.
S: AKT4 H: KT95 D: T952 C: 6
1C (P) 1H (P); 2H
where you and your partner have an agreement that the raise to 2H will
not be made with less than four hearts in this sequence. Equal vulnerability.

You have has the value of 11+. Invite. Your stiff club is neither negative
nor positive, opener is more likely to have a WNT as 5crd club.

Post by P***@yahoo.com
S: 852 H: Q732 D: AKT94 C: T
If you elect to bid something below 2S, partner bids 2H next (opponents
are silent). What then do you bid?

You have the value of 12+ in support of spade, FG. I bid 2D and raise 2H to
4H. My xxx in S is negative now.

Post by P***@yahoo.com
Hand #3: S: QT85 H: AKT D: 94 C: QJT5
Your partner overcalls a weak two bid in balancing seat, favorable vulnerability.

You have the value of 13+ in support of S. Pard could have as little as 9.
Invite.

[Player]

Hand one is an obvious game bid. Only Caspar Milquetoast would invite.
Hand 2 the bidding depends on methods. If playing 2/1 go via a fn and raise 2h to 3.
Hand 3 make a cue raise.

[Player]

Hand 1 is an obvious game bid. Only Caspar Milquetoast and his sister might pass.
Hand 2 the auction depends on system, but raise 2h to 4.
Hand 3 make a cue raise.

[jogs]

Post by P***@yahoo.com
Three hands for you. Decide if you want to game force on the following hands with the following auctions, at matchpoints. You play standard 2/1 systems.
S: AKT4
H: KT95
D: T952
C: 6
1C (P) 1H (P)
2H
where you and your partner have an agreement that the raise to 2H will not be made with less than four hearts in this sequence. Equal vulnerability.
----------
S: 852
H: Q732
D: AKT94
C: T
1S (P) ?
If you elect to bid something below 2S, partner bids 2H next (opponents are silent). What then do you bid?
----------
S: QT85
H: AKT
D: 94
C: QJT5
Your partner overcalls a weak two bid in balancing seat, favorable vulnerability.
(2H) P (P) 2S
( P) ?

Bridge remains a probability game based on incomplete information. Both hands #1 and #2 are on the boundary. It depends mainly on whether partner holds wasted values in our singleton. And there is no way to know at this point of the auction. Don't get upset if you choose the 45% bid when there was a better 50% bid available.

Hand #1. Coin flip on bid or pass.

Hand #2. I like the weaker option. 1S-1NT, planning to jump to 3S on the next round.

Hand #3. Another coin flip. But after your 3H bid, your pd has a clear 4S call. Still if you hold the wrong cards 4S has no play.

Post by P***@yahoo.com
S: QJ85
H: AT3
D: 94
C: KQJT

[jonathan23]

Post by P***@yahoo.com
Three hands for you. Decide if you want to game force on the following
hands with the following auctions, at matchpoints. You play standard 2/1
systems.

Editorial aside: "standard 2/1" should be in a list of oxymorons along with "unbiased opinion" and "military intelligence"

Post by P***@yahoo.com
S: AKT4
H: KT95
D: T952
C: 6
1C (P) 1H (P)
2H
where you and your partner have an agreement that the raise to 2H will not
be made with less than four hearts in this sequence. Equal vulnerability.

Game values are pretty much there on distribution (12 Goren points but good trumps, seven losers, prime values) so I would bid 4H. 3H seems pusillanimous, any other game try likelier to help the defence more than us.

Post by P***@yahoo.com
----------
S: 852
H: Q732
D: AKT94
C: T
1S (P) ?
If you elect to bid something below 2S, partner bids 2H next (opponents
are silent). What then do you bid?

This is a little more marginal at first as a 5-3 fit. I would start with a forcing 1NT intending 3S on the next round if 2C comes back. Over 2H (or 2D) I would bid a major-suit game.

Post by P***@yahoo.com
----------
S: QT85
H: AKT
D: 94
C: QJT5
Your partner overcalls a weak two bid in balancing seat, favorable vulnerability.
(2H) P (P) 2S
( P) ?

3H is enough. Partner might not be that strong and just trying to keep us from being robbed on the partscore. If he's got more than that he can show it.

[Derek Turner]

Post by P***@yahoo.com
S: 852
H: Q732
D: AKT94
C: T
1S (P) ?

(Precision) 4C. Opener is limited to 15 HCP. Happy if he signs off in 4S.