Post by p***@infi.netPost by Bruce EvansPost by p***@infi.netPost by Lorne Anderson(3S) P (4S) ?
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109754
AQ10642
A10
Your agreements are that dble is T/O and 4N is any 2 suits.
Does anyone have any insight on the differences, if any, in strategy for
IMP pairs versus IMP teams? I've never read anything specific to IMP
pairs. The emphasis on bidding vulnerable games and playing safe to make
your bid is obvious, but is there a difference regarding "insurance" and
double-swings?
Imp pairs in a weak field is like matchpoints in a bad field. All minus
scores are bad, even if they beat par by a lot. So never take insurance.
It does little good to insure with 5DX down only 1 against 4S making
exactly, since this is only par and it is a minus score.
If the field is not weak, then the scoring is more like normal imps with
not weak teams. So take insurance. Now you can hope for average when
par is a minus score.
I think bidding with this hand is only insurance. It is not strong enough
to make 5 level contracts or slams very often. But it is good for insurance,
since you expect 4S to make very often (perhaps 40%) and your contract to
not be down 3 or more very often.
When you can actually make something, par is likely to be 5SX down 1 or 2
with down 3 not too bad if it is unlikely, and bidding transfers the
insurance problem to the opponents...
Well, picturing partner with xxx AKxx Kxx xxx and each opp with a red
singleton, we aren't beating 4S but 5D or 5H makes. This seems like the
You are an optimist. I picture partner with KJxx Qxx xxx Qxx, or on a
bad day, KJxxx xx xxx xxx. But the main losing case is when he has
just enough defense to beat 4S but not enough to make 5H/D or push them
to 5S. Say Kxx Axx Kxx xxxx.
Post by p***@infi.netproper time for insurance, unless we think a good part of the field
won't bid 4S or won't bid with our hand. Odds favor one of the red suits
breaking 2-2, in which case we beat 4S but make 11 or 12 tricks our way.
Er, odds favour nothing breaking. They might have a void too, and then
partner's xxx AKxx Kxx xxx is needed to beat 5S if the void is in diamonds.
It does depend on what the field would do. If your opponents are any
good then they bid 4S knowing this. They only have an obvious 4S bid
if they have not very long spade support but good defense.
Post by p***@infi.netWe can picture preemptor with
KQJxxxx x xx xxx and responder with Axx xxx xx AKxxx.
Only solid citizens have a classic 3S preempt. Responder doesn't have
that since you have the CA. When partner has the above control-rich
hand, responder has Axx QJx Jxx KQJx. You make 6H except on the
non-obvious club lead. This shows how non-routine the opponent's
4S bid was
Post by p***@infi.netA double-dummy sim might be of use here: while there might be an
occasional stiff King or such, I think play and defense is apt to be
close to optimum.
It doesn't need double dummy, but just a dealing out a few thousand
hands instead of the 2 or 3 that we considered here, to determine if
the average total tricks matches our guesses. I guess closer to 18
than 20. Could be on either side of 19. This depends on the opponents.
They should have only a 9 card spade fit often (and sometimes 8), since
4S is insurance with only a 9 card fit and if it guarantees a 10 card
for then this helps us too much.
Bruce