[irincheto]

Hello,

I would very much appreciate your opinions about how to bid with this hand:

Scoring: IMP

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I am the dealer. Should I pass is my first question (I did in the tourney). My LHO passed, my p bid 1D, my RHO interfered with 1S, I doubled because I was afraid that if I bid 2H after I passed first, my p is going to pass. My LHO passed, my p bid 2S. What shall I do now? Bid 2NT showing my stopper in S or presuming it is a game forcing, bid 4H directly?

Thank you very much.

Kind regards,
Irina

[mtvesuvius]

IMO this hand is just barely good enough to open... I very often will pass hands like this with a little less defense and HCP, but on hands like this I find it extremely difficult to describe in what looks to be a competitive auction, unless my opponent's open and respond or open, it will be nearly impossible to show this hand without fear of partner passing. The only downside is when partner has a huge hand with ♠ and ♦, then you wind up in a horribly misfitted slam or something of the like.

Having passed, over 1♠ I will bid 2♥, if partner can pass 2♥ we probably cannot make game anyway. QTx Kx AQxxx Jxx doesn't look too good to me... With a decent opening hand partner will bid on. Besides, who's to say he isn't psyching?

Now... Having passed, then doubled 1♠ and heard 2♠ from partner... I almost have thoughts of slam here, but I'll restrain myself, partner's 2♠ bid is showing a big hand with ♥ support IMO. So now I'll bid 3♠, and see what partner does.

[Phil]

Whether or not you want to open this hand is a matter of style. I certainly would if the ♠K was moved into one of the round suits, but I agree with pass. Its close either way, and I wouldn't criticize a 1♥ opening.

Once pard opens and RHO bid 1♠, you have a routine 2♥ call. Making a negative double here because you fear pard passing 2♥ is masterminding. If your hand evaluation says that you think you have game opposite a 3rd chair opening, then you should have opened it in the first place.

The 1♠ overcall has improved your hand. If pard passes you might have missed a game, but chances are that you aren't making 10 tricks.

Try to involve your partner in the decision making. They'll thank you for it

[Codo]

I would not open, the suits are two weak. Like Phil I would open with the King of spades in hearts.

Now I have an easy 2 Heart bid. It was nice that partner opened, but unluckily he did so in our shortest suit. When he passes 2 Heart, we won#t often had game .