[bd71]

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Matchpoints. AH lead. -590 for N/S.

Please assess what you think went wrong when, or if this is just normal bad luck.

[billw55]

East-west actions are normal.

North overbid. South quite properly expected more defense from north, but even then his double may be a little pushy. Clearly more blame to north though.

It could have been -690. True west can hardly believe south holds both top clubs, but there is nothing to lose and nothing else to try.

[phil_20686]

This whole auction works better if south just shows a good heart raise. Either 2N or 3S over 2S depending on your agreement.

[mikeh]

I agree with both earlier replies

I understand the urge to bid with the N hand, and I wouldn't criticize either 2 or 3♥. The problem is, as Bill observed, that S will expect a better hand.

However, I also agree that S's double was needlessly aggressive. He is not protecting a 4♥ contract, and he isn't going to get rich, unless W is a known lunatic. Even at mps, turning 50 into 100 on this sequence is unlikely to be important, while turning 420 into 590 is usually going to cost a bit more.

Part of the problem was that S may have felt he had underbid. If he expected a more normal 2♥ overcall, as Bill suggests, then S was maybe trying to make up for his ultra-conservative 3♥.

Had he been able to bid, say, 3♦ (playing transfer advances) or 2♠ to show an invitational raise, he could then pass somewhat happier, since partner would have been able to take him for real values and still passed 4♠.

[lalldonn]

Despite it not having much to do with the final result, I would say 3♥ by south was the worst bid rather than 3♠ or 4♥.

[Fluffy]

south´s 3♥ is wrong, and that´s why he felt the urge to do something more. He had to do something more the round before.

IMO 2♥ is a very bad bid, but I know my style is not mainstream.

[gnasher]

I think North's 2♥ is OK. It has too much playing strength to pass and too much defence for a preempt, so that makes it a 2♥ bid.

I assume that South didn't have a good raise available, since he didn't use it. If NS play everything as natural in this situation, it's not clear what South is supposed to do other than bid 3♥. Double conceals the heart support, and 3♠ or 4♥ is an overbid.

That leaves 3♥, which presumably has a rather wide range in this partnership. Having bid 3♥, South then had a problem on the next round: because he was at the top of his range, it was quite possible that NS had a game on and that 4♠ would turn out to be a save. Hence I can understand why South doubled. I'm sure West would have bid exactly the same way with AKJ10xx x Kx Qxxx, in which case 4♠ would be a common contract and an extra 50 would be quite valuable.

I'd blame poor methods rather than either of the players. It's obviously better to use 2NT as a good raise in this situation.

[lalldonn]

I disagree that 4♥ would be an overbid. Even opposite that north hand, and with the club off, and with hearts 4-0, they can make 4♥.

[quiddity]

 lalldonn, on 2012-April-19, 16:12, said:

I disagree that 4♥ would be an overbid. Even opposite that north hand, and with the club off, and with hearts 4-0, they can make 4♥.

though it only makes because hearts are 4-0..

[lalldonn]

Well it's not quite that simple. But regardless, I believe you have missed the point. If 4♥ might make opposite a hand that many people don't even think is good enough for an overcall, then perhaps it's what the hand is worth.

[quiddity]

 lalldonn, on 2012-April-19, 17:14, said:

Well it's not quite that simple. But regardless, I believe you have missed the point. If 4♥ might make opposite a hand that many people don't even think is good enough for an overcall, then perhaps it's what the hand is worth.

I got the point, I just thought it was funny that you mentioned 4-0 hearts as if it were a bad thing.

[lalldonn]

It sounded like a bad thing

[cherdano]

 lalldonn, on 2012-April-19, 18:27, said:

It sounded like a bad thing

Hi Josh

[lalldonn]

Hi Han!

[bd71]

 gnasher, on 2012-April-19, 15:01, said:

I assume that South didn't have a good raise available, since he didn't use it.

This is precisely right. The available options showing heart support were 3♥, 3♠, and 4♥.

 gnasher, on 2012-April-19, 15:01, said:

It's obviously better to use 2NT as a good raise in this situation.

Do you recommend this only in this auction, in any (1y)-2x-(2y) auction, or even more broadly (and if so, please specify)?

[Fluffy]

it is recomended when the cuebid would commit to the 4 level

[gnasher]

 bd71, on 2012-April-19, 22:34, said:

Do you recommend this only in this auction, in any (1y)-2x-(2y) auction, or even more broadly (and if so, please specify)?

As a minimum, I recommend it in any auction where you don't have any other cue-bid available below three of partner's suit. (1y)-2x-(2y) is the most common example of this, but there are a few others:
(1♥) 2♦ (2♠)
(1NT) 2♠ (pass)
(1♦) 2♦[nat] (pass)

There's a good case for extending this to other sequences, but the value in doing so varies according to the sequence:
- After (1x) 1y (2x) or eg (1♦) 1♥ (2♠) you have only one cue-bid available, so it's beneficial to add 2NT to let you distinguish 3- and 4-card raises.
- When responder has bid a new suit between the opened suit and the overcalled suit, you have two cue-bids. Using 2NT lets you show a 3-card raise, a good 4-card raise, a mixed raise and a weak raise.
- When he's bid a new suit below the opened suit there are three (one of them below the two-level). Adding a fourth one isn't especially useful.
- When he's passed or bid 1NT there are two (one below the two-level). Using 2NT gives you a third raise, but you're less likely to need it than in some other sequences.

One approach is to make rules based on the number of cue-bids you have available. I've been persuaded that it's easier just to play 2NT as a raise in all these sequences, except specifically when we've overcalled in a minor and we have at least one cue-bid available.

Having decided which bids show a raise, you need rules for what they mean. I suggest something like:
- With one artificial raise available, it shows any good raise and a jump raise is mixed (or weak if you prefer).
- With two artificial raises available, the lower is a good 3-card raise, the higher is a good 4-card raise, and a jump raise is mixed.
- With three artificial raises available, the lowest is a good 3-card raise, the middle a good 4-card raise, and the highest a mixed raise.
- With four or more artificial raises available, the lowest is a good 3-card raise, the next lowest is a good 4-card raise, the highest is a mixed raise, and anything else is a splinter.

[phil_20686]

 gnasher, on 2012-April-20, 03:37, said:

As a minimum, I recommend it in any auction where you don't have any other cue-bid available below three of partner's suit. (1y)-2x-(2y) is the most common example of this, but there are a few others:
(1♥) 2♦ (2♠)
(1NT) 2♠ (pass)
(1♦) 2♦[nat] (pass)

You forgot the most common:

1H (2S) ?

and similar.

[dkham]

I would have overcalled 3♥ as North, which probably stops South doubling.

Can someone explain to me how 4♥ makes? In the case for example when defence begins with two top spades.

[phil_20686]

You just have to avoid losing more than two diamonds, accomplished by leading past the Kx to the J and A, then duck to the K.