[Jinksy]

1)

ATB:

KJT9632
KQJ2
x
x

opposite

x
A98
AJT8x
JTxx

Vul is amber, bidding goes (W dealer):

1C 1S X P
1N 2S P P P

2)

ATB - or is this just bad luck?

EW vul

N has

AKJ
KQ8
K987
J83

opposite

QT82
AJ7
JT63
74

E deals and passes, the constructive sequence then goes

P 1C*
1H** 1N***
2N 3N

* natural or any balanced (without 5-card major), with 14+ points or 15+ if balanced
** Ss and 5+ points
*** 15- bad 18 and <4 Ss

[Vampyr]

Jinksy, on 2013-April-04, 15:00, said:

1)

ATB:

KJT9632
KQJ2
x
x

opposite

x
A98
AJT8x
JTxx

Vul is amber, bidding goes (W dealer):

1C 1S X P
1N 2S P P P

Did 1NT show a strong or a weak NT? What on earth is amber vulnerability?

[Jinksy]

I don't remember NT range from their card. Neither of us asked during the auction. I think W had a 14 count, though IIRC they weren't a particularly good team, which usually means playing weak NT in this country, so given that they had a reasonable 5-card C suit and AQx in Ss, they might have been playing either, perhaps planning to rebid 2C.

Amber = all vul.

[Vampyr]

Jinksy, on 2013-April-04, 15:26, said:

I don't remember NT range from their card. Neither of us asked during the auction. I think W had a 14 count, though IIRC they weren't a particularly good team, which usually means playing weak NT in this country, so given that they had a reasonable 5-card C suit and AQx in Ss, they might have been playing either.

Amber = all vul.

OK. Well, I am not sure what North should have done, but it must be his fault because I can't come up with any action by South on the given auction.

[gnasher]

On the first one I'd overcall 4♠. With your actual auction, South should probably have taken some action anyway - either redouble or 1NT on the first round, or a raise once North rebids the spades voluntarily.

The second is just normal. You can't expect to diagnose the duplication in the majors.

[wank]

i would have done more with both hands on 1, but south's lack of action is worse once his partner finds 2 bids. 25-75 then?

[the_clown]

1. North 90%, I would have also overcalled 4♠. South has a misfitting hand and 1♠+2♠ doesnt show the world.

2. Bad luck

[ewj]

Agree re 4S, SQ and an ace...even an ace and a couple of spades gives a decent game. I would have bid 1NT as South though


Doesn't look like great methods where 1NT rebid shows 15-18....but I mean what can I say really.

[Vampyr]

ewj, on 2013-April-05, 13:14, said:

Doesn't look like great methods where 1NT rebid shows 15-18....but I mean what can I say really.

What is wrong with that?

[ewj]

Vampyr, on 2013-April-05, 13:18, said:

What is wrong with that?

Well it looks like a wide rebid, that's all.

[Gerben42]

Jinksy, on 2013-April-04, 15:00, said:

1)

ATB:

KJT9632
KQJ2
x
x

opposite

x
A98
AJT8x
JTxx

Vul is amber, bidding goes (W dealer):

1C 1S X P
1N 2S P P P

Assuming you play WJO, I still blame North a bit more for holding back, after all he could have simply shot 4♠ on the first round. Nevertheless, South also was conservative.

Quote

2)

ATB - or is this just bad luck?

EW vul

N has

AKJ
KQ8
K987
J83

opposite

QT82
AJ7
JT63
74

E deals and passes, the constructive sequence then goes

P 1C*
1H** 1N***
2N 3N

* natural or any balanced (without 5-card major), with 14+ points or 15+ if balanced
** Ss and 5+ points
*** 15- bad 18 and <4 Ss

That's life!

[FrancesHinden]

On the first one I dislike 4S on the first round.

I think South has to do something at some point either on the first or the second round - he's got two aces and partner has shown a good hand! North could overcall 1S then bid 3S over 1NT which I think should show approximately this sort of strength. (I overcalled 3S over a weak 1NT opening and my partner raised to 4).

On the second, I am not convinced the South hand is an invite. I'm also not convinced the North hand is an accept. At matchpoints (which I know this wasn't) it's obvious to pass 1NT. But worse things happen than playing in 3NT on these two hands. (Worse things happened at one table in our match, because our teammates made 3NT!)

[keylime]

1)I'd trot our 2H. Pard will take any pref to 2S on a doubleton unless they have heart support. The 4-3 may play well.
2)3NT is a normal contract; in SAYC it would be 1NT - 2C - 2D - 3NT.

[Jinksy]

FrancesHinden, on 2013-April-06, 04:38, said:

I think South has to do something at some point either on the first or the second round - he's got two aces and partner has shown a good hand!

Has he? Aren’t 1S and 2S basically just showing good Ss and better Ss?

Quote

(Worse things happened at one table in our match, because our teammates made 3NT!)

[gnasher]

Jinksy, on 2013-April-08, 05:47, said:

Has he? Aren't 1S and 2S basically just showing good Ss and better Ss?

No. If all he had was good spades, he would have bid 2♠ on the first round.

[gszes]

i like the 1s bid we are not overly strong and there is
little reason to assume the bidding will end at 1s. I was less
happy with the pass over x i would have bid 1n but pass is
far from the worst bid ever. The real problem is the next bid
where the bid of 2s is a free bid but more along the lines of
competitive vs decent. Why not bid

3s

here? This hand is worth 8 tricks opposite nothing and the bidding
could easily have kept p quiet (sensing a misfit). The 3s bid will let
p know spades are not a problem (due mainly to great length since
we chose not to x 1n or start with an x). P should be able to judge their
2 aces are golden and bid game. It is not reaonable that 3s would be
a preempt here since we had the opportunity to preempt earlier.

hand 2
I would have stopped in 2n but i am a big chicken 3n is hardly
horrible but on this particular collection of cards it just happens to
have little/no chance - more bad luck than anything else dont worry about it.

[Jinksy]

gnasher, on 2013-April-08, 07:05, said:

No. If all he had was good spades, he would have bid 2♠ on the first round.

Ok, so by 'strength', we're taking something in the vicinity of 10+? Is that enough to push on with a misfit and two aces?

[HeartA]

wank, on 2013-April-04, 19:32, said:

i would have done more with both hands on 1, but south's lack of action is worse once his partner finds 2 bids. 25-75 then?

I also agree that South took more blames. South with a fair share of hcp and 2 Ace (!), didn't do anything. First round redbl or NT, and/or raise pd's ♠ after he bids again. North could bid 3♠ at 2nd round, with a 5-loser hand.

[ArtK78]

gszes, on 2013-April-08, 08:55, said:

This hand is worth 8 tricks opposite nothing ...

No, the hand is worth 7 tricks opposite nothing and you are vul. It may make 8 tricks opposite nothing (indeed, it may make 9 tricks opposite nothing if the ♠Q is singleton) as long as "nothing" includes at least one spade and three hearts, but only 7 tricks are guaranteed.

I dislike the idea of bidding 4♠ on this hand also. 1♠ is fine.

South must take some action on his cards. 1NT on the first round seems reasonable. Now North can shoot out a game which is not a blind guess. It may still be wrong, but at least it isn't a blind guess.

[nige1]

Vampyr, on 2013-April-04, 15:13, said:

Did 1NT show a strong or a weak NT? What on earth is amber vulnerability?

• Green = They
• White = None
• Amber = Both
• Red = We