[mgoetze]

The National Teams Congress is approaching, to get everyone in the right mood, here's a BAM problem:

---

Do you want the better fit or do you want 30 per trick?

[Cyberyeti]

When I saw the title, I wondered how you'd perpetrated 3N-9

What would 4N by partner have meant ? Is 5♦ likely to be 5-5 ? If so a lot of the time you can make 5♥ you can make 6♦ (x, AKJxx, KQxxx, xx for example)

[mgoetze]

Cyberyeti, on 2015-December-28, 08:32, said:

What would 4N by partner have meant ? Is 5♦ likely to be 5-5 ?

Haven't discussed those questions.

[mike777]

agree 6d.

It seems I have extras at this point of the bidding.

[gszes]

while we have no idea if p is sacrificing or bidding to make, we do know p began with inv+. This greatly increases the chance p is bidding to make and p had to be somewhat cautious because we have never had the opportunity to define our hand (ie the hand could be a misfit). Our hand is so pluperfectly? perfect I would actually bid 6c (cant be misunderstood since with a self sufficient club suit I could have bid 5c over 4s) in an attempt to reach a grand slam. It is BAM so the risk factor is minimal and if p 5d bid makes much sense 6d should be simple and 7d very close.

[PhantomSac]

Partner is doubling most of the time with 5-5 and a good hand I think esp at this vul (eg x AKxxx KQxxx xx given earlier seems like a double?). It seems like he will often be 6-5. It's a very weird problem but the options are 6D or pass, not 5H or pass. Normally with 0553 partner would bid 4N if they didn't have enough defense to X, but I think with nebulous club that doesn't really work. Not sure what I'd do.

[nige1]

mgoetze, on 2015-December-28, 08:16, said:

The National Teams Congress is approaching, to get everyone in the right mood, here's a BAM problem:
Do you want the better fit or do you want 30 per trick?

---

I rank

• 6♦ = Hoping that partner has at least ♠ x ♥ A K x x x ♦ K J x x x ♣ x x.
• 5♥ = In case partner has ♠ x ♥ K J x x x ♦ K Q J x x ♣ K x.
• Pass .

[Cyberyeti]

nige1, on 2015-December-28, 20:10, said:

I rank

• 6♦ = Hoping that partner has at least ♠ x ♥ A K x x x ♦ K J x x x ♣ x x.
• 5♥ = In case partner has ♠ x ♥ K J x x x ♦ K Q J x x ♣ K x.
• Pass .

I don't fancy 5♥ that much on 2 for a couple of reasons.

1: potential diamond ruff
2: 2 rounds of spades and you may lose control if hearts are 4-1.

If hearts are 4-1 and they find the ruff, 5♦ may go off too, but the singleton diamond lead with the other hand having A♥ looks far from improbable.

[mgoetze]

PhantomSac, on 2015-December-28, 16:57, said:

Normally with 0553 partner would bid 4N if they didn't have enough defense to X, but I think with nebulous club that doesn't really work.

Right, our general philosophy is to bid on the assumption that partner opened a weak NT, so the prototypical shape for 4NT would probably be 0544.

[mgoetze]

Cyberyeti, on 2015-December-28, 20:25, said:

I don't fancy 5♥ that much on 2 for a couple of reasons.

1: potential diamond ruff
2: 2 rounds of spades and you may lose control if hearts are 4-1.

If hearts are 4-1 and they find the ruff, 5♦ may go off too, but the singleton diamond lead with the other hand having A♥ looks far from improbable.

Aren't these the sorts of considerations that should easily convince you at IMPs but must be weighed very carefully at BAM?

[Cyberyeti]

mgoetze, on 2015-December-29, 02:46, said:

Aren't these the sorts of considerations that should easily convince you at IMPs but must be weighed very carefully at BAM?

I feel the number of hands where 5♥ is better than 50:50 and 6♦ doesn't make is pretty small, so you're aiming at a very small target, although 5♥ in practice will make more often than its theoretical odds.

Whether you should play 5♦ or 6♦ on the other hand is not so clear, I'd probably try 6 depending on what I knew about partner.

[mgoetze]

Cyberyeti, on 2015-December-29, 05:41, said:

I'd probably try 6 depending on what I knew about partner.

I had the South hand, so you can go ahead and read my 4600+ posts on this forum if you need to know more.

[mgoetze]

So my actual hand as South was - KJxxx QJxxx Kxx. With the singleton ♦K onside and hearts 3-2, 12 tricks were available in either red suit. But it seems noone is getting to 6♥.

[Cyberyeti]

mgoetze, on 2015-December-30, 10:58, said:

So my actual hand as South was - KJxxx QJxxx Kxx. With the singleton ♦K onside and hearts 3-2, 12 tricks were available in either red suit. But it seems noone is getting to 6♥.

A♥ with the K♦ I presume, otherwise you can't make 6♥.

Looks like 6♦ scores well.