[apollo1201]

Still from yesterday’s night.

Again all red IMPs.

Not playing Muiderberg 2´s (and even if, not sure you should open), you pass with

T7543
KT
KT32
Q5

LHO passes as well, partner bids 1C and RHO jams the auction with a 3D preempt.

I decided to pass, and sure enough, it goes back to partner who Xes in the balancing seat.

What now?

Not sure I did the best by passing again, but the weirdest is yet to come.

LHO « saves » his side by trying 3H, which is surprisingly respected and you are now in the spotlight.

New decision to make...

[nige1]

Apollo 1201 " IMPs"
++++++++++++++++++++
I rank ...
1. 3♠ = NAT. Seems reasonable.
2. Double = PEN. Partner didn't double 3♥.
3. Pass = NAT. Timid.
4. 3N = NAT. Pushy.

---

[Douglas43]

A bit like the strange behaviour of the dog in the night time, I am puzzled by some of the previous silences here:

West passed originally yet bid 3H over 3D. Suppose West might be 4-6 in the majors and have a disciplined approach to weak twos in second seat (it is IMPS)

Partner made a [take-out] double of 3D yet did not double 3H (assuming that his double would be penalties, because our side has already made a penalty pass)

Maybe partner has something like 4-3-1-5 with poor hearts.

It might all go pear-shaped, but I agree with nige1's first choice. 3S is a value bid on the hand. You have shown values by making a penalty pass, but don't have extras to force to game.

I would trust partner to double 3H if there was a big penalty on the cards.

[mycroft]

Partner didn't double 3♥ knowing it's penalty. KT isn't enough as far as I'm concerned (but it definitely would be if partner doubled).

I would have bid 3♠ over 3♦x; way too much chance of -670 (with +140 or even game on). Having gone for the +500, I don't see +500 now (and I still see -730); let's try 3♠. It's even more likely to be a 9-card fit than last round.

[mikeh]

Partner was ready to hear us bid 3H when he doubled 3D.

The fact that he didn't double 3H merely means that he doesn't have a trump stack, but given that we have two honours in the suit, that is not surprising. We converted the double of 3D, but that doesn't mean that we showed side values: what else would we do with, say, xxxx xx KJ10x xxx? If he doubles 3H on Axx QJx xx AKxxx, where are we going, other than -730 or -930?

My guess is that they have found an 8 card fit more often than they have found a 9 card fit. Partner should ALWAYS lead trump if we double, since he knows we have diamonds under control (I'd like the diamond Jack rather than the 10, but one can't have everything).

So where are their tricks coming from if we can lead 2-3 rounds of trump?

I double.

Obviously this could be terrible, and its been a long time since I doubled a partscore into game without virtual certainty that we're beating it 2 tricks or more, but (as the saying goes) if they never make a doubled contract against you, you're not doubling enough.

Btw, if partner is the sort who doesn't understand why one leads trump, too bad, and maybe I need to be bidding spades opposite that partner (fairness dictates that partner may have a legitimate issue with something like AQx in hearts but we will usually survive when we have 3 natural trump tricks).

[mikeh]

Without at all claiming to predict how the hands were, here’s the sort of layout I’d be considering when deciding what to call over 3H:

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Note that west can’t have a good suit, since he passed in second seat. He must surely be void to pull a vulnerable 3D overcall, unless he thinks his partner is incredibly aggressive. 3H makes on a spade lead and is -800 on a trump lead. Yes, I see that bidding 3S, on this layout, would collect 620. However, I’ve given the opps a very favourable layout and a 9 card fit, yet proper defence wins 5 imps against our game.

Note, also, that if partner has only 2 hearts, he will have significant extras to reopen with a double since he has to cater to our bidding 3H. So, while I’ve given partner a very good hand, I’ve also given him only 2 hearts.

[apollo1201]

mikeh, on 2020-October-30, 11:38, said:

Without at all claiming to predict how the hands were, here’s the sort of layout I’d be considering when deciding what to call over 3H:

---

Note that west can’t have a good suit, since he passed in second seat. He must surely be void to pull a vulnerable 3D overcall, unless he thinks his partner is incredibly aggressive. 3H makes on a spade lead and is -800 on a trump lead. Yes, I see that bidding 3S, on this layout, would collect 620. However, I’ve given the opps a very favourable layout and a 9 card fit, yet proper defence wins 5 imps against our game.

Note, also, that if partner has only 2 hearts, he will have significant extras to reopen with a double since he has to cater to our bidding 3H. So, while I’ve given partner a very good hand, I’ve also given him only 2 hearts.

Once again, Mikeh guesses it (almost) right. West had Axx, Q to 6, void and 4 small and didn’t judge it worth a vulnerable opening. It wasn’t too difficult to collect 1100 at 3DX as partner had AQJx Axx Qx AJxx, and probably 800 at 3HX.

As partner didn’t X 3H, I thought he had S so I immediately bid 4S. I guess being deprived of defending 3DX upset me and pushed me to go for something big.

But I realize now from other posters that partner can’t always X even with H so 3S is enough. Partner will bid 4 anyway here. I played it safe for +620. Could be +650 or -100 depending on the black K position. For -5 IMPs as our teammates escaped for 800 at 3DX.

[mikeh]

apollo1201, on 2020-October-31, 15:50, said:

Once again, Mikeh guesses it (almost) right. West had Axx, Q to 6, void and 4 small and didn’t judge it worth a vulnerable opening. It wasn’t too difficult to collect 1100 at 3DX as partner had AQJx Axx Qx AJxx, and probably 800 at 3HX.

As partner didn’t X 3H, I thought he had S so I immediately bid 4S. I guess being deprived of defending 3DX upset me and pushed me to go for something big.

But I realize now from other posters that partner can’t always X even with H so 3S is enough. Partner will bid 4 anyway here. I played it safe for +620. Could be +650 or -100 depending on the black K position. For -5 IMPs as our teammates escaped for 800 at 3DX.

Two spade aces, no spade king.

That’s fairly important since Ace and a heart rates to carve up 3H doubled more when partner has AQJx in spades than KQJx. In any event, doesn’t a club lead beat 4S, if west has the Spade ace?

I’m not saying a club is clear: seems to be a tossup between clubs and hearts (hearts would get the nod every time except for the auction, which suggests short hearts in the south hand).

Seems to me they are entitled to a club, a diamond, a diamond ruff and the spade ace, if west holds it but they do have to lead clubs on tHe go.

[apollo1201]

mikeh, on 2020-October-31, 17:00, said:

Two spade aces, no spade king.
Seems to me they are entitled to a club, a diamond, a diamond ruff and the spade ace, if west holds it but they do have to lead clubs on tHe go.

Indeed, W had Kxx spades. Thanks for pointing it out.

They led H and I played trumps from’the top to avoid as much as possible a damaging D ruff, while C were still not open. On a C lead, though, I guess I win with the A, cross in H, put the ST on the table and close my eyes.

Anyway, I was so puzzled by the auction, someone who wasn’t able to bid sth other than pass at first stage now « rescues » at the 3-level while partner promised a more than decent 7-cd suit...