[mikeh]

Playing the GNT on the weekend, an event we lost in the Finals, I regret to say, we encountered some weird hands. Here are two from the same 6 board match:

1. You pick up 98x K7x Q10xxxx K

white v white. Partner deals and opens 2♣

2♣  [4♣]  P  [5♣]
5♥  [P]  ?

Your first decision (the pass was fairly routine, promising some values)

I assume you all agree that 6♥ sounds reasonable

LHO now bids 6♠ passed around to you.

Your second decision?

Well, even tho partner is interested in 7, I thought my hand was not up to the task so I doubled. Now LHO bid 7♣ and partner passed again!

So I figured that he had to have the diamond AK, and probably some length. I considered 7♦, but opted for 7♥.

LHO fell from grace by not doubling on his diamond void. Partner held Axx AQJxxxx AKJ void.

So 7♦ was right, you say? No, rho had a heart void! The opps are cold for 6♣. The opps at the other table opened 1♥ and had an uncontested auction to 4♥! The 4♣ call had been on AJxxxx!

2. You pick up x AKxxx K10x AKQx

Red v white

partner deals and opens 1♠

1♠  [P]  2♥  [2N]
5♣  [6♣]  x  [p]
6♥  [7♣]  x

not much to this one, in terms of the bidding... the key is to remember, at the table, your keycard agreement after 6♣. Unfortunately, I play DOPE with everyone in the world except this partner... we haven't played seriously in several years and I overlooked that part of the notes, so I passed rather than doubling 6♣ and so reached 7♥, off of the diamond lead... for a lucky push after a different auction at the other table. Partner was AKxxxx QJxxxx x void

So on 2 boards in the same 6 board match we bid 7♥ over a 7♣ save, and both contracts can be defeated by a diamond lead

[kenrexford]

One of my favorite stories, heard from someone at a bar in the Montreal underground, involved a forcing pass of a 7♠ sacrifice over 7♥. 7NT was the decision, off when the opponents cashed a bazillion spades. Voids don't make good stoppers for notrump purposes.

[cherdano]

You call the pass "routine" over 4♣, but I like 4♦ much better, we may well have a diamond slam opposite a minimal balanced hand from partner, and the best way to find out is by bidding 4♦ right away IMO.

[jdonn]

cherdano, on Apr 7 2008, 12:33 PM, said:

You call the pass "routine" over 4♣, but I like 4♦ much better, we may well have a diamond slam opposite a minimal balanced hand from partner, and the best way to find out is by bidding 4♦ right away IMO.

Honestly, I agree but I don't think I would have thought to do it

[pclayton]

cherdano, on Apr 7 2008, 09:33 AM, said:

You call the pass "routine" over 4♣, but I like 4♦ much better, we may well have a diamond slam opposite a minimal balanced hand from partner, and the best way to find out is by bidding 4♦ right away IMO.

Agree with this.

[Cascade]

cherdano, on Apr 8 2008, 06:33 AM, said:

You call the pass "routine" over 4♣, but I like 4♦ much better, we may well have a diamond slam opposite a minimal balanced hand from partner, and the best way to find out is by bidding 4♦ right away IMO.

I bid 4♦ too.

I think free bids in these auctions need to show moderate hands with a suit to bid.

[mikeh]

cherdano, on Apr 7 2008, 12:33 PM, said:

You call the pass "routine" over 4♣, but I like 4♦ much better, we may well have a diamond slam opposite a minimal balanced hand from partner, and the best way to find out is by bidding 4♦ right away IMO.

My concern is that the auction pretty much suggests that partner has a major suit... the odds of the balanced notrump which is the single most commom holding seems diminished after the preempt, and this hand is too good in the majors for me to be comfortable bidding 4♦... especially since our agreement is that 4♦ suggests a better suit.... this suit is (barely) ok and I probably would have bid it if I were not 3=3 in the majors. As it is, I do think that pass is best.