[inquiry]

The first six bids were identical at both tables. The other table did not pass 3NT with my hand, but instead forced to 6♣.

I knew partner had a red hand. I considered a 4NT bid to invite, but finally decided to pass. With the diamond finesse on, there is no trouble making this one. This one cost us 13 imps, sorry guys.

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[gszes]

it is dependent on finding the dia J in p hand
a not very likely probablity given the bidding
w/o the dia J it is a marginal contract at best.
Don't beat yourself up even if you picture
x AKxx xx AKQxxx slam is hard to reach 3n is fine.

[barmar]

gszes, on 2012-May-20, 10:30, said:

Don't beat yourself up even if you picture
x AKxx xx AKQxxx slam is hard to reach 3n is fine.

Since he was the one holding that hand, I think it was easy for him to picture it.

[Mbodell]

gszes, on 2012-May-20, 10:30, said:

it is dependent on finding the dia J in p hand
a not very likely probablity given the bidding
w/o the dia J it is a marginal contract at best.
Don't beat yourself up even if you picture
x AKxx xx AKQxxx slam is hard to reach 3n is fine.

Yeah, it was the E hand that pushed.

[inquiry]

I think I am worth one more bid. Maybe 4♣, maybe 4NT. We are not a practiced partnership, but clearly 4NT would be quantitative and I think barry has shown his hand by starting diamonds and bidding spades, so we would play 4nt. So only chance is to bid 4♣ and hope we can bid logically after that (I can see 4c-4d-4h-4s-4n.... and see if we run out of steam).

The other table was 4♣-4♦-6♣, i know i would not bid that way.

[y66]

I like 4C thinking we can stop in 4N if pard can't cue bid diamonds and spades.

[inquiry]

y66, on 2012-May-20, 19:31, said:

I like 4C thinking we can stop in 4N if pard can't cue bid diamonds and spades.

we cuebid kings or aces up the lines, so the cuebids would not be all that helpful here.

[MrAce]

Do you play 1♥ f1 ?

I would have started 2♥ with your hand, Ben.

[inquiry]

MrAce, on 2012-May-20, 20:12, said:

Do you play 1♥ f1 ?

I would have started 2♥ with your hand, Ben.

Certainly all the blame for missing slam on this hand is on me. I considered 2♥, but the thought was that if partner passed 1♥, we were probably high enough. Two hearts might have helped, but how much weaker was my auction compared to, say, 1C=1d=2h=2S=3C? i will say, my intent was to bid 2♥ over 1nt or 1♠.

I think the real problem was not the 1♥ bid, but the pass of 3NT. i think I need to make some kind of try over 3NT.

[MrAce]

inquiry, on 2012-May-20, 22:03, said:

Certainly all the blame for missing slam on this hand is on me. I considered 2♥, but the thought was that if partner passed 1♥, we were probably high enough. Two hearts might have helped, but how much weaker was my auction compared to, say, 1C=1d=2h=2S=3C? i will say, my intent was to bid 2♥ over 1nt or 1♠.

I think the real problem was not the 1♥ bid, but the pass of 3NT. i think I need to make some kind of try over 3NT.

Yes, if you started with 1♥ you may bid differently than what you did later, but it is a good problem and not that easy. Even after 2♥ it may be problematic.

[barmar]

We're playing pretty standard 2/1, so 2♥ by Ben would have been GF. I think his hand is right on the borderline.

We bypass ♦ to bid a major if we have less than invitational values. I think this should affect this decision: if we have a ♥ fit, I'll have an invitational hand, so he doesn't need stretch to jump.

[MrAce]

barmar, on 2012-May-20, 22:33, said:

We're playing pretty standard 2/1, so 2♥ by Ben would have been GF. I think his hand is right on the borderline.

We bypass ♦ to bid a major if we have less than invitational values. I think this should affect this decision: if we have a ♥ fit, I'll have an invitational hand, so he doesn't need stretch to jump.

Your style of bypassing 1♦ may insure that you guys wont miss a ♥ game. Unfortunately this is very narrow way of looking at the effects of 1 or 2 ♥ decision, since there are other games except than 4♥ to be missed with the hands responder may pass 1 ♥, especially when looking at 8 tricks in your hand. After that, there are slam hands to be missed due to wrong start. ( i am not saying Ben started wrong, i would start 2♥ myself but as you said it is borderline, i am just saying that bypassing 1♦ with better hands will not help the situation unless there is a ♥ fit.)

Look at the original auction as example to what i am trying to say, you bid 1♠, he bid 3♣, you signed off and he is still not comfortable, he feels he has things that he couldnt get out of his chest completely, thats exactly what i am trying to say.