FrancesHinden, on Dec 2 2005, 12:21 PM, said:
inquiry, on Dec 2 2005, 11:24 AM, said:
So the first problem is I think with your hand:
A
KQJxx
KQJx
xxx
The correct bid is 4♦ over 3♣x. Now, maybe you play this is as splinter? I play it as this hand. Could you have bid 4♦ here?
I could have done.
That looks to me more like a slam try however, rather than this hand which is merely a game acceptance (don't forget partner's 3C bid did not force to game).
Well, I follow the teaching of your countryman (maybe) Robson with 4
♦ being directed towards setting defense if they bid on to five clubs. I use PASS over the double (forcing) to show good hands with no clear direction and redouble to show first round control and slam try. With everyone bidding, describing what to do over the "high probability" sac is clearly more useful in the long run than using 4
♦ as a slam try.
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The next problem was your choice over your partners pass of 5♣. Your hand is not suited for pulling. Your partner is long in ♠, and he will not be short in clubs despite your three.
It's quite an odd auction. Partner usually will be short in clubs to make a forcing pass (never mind what we might think from the auction). It's true however that he's likely to have spade honours just to give him enough high cards. I was playing him for something like
Jxx(x)
Axxx
Axx(x)
x(x)
when 5C is cheap and 5H is easy.
Well, lets stop here. With Jxxx Axxx Axx xx or Jxx Axxx Axxx xx I would have bid 3
♥, we are vul and that is good enough. Give me a stiff club (Jxxx Axxx Axxx x), and I would either splinter (if available) or bid 5
♥ after my 3
♣ bid and partners jump to 4
♥. In fact, I would guess that a forcing pass on this auction (where you ARE NOT making a slam try) will pretty much always have two in their trump suit. With three you can usally work out if you want to defend or press on to game. I would have bet money the forcing pass hand had a doubleton club. This could be a difference in how we play such bids.
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I think double after the misbid of 4♥ and partners subsequent forcing pass is clearly correct.
So did my partner (although he agreed with 4H the previous round).
I wouldn't have put the hand up if I thought it was obvious and just wanted to say 'I told you so', I thought it was a genuinely interesting debate.
It can be hard sometimes to collect big penalties when opponents simply don't have their bids: RHO thought he was doubling for a club _lead_ and LHO thought his partner was suggesting a save.
If you go wtih the thought that partner will be either looking at a slam try or very short hearts, you will see why the double with this hand is clear cut in the pass out seat. IF partner had.... KJTx Axxx Axxx x, he would bid 5
♦ over the double, showing short club, diamond ACE and slam ambition. With Jxxx Axxx Axxx x he would have bid 5
♦ over 5
♣ to express mildest of slam ambitions. And with his actual hand (KJ10x, A9xx, A9x, xx) he will stand for the double. As it is, however, you can probably still make 6
♥ off the top (5H, 2S, 4D, 1C).
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