[Echognome]

Scoring: XIMP

P - (1♥) - 1♠ - (P)
2♥* - (3♥) - 3♠(H) - (P)
?

---

*Sound raise

You are playing short matches that are cross imped with three other tables. You are currently winning your match handily so decide to be quite conservative and pass as opener even playing a 12-14 NT. (I know some will disagree with this, but it is not really the question at hand.)

Partner hesitates for quite awhile after the 3♥ bid. Note you would have had an easy double if 3♥ came back around to you. What I was trying to figure out is what my logical alternatives were when 3♠ came back to me. Now I know that I can pose this as a normal UI problem without the hesitation. The question is what my thinking process should be at the table in this regard. I felt that my only LA at the time was to pass. Is this quite straightforward or would you think other calls allowed?

[Gerben42]

Well you can either

* Pass
or
* Bid 4♠

However it is not possible to know what partner was thinking about! When partner made a positive move (like here, he could've passed) it is hard to know why.

Why did he think?
* He was deciding between pass and 3♠
* He was deciding between double and 3♠
* He was deciding between 4♠ and 3♠

So I think both Pass and 4♠ are allowed.

[mr1303]

I would disagree (although not very strongly). I'm not really sure what a slow 3S here would suggest. Does it suggest a hand that was close to a 4S bid, or a hand that was only just worth 3S? Could be anything.

For what it's worth I would pass 3S here, but that's because I've got two top heart losers and no aces. However, I don't feel compelled to pass as a result of the UI.

[MickyB]

If you are winning the match, I think it is normally best to try to follow the field action, so I'd open (particularly if the field was playing a weak NT). However, presuming this is the match I think it was, you were probably quite keen to get a few more IMPs in...

I suspect you were playing wide-ranging WJOs opposite a passed partner? It doesn't look like he has a stiff heart, so at this vulnerability he must have 6♠ and hence a 12 count or so. Either he has ♥ length and was considering passing (or doubling), or he almost has a 4♠ bid. I think the latter is much more likely, and I think pass is an LA, so I think you should pass here. However, I'm not convinced this is correct...

[hotShot]

Gerben42, on Jan 27 2006, 04:30 PM, said:

Well you can either

* Pass
or
* Bid 4♠

Okay let us count:

Gerben42, on Jan 27 2006, 04:30 PM, said:

Well you can either v
Why did he think?
* He was deciding between pass and 3♠

A slow 3♠ suggests pass!
(A slow pass would have suggested 3♠)

Gerben42, on Jan 27 2006, 04:30 PM, said:

Well you can either
* He was deciding between double and 3♠

A slow 3♠ suggests pass!
Double is no longer an option, nor is 4♠.

Gerben42, on Jan 27 2006, 04:30 PM, said:

Well you can either
* He was deciding between 4♠ and 3♠

A slow 3♠ suggest to bid 4♠, if you have some unbid extra values.

So 2 of 3 suggest pass. So i think pass is the LA that is slightly more suggested by partners slow bid.

But even if 4♠ were suggested, one could argue that your hand is stronger than shown. You downgraded your opening to pass and you are stronger than a sound raise. If the strength needed for the 1♠ overcall is opening strength, pass would be no LA to you.

[FrancesHinden]

I don't think the slow 3S bid suggests passing or bidding on, so you can do whatever you want. Partner could be deciding between pass and 3S, or between 3S and 4S.

[Blofeld]

Not clear that the slow 3♠ suggests anything in particular, so I can't see any particular action being barred.

As an aside, I think that there's a reasonable argument that pass isn't a LA on this hand. You can hardly be better for your bidding so far, and partner bid a free 3♠.

[han]

About UI: I agree that there is none (or very little), so focus on making the call you think is best

About bridge: I think pass in first seat is right, this really is a bad 12-count. I disagree with those who say that the hand couldn't possible be better after having passed originally. What about K10x x Axxxx Kxxx, this hand is much better!

I pass 3S but I think that this is extremely close.

[Free]

3♠ is a free bid, showing a non-minimum and non-maximum. So I'm free to bid whatever I like, since I don't know if he was thinking of passing (is this a minimum or not?) or 4♠ (close to maximum).

Btw, it's imps, so I rather think he was wondering between min-med than between med-max...

[MickyB]

Free, on Jan 28 2006, 10:19 AM, said:

3♠ is a free bid, showing a non-minimum and non-maximum.

No, it is showing willingness to compete - likely based on a 6th spade. I still think it is far more likely he was deciding whether to bid game than whether he should bid at all.