[whereagles]

Matchpoints, adv opps, V vs NV. System is bread-and-butter 2/1.

♠ Q9x
♥ Kxxx
♦ Jx
♣ A987

Pard RHO you LHO
..1♦...2♣...dbl...3♣
..3♦..pass..??

Pard is adv and experienced but you don't know him well, so you're not sure whether his 3♦ bid promises extras or is merely competitive. You've seen pard make a couple of overbids on big hands, though.

At imps this is a no-brainer: bid 3NT first, think later, but what about at matchpoints?

[Codo]

Is this really a no-brainer at imps? With exactly one club trick, 5 Diamond seems to be a nice spot either.
If the Diamonds run, 3 NT is safer, but else, you better try 5 Diamond.

I bid 5 Diamond. If this is wrong, at least it makes Pd declarer. Most Pds loves this.

[P_Marlowe]

3NT.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[bid_em_up]

whereagles, on May 12 2006, 04:17 AM, said:

At imps this is a no-brainer: bid 3NT first, think later, but what about at matchpoints?

Really?

Actually it should be the other way around. At matchpoints, 3N is normally the "no-brainer" call, as it will score the same as 5D if it makes, you have to take fewer tricks and you outscore 5D if you score any overtricks. At MP, whenever 3N has a reasonable chance of making, you should bid it, instead of the minor suit game.

At imps, you should consider which is likely to be the best game 3N or 5 of a minor or is game makeable at all. Overtricks dont matter.

I think that both 3N and 5D are likely to go down, but since I only have to score 9 tricks in 3N, thats the MP bid of choice.

(edited for clarification).

[Winstonm]

Pass. I was prepared to bid 2N but not 3N and there is a lot to be said for going plus at matchpoints - who knows, LHO may go crazy and bid 4C.

Winston

[foo]

bid_em_up is well named. He's considering whether 3N or 5D is better whan the OP's question was whether to bid a game or pass...

♠Q9x♥Kxxx♦Jx♣A987

Pard RHO you LHO
..1♦...2♣...dbl...3♣
..3♦..pass..??

Your Negative X showed ~10 HCP. That's what you have. GOP heard you.
3D is not forcing. Pass.

Q9x opposite a minimum opener with 3-S should make you uncomfortable with the play in 3N.

a flat 10 count opposite a minimum opener should make you uncomfortable with 5D chances of making.

Pass.

[MickyB]

I'm passing. For 3NT to be a favourite we will probably need 9 cashing tricks, which means 6 running diamonds and the ace of hearts, or 7 running diamonds and an outside ace. Give partner the AJ spades and we are finessing into the overcaller. Despite no wastage in clubs, 5♦ will likely need a 15 count or a 7th diamond with partner to make it better than a finesse.

[Codo]

foo, on May 12 2006, 10:29 PM, said:

Your Negative X showed ~10 HCP.  That's what you have.  GOP heard you.
3D is not forcing.  Pass.

Q9x opposite a minimum opener with 3-S should make you uncomfortable with the play in 3N.

a flat 10 count opposite a minimum opener should make you uncomfortable with 5D chances of making.

Pass.

I always wonder about the sureness, a lot of people (me not excluded) know, what is standard and have so different "standards".
1.For me, pds free bid showed surely extras in shape and/or High card Strength, so he can simply not have a "weak opener".
2. If I look at a suit with A987, which was bid and raised by opps, I am surely uncomfortable about my sure single stopper, not about other suits.
3. A neg. X for 2 Club shows around 8 + HCPs, this seems to be standard.


I absolute agree, that 3 Diamond may be the latest plus score we may get. There are layouts, where even this may be too much. But so what.
Give pd Kxx,Axx,AKQxxx,x and 3 NT rolls in. Give him a more shapish hand like AK, Axx,KQTxxxx,x and 5 Diamond is cold.
Will PD have less? I doubt that. With the given Club shortness he better should pass with just a weak opening, else he puts too much pressure on his pd to decide, if 3 Diamond was made with the example hand or with KJx, Qxx, KQJxxx,x or an even stronger hand.

[bid_em_up]

foo, on May 12 2006, 08:29 AM, said:

bid_em_up is well named.  He's considering whether 3N or 5D is better whan the OP's question was whether to bid a game or pass...

No, I was specifically addressing the statement that said "at IMP's its a no-brainer, bid 3N"

and I dont see where the original question is asking "bid game or pass?", but instead is asking what action do you take?

edit: (Ok, now I do.....who reads titles anyways?)

Pass is certainly a reasonable alternative and one that I considered. Yes, GOP (what is that, good ole partner?) heard you, but he does not have a club stop and is unaware that you hold one.

Given that partner needs as little as:

Jxx Axx AKQxxx x

for 3N to make (not an unreasonable holding to expect), 3N is the matchpoint call. You wont win many MP's for playing 3D or 5D.

As always, jmoo.