[mikegill]

Scoring: IMP

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South opens 1h, north bids a GF 2d showing 5+ diamonds, East stares at this for a second or two but passes. You decide to rebid 2n as South, and North bids 3n. East's X hits the table almost before your partner's 3n. This passes around to partner who XXes to show doubt, and you pull to 4c, which partner corrects to 4h, and nobody doubles. LHO leads the dT. Your line?

[han]

I will start by ruffing, cashing the AK of clubs, coming to hand with a spade and ruffing a club. What happens?


Hate hate hate 2NT btw.

[jdonn]

mikegill, on Jan 25 2008, 01:03 PM, said:

You decide to rebid 2n as South

Director please, aliens have taken control of my brain waves and are using them against me.

[ArtK78]

I don't understand the criticism of the 2NT rebid. It obviously shows an opening hand with 13 cards.

What, you expected some sort of balanced hand for the 2NT call?

[mikegill]

To the 2n critics (who have a valid point, of course)

I hated pretty much every bid. Not crazy with the idea of a high reverse on that suit either. I was worried it would endplay partner rather nastily in the bidding if he doesn't have a spade stopper. I can see either 3c or 2n working out rather poorly. But anyway, you're here. Yes, I understand this was not the most elegant auction of all time.

As for Jlall and Hannie, one of you is going down and the other is not, but I won't reveal which is which until later since I don't want to bias other posters.

[kenrexford]

I think I'll try spades first. If I can cash three of them, I'll ruff a second diamond. Then a club to dummy to ruff a third diamond high. Another club to dummy to ruff another diamond high. Now I must win one more trick.

If the third spade is ruffed by LHO, I may get a trump back. In this event, I'll need to ruff one more diamond and then possibly win the 10th trick with dummy's heart en passant. I love saying "en passant," so I'm happy.

If the third spade is ruffed by RHO, I definitely will get a trump back, unless it is a stiff. In that event, I'll have a guess to make. That en passant thing may induce the wrong play, if that line is the wrong line. A finesse is so mundane, but perhaps right. But, it seems to me that I will be likely need only one more diamond ruff and one spade ruff "en passant?" as long as I ruff the club in dummy before leading the last spade from dummy -- an en passant the other way.

That's too sexy to pass up. I'll be ticked if the spades split 3-3.

[jdonn]

Jlall, on Jan 25 2008, 06:00 PM, said:

mikegill, on Jan 25 2008, 05:58 PM, said:

To the 2n critics (who have a valid point, of course)

I hated pretty much every bid.  Not crazy with the idea of a high reverse on that suit either.  I was worried it would endplay partner rather nastily in the bidding if he doesn't have a spade stopper.   I can see either 3c or 2n working out rather poorly.  But anyway, you're here.  Yes, I understand this was not the most elegant auction of all time. 

As for Jlall and Hannie, one of you is going down and the other is not, but I won't reveal which is which until later since I don't want to bias other posters.

Agree...2N and 3C are both horrible...THUS!

OH OH I KNOW, CALL ON ME!

[mikegill]

My other choices were show 6 hearts or 4 spades... you might dislike the system but those were my choices.

[gnasher]

mikegill, on Jan 26 2008, 04:23 AM, said:

My other choices were show 6 hearts or 4 spades... you might dislike the system but those were my choices.

So 2NT is just an artificial bid, showing any hand that doesn't have six hearts, four spades, primary diamond support, or reversing values with clubs? If so, it seems automatic.

[gnasher]

mikegill, on Jan 25 2008, 11:58 PM, said:

Not crazy with the idea of a high reverse on that suit either.  I was worried it would endplay partner rather nastily in the bidding if he doesn't have a spade stopper.

Many of us avoid this sort of problem by using 1H-2D-3C-3S to say "Do you have a spade stop?" Is it really more useful to play 3S as natural in this auction?

[gnasher]

Justin's line, of cashing two clubs and two spades then playing a club, looks so good that I'm surprised anyone suggested anything else.

If you get that far, you are cold unless East has 4=1=6=2 with a stiff queen of hearts:
- If East doesn't overruff, you ruff a diamond high and ruff another club.
- If East overruffs and returns a diamond, you ruff high and ruff another club.
- If East overruffs and returns a trump, you draw trumps and cash another spade.
- If East overruffs and gives his a partner a spade ruff, and West then returns a trump, you draw trumps and set up the clubs (failing against 2=5=2=4/4=1=6=2).

By not cashing the second spade, you risk East's discarding a spade on the third round of clubs, leaving you having to guess their shapes. I also can't see how it is supposed to gain.