[Hanoi5]

Both red, imp pairs:

♠Tx
♥T
♦AQJT4
♣AQJ72

3♠-Pa-Pa-???

[BunnyGo]

Yes. You can't sell to 3♠ You have a couple too many losers to be happy to GF, but the hand is pretty nice, and you have to do something.

[Mbodell]

I say yes. I suspect I'll be down as often as not, but imp odds plus sometimes it is a good save, plus sometimes they save at the 5 level make it pretty clear in my mind.

[JLOGIC]

Mbodell, on 2011-November-20, 17:43, said:

I say yes. I suspect I'll be down as often as not, but imp odds plus sometimes it is a good save, plus sometimes they save at the 5 level make it pretty clear in my mind.

Which opp is going to do that, the one who opened with a preempt, or the one who passed it?

[Mbodell]

JLOGIC, on 2011-November-20, 17:52, said:

Which opp is going to do that, the one who opened with a preempt, or the one who passed it?

Granted, it doesn't happen much, but maybe the one who passed it.

[Fluffy]

4NT it is not perfect but the alternatives suck. With reversed majors reopening with a minor to be able to hear 4♥ would make some sense, now it doesn´t.

[JLOGIC]

I would just balance with 4D. 4N seems like way too much. If partner passes 4D, I may look silly if he has a good club fit, short diamonds, and enough values to make 5C. I think (hope) that more likely I will just have avoided playing 5m X down multiple. If he has enough values for game will usually be able to bid something, often 4H, in which case I can try 5C.

If partner bids 4N I am going to pass rather than bid 5C. I'm not sure that this is correct. In that case I will gain when we play 4N instead of 5m and it is right.

Another way for me to lose is if partner raises to 5D and 5C is the only making game, but based on my hand (ie, the solidity of my minors) this seems very unlikely. It's not like we will need to ruff out diamonds that often or whatever. Maybe if partner has the ace of spades and we could pitch the other spades on the diamonds if we are in clubs or something.

edit: And in case anyone cares, I think 4D is better than 4C becuase there is a significant chance partner will bid 4H.

[gwnn]

JLOGIC, on 2011-November-21, 03:49, said:

I would just balance with 4D. 4N seems like way too much. If partner passes 4D, I may look silly if he has a good club fit, short diamonds, and enough values to make 5C. I think (hope) that more likely I will just have avoided playing 5m X down multiple. If he has enough values for game will usually be able to bid something, often 4H, in which case I can try 5C.

If partner bids 4N I am going to pass rather than bid 5C. I'm not sure that this is correct. In that case I will gain when we play 4N instead of 5m and it is right.

Another way for me to lose is if partner raises to 5D and 5C is the only making game, but based on my hand (ie, the solidity of my minors) this seems very unlikely. It's not like we will need to ruff out diamonds that often or whatever.

edit: And in case anyone cares, I think 4D is better than 4C becuase there is a significant chance partner will bid 4H.

what would you do if you played 4m as artificial?

[JLOGIC]

gwnn, on 2011-November-21, 03:52, said:

what would you do if you played 4m as artificial?

ABSTAIN!

It is amusing that during the last nationals some hand was going around where it was a perfect leaping non michaels hand, and no one knew what to do, and I said the dutch play something called NON LEAPING MICHAELS and everyone was like OMG WTF. I literally have never played it and thus have no experience dealing with the problem hand types it creates, while I have lots of experience with the problem hand types that playing natural 4m creates since I've always played it.

I guess 4N would be the bid. Balancing with 3N is a little bit crazy because even if they don't lead a spade they will lead a heart, and that could be bad, and even if nothing bad happens, not like we have even one solid minor to gamble on. Maybe passing is right but I couldn't do it.

[Hanoi5]

Partner held:

♠K
♥Q98x
♦Kxxx
♣T8xx

She passed 4♦ but it was her first tournament (4NT wasn't available). Is game biddable after a 4♦ balancing action?

[phil_20686]

I dont think I have ever passed a 4 level overcall of a minor with Kxxx trump support......

But I would bid 4N originally, mostly because of that old mantra about always playing in your best fit. If I bid 4N i get to play in my best fit.

[mcphee]

Although 4N is pushy I will risk it. Not overly delighted with this choice of mine, but 4D does risk missing C. 4D is my second choice.

[pooltuna]

JLOGIC, on 2011-November-21, 03:49, said:

I would just balance with 4D. 4N seems like way too much. If partner passes 4D, I may look silly if he has a good club fit, short diamonds, and enough values to make 5C. I think (hope) that more likely I will just have avoided playing 5m X down multiple. If he has enough values for game will usually be able to bid something, often 4H, in which case I can try 5C.

If partner bids 4N I am going to pass rather than bid 5C. I'm not sure that this is correct. In that case I will gain when we play 4N instead of 5m and it is right.

Another way for me to lose is if partner raises to 5D and 5C is the only making game, but based on my hand (ie, the solidity of my minors) this seems very unlikely. It's not like we will need to ruff out diamonds that often or whatever. Maybe if partner has the ace of spades and we could pitch the other spades on the diamonds if we are in clubs or something.

edit: And in case anyone cares, I think 4D is better than 4C becuase there is a significant chance partner will bid 4H.

so are you ready to pass 4♥ or are you going to insist on 5♣ since partner couldn't act directly over 3♠

[gwnn]

He is going to bid 5♣.

He bids 4♦ because then he can bid both suits.

(nonsense by opps)
4♦-4♥
5♣

is better than
4♣-4♥
5♦

[mikeh]

I agree with Justin. I would bid 4N with the majors reversed, but 10x in their suit combined with holes in mine and a stiff in hearts all spell trouble ahead. Even if the minor Ks are onside, there is no assurance that partner can get to her hand. That problem may exist if I were 1=2=5=5 as well, but at least I am less likely to see us booked at trick 2 with my LHO on lead.

I think partner should suck it up and bid 5♦ with her hand, tho I understand her concern...no Aces and in essence at most a working 5 count.

[kgr]

4NT for me.
(4♦ is non-leaping Michaels for me.)

[whereagles]

As above. I can't bid 4D, but neither would I do that if I could.