[sailoranch]

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East-West vulnerable at IMPs, South's deal. Everyone's playing 2/1. How does your auction proceed?

[Phil]

A likely auction seems to be 2♥ - pass - 4♥ - AP. A spade or a diamond lead sets it - a club lets 4♥ in.

There are some variations.

1. South might open 1♥ which is not my choice but others would. If this happens, West would overcall and North would make a heart raise. East would support spades in some fashion and its likely at some point EW are bidding 4♠ over 4♥.

2. Over 2♥, West might overcall 2♠. It works well here.

[Foxx]

First seat, white on red? If I have that South hand, I'm opening 1♥. With 5-5 in the black suits, West bids 2♥. North has a good limit raise in hearts and cue-bids 2♠. Now East has A10x in West's spades, another ace, and the queen of West's minor will be fitting, so he shows a hand just short of a game drive by return-cue-bidding 3♥.

South now pushes 4♥ on the strength of his distribution, and West has to decide whether to go on. If he passes, East will double 4♥, down one. West can also bid 4♠, and if he finds the ♠Q during the play, it will make. N-S can hardly find their club ruff.

If South wants to take out insurance, he can lay out -300 by bidding 5♥ over 4♠.

[Yu18772]

Phil, on 2012-May-24, 11:49, said:

A likely auction seems to be 2♥ - pass - 4♥ - AP. A spade or a diamond lead sets it - a club lets 4♥ in.

+1
I would not consider overcalling 2♠ red with these cards over a preempt, but may be its wrong?

White vs red many would open 1♥ - West overcalls spades (imo this is not 2 suited 2♥ vulnerable with such poor clubs) - I know some that would overcall 2♠ and some that would overcall 1♠. So I can imagine 2 auctions:
1H - 1S - 2S - 3H/3S/X (whatever they play for invitational values and support)
P - P(3S) - 4H - P
P - 4S

or
1H - 2S - 4H - P?
Yu

[Codo]

South: 1 ♥ (far two strong for 2 ♥)
West: pass (I do not overcall 1 Spade enough, I know...and the suits are too bad for 2 ♥ at this vul.)
North: Whatever I use to show a 4+ card raise with 12-14 points)
East pass
South 4 ♥ all pass,

made or -1

[Zelandakh]

Lots of possibilities. All of
1. 1♥ - 1♠ - 2♠! - 3♥!; 4♥
2. 1♥ - 1♠ - 2♠! - 3♥!; 4♥ - 4♠
3. 1♥ - P - 3♣! - P; 4♥
4. 1♥ - P - 3♥ - P; 4♥
5. 1♥ - 2♥! - 2♠! - 3♥!; 4♥
6. 1♥ - 2♥! - 2♠! - 3♥!; 4♥ - 4♠
7. 2♥ - P - 4♥
8. 2♦! - P - 3♠! - P; 4♥

seem reasonable and there are some other possibilities too.

[Phil]

I hope people aren't looking at the South hand and thinking, "oh, 6-4 and a 10 count? Easy 1♥", or worse yet, "we have 10 cards in our two longest suits and 10 points, so I'll open".

[Cthulhu D]

South hand is right on the border line for me to open, so it would probably go - 2♦! (Multi) - Pass - 2S! (Pass or correct) - Pass - 4H - All Pass.

If south opens 1♥ though, he loses big time.

1♥ - 2♠! (Spades + clubs) - 3♠ - 4♠ - Not sure what south will do, probably pass.

[phil_20686]

Phil, on 2012-May-25, 08:53, said:

I hope people aren't looking at the South hand and thinking, "oh, 6-4 and a 10 count? Easy 1♥", or worse yet, "we have 10 cards in our two longest suits and 10 points, so I'll open".

I was mostly thinking, isnt it lucky I play semi constructive weak twos.

Playing std weak two's I think this isnt quite right for a first in 2H, its got a poorish suit, and fairly decent defence. I don't mind 2H particularly, but prefer 1H. Its close.

Regardless, I would overcall spades. Over 1H its obviously completely clear, but over 2H I have often found that the tactical advantage outweighs the disadvantage for being outside our range. If partner has passed I have an obvious pass. But its too easy to be screwed over when partner has some 14 count with too many hearts for a dble of 4H.

After a 2H openeing, north has an easy 4H bid, but over 1H I think north is a bit too good, and has a bit much defence, so I would opt for 2N, a good, offensive (basically 4Cards) raise. This gives east a good chance to show his support. I would opt for 3H over 2N, to show a good raise. South will leap to 4H, and Now I suspect that will end the auction. East has too much defence to press on, and west has already done plenty by overcalling at all.

so I prefer:

1H 1S 2N 3H
4H AP

But also like

2H 2S 4H 4S
AP

And have no problem with

2H p 4H AP.

[sailoranch]

Thanks for your replies. I was wondering how everyone would open the South hand. To me, both 1♥ and 2♥ have flaws, but I'd probably open 1♥. I normally like some quick tricks to go with my rule of 20, but a weak two also seems like a fib.

After 1♥, my clones would probably go 1♠ - 2♠- 2NT (limit+), similar to what others have suggested. Since 3♥ is available and would show some offense without being too forward going, I think opener would choose that over passing. Likewise, West bids only 3♠ as he's already overcalled on shape. North has an obvious 4♥ now.

I guess East passes? Defending seems like a reasonable prospect, and if the North-South bids are anywhere close to being believable, West should be minimum (with shape).

Of course, there's something to be said for a simple 2♥ - 4♥.