Posted 2021-March-18, 16:18
We have to be brave on this one (why on earth pass would be forcing when we couldn’t open the bidding and partner could have a shapely 10 or 11?).
We can pass, but X looks tempting. Ok, partner opened in 3rd and the 4H bidder could really be bidding this to make. Acting is dangerous but passing may be more.
Being a passed hand is actually a relief because partner knows we have limited strength so our X can only come from a « pure » shape and good honor structure with quick tricks.
So partner can pass because he has a flat hand and doesn’t see us belonging higher...well, am I not brining 2 aces? Let’s hope he can find 2 other tricks in his hand.
If partner bids 5m or 4NT, with an unbalanced hand, well, I have a decent support for his one or two-suiter. It could prove to be a good save when our minor tricks would get trumped at 4H because of partner’s lengths.
The only risk could be a bid of 4S with an « elegant » opening, hoping to make (we are red, partner would more often try a 10-trick game than an 11-trick game), but we end up down 1 while 4H was also going down had I passed. Not too expensive at IMPs.
Sometimes we’ll write -590 when partner sits, but it is better than -800 anywhere else...
Who said preempts work, or it’s a bidder’s game.
So sign me in for this (minimal) X, ready to take the blame on the PM.
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I rank
1. Double = T/O or "Neg" "Cards" or "Action" or Transferrable values".
2. Pass = Sensible conservative action with a weak hand.