[jillybean]

Scoring: MP

---

West North East South

 Pass  Pass  1♦    Pass
 1♥    Dbl   Pass  1♠
 2♥    Pass  Pass  3♣
 Dbl   3♠    Pass  Pass
 Pass  


What has gone wrong in this auction? No holds barred!

[paulg]

In isolation, North's initial pass is impeccable. Perhaps given the next call that is less true.

North's double should guarantee the unbid suits. As 1NT is available for more distributional hands I can live with 4-4 in the black suits especially if the values are concentrated in the long suits. So I'm not that impressed with the double.

Note that it is dangerous to enter a live auction with only a balanced 11 count. It would actually be safer to open this hand than make a double at this point.

South's choice of 1♠ is a little strange, but perhaps influenced by the scoring. It is a little naive to assume that 1♠ will finish the auction so bidding your better suit first is really the priority. Competing later in spades, if you really want to do this, gives partner a better view of you hand.

North's preference to spades over clubs is sort of forced by the problem of the initial double.

I guess West would like to double at the end, but he's not to know what a mess N/S have made!

So I'd fault the initial double. Although this all looks very bad, perhaps it is really the competitive matchpoint game that has caused the problem. North has made an ill-judged bid that has got the pair on a slippery slope, but on another day partner will have a good fit and North'll be pleased to have taken action. But, I still think double is ill-judged.

Paul

[cherdano]

The double is bad. It is a common mistake to think this double shows "I wish I had opened", but with a random balanced 10-11 count you just have to pass, as explained by Paul. Double shows a maximum pass AND 4-4 in the unbid suits.
South's bidding is inconsistent, too, if he/she prefers to play 1S over 2C, why suddenly a change of mind to prefer 3♣ over 2♠?

[Fluffy]

worst of all is teh 2♥ bid.

What does 1♠ mean I don't know, but seems he knew that North would not have a real double, just a matter of experience with him.

[sceptic]

I cant stand the 2 heart bid, I think that is a four card suit what ever way you look at it

I dont like the 3 club bid either this seems to me to show distribution that is not even mildly accurate

I like Norths 3 spade bid as it is only pick a preference to their known 8 card spade fit

[P_Marlowe]

#1 the double by North shows 4-4 in the unbid
suits, unless I miscount I see only 3-4
#2 2C instead of 1S is clear cut, we have a eight
card fit, unless I know North tendency
#3 East should bid 2H
#4 the X by West is stupid (I did the same during
the last week), can he double 3S, afterall the
opponents just claimed they have a spade fit
Additionally West is minimum, there has to be a
time, when you stop bidding to tell partner that
you are dead

If I have to pick the worst bid, it is the double.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[ralph23]

Double was awful. It would never have occurred to me ......

[pbleighton]

Double is a terrible bid. Just pass.
1S is bad, bid 2C.
2H is weird.
3C is bad.
3S is bad.

This hand shows how tough it is to recover from a bad initial bid.

Peter

[jdonn]

pbleighton, on Aug 4 2007, 10:43 AM, said:

3S is bad.

What exactly is wrong with 3♠? North has 4 cards in his partner's first suit and 3 in his partner's second suit, which would you choose?

North's double was bad but only the 4th worst bid of the auction IMO. West's 2♥ bid was worse, and south's 1♠ bid was even worse.

However no one has yet even mentioned the worst bid of the entire auction. What is west doing doubling 3♣!

[cherdano]

Why is everybody so harsh on 1♠? It is matchpoints, I think it could well be right to play in the 4-3 spade fit.

[neilkaz]

cherdano, on Aug 4 2007, 11:00 AM, said:

Why is everybody so harsh on 1♠? It is matchpoints, I think it could well be right to play in the 4-3 spade fit.

Well..AQx is decent support but clearly you are in a 4-3 fit and cannot expect to buy the contract for 1♠ and perhaps not 2♠. North will expect 4 card support and may compete on to the 3 level. Since North should really have 4♣ for the double or even 5♣ (he overcalls 1♠ with any 5♠ IMHO) by responding 2♣ South can then bid 2♠ if he wishes over any opp 2 Red) and N knows S has only 3 cards in ♠ and can make hopefully the proper decision to stay in 2♠ or to prefer 3♣ or to let the opps play 3 Red, doubled or not if they compete.

Anyhow, just my opinion, but I don't think South's 1♠ plans for the likely future of this part score fight and may misslead North into thinking there's a 4-4 ♠ fit.

Also sometimes S may be ruffing ♥ with trump winners in the play, and while that may not be bad, it could cause issues, especially if ♠ split 4-2 and N has weak trumps.

.. neilkaz ..

[neilkaz]

Lots of bidding that I don't care for on this hand. Note that it is MP and all are VUL and if you go -200 on a part score hand, you don't get a good score. That being said, -100 outscores -110 and being aggressive is part of good MP play.

OK...West's 1♥ response on 5 HCP, a trashy 5 card suit, and a stiff in PD's suit is pushy, but it seems reasonable to look for a 5-3 fit, as long as the pair doesn't overcall 1♦ on junk and as long as overcaller won't get too excited by 1♥.

North's take out double after passing with this 4-3-3-3 11 HCP scattered flat junk with a weak 4 card ♠ suit is bad and just asking to misslead PD into competing too high and resulting in -200 or even -500 ! http://www.gg.caltech.edu/~jeff/knr.cgi?ha...7xx+AJx+QT8+K62 evaluates N's hand as worth only 9.05 and I strongly think N should just pass. Someone can balance later over 2 Red if they want. Positionally N likes having AJx over the 1♥ bid but dislikes QT8 behind overcaller. Clear PASS to me.

East has a full opening bid for his O/C and 3 card support and a very clear raise to 2♥. For all he knows, West may be just shy of opening and they may have a cold 4♥. This also may force the opps to guess and allow West to compete to a cold 3♥.

South has 3♠ and 4♣ and should plan his bidding in the part score contest better. 2♣ is clear and then over 2 Red, S can decide to compete to 2♠ and show that he has only 3♠ and 4 ♣ and N canb decide from there.

West's 2♥ bid on that trash is awful and just asking for a penalty, if East doesn't fit or is real min (both possible from East's pass). Also East will suspect West has some real cards and compete to a 3Hx disaster. REAL bad 2♥ call and the worst bid of the action.

South decides to compete on in what should be a 4-4 fit with 3♣, but what if N pulls to the higher scoring 3♠ ? Had South bid 2♣ his first turn, he could bid 2♠ now and things would be fine and maybe the opps compete to 3 Red X.
South could dble,showing a decent cards and defence, but that doesn't really show 4♣ IMHO and simply gives N the option to pass or carry on to 2♠. I think 2♥X is also likely to make here if N passes. This is a tough S call, but having only 3♠ and good defence I'll double in pass out seat at MPs and see what happens and this should keep us out of 3♠ later on I hope.

West's double of 3♣ is a MP double, but he has junk, and PD seems to have a bare overcall. If ♣ are 4-4 there's a good chance of the contract making and West has told declarer which way to finesse. West may get a D ruff but that may be with a natural trump winner anyhow. West's double is a bad gamble even at MP and why potentially drive the opps to 3♠ which seems (from West's hand) more likely to make ? West shouldn't double 3♣ if he can't double 3♠.

North's decision to run from the doubled 4-3 ♣ fit which seems doomed to 3♠ and a likely 4-4 fit is automatic. No double, no trouble. 3♣ was doubled and is clearly in trouble, and 3♠ hasn't yet been doubled (although good opps will whack it at MP after the 3♣X, these aren't good opps)

Just my opinions .. North should pass rather than takeout here and S should respond 2♣ .. neilkaz ..