[neilkaz]

The only good bid was 3♣

[awm]

Which of N/S was Ken Rexford?

Or was he... both?

[Rossoneri]

Hilarious.

[Hanoi5]

I hope I never reach that level...

[kenrexford]

OK. I'll fess up.

I was South.

My thoughts went something like this:

1. The opponents have a game in a major, surely.
2. I cannot bid 4♦ myself, because we play that as showing both majors.
3. Although I am willing to go to 5♦ myself, there is not that much in the way of reason yet.
4. 4♣ will not be the final contract.
5. I can handle partner rebidding clubs, albeit a rare possibility, because I am willing to go to 5♦.
6. What can go wrong? (LOLOL)

My final pass was based on this thought:

1. If 5♦ does not demand that partner pass, he won't pass 6♦ either.

Of course, they cannot make 5♥ or 5♠ on best defense. They might even have problems in 4.

[skjaeran]

kenrexford, on Jan 13 2009, 02:06 PM, said:

OK. I'll fess up.

I was South.

That much was obvious!

[kenrexford]

skaeran, on Jan 13 2009, 01:04 PM, said:

kenrexford, on Jan 13 2009, 02:06 PM, said:

OK.  I'll fess up.

I was South.

That much was obvious!

Actually, the humorous thing was that our teammates had a complete disaster themselves on this hand and went for like 500 or 800 in a doubled slam. So, the two somewhat washed.

[RichMor]

kenrexford, on Jan 13 2009, 08:06 AM, said:

My thoughts went something like this:

1. The opponents have a game in a major, surely. 
2. I cannot bid 4♦ myself, because we play that as showing both majors.
3. Although I am willing to go to 5♦ myself, there is not that much in the way of reason yet.
4. 4♣ will not be the final contract.
5. I can handle partner rebidding clubs, albeit a rare possibility, because I am willing to go to 5♦.
6. What can go wrong?  (LOLOL)

Ken,

Bet your pard was thinking deep thoughts too. Obviously, one of you has to stop thinking.

Maybe you could take turns; you think on even-numbered boards, pard on the odd.

[Edmunte1]

That's happening when they stole the green cards

[awm]

I normally bid 3♦ on hands like the south one. This has a number of good effects such as:

(1) It lets partner know what to lead (if possible).
(2) It creates ambiguity about the strength of my hand and may talk opponents out of bidding, or get them to overbid if they decide I was psyching.
(3) It eliminates any ambiguity if I bid some large number of diamonds later in the auction.
(4) It prevents partner from overcompeting in clubs (if partner is the type to preempt and then bid again) but also allows partner to raise my diamonds to an appropriate level if we have some huge fit there.

In general I've found this approach to be better than raising partner on a singleton and then trying to run to my own suit if I get doubled.

[kenrexford]

RichMor, on Jan 13 2009, 01:35 PM, said:

kenrexford, on Jan 13 2009, 08:06 AM, said:

My thoughts went something like this:

1. The opponents have a game in a major, surely. 
2. I cannot bid 4♦ myself, because we play that as showing both majors.
3. Although I am willing to go to 5♦ myself, there is not that much in the way of reason yet.
4. 4♣ will not be the final contract.
5. I can handle partner rebidding clubs, albeit a rare possibility, because I am willing to go to 5♦.
6. What can go wrong?  (LOLOL)

Ken,

Bet your pard was thinking deep thoughts too. Obviously, one of you has to stop thinking.

Maybe you could take turns; you think on even-numbered boards, pard on the odd.

I agree, generally. However, if I am willing to bid 5♦ with the South hand (a fair call?), then the only thing that could go wrong would be for partner to correct a pull of 5♣X to 5♦ by bidding 6♣. How predictable is that?!?!? Can 5♦ be anything other than "shut the H (or F) up and pass"?

And, as a general rule, doesn't a preempt generally hand over the discretion to "think" to partner?

[mtvesuvius]

Quote

And, as a general rule, doesn't a preempt generally hand over the discretion to "think" to partner?

"Generally" ... Was this an odd or even numbered board?

[Winstonm]

Quote

And, as a general rule, doesn't a preempt generally hand over the discretion to "think" to partner?

Never make a general rule for a corporal.

[jtfanclub]

When I play Precision, the auction 2♣ (P) 3♣ says "Thanks, p, now never bid again". In contrast, the auction 2♣ (P) P implies responder has shape (usually short clubs) or strength (around 7 hcp), enough that opener can consider a penalty X if they go to game. If responder doesn't have shape or strength, why let them get a free pass?

Never seen such a thing played at the 3 level. That's what you were playing, right?

[RichMor]

kenrexford, on Jan 13 2009, 04:02 PM, said:

I agree, generally.  However, if I am willing to bid 5♦ with the South hand (a fair call?), then the only thing that could go wrong would be for partner to correct a pull of 5♣X to 5♦ by bidding 6♣.  How predictable is that?!?!?  Can 5♦ be anything other than "shut the H (or F) up and pass"?

And, as a general rule, doesn't a preempt generally hand over the discretion to "think" to partner?

Ken,

Yes, 5♦ does sound like 'please pass, honorable partner'. As a general rule, I try to pass ASAP when pard does something I don't understand.

Yes, preemptor generally hands over captaincy. But some folks think that a preemptor can bid again if pard supports. Silly partner

RichM

[PeterGill]

Preempters are not meant to bid again.
Having opened 3C, North bid again, and again, then Ken thought
that North would bid again a third time if given the opportunity.

I think South should have bid 6D,
simply to find out if this North makes a third fatal call on the one count.

[kenrexford]

PeterGill, on Jan 14 2009, 04:44 AM, said:

Preempters are not meant to bid again.
Having opened 3C, North bid again, and again, then Ken thought
that North would bid again a third time if given the opportunity.

I think South should have bid 6D,
simply to find out if this North makes a third fatal call on the one count.

Morbid curiousity was there, of course...