[quiddity]

Matchpoint scoring:

1. w/w, 2nd. Tx AQ8x T97xx Ax
P P 1NT(11-14) P
P ?

We play Landy over a weak NT. Should we consider different methods in balancing seat or by a passed hand?

2. r/r, 1st. Jx AT98x - AKQ9xx (corrected)
1C 2H P P
?

3. r/w, 4th. xxx AKT8xx xx xx
P 1D 2C 2H
2S 3H P P
4C P P ?

4. r/r, 4th. x Q97xxx T KT8xx
1D X 5D ?

[nigel_k]

1. I like some variation of Astro but Landy is fine. Obviously double by a passed hand should mean something, so maybe you should play DONT by a passed hand allowing you to show the two suiter on this hand type. Against strong NT you could play DONT all the time in fourth seat, but against weak NT I think you want to retain the penalty double so I don't know what you could do here if just playing Landy. Pass doesn't look right, especially at the vulnerability, though I suppose it could be.

2. I am probably passing but it may depend on which of the 14 cards you take away.

3. Definitely pass. I have done too much already.

4. 5♥ I guess. Quite close to pass as spades appear to be 4441 so they could easily have a deep spade loser or even two and no discards available. But I really have to bid with this much shape.

[quiddity]

Typo on number 2: it should be 2506.

[mikeh]

1. I don't like landy as a method, but that's not the question. I think that when you are a passed hand, you are rarely going to want to balance into a suit in which you could, in theory, have opened a weak 2: whether that be just the majors, or diamonds as well. Thus, given that virtually all methods lose the natural 2♣, I don't think you should play a method by a passed hand that emphasizes one-suiters...I think you should play a method that emphasizes two suiters...DONT is a simple method: there are others, of course.

I wouldn't balance here....if they've stolen the board, so be it. If you never let them steal, you are going to go for numbers way too often (and at mps, when they are in 1N, 150 is a 'number' and 100 may be a disaster as well.

2. You have got to be kidding? reopen? When partner was unable to do anything? Bidding 3♣ is aiming at a very tiny target. Reopening 2N might work if one really, really needed an uber-top, but I'm happy taking my average to average plus on defence.

3. Do I have any reason to bid? Do I have extras for my auction so far? Is partner the type of player who can't think for himself? 3 No's add up to a very clear pass...even clearer than the first two 'problems'.


4. I'm under pressure....and fall back on Grant Baze's Bols Bridge Tip: '6-5 come alive'. 5♥ seems clear to me.

I suppose I'm gonna find out that bidding was best on the first 3 and passing was on the last.

[nige1]

quiddity, on 2011-January-06, 13:32, said:

Matchpoint scoring:
1. w/w, 2nd. Tx AQ8x T97xx Ax
P P 1NT(11-14) P
P ?
We play Landy over a weak NT. Should we consider different methods in balancing seat or by a passed hand?

2. r/r, 1st. Jx AT98x x AKQ9xx
1C 2H P P
?

3. r/w, 4th. xxx AKT8xx xx xx
P 1D 2C 2H
2S 3H P P
4C P P ?

4. r/r, 4th. x Q97xxx T KT8xx
1D X 5D ?

• Crowhurst (aka Multi-Landy)? If so a past-hand Double can be used to show 5+ minor & 4+major (i.e. this hand). An obvious danger of bidding is that opponents may wake up to discover their ♠ fit but it's worth the risk (IMO).
• Pass. Take the money and run.
• Pass. Tempting to double but you could hardly have less.
• 5♥ seems OK.

[655321]

Without any methods to show the first hand, because it is w/w at MP I would make the (horrible bridge) bid of 2♦ rather than pass and defend 1NT.

[quiddity]

mikeh, on 2011-January-06, 15:18, said:

I suppose I'm gonna find out that bidding was best on the first 3 and passing was on the last.

Yeah, pretty much. :-)
Anyway, on the first one I was just interested to see whether people would tend to balance with this shape at all-white. It felt close.
And on the third one, I don't know, it felt really terrible to pass it out. And it was a terrible result, with 4C going down 2 and ten tricks available in hearts.

[FrancesHinden]

You can't pass out 1NT on a 10-count at love all at MPs.
You are a passed hand. Whatever double means, I'd double. (I seriously do play double of a weak NT by a passed hand as "maximum pass" which is the obvious unalerted meaning)

[dake50]

1. 2D: Maxpass. No likey clubs as I bypassed them.
I think reopening X should promise not S-misfit,
so I'm marked with H-ok.
2. Pard made no raise, no negX. I quit.
1C "could be short" may be the reason for no raise -- system loss.
3. Pass. Heart lead is so likely best. We got that.
4. 5H. 6-5 offensive hand. Hate feels like both 5D and 5H fail.