[Antrax]

Matchpoints, none vul. Where have things gone wrong?

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[Cyberyeti]

I don't see how you were getting 420 (and conceding 170), looks like most of the time if they cash 2 clubs and lead a heart your limit is 110. Presumably diamonds are 3-1 if they scored 170, so all you might have done is to push them into 4♥.

[han]

Whatever your agreement about a redouble is, north's hand fits it.

I prefer to play the redouble as a good hand with exactly 2 spades.

[Antrax]

170 is (my) bad defense. I planned on giving N two heart ruffs, so I led the ♠J, which N ducked. I won declarer's heart, and led a high spade. North won the ace and returned a diamond, but declarer overruffed my spade and that concluded the trick-taking on our defense. A simple lead of ♦A would've made things much easier for partner later in the hand.
As for 420, I have no idea, but that's the most common score on the scoresheet.
Diamonds were 2-2.

[MrAce]

han, on 2012-February-07, 04:14, said:

Whatever your agreement about a redouble is, north's hand fits it.

I prefer to play the redouble as a good hand with exactly 2 spades.

I am sure majority plays it as u explained, but i dont understand what part of N's hand did you find too good to pass ? I have to confess it would never occur to me to redouble with this N hand.

[phil_20686]

I think your auction is basically fine, although you both had marginal decisions that could have gone differently.

(1) North could bid 1N opposite 1S. This should be in the region of 8-11, though styles differ somewhat. For me your hand is not quite right for this since its heavily concentrated in parters suit, and xxx and Qx are not attractive holdings. I am more conservative than most in my 1N bids in this situation, probably because I overcall more than most.

(2) North could consider bidding 2S when the hand comes back around to him over 2H. This basically always shows Hx spade and a few values in a hand unsuitable for 1N. Sometimes they will catch you, but often they bid to 3h and you do well as you are getting partner off to the right lead.

PS: I disagree with han, I do not think this hand is too good to pass, and if I was going to bid it would be 1N. In practice I play transfers to get an extra way to bid 2S over the double, and give up the `natural' xx. If I were playing natural methods a xx would strongly suggest a singleton spade, and a hand that wants to catch them in 2x. I do not think this hand wants to catch them anywhere. With such poor diamond pips it may not even be right to defend 2dx if partner is void. Besides which it looks like their side suits may well be coming in with Qx club.

[Cyberyeti]

Antrax, on 2012-February-07, 04:33, said:

170 is (my) bad defense. I planned on giving N two heart ruffs, so I led the ♠J, which N ducked. I won declarer's heart, and led a high spade. North won the ace and returned a diamond, but declarer overruffed my spade and that concluded the trick-taking on our defense. A simple lead of ♦A would've made things much easier for partner later in the hand.
As for 420, I have no idea, but that's the most common score on the scoresheet.
Diamonds were 2-2.

Sounds like a lot of people decided on an unfortunate trump lead from xxx and caught partner with KQ, that would do it, but seriously 4♠ is bad and 3♠ not good (although 3♠-1 should still be a good board). I think you're looking at the traveller rather than the hand, 4♠ is almost no play, 4♥ might make but in fact doesn't, you shouldn't be unhappy with the -140 you should have got (although -170 is poor with 4 cashing tricks), bidding 2/3♠ runs the risk of them bidding 4♥ with 3-1 diamonds and making it.

[ggwhiz]

I would not sell out to 2♥ at mp's on these colours with the North hand but would back in with 3♦ after passing the first go around. It's a bit better hand after they have shown a ♥ fit but not if partner is ruffing them from a 5 card ♠ suit.

If they now bid 3♥ at least South has a chance to bump them up further or buy it in 3♠. Knowing Norths ♦ are pretty bad makes that bid not as risky as it first appears.

I'm never getting to game.

[quiddity]

Strange that everyone is focusing on North. I think South has an automatic 2♠ bid over 2♥.

[Antrax]

I was wondering about that too. My thoughts were that this isn't exactly a great six-card suit (so I don't want to direct partner's lead or insist on playing there), LHO is still unlimited, and partner can reopen the bidding if it comes around in 2♥ to him. Which of these are incorrect or exaggerated?

[phil_20686]

quiddity, on 2012-February-07, 13:09, said:

Strange that everyone is focusing on North. I think South has an automatic 2♠ bid over 2♥.

Antrax, on 2012-February-07, 13:10, said:

I was wondering about that too. My thoughts were that this isn't exactly a great six-card suit (so I don't want to direct partner's lead or insist on playing there), LHO is still unlimited, and partner can reopen the bidding if it comes around in 2♥ to him. Which of these are incorrect or exaggerated?

Its not strange, we just dont think south has a bid. Or even nearly a bid.

Bidding two spades with a terrible 6 card suit is asking to go for a number on a partscore. Partner should have less than a good 8HCP (did not bid 1N), and less than three spades (did not raise) unless he he extremely weak, and some of the time when 2H is passed out partner can bid 2S himself, infact he probably will on most of the hands you are hoping to hit him with when you bid 2S. Pass over 2H with the south hand is clear.

[quiddity]

*shrug* To each his own I guess.

Antrax, at matchpoints (especially w/w) I like to fight for the partscore. If I have some extra values and some extra trump length and some shortness in the opponent's suit then I'm going to try very hard to make some extra noise. This is especially true when bidding 2♠ over 2♥! It is extremely likely based on my hand that our side should be competing to 2♠ so I will compete.

As for relying on partner to reopen, I don't want him to have to balance on a 5-count with 2=3 in the majors. And as for lead direction it strikes me as unlikely that partner will be on lead.

[Phil]

A redouble for me shows better than a random 9 count. I think I'd pass, and balance back in with 2♠.

[ggwhiz]

quiddity, on 2012-February-07, 13:09, said:

Strange that everyone is focusing on North. I think South has an automatic 2♠ bid over 2♥.

Close competetive decisions should be made by the pass out seat. Balancing/re-opening decisions and style can be tough to define in a new partnership but extremely important.

I'm with Phil in that South has an auto pass over 2♥. His somewhat shortness has already been told to pard by the opps and his lho is still unlimited.

The idea that shortness in the opps suits should strain to act is for the first one in.

[wyman]

I would balance as North for sure.

South could bid 2S but his spades suck. North could redouble, but that's a close call unless you play Rosenkrantz (Hx), which is obviously perfect here. But at pairs letting them play 2H (especially at these colors) is poor imo.

[MrAce]

quiddity, on 2012-February-07, 13:09, said:

Strange that everyone is focusing on North. I think South has an automatic 2♠ bid over 2♥.

Not everyone, i would bid 2♠ with south hand. Spade suit is bad but the spots are good. And i have an extra spade.

.

[the hog]

quiddity, on 2012-February-07, 13:09, said:

Strange that everyone is focusing on North. I think South has an automatic 2♠ bid over 2♥.

You are kidding, are you not? I totally agree that 1S is automatic, but 2S is really poor.

[mike777]

Antrax, on 2012-February-07, 03:39, said:

Matchpoints, none vul. Where have things gone wrong?

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nonexpert comments here.


66% N/34% S


I would have bid a nf 2d as North over x

I would have rebid 2s as south over 2h at mp nv.

I would have bal with 2s as North in pass out seat.