[diana_eva]

IMPs, vul vs not

---

What would you bid?

[MrAce]

diana_eva, on 2017-August-13, 21:29, said:

IMPs, vul vs not

What would you bid?

3 NT

[The_Badger]

Dbl is negative for most players here, and your red vs. white so 3NT it is for me too.

[nige1]

diana_eva, on 2017-August-13, 21:29, said:

IMPs, vul vs not
What would you bid?

---

I rank

• 3N = NAT. 11 HCP and a couple of ♥ stops.
• Pass = NAT, If partner has a reasonable opener, he will protect,
• 4♦ = NAT. Even if partner has shown 4+ ♦s, this seems inferior.

[mikeh]

You are on the cusp of not being strong enough to bid game now, but there are several reasons why the very slight overbid of 3N is the clearly correct (imo) choice.

Your partner may not be able/willing to reopen at the 3-level even with a hand on which 3N is a good contract. I would expect a reopening double most of the time but not all of the time.

Your partner may have a powerful hand, with which he would probe for slam over an immediate 3N but be reluctant to push over a delayed 3N. Should he move over 3N, I would be delighted to accept since my hand is huge for a diamond slam.

Generally speaking, when the choice is between slight aggression and slight conservatism, at imps, the aggressive choice (for game bidding) is usually the better choice.

Aces are undervalued in standard point count valuation, and the heart holding, for notrump purposes, is far more powerful than '4 points', while for diamond slam purposes the Ace is usually worth more than say the KQ (unless West is void, of course).

When I describe 3N as a slight overbid, it is within the context of a method on which one opens most 11 counts. If one passes most 11 counts, so that partner has at least 12 most of the time, then I don't see this as even a slight overbid.

[ahydra]

3NT - even if partner held up a sign saying "I promise to reopen with X" it's not clear we'll collect enough. Of course partner could have a MIN and game isn't there, but that should be far and away the exception, especially given our diamonds.

ahydra

[rmnka447]

3 NT for me, also. It's the most likely game and you are vulnerable. Partner doesn't have many ♥, so partner's ♦ should be a real suit.

[Cyberyeti]

rmnka447, on 2017-August-20, 12:24, said:

3 NT for me, also. It's the most likely game and you are vulnerable. Partner doesn't have many ♥, so partner's ♦ should be a real suit.

This reminds me of a hand that turned up in a recent tournament. If it's like that one, partner's hand turns out to be something like KQJx, J(x), AKxxxx, x(x) and they cash 6 clubs with 5♦ cold. Ours was slightly different in that 6m was cold.

[rmnka447]

Cyberyeti, on 2017-August-20, 13:00, said:

This reminds me of a hand that turned up in a recent tournament. If it's like that one, partner's hand turns out to be something like KQJx, J(x), AKxxxx, x(x) and they cash 6 clubs with 5♦ cold. Ours was slightly different in that 6m was cold.

Unfortunately, preempts do work. You get only one shot to place the contract and partner might have something like KQx xx AKxxx Qxx where 3 NT makes but 5 ♦ doesn't. Pay your money, take your choice.

[Cyberyeti]

rmnka447, on 2017-August-20, 13:32, said:

Unfortunately, preempts do work. You get only one shot to place the contract and partner might have something like KQx xx AKxxx Qxx where 3 NT makes but 5 ♦ doesn't. Pay your money, take your choice.

I agree, and yes I would bid 3N too btw

[neilkaz]

Vul games are nice at IMPs. Double stoppers are nice. I will take my chances and hope I can make 3NT.