[boboose]

A2, -, A8643, AKQ432 Opposite 105, J64, KJ97, 9875

Bidding goes, P,1C,1H,P; 1S,2D,2H,P; 3H,4C,P,P; P making 7. where did we go wrong? How should we bid it?

[boboose]

A2, -, A8643, AKQ432 Opposite 105, J64, KJ97, 9875

Bidding goes, P,1C,1H,P; 1S,2D,2H,P; 3H,4C,P,P; P making 7. where did we go wrong? How should we bid it?

[sfi]

At some point it looks like partner should reevaluate their hand and take at least one call. 2D is already a strong action, so I would expect 3C over 2H. Failing that, a cue bid after 4C to show a super hand in context looks right.

[shyams]

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Hi & welcome. When you create a post, you will find an icon with a ♠ symbol which can be used to create the hand diagram. This makes the presentation more readable and easier to analyse.

In your example, I think North did very little wrong. On the other hand, it seems South was asleep and randomly clicking the pass button.
* North's multiple rounds of bidding clearly shows a strong hand and a potential 2-suiter.
* Additionally, opponents' bidding helps South place North with very few heart cards.
* South has a very good fit in both the suits bid by partner.

I don't understand why South would not raise to game.

[akwoo]

I think both players are at fault.

South has a very good hand over North's 4♣. South could easily have had something worthless like ♠QJxxxx ♥Jxx ♦xx ♣xx, and their hand is much better than that. Given 4 card support for both of partner's suits and a king, that hand is easily worth a 5♣ bid.

On the other hand, I think 4♣ by North is too pessimistic. Change all of South's honors to low cards in the same suit, and 5♣ is still a reasonable contract. I would bid 4♥ with the North hand at the 3rd turn. I don't know exactly what 4♥ means, but it has to be forcing. Actually, maybe 4N, asking partner to pick a minor (clubs if equal), would be better. I wouldn't mind a double or 4N at North's second turn either.

This is a 5-or-7 hand, and only makes the slam 40% of the time, so I'm fine with being in 5 of either minor.

[nige1]

Baboose's bidding problem
++++++++++++++++++++
IMO
Opener showed a good hand but might consider rebidding 4♦, a stronger and more descriptive bid than 4♣
Responder shouldn't pass and might show some enthusiasm with 4♥ but the excellent slams are hard to reach,

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[mcphee]

S is 100% at fault holding 8 cards in partners suits. Perhaps S felt N bids like he does. Its not a greats slam missing the Q of D but the 5 level is clear

[Cyberyeti]

We'd be much better placed in this auction as we have the concrete agreement that in all these 3 suits bid auctions opener doubles with 4 of the unbid suit and bids it with 5 (here you have to double with 5 and insufficient values also) so S knows immediately from the 2♦ bid that N is 5-6 in the minors with a big hand, so will bid the round before.

"This is a 5-or-7 hand, and only makes the slam 40% of the time, so I'm fine with being in 5 of either minor. " I think Akwoo is wrong, diamonds 2-2 or stiff Q either side is 52%. Also a heart lead rather than a spade is quite likely where you will make 6 almost all the time.

[mycroft]

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Agree with sfi. North needs another coffee. There's an argument for 2♣ over 1♥. If North decides that's overstating both his values and his clubs, fine. After 2♦, though, his hand is huge. Partner has reversed into a live auction where we've shown nothing, North can see a double fit, and "all" her points are now working (and her spots in partner's minors are amazing). If North decides to be silent even here, then "oh partner will be happy for my hand when he competed all on his own over hearts, let's hope he makes it with my 3 tricks" is - wow.

Do we get to 6? After passing twice, probably not (Do I want to be in 7? Probably not). Missing game is criminal, though. Partner is not "just competing", this is a huge-hand auction. My guess is that South does in fact "just compete" with these kinds of auctions, and North has learned that partner already bids all her cards. In which case, it's time for a review of Brad's rules of partnership management. Hopefully the partnership can be saved, and put on the right track.

[spade7]

100% North's fault. South bid perfectly.

[spade7]

100% North's fault. (According to mycroft's hand diagram)

[gordontd]

spade7, on 2021-January-11, 05:22, said:

100% North's fault. South bid perfectly.

While it might be North's fault that they missed game, I don't think South's 4C bid could be said to be bidding perfectly.

[spade7]

Should South have passed? Bid 5♣? 4NT?

[mikeh]

mycroft, on 2021-January-10, 10:51, said:

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Agree with sfi. North needs another coffee. There's an argument for 2♣ over 1♥. If North decides that's overstating both his values and his clubs, fine. After 2♦, though, his hand is huge. Partner has reversed into a live auction where we've shown nothing, North can see a double fit, and "all" her points are now working (and her spots in partner's minors are amazing). If North decides to be silent even here, then "oh partner will be happy for my hand when he competed all on his own over hearts, let's hope he makes it with my 3 tricks" is - wow.

Do we get to 6? After passing twice, probably not (Do I want to be in 7? Probably not). Missing game is criminal, though. Partner is not "just competing", this is a huge-hand auction. My guess is that South does in fact "just compete" with these kinds of auctions, and North has learned that partner already bids all her cards. In which case, it's time for a review of Brad's rules of partnership management. Hopefully the partnership can be saved, and put on the right track.

Do I want to be in 7?

I'd far rather be in 7 than in 6. On the auction the odds are good that the opps are leading spades, and now this is a 5 or 7 hand. That's not to say I want to be or think I would be in 7C. It isn't at all clear that 6C is a great spot on a spade lead....but if I'm in 6, I'd rather be in 7 (unless I get a heart lead from opps who have not listened to the auction)

As for how to get there, the fault is all responder, who has the world's easiest 3C call over 2H. I agree with the pass over 1H: 1C doesn't promise long clubs...in NA it usually shows 3+ and many pairs play it as 2+ (tho I'd expect that to be noted if applicable) and we have the worst possible heart holding (we have no reason to expect 4th chair to have hearts) and a soft hand.

But once partner sticks in his 2D bid, our hand has improved dramatically. One lesson that advancing players need to work on, in most cases, is listening to the auction and thinking about how what they have heard changes their view of their hand, for better or worse.

Here our KJ9x in diamonds has suddenly become golden...and the hand should be re-valued upwards. Then we add in that we have a sure 9+ club fit as well and the hand has grown enormously.

It's not (imo) worth a cue-bid, but it is definitely not a pass. I'm torn between a conservative 3C and an aggressive 4C. At the table, I'd probably opt for the underbid.

Over 3C (3H) opener has a good hand but the diamonds are weak. However, I'm not stopping short of game, since xxx xxx KQx xxxx is enough for slam and even grand! Qxx xxxx xx xxxx makes for a decent game.

So I will bid 4H to show the void and create a force to at least game. 4H shows slam interest, else I'd just bid 5C.

Responder should now think long and hard about this hand. Partner must surely have a heart void on the auction so the flattest he will be is 3=0=4=6. Picture Axx void AQxx AKxxxx. 6C is laydown absent a 3-0 split. 7D is also pretty good, but needs 2-1 clubs and 3-2 diamonds (even on a friendly heart lead, we have inadequate communication to ruff two hearts in the strong hand and pull trump, before running the clubs...we need opener to have the diamond 10 to make 7D really good).

I'd bid 5D over 4H, committing to slam and showing my diamond values...say partner has Ax void AQxxx AKxxxx: now he can bid a comfortable 7C. He doesn't care that I have 4 diamonds...as long as I have the King and at least 4C, we should be making grand.

As it is, while I prefer to play in 7C rather than 6C, I don't think I can reach it, nor indeed do I want to. I hope I get a heart lead.