[AL78]

Random teams:

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Your call? Teammates are decent club players but not experts. We have had no discussion over what constitutes a forcing pass in situations like this, and I don't think my partner knows what a forcing pass is or when it would apply (come to think of it, neither do I).

If you disagree with my bidding feel free to say so.

[Cyberyeti]

Partner could have a zero count here so no forcing passes, you have no reason to suppose you're making anything or beating 4♠. If anybody should be doing anything it's partner, you've done plenty.

I would prob overcall 2♥ then X but it's close.

[DavidKok]

I also like 2♥ then X, but it should usually not matter. The hand is close to X then X as well.

As for what to do now: impossible to say. In my partnership forcing pass would be on here, in which case I suppose I would bid one more with the West hand - if partner isn't sure what to do, I don't see four defensive tricks, plus I have an extra trump so 5♥X rates to go for -500 at worst. Those are decent enough IMP odds.

In the absence of forcing pass I think there is nothing you can do. Partner can have anything from a weak defensively oriented hand to a yarborough 3=4=3=3 to five hearts and empty spades. At any rate partner knows more about our hand than we know about theirs, so if they decide on pass we will have to live with that regardless of the outcome.

[Winstonm]

I like double rather than 2h. That allows partner to be aggressive with as long minor. If partner can’t act over my second double I am finished. Pass.

[LBengtsson]

bridge is partnership game. you have shown your extra values, partner has not. if he has any he should be X 4♠ or bid 5♥. he does not so I think pass is correct here. he could have yarborough and no entries so you will have to play from your hand and -3 could be bad result at red.

[AL78]

Like others here I decided I had shown my hand and with no indication of a useful hand opposite I let them play 4♠. The full deal:

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Two red suit slams are there if you pick up the ♥Q, but 5♥ is an easy make. +100 was 11 imps out when the other EW pair played in 4♥.

I couldn't help thinking with two aces and a good chance of a double fit opposite a hand that has shown considerable extra strength, partner could have found something other than pass at her final turn. Wanted to check first whether anyone here thinks I should have found another double in the passout seat. On my first bid I considered 2♥ alongside double, but went with double as I didn't think the suit quality was quite good enough for a vulnerable two level overcall (would have liked a sixth heart), I have three places to play, and I am worth a second double if the opps jam the bidding in spades.

[apollo1201]

I’ve sold my story twice already, but the hand deserved it.

On a side note, I’d prefer bidding 2H first and reopening with X if need be (I don’t think I’m worth to bid 2H over a 2m answer), but that shouldn’t overly change the picture here (there is this 5th unexpected H, though).

In all cases, a 3rd action is too much for the hand.

Partner told me the little interest they had in having the last word by passing.

Bidding 5 at red IMPs vs what looks like a shaky 4S is looking for a minus 2/5 or sometimes 800. Can we really make 11 tricks when partner wasn’t able to show even the smallest amount enthousiasm throughout the auction?

OTOH, Xing 4S will not get us much richer but could be a sporty X at MPs.

So bang down CA hoping it is not the key to help declarer set up a secondary suit to see what to do next.

[Cyberyeti]

Partner is dead if not doubling 4♥ and you should be taking 500 off that for a small loss, if you bid 2♥ first I think partner might well bid 5♥.

[eagles123]

AL78, on 2021-November-27, 02:47, said:

Like others here I decided I had shown my hand and with no indication of a useful hand opposite I let them play 4♠. The full deal:

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Two red suit slams are there if you pick up the ♥Q, but 5♥ is an easy make. +100 was 11 imps out when the other EW pair played in 4♥.

I couldn't help thinking with two aces and a good chance of a double fit opposite a hand that has shown considerable extra strength, partner could have found something other than pass at her final turn. Wanted to check first whether anyone here thinks I should have found another double in the passout seat. On my first bid I considered 2♥ alongside double, but went with double as I didn't think the suit quality was quite good enough for a vulnerable two level overcall (would have liked a sixth heart), I have three places to play, and I am worth a second double if the opps jam the bidding in spades.

As per usual your partner was hopeless, as has been said it's close between 2H/X and X/X, but your choice was perfectly reasonable. Your partner passing 4S with that hand just shows very poor judgement.

[apollo1201]

apollo1201, on 2021-November-27, 02:54, said:

Partner told me the little interest they had in having the last word by passing.

Can we really make 11 tricks when partner wasn’t able to show even the smallest amount enthousiasm throughout the auction?

Okay, if 2 aces are not enough, then what…at least X leads to a quick +500, not a big disaster vs. +650.

[AL78]

Cyberyeti, on 2021-November-27, 04:07, said:

Partner is dead if not doubling 4♥ and you should be taking 500 off that for a small loss, if you bid 2♥ first I think partner might well bid 5♥.

I made a mistake in the defence. I started with the club ace, the eight came down opposite and the queen from declarer. I convinced myself that setting up dummy's club suit was not a good idea so I switched to a trump, hence only two down. I did not picture both red aces opposite.

[Douglas43]

Agree with your pass at the end. Partner has good defensive values and should have doubled 4♠.

[Cyberyeti]

AL78, on 2021-November-27, 07:10, said:

I made a mistake in the defence. I started with the club ace, the eight came down opposite and the queen from declarer. I convinced myself that setting up dummy's club suit was not a good idea so I switched to a trump, hence only two down. I did not picture both red aces opposite.

If Q is a true card, partner has J1086, we would play the 10 from that so it would be obvious.

[EricK]

With regards to the 2H vs X question. You said you went with double partly because you were strong enough to double again. This seems to be a reason to bid 2H first. That way you basically get to show your whole hand: 5H, 3 places to play, extras.

It is on minimum hands, only worth one bid, where you might well choose to double first.

[AL78]

EricK, on 2021-December-02, 10:46, said:

With regards to the 2H vs X question. You said you went with double partly because you were strong enough to double again. This seems to be a reason to bid 2H first. That way you basically get to show your whole hand: 5H, 3 places to play, extras.

It is on minimum hands, only worth one bid, where you might well choose to double first.

I would have also liked a slightly better heart suit at that vulnerability.