[AL78]

MPs:

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My weak two was filthy but I got lucky in that it resulted in the opponents playing in a part score instead of a slam. Which of the NS players could have done more?

[Cyberyeti]

Well if NS do less they get 800 out of 3♠.

[TMorris]

South has shown nothing and has a 5 card suit and an outside ace. He should bid 5 ♣. South needs to think how much less he might have and still have to bid 4 ♣. He has two tricks more than that although 6 is on the optimistic side but in high level decisions stretching a little often punishes partners endevour.

[pescetom]

North's doubles look fine to me, South's 4♣ was timid.

I would already have opened your partner's hand, FWIW.

[bluenikki]

 AL78, on 2023-September-02, 10:15, said:

MPs:

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My weak two was filthy but I got lucky in that it resulted in the opponents playing in a part score instead of a slam. Which of the NS players could have done more?

I think the pass over 3♠ is abominable.

No doubt the player had reason to distrust their partner's doubles, but still ...

[mikeh]

I don’t think south’s pass was abominable, but it was slightly conservative. While the spade king is likely not worth much on the bidding (west will hold that card most of the time) the raise does suggest that partner may be close to classic shape, so 4C seems ok to me.

Having passed, to bid 4C after the second double is indeed abominable….too much counting points and not enough thinking.

Play partner for 1=4=4=4 shape (the most likely on the auction) with nothing in spades and about 16+ hcp in the other three suits. Say x AQxx KJxx AQxx that’s close to rock-bottom for the second double.

5C isn’t cold but you’d want to be there. You need only one of two finesses and the auction doesn’t imply that east is favoured to hold both missing kings, plus partner may well have a better hand…the example I constructed is a minimum. Too many players don’t ‘listen’ to the auction. I’m sure south, if asked, could have recited the auction perfectly…he ‘heard it’ (or saw it via bidding boxes, etc) but he completely failed to listen to it..to understand what it meant about his hand’s value.

Over 5C, north has a much better hand than even the second double showed, so I think he’s worth 6C…I think 5S is too much….I’d not look for grand after partner passed over 3S.

Over the actual 4C, north has to cater to something like xxx xx Jxx Jxxxx

[sfi]

 pescetom, on 2023-September-02, 13:20, said:

South's 4♣ was timid.

You're very kind.