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Shannon and I played around in the minors yesterday and I ended up really frustrated, and though that is actually the point of the exercise, it feels quite terrible to get so many hands wrong. With any luck, I’ll start getting more of them right sooner rather than later. Here are some of the hands which gave me the most trouble.
1. QJ54 / Q / AQTx / J9xx
Partner opened 1C, I bid the obligatory 1S and partner rebid 2C. There I was. 3C doesn’t seem like anywhere near enough. Seems like 2D denies clubs and I think 2H should be that 2D opener we like so much. I sat there wishing I’d bid 1D instead of 1S, but then over 2C wouldn’t 2S still say no fit? We play 1C - 2D is like a mixed raise, 5-8ish.
2. Kx / Jx / xxxx / AKxxx
This time Shannon opened 1D and I bid 2D. Once upon a time I’d have been 100% certain that this was worth a game force. In my old age, 2C seems a little pushy. When partner bid 2H I felt a bit stuck. We play 2m is forcing to 2NT or 3m, so that’s what Shannon would do with the hand that wasn’t accepting a limit raise. When she bid 2H, I figured we were committed — since I’ve got just about the best hand I could have on this auction. Partner shows a heart stopper and denies a spade stopper, but my Kx wasn’t the stopper of my dreams, so I bid 5D instead.
(Partner held X / KQx / KQJT9x / JTx)
3. x / Q9x / xx / AJ98xxx
This was the worst hand of the practice. Partner opened 1D. We play 1D-2C is game forcing with clubs, 100% of the time. 1D - 3C is that mixed-ish diamond raise. 1D-4C sounded suicidal, as does any number of NT. Shannon said 1H was the best available bad option. But by this point in the session I was hating our minor suit structure.
April 25th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
The first hand I like 2 Diamonds. Bid where you live and find out where Shannon’s side values are. I don’t think it absolutely denies clubs, but looking for 3N is the priority at this point in the auction, imo. We know Shannon has 6 clubs (given your 4-5 discussion from a couple days ago) and 6 clubs and a little something in hearts is all you need to give 3N play.
The second hand I wouldn’t sweat too much because in real life the opponents are all over this auction in Spades. I am a big fan of protecting Kx’s, though, and would have bid 2N (assuming that’s invitational) directly. I’ve got no singletons, no 5 card support, and nothing in the suit, I need pard to sell me on diamonds if we’re going to play there instead of NT. And it’s more preemptive (and sounds more intimidating to opponents who are thinking about bidding a major.)
The last hand it sounds like you bid 1NT and the opponents (theoretically) ran the first 10 tricks in the majors. Once again, if Shannon has nothing in Spades, the opponents are going to take you off the hook and you can bid clubs and more clubs later. Bidding 1N is normal (though 1 Heart is fine, too, but I’d rather have A9x or K9x.)
April 26th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
These hands are all difficult.
On the first one I would downgrade my stiff Q of hearts and raise to 3C. If we miss a game, so be it.
The second one, I think 2D as a LR or better was very good. Partner can then bid 2H and you can bid 2N showing a limit raise with spades and clubs stopped. Opener should then bid 3D saying that she would pass a LR but that the hand likely plays better in a suit.
The last hand is the most difficult and I generally solve it with a 1H bid and hope for the best after that.