Loading ...driving me crazy
Had a tough one in Partnership Bidding this morning. Help me out? Here’s our hand:
S Qxx
H AKQTxx
D Axxx
C -
Partner, in first seat, opens 1C and we bid the obvious 1H. Partner rebids 1NT and we force to game by bidding 2D. Partner bids 3D (showing 4+) and it seemed pretty normal to bid 3H; but then it got a little murky: Partner bid 3NT.
What happens next? Where are we headed?
June 13th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
If 3D shows 4D then partner must be holding either 3-1-4-5 or 2-2-4-5 and have much better clubs than diamonds. Otherwise would have opened 1D.
You could be off AK of spades or a spade and a diamond.
There is no guarantee that any game makes much less slam.
I think I bid 3H next and if partner bids 3N I pass.
June 14th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
I would bid 4D over 3NT. I have a great hand and maybe we have a slam… I have already shown good hearts with extra length … now I can also show support for partner’s diamonds. We should be safe at the five level since we are unlikely to have two spade losers once pard bid 3NT and I have Qxx of spades… she almost certainly has the spade king or ace to have a stopper.
June 16th, 2008 at 6:56 am
What was the hand?
June 16th, 2008 at 6:57 am
Hi! I read your posts occasionally and find many quite interesting.
My take on this problem:
a. Is this MPs? If it is, I’d bid 4H and expect to play there. Difficult slams at MPs is not exactly right.
b. If IMPs, this becomes interesting. I agree 4D (slam invite) would be tempting because there are many hands that can make slam, but I think I would settle for 4H. If partner holds SA and good diamonds, maybe she will make a slam type advance.
Somehow, I am not comfortable passing 3NT. Where are the tricks? We can make 6 heart tricks only if opposing hearts break kindly (3-3 or doubleton J). Otherwise partner has to produce 5 tricks from own hand. Assuming we only have 1 full spade stopper, it is quite likely partner will have to give up lead once before 9 tricks roll in. That’s a huge risk which 4H does not carry.
June 16th, 2008 at 8:30 am
IMPS through the end of July.
Partner held:
S Kxx
H x
D KTxx
C AKJxx
June 17th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Wow. I got one right.
Partner does indeed have better club honors than diamond honors, is 4-5 and 3N is best contract.
In 3N with spade lead you can play a heart to the 10 and have the remaining spade honor protected. It makes whenever heart J is on side or hearts are no worse than 4-2. And if that happens there are other possilities for end plays.
June 17th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
LOL, you sure did Bob. Well done!
June 25th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Good problem! I would bid 4H. A slam would be marginal and 4H will play best of the game contracts. Passing 3nt is worse gamble than bidding 4D and trying your luck at a slam. The problem with 4D is that 5D may quite often go down and I don’t imagine pd retreating to 4h with his likely 3145.