Bridge: 2024 MSC discussion

[VeniVidiVici]

A. 3D. Partner figures to be 4=3=5=1. Passing 3CX looks like aiming for a one-trick set with the huge downside of conceding 470 if wrong. Let’s play this in our 8-card fit and try to make.

B. Dbl. 4N would be clear at IMPs. At matchpoints I’m willing to risk -790 for more accurate bidding, including playing this in spades when it’s right.

C. 2D. Pass is a close second, and 1S isn’t crazy. If partner has a max, I’ll hear his four-card major if he has one. Otherwise, I might have just coaxed the opponents into overbidding.

D. 2H. They’ve already bid my short suit, so it’s more important to get across my values than to preempt.

E. 2H. I would pass at IMPs or with vul opponents, but I can’t settle for a likely 100 when we make at least 110.

F. 2C. This is standard. Untangling an auction like 1S-2D-3C- is not something you want to do if you don’t have to.

G. 1H. I wish I could bid 2D, but that’s anti-system. It’s too likely partner has a 4=4=3=2 weak NT or the like and any bid but 1H goes badly.

H. CA. It’s IMPs, and this seems to have good chances of a set on the go. It’s slightly riskier than a diamond, but a diamond has less upside.

[oirg]

March guesses:
A. 3D
B. double
C. 1N
D. 2H
E. pass, hoping for a reopening double
F. 2C thanks to VVV’s info
G, 2D can still find hearts if it’s the right strain
H. heart 5

[VeniVidiVici]

@oirg

F. 1N 3N shows 13-15 balanced with 3 spades, this hand is just a jack stronger

Some points of information on BWS:
"

G. After Our Major-Suit Opening

Responses:
(a) a one-notrump response is semiforcing (limited to at most game-invitational strength; opener may pass with 5-3-3-2 or 4=5=2=2 and a hand deemed no stronger than 12 high-card points);
…
(g) three notrump or a triple raise is a weak preemptive raise, the former showing some defensive strength;
"

[oirg]

Thanks.

In light of this info, I’ll edit my guess on F. to 2C.

[Klaymen]

A. 3D
B. X
C. 1H
D. 2H
E. 2H
F. 2C (I play 3NT with my reg partner and think 1NT forcing could be a good start before bidding 3NT unless partner also has extras)
G. 1H
H. Ac looking for ruff/guidance

[procrastinator]

A. Pass. I don’t like to pass partner’s take out doubles without the goods, but don’t see what we are making, and we have enough I expect to set them.
B. Double. Thought about 4NT, but need a fair amount to take 11 tricks, and partner will prefer clubs with equal length.
C. 1NT. A stopper is as strong as it sounds.
D. 3 clubs. Seems normal?
E. Yuck. Pass I guess. Glad they did not ask what I do next round if I pass and partner doubles.
F. 2 clubs. Seems really normal, what am I missing? Is 3NT 4333 choice of games?
G. 2 diamonds. Willing to commit to diamonds in order to facilitate slam bidding, and bidding these hearts will not help partner evaluate well.
H. Heart five. I would lead a heart on this auction often, and these side suits make it even more clear IMO.

[VeniVidiVici]

Whenever I lead a trump from Kxx on auctions like this where partner is clearly weak, partner has Jx, dummy has Axxx, and declarer has Q109x (or similar configurations).

There’s also less value in cutting down on ruffs when both hands have at least four trumps, unless it’s going to be a big cross-ruff, which is not really what this auction sounds like.

[SteveWhite]

                       A     B     C            D     E     F       G         H
procrastinator         P   Dbl    1N            3C     P    2C      2D        H5
oirg                  3D   Dbl    1N            2H     P    2C      2D        H5
SW                     P   Dbl     P            2H     P    2D      1H        CA
Klaymen               3D   Dbl    1H            2H    2H    2C      1H        CA
ST                                                                            
BTDT                                                                          
NN                                                                            
veni vidi vici        3D   Dbl    2D            2H    2H    2C      1H        CA
4Sigma                                                                        

Leading               3D   Dbl                  2H     P    2C      1H        CA

[SteveWhite]

A. P. Reasonable chance we can beat it on power, though in retrospect the current consensus leader of 3D looks smarter to me.
B. Double. Not sure of the meaning. Afraid it is penalties, but if penalties that may still be the best of bad alternatives.
C. P. Not bidding a 4-card suit, or making any other bid
D. 2H
E. P. Agree with procrastinator, including not knowing what we should do if partner doubles.
F. 2D. Not going to bid a worthless suit, or a 4-card heart suit
G. 1H. Though lots of merit to 2D.
H. CA. Sometimes partner has the king. If he doesn’t, maybe we can recover.

[VeniVidiVici]

I will note on C that, much as I dislike bidding 1N without even a partial stopper, it does seem to be very popular these days. I chose 2D because I prefer to be at top of range when I don’t have exactly what’s expected, but I can endorse 1N if we need a consensus.

[Numbers_Nerd]

A) Pass. 3D second choice.
B) Dbl. Transferable values. Too much to pass.
C) 1H. Too much to pass. This gives partner an easy 1S rebid.
D) 2H. With the void, this looks like a very nice club raise. I like 3H (splinter) better than a simple 2C or 3C raise.
E) Dbl. Too much to pass.
F) 2H. Bid where I live. Since we may be slamming, I want partner to value heart cards more than club cards.
G) 2D. We’re far more likely to be playing in diamonds than hearts. Just as with F, I don’t want partner to get excited about minor heart honors.
H) Club A. Clearest path to a set is to find partner with a quick entry, either CK or SK, for our fourth trick.

[SteveWhite]

                       A     B     C            D     E     F       G         H
procrastinator         P   Dbl    1N            3C     P    2C      2D        H5
oirg                  3D   Dbl    1N            2H     P    2C      2D        H5
SW                     P   Dbl     P            2H     P    2D      1H        CA
Klaymen               3D   Dbl    1H            2H    2H    2C      1H        CA
ST                                                                            
BTDT                                                                          
NN                     P   Dbl    1H            2H   Dbl    2H      2D        CA
veni vidi vici        3D   Dbl    2D            2H    2H    2C      1H        CA
4Sigma                                                                        

Leading             3D ?   Dbl   1N?            2H     P    2C    2D ?        CA

We now have 3 that are tied, but with under 10 hours left I’m showing how I’ll submit if we don’t get more votes. I do feel good about the tie breaks, even though none of them match my original first choice.

[SteveWhite]

In fact, on A and G I might well submit those choices even if we get one other different vote (i.e., change my choice for the voting, and then break the tie in favor of my new choice). On C, if there is only one additional vote, and it is for 1H, I’ll submit 1H.

[BTDT]

A0 Pass
B) 5D
C) 1H
D) 2H
E) 2N
F) 2H
G) 1H
H) Heart 5

[SteveWhite]

                       A     B     C            D     E     F       G         H
procrastinator         P   Dbl    1N            3C     P    2C      2D        H5
oirg                  3D   Dbl    1N            2H     P    2C      2D        H5
SW                   P *   Dbl     P            2H     P    2D    1H *        CA
Klaymen               3D   Dbl    1H            2H    2H    2C      1H        CA
ST                                                                            
BTDT                   P    5D    1H            2H    2N    2H      1H        H5
NN                     P   Dbl    1H            2H   Dbl    2H      2D        CA
veni vidi vici        3D   Dbl    2D            2H    2H    2C      1H        CA
4Sigma                                                                        

Submitted             3D   Dbl    1H            2H     P    2C      2D        CA

• Bid shown was my initial choice, which I’ll score myself on, but after seeing the discussion I prefer the bid that became (after my switch) the Submitted choice. (Also on C I now prefer 1N to my original pass)

[SteveWhite]

                  A           B        C        D        E        F        G        H        Total
procrastinator    P       70  Dbl  100 1N   80  3C   70  P    90  2C   100 2D   100 H5   70  680  
oirg              3D      100 Dbl  100 1N   80  2H   100 P    90  2C   100 2D   100 H5   70  740  
SW                P *     70  Dbl  100 P    60  2H   100 P    90  2D   80  1H * 80  CA   100 680  
Klaymen           3D      100 Dbl  100 1H   100 2H   100 2H   70  2C   100 1H   80  CA   100 750  
ST                                                                                                
BTDT              P       70  5D   80  1H   100 2H   100 2N   40  2H   70  1H   80  H5   70  610  
NN                P       70  Dbl  100 1H   100 2H   100 Dbl  100 2H   70  2D   100 CA   100 740  
veni vidi vici    3D      100 Dbl  100 2D   0   2H   100 2H   70  2C   100 1H   80  CA   100 650  
4Sigma                                                                                            
Submitted         3D      100 Dbl  100 1H   100 2H   100 P    90  2C   100 2D   100 CA   100 790  


                                                                                  
                  3D      100 Dbl  100 1H   100 2H   100 Dbl  100 2C   100 2D   100 CA   100   
                  P       70  5D   80  1N   80  3C   70  P    90  2D   80  1H   80  H5   70       
                                       P    60           2H   70  2H   70                         
                                       2D   0            2N   40                                  

Our Submitted was almost perfect (and none of us chose the 100 point score on the only one we missed). 790 tied for 3-5 on the honor roll.

It took 730 to make the honor roll, so Klaymen, oirg and NN would have.

[SteveWhite]

[Numbers_Nerd]

“(and none of us chose the 100 point score on the only one we missed)”
Actually, I chose Double (100) on E, where we earned 90 for pass.

[SteveWhite]

[VeniVidiVici]

A 3N. Unanimous panel?

B 5C. If partner can’t field this, we may have a problem. But this is supposed to be the two lowest unbid in a powerful hand, right?

C Dbl. Second choice, abstain. Why did we not bid 3N (or 4D) last round? This hand is far too good for 4S. We need to let partner know we expected to make 4S and that, if we defend, it must be doubled.

D 3N. Kxx Jxx AQxxxx x will give good play. Odds are in favor of a decent hand from partner since with a bad hand and six diamonds, we would likely have heard 2D, and with only five diamonds, we would likely have heard X. If partner has xxxx Qx AQJxx xx, that’s just bad luck.

E 2N. Second choice 3C. I would love to rebid 1S if it was forcing and only promised three spades. Alas, we are not playing KS, so any fake bid needs to be in a suit lower-ranking than hearts.

F 4N. This is natural. If you want to keycard for spades, you bid 3S, then 4N. If you want to keycard for hearts, you bid 4D, then 4N. Second choice 4C, which would certainly be the call at IMPs.

G. Pass? Intending to jump in hearts when partner reopens with a double. If I start with anything else, it will be difficult to clarify my heart length. I’m not worried about a big raise on my left when I hold these spades… Second choice, double, and pretend I only have four hearts. The S10 makes this second choice tempting, since it means I may not need a spade ruff, so the jury is still out.

H. HJ? If you made a small diamond into a small heart, I would definitely lead a spade, because then partner would be too unlikely to have enough in hearts. (Basically, don’t lead bad six-card suits vs 3N unless you have a good reason to do so.) With this hand, SJ, HJ, or D4 could be right. I have no idea.