[lenze]

Imp’s

North
S – AK9764
H – T4
D – KT86
C – T

South
S – Q
H – AQJ98
D – AJ5
C – AJ98

N – 1S
S – 3H
N – 3S
S – 4C (WEST DBLS)
N – PASS
S – PASS

Final contract 4 Clubs Doubled, Down 1 VUL

What is the worst bid in the auction and, using percentages, how would you access the blame?

[inquiry]

Quote

Imp’s

North
S – AK9764
H – T4
D – KT86
C – T

South
S – Q
H – AQJ98
D – AJ5
C – AJ98

N – 1S
S – 3H
N – 3S
S – 4C (WEST DBLS)
N – PASS
S – PASS

Final contract 4 Clubs Doubled, Down 1 VUL

What is the worst bid in the auction and, using percentages, how would you access the blame?

My choice for the worse bid will probably not be a popular one. The worse bid 3H's. But the rest of the bidding is very suspect by both players, that is there was a whole bunch of bad bids. So since you asked for finger pointing, there is more than enough to go around.

Although as a rule, I don't play strong jump shifts (after all, I play 2/1 gf, so a jump to establish game force is unnecessary), when I do I follow this simple advice. A strong jump shift should be in one suited hand with a suit good enough for slam opposite a singleton, or a two suited hand that includes a fit for opener suit.

This hand has neither. Opposite a singleton heart, it rates to lose two heart tricks, and it has a second suit (in this case clubs). So 3H is my choice for the single worse bid on the auction. But lets start with each bid and see how the players did imho.

First question. Is norths 1S opening bid ok (someone might ask have you never heard of a weak two spades?). The answer is 1S is 100% the right bid, and imho the only "correct" bid made by EW in the entire auction. This is a sound rule of 20 opening bid even backed by having T8 of diamonds and 97 of spades.

What about the 3H call? I answered that first, as it was the worse bid.

So what where opener's choices over 3Hs? He seemed to have only two. To bid 3S or to raise to 4 hearts. After all, his hearts are good enough since his partner either has self-sufficient heart suit, or a spade fit. Despite his excellent six card suit, over a strong jump shift to 3H, I think a raise to 4H is the correct bid. It conveys the right message. Heart support and weak opening bid. To bid spades and then raise hearts shows a better hand.

The next bid is nearly as bad as any that went before. Where was South going with his 4C bid. His heart suit is not self sufficient, he doesn't fit spades. What is wrong with a nice, descriptive 3NT. No spade fit, other suits stopped, great hand? 4C has to be the wrong bid also.

Next, what is north to do over 4Cx? Here he has the problem of the priniciple of fast arrival. If passes and then raises hearts, he shows a better hand than if he just raises hearts now. But raising hearts here now, still shows a better hand than raising hearts directly over the jump to 3H. So he is endplayed in the auction. No doubt he passed with the hope south would bid a non-forcing 4H and he could simply pass without showing extra values. This is because South CAN'T have clubs... whoops. Nor can north redouble as that should show first round control (or perhaps willingness to play 4Cxx, depending upon agreement, but neither of which are avaliable anyway here).

Over 4Cx south has endplayed himself. His hearts are not good enough to rebid unsupported (of course for strong jumpshift they should be), his spade support is non-existent. I know what he is thinking... his partner didn't raise hearts either time, so maybe he has some clubs... so I will pass and score up game. BLAH. Lousy bidding, lousy choice. His partner could be a huge hand with heart support but without first round control in clubs, so he is making a slam try auction with his pass. Passing 4C double can never be an option here.

So with the finally the pass of 4C. South, having made the wrong bid at his first two opportunities, can't pass up a chance to make the wrong bid again, for strike three and he is out, ending the inning.

Rate the blame... North 1S a good bid, imho. North 3S was a slight error, 4H would have been better, and over 4Cx I think north should just bite the bullet with the hand he actually held and bid 4H.

South, 3H horrible, 4C-insane, Pass- totally lost in what the auction should mean.

So since North had one good bid and two poor judgement calls, I rate him nearly blameless. All three of south's bids were wrong (imho). I give south 50% of the blame right off the bat for his bad 3H, then I divided the remaining 50% based upon other bad bids, (25 for the next worse, 12.5 for the next worse, 8.5 and 4 for the other two). 4C and south's pass of 4Cx rank as the second and third worse bids (total 37.5), so that totals 87.5 % south, 12.5% north.

[lenze]

Hi Ben: Thanks for your reply. For the most part, I agree with you. I do not think, however, the 3H call deserves as much fault as you give it. Mainly, because NS were not playing 2/1. Given that, I can accept the 3H call. After the 3S rebid, South could also easily judge to be too strong for a 3NT call. So, 4C is not an unreasonable bid. After West’s DBL, I think north has a clear cut 4H bid (It’s called a preference). Suppose the auction had gone

N – 1S
S – 2H
N – 2S
S – 3C (DBL by West)

North would now surely take a preference to 3H. This auction is not too dissimilar. Anyway, thanks again for the reply.

BTW: South can make 4CX

[inquiry]

Not playing 2/1 and with 20 hcp, a small case can be made for a jumpshift with this hand, if you paly it can show this type of hand. I think this is a waste of the jumpshift, but there you go.. plenty of people play it that way, that is why I said my choice for the worst bid would not be a popular one. Besides, most people disagree with my bidding, I have come to learn this all too well by playing in the BBO where it seems my choices are never popular ones.

If you allow jumpshifts with yucky suit (here this suit is defined as yucky... anyone that can have more than one loser opposite a stiff), and without support, then a hand such at this...a monster with no fit, and "relative" balanced might be the other case. So 3NT would then show this hand or in a pinch a quantatitve leap to 4NT, if you play that.

How would i bid this playing the Soloway jumpshift I do, so jumping isn't allowed, if I played sayc?

1S 2H
2S 3C - X (3C is nmf)
P XX
All pass.. .and dare them to bid.... :-)

The redouble here can not be....
a) first round control, since no fit has been established
(the jump shift in first auction established either
hearts of spades in my mind as trumps so XX would
be first round control then)
Can not be sos, since responder had something in
mind with 3C (nmf), and could complete that
something if not comfortable with 3Cx

I can imagine north might get ansy and run from 3Cxx but if he does, the weakness of his hand will be exposed, making remaining of the auction simplier.

[Gerben47]

1S - Agressive but nothing wrong with that

3H - Terrible! In a strong auction you need room, and you have just taken it away with a bid that does not really describe your hand anyway. There is only one bid here. It's 2H.

3S - Normal. You have a minimum hand with longer spades than promised.

4C - Finding out that he preempted himself on the previous round.

Pass from opener - Wrong since you don't want to play clubs. At all. Especially if one opponents has 5 of them.

Pass from responder - Not unreasonably expecting more than one club with partner.

For the worst bid, it is clearly 3H because it was totally inconsiderate and the cause of the problem in the first place.

Suppose the auction had gone:

1S - 2H
2S - 3C
3D - 4NT
pass

Much more room to bid what you have and end safely on your feet.

Gerben

[Poky]

The worst two bids are South's 3H and North's Pass on Dbl.

Even if you play Strong Jump Shifts (a very useful auto-preemptive tool) South's hand isn't this kind of hand (should be some long, strong and solid one-suiter).

Even if this sequence is undiscussed, North's pass on 4Cx is a bit of obvious antibridge.

Blame:
North - 51%
South - 49%.

[Trpltrbl]

Quote

Imp’s

North
S – AK9764
H – T4
D – KT86
C – T

South
S – Q
H – AQJ98
D – AJ5
C – AJ98

N – 1S
S – 3H
N – 3S
S – 4C (WEST DBLS)
N – PASS
S – PASS

Final contract 4 Clubs Doubled, Down 1 VUL

What is the worst bid in the auction and, using percentages, how would you access the blame?

South 100 %, what's wrong with 2 Hearts ? PD can't pass in about any system, at least that I know. Why taking away all that very usefull bidding space by bidding 3 H ??? Learn how to thnik ahead and bid r hand like a normal person and maybe you'll get somewhere
3 H : still laying on ground laughing.

Mike ;D

[irg20]

Which of the final two passes is worst.

I think it is souths final pass that is most clearly anti-bridge.

In this auction we should either not be playing 4C or we should be playing it redoubled. 4Cx is not a rational final contract.

Otherwise I'm with the bidding 2H on the first round crowd.

Ian

[mikestar]

Definately 3H. The original Soloway theory of jump shifts allowed for:

1. A self-sufficient jump shift suit.
2. A two-suiter where the second suit is partner's.
3. A strong balanced hand with a good 5+ card suit.

These days, most people don't use #3.

In all cases the value should be about 17-19, 20+ is too strong. In short, the jump shift means "I know where to play, but I need info from you about how high."

[keylime]

North
S – AK9764
H – T4
D – KT86
C – T

South
S – Q
H – AQJ98
D – AJ5
C – AJ98

OK, like the opening of 1S - losers are right. Not playing 2/1 I can see 2H not 3H, and then rebid of 3S after 3D from North. Problem is - South failed to honor Hamman's Law - "When 3NT is an option, BID IT.". South should look at their stiff queen of spades as q-x, know that pard's minimum hand, and play 3NT knowing that a diamond-club lead comes right into those quality tenaces.

In Key Lime Precision, the auction has a much more clearer overtone:

1S - 1NT*(forcing, maybe g/f)
2D - 2H*(G/F)
2S - 3C
3S - 3NT

Got to have A LOT of luck to make slam off the king of hearts, and both minor suit queens - I'll take my nine tricks tyvm.

[luke warm]

Quote

Hi Ben: Thanks for your reply. For the most part, I agree with you. I do not think, however, the 3H call deserves as much fault as you give it. Mainly, because NS were not playing 2/1. Given that, I can accept the 3H call. After the 3S rebid, South could also easily judge to be too strong for a 3NT call. So, 4C is not an unreasonable bid. After West’s DBL, I think north has a clear cut 4H bid (It’s called a preference). Suppose the auction had gone

N – 1S
S – 2H
N – 2S
S – 3C (DBL by West)

North would now surely take a preference to 3H. This auction is not too dissimilar. Anyway, thanks again for the reply.

BTW: South can make 4CX

this one seems simple to me, so i know i'm missing something.. even not playing 2/1, the bidding above seems right.. after 3C is doubled, i'd expect north to bid 3H and south 3NT.. i honestly don't see any problem and can't understand the strong jump shift

[Trpltrbl]

Quote

Quote

Hi Ben: Thanks for your reply. For the most part, I agree with you. I do not think, however, the 3H call deserves as much fault as you give it. Mainly, because NS were not playing 2/1. Given that, I can accept the 3H call. After the 3S rebid, South could also easily judge to be too strong for a 3NT call. So, 4C is not an unreasonable bid. After West’s DBL, I think north has a clear cut 4H bid (It’s called a preference). Suppose the auction had gone

N – 1S
S – 2H
N – 2S
S – 3C (DBL by West)

North would now surely take a preference to 3H. This auction is not too dissimilar. Anyway, thanks again for the reply.

BTW: South can make 4CX

this one seems simple to me, so i know i'm missing something.. even not playing 2/1, the bidding above seems right.. after 3C is doubled, i'd expect north to bid 3H and south 3NT.. i honestly don't see any problem and can't understand the strong jump shift

I think this hand shows why strong Jumpshift have to have a very good 6 card suit. Like I said earlier just bid 2H and have no problem, Biggest problem, actually one of many, is that people don't use their brain to figure out what to do. Think ahead and y won't have these problems :

Mike