[MickyB]

Scoring: MP

East opens 3♦

---

[Mr_Sock]

A double would seem to be best as the cards lie, especially as West may not be raising to 4♦. North can cue-bid 4♦, although he still has a difficult decision when South rebids 5♣ - raising to 6♣ with a void doesn't sound great, although there doesn't seem to be an 8-card fit in either major.

However, i think on the south hand, i'd prefer to jump to 5♣ (a slight underbid) rather than double initially, as i haven't got much support for either major, and i'm worried that West will be raising to 5♦ or 6♦ leaving our side in a difficult position. In this case, West will pass 5♣ (i doubt he would double even with ♣QJxx), and North will probably pass as well?

[Cascade]

I bid 5♣ with the South cards.

With four losers I need partner to pick up two of these to make. This is a reasonable expectation.

[the hog]

2 choices only - 5C and 3NT. As I can't hold up the Ds, I bid 5C.

[paulhar]

Count me in for (3D) 5C (P) P (P). With the preempt, 5C is an excellent spot. Without the preempt, I'd want to be in six but I would imagine that a lot of partnerships might have trouble getting there. Pairs starting with 2C (strong) - 2H (5 hearts with 2 of the top 3 honors) have an excellent start, although I could understand somebody not wanting to bid this way with five spades.

[whereagles]

Hum... three possibilities. Dbl, 3NT, 5C.

5C seems ok, but I think 3NT might work more often. However, if it happens to go

3D 3NT 5D p
p ??

now double tends to show a 16-19 balanced hand. At most pard can suspect you have six clubs, but not eight! (Not that this would happen in the present hand, but it could happen on another layout.) So I think I bid 5C...

Double has a problem

3D X p 4D
p 5C p ??

are you 100% sure pard will take your 5C as "very strong hand with clubs"?? But wait, it can get worse... it can go

3D X 5D p
p ??

or even

3D X 5D 6D!!!

ooooooops.

[luis]

I bid 6♣ with the south cards. I know it can be wrong but under the circunstances pd will forgive me.

[hrothgar]

MickyB, on Jul 21 2004, 12:34 AM, said:

Dealer: East Vul: N/S Scoring: MP

♠ Q98xx ♥ AK8xx ♦ T8x ♣   ♠ AT ♥ Qx ♦ A ♣ AKT8xxxx

East opens 3♦

I was playing in the same tournament and chose to open 1♠ with the South hand. [1♠ systemically shows an unbalanced hand with 4+ Diamonds]

LHO decided to jump to 3N.
Sadly, this hand eventually turned into one of our bottoms for the evening.
[I got a bit frisky...]

[inquiry]

Quote

I was playing in the same tournament and chose to open 1♠ with the South hand.  [1♠ systemically shows an unbalanced hand with 4+ Diamonds]

LHO decided to jump to 3N. 
Sadly, this hand eventually turned into one of our bottoms for the evening.
[I got a bit frisky...]

Well, I might throw you out of the tournment for doing this... :-)

How often do you open 1♠ showing 4+♦ and an unbalanced hand when you have a singleton ♦ and monster ♣'s? And isn't the south hand strong enough to open with a more focing call than 1♦ in your system? And if not, don't you ahve some way to show long clubs and an opening hand?

What I guess, given the 3♦ preempt, you meant to say you opened 1♠ as east, not south. I hope so anyway... becaause if you opened 1♠ as south, you surely deserved your bottom....

[hrothgar]

inquiry, on Jul 21 2004, 05:32 PM, said:

Quote

I was playing in the same tournament and chose to open 1♠ with the South hand.  [1♠ systemically shows an unbalanced hand with 4+ Diamonds]

LHO decided to jump to 3N. 
Sadly, this hand eventually turned into one of our bottoms for the evening.
[I got a bit frisky...]

Well, I might throw you out of the tournment for doing this... :-)

How often do you open 1♠ showing 4+♦ and an unbalanced hand when you have a singleton ♦ and monster ♣'s? And isn't the south hand strong enough to open with a more focing call than 1♦ in your system? And if not, don't you ahve some way to show long clubs and an opening hand?

What I guess, given the 3♦ preempt, you meant to say you opened 1♠ as east, not south. I hope so anyway... becaause if you opened 1♠ as south, you surely deserved your bottom....

Oops

Should have been more clear. I was holding the hand that preempted 3♦ and thought that 1♠ was more descriptive...

[Free]

Yes, he meant East. Full bidding was:

1♠* - 3NT - Dbl - 4♦**
Dbl - 5♣ - Pass - Pass
Dbl*** - all pass

* = (8)9-14(15), 4+♦, unbalanced
** = explained as Majors
*** = "Partner, I'm insane"

[Trpltrbl]

I have only 2 choices, 5 or 6 ♣.
I will make my bid depending on state of match.

Mike

P.S. When I go down I go down in flames.