[ClaceyJ]

Scoring: IMP

P-P-1[S] to you

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Both these hands are from Oxford University versus Oxford University alumni. The student team is talented but somewhat random. The alumni team is expert standard, with some exceptional players. Format is 32 boards, IMPs.

Hand 1, Opposition is the student team, who are at this point ~40imps down.
Whats your plan for this hand?

Scoring: IMP

P-P-1[S] to you

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Hand 2, Opposition is the alumni team, you are down ~40 imps, assume only the most basic of agreements with partner, though partner has shown himself to be on a similar wavelength to you throughout.

Whats your plan for this hand?

[brianshark]

Can you tell us the system the opps are playing?

[ClaceyJ]

Apologies, in both cases system is ACOL, so 4 card majors, weak NT. Happy to provide any more details people need (providing I can remember...)

[Codo]

Hand 1: I would pass now and bid 4 Spade later... if there is a later. I have no tool to show this hand now or to show it later if I double now. If my pd will understand 4 Spade from me now, I will try it.

Hand 2: I bid 1 Spade. This is forcing, so no problems yet. After any rebid but 2 Heart, I bid KCs followed by 6 or 7 Spades.
But he surely will rebid his hearts. I will bid 3 Diamonds, opps suit, forcing again and 4 Spade after his 3 Heart bid.

[P_Marlowe]

#1 1NT, most likely the 1S was a psych,
but there is no way to play 1Sx, so
I would go with 1NT, an underbid,
but I am not sure, I would like to bid 2NT

#2 2D, followed by a spade bid, this should be
forcing to game

With kind regards
Marlow

[Fluffy]

Hand 1 is an easy pass, we can do things later

Hand 2 1 spade by now.

[the hog]

Pass board 1. IS board 2.

[ClaceyJ]

If you pass on board 1 it goes 2S p p to you.

On board 2 if you bid 1S i imagine it goes p 2H p to you. I was wondering what people's general plan for the hand is- assuming you can strongly agree spades, what cues/controls would you need to bid slam? Would people consider just punting 6S, or is that foolhardy?

[pclayton]

1. Pass initially. The 2♠ call is good news, since it exposes the psyche for us. I think 4♠ is reasonable now. if anything, it seems the suit is now splitting for us TYO.

2. 4♠ initially or now seems practical. I don't think I'd go fishing on this hand.

[ASkolnick]

Bd 1: I double and bid spades several times until partner gets the idea. There is no reason that it can't go P-P-1S-All Pass, so I have to take an action.

Bd 2: 1S. I assume that's forcing. Keep cuebidding until you stop.

[ArtK78]

ASkolnick, on Jan 22 2008, 12:13 PM, said:

Bd 1: I double and bid spades several times until partner gets the idea. There is no reason that it can't go P-P-1S-All Pass, so I have to take an action.

Bd 2: 1S. I assume that's forcing. Keep cuebidding until you stop.

Isn't what you are doing on the second board exactly what you are doing on the first board?



If a partner of mine doubled 1♠ and then bid spades at every opportunity, the one thing I would be sure of is that he did not have spades.

[jdonn]

double posted

[jdonn]

ASkolnick, on Jan 22 2008, 12:13 PM, said:

Bd 1: I double and bid spades several times until partner gets the idea. There is no reason that it can't go P-P-1S-All Pass, so I have to take an action.

Art is right. The rule about takeout doubles is you can bid any suit naturally later EXCEPT the suit you doubled.

The real danger in passing, though there is no alternative but to take the slight risk, is a big spade raise on the left like 1♠ P 3♠ P P, now we are just hosed.

[ClaceyJ]

Josh and Art make very valid points regarding the confusion that can arise from X then spades. I was the one spade opener, who being 40 imps down decided sticking in a spade on xx Qxx xxxx Jxxx was a good idea
The opponents bidding sequence continued X-2S-3C-P-3S-P-4C-P-4S-P-5C-P-5S-P-5NT-P-6C AP. This, shall we say, was not a success...

[Fluffy]

If partner rebids hearts on board 2, he has 6 card suit and opening values, I am on the gran slam camp, just RCKW and if he has 2 bid 7 spades, otherwise just 6.