[AL78]

MPs:

1NT = 12-14<br>2D = single suited major

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My partner is limited by his failure to penalty double, and with nine losers, felt that game was unlikely even if he did hold hearts, so went for the pass or correct.

Partner put down just about the best hand he could possibly hold, and I make 11 tricks. Didn't see that coming.

I wonder if I should have bid 2♠ instead of 2♥, showing a hand with good heart support willing to play in 3♥ at least, but happy to stop in 2♠ if that was partner's suit. If I had done that I don't know whether that would encourage partner to bid 4♥, if not I can't see me bidding it on my own. What do you think?

[Cyberyeti]

2♠ looks automatic, but depends on agreements whether this is any sort of invite

W underplays his hand, xxx, KQxxxx, x, KQJ is a vitrually cold 4♥ that may not be beating 4♠

[mycroft]

I have to admit, at these colours, I would have doubled. If they run, and I bid hearts, maybe it's not "good 15", but I have tricks. If they don't run, then as little as the stiff J or any doubleton means that it's very likely they can't take 7 tricks before I get in and take mine.

Having bid 2♦ "one major", I'd bid 2♠ as West. For us it wouldn't really show game interest as much as "if you have hearts, they have spades and I won't let them bid 2♠ - they'll make the right decision when we do bid 3♥." (as Cyberyeti says above, with a more minimum 2♦ overcall, your making game may be a phantom - their 4♠ "sacrifice" could easily make!) Even with these cards, it is quite possible that if South is playing 2♠ (so no diamond lead), they'll make it easily, losing two spades, a heart and a club or two. Now as East, with partner willing to play 3♥ opposite my usual heart suit for a 2♦ call against weak, I think I can find a 3♣ "hearts, and I'm happy to hear you have them too, and I have club cards" call. Whether partner will get it is a question, but it pretty much has to be.

But one of the benefits of the weak NT is that sometimes you have game, or can get us for 200 or 300 if you don't; and sometimes it's just harder enough without the 1 level to work out what it is this time. One of the downsides of the weak NT is that sometimes you don't have game, but you do have enough to know we're going down in anything, and we give up 200 or 300 into nothing. Swings and roundabouts - but make sure you don't pass on your tickets to the roundabout when it comes along!

[nige1]

Al78 'My partner is limited by his failure to penalty double, and with nine losers, felt that game was unlikely even if he did hold hearts, so went for the pass or correct. Partner put down just about the best hand he could possibly hold, and I make 11 tricks. Didn't see that coming. I wonder if I should have bid 2♠ instead of 2♥, showing a hand with good heart support willing to play in 3♥ at least, but happy to stop in 2♠ if that was partner's suit. If I had done that I don't know whether that would encourage partner to bid 4♥, if not I can't see me bidding it on my own. What do you think?'
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CyberYeti's 2♠ gets the job done, here..
But I sympathize with AL78. .If you have a ♥ fit, and bid 2♠, then you give opponents an easy entry to the auction. ff partner is weaker then opponents can often make 4♠

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[Cyberyeti]

nige1, on 2020-January-10, 22:57, said:

CyberYeti;s 2♠ gets the job done, here..
But I sympathize with AL78. .If you have a ♥ fit, and bid 2♠, then you give opponents an easy entry to the auction. ff partner is weaker then opponents can often make 4♠

Muddled thinking, the hand that gets to bid over 2♠ is the NT opener who is never bidding, not his partner who might

[eagles123]

Personally I prefer simple Landy as a defence to 1N, but as Cyber says that needn't be an issue here, your partner screwed up. It's great to see new and enthusiastic posters on the forum, but from what i've seen you're a decent player with a not decent partner!

[AL78]

eagles123, on 2020-January-11, 13:59, said:

Personally I prefer simple Landy as a defence to 1N, but as Cyber says that needn't be an issue here, your partner screwed up. It's great to see new and enthusiastic posters on the forum, but from what i've seen you're a decent player with a not decent partner!

I'm not a decent player (any more). The partner I had on the evening of the hand concerned is a decent player, he did suggest I could have responded 2♠ showing a willingness to play in 3♥ if he held that suit. I have looked up Multi Landy again and a 2♠ response can be used with an invitational hand if partner holds hearts. The problem was, I didn't visualise game even with a good heart fit, so decided to play in a partscore in whatever major he held.

(1NT)-2♦-(P)-2♠; (P)-3♥-P-? do I raise to game here?

[hrothgar]

Would have hit 1NT
Would have bid 2!S
Would like to have a different meaning assigned to 2!S

[Cyberyeti]

AL78, on 2020-January-11, 14:27, said:

I'm not a decent player (any more). The partner I had on the evening of the hand concerned is a decent player, he did suggest I could have responded 2♠ showing a willingness to play in 3♥ if he held that suit. I have looked up Multi Landy again and a 2♠ response can be used with an invitational hand if partner holds hearts. The problem was, I didn't visualise game even with a good heart fit, so decided to play in a partscore in whatever major he held.

(1NT)-2♦-(P)-2♠; (P)-3♥-P-? do I raise to game here?

No, partner bid 4 rather than 3 as he is so max if 2♠ is in any way invitational (or even bids 3♣ showing something really good with hearts and clubs which is what he should do if it's not guaranteeing an invite)

[KingCovert]

I think that it's a mistake to play somewhat suspect penalty doubles over weaker No-Trumps. Fundamentally, I think it just requires a certain amount of strength to play at the 2-level. And, just because the No-Trump is weaker, and that increases your partner's average a little, doesn't change the fundamental reality. This hand doesn't have a penalty double in my opinion. I'd love to see how it fares with a small singleton heart in dummy, it'll take like 4 tricks?

This hand has clear playing strength in hearts, and so, attempting to play hearts makes sense. So, should you be bidding 2♠ here? It's really hard to say. Your hand isn't stellar... But... Your RHO didn't bid here.

You're holding a singleton spade and 8 HCP, and your RHO hasn't bid. Your partner doesn't have some 8 HCP hand with hearts, that seems extremely unlikely. So, on this basis, I might be tempted to venture for a 2♠ bid. It figures to be partner's suit anyways, but, if it's not.... well.... partner still has some spades, and I'm ruffing them. This hand has value.

Of course, I've seen the hand, and so this is definitely tainting my view of it. But, I do think, I wouldn't play this hand any cheaper than 2♠.