From: bs@gauss.mitre.org (Robert D. Silverman)
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
Subject: Re: Bidding Problems
Date: 17 Apr 92 17:00:20 GMT
Article-I.D.: linus.1992Apr17.170020.15091
Organization: Research Computer Facility, MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA

In article <9204170910.aa25586@Paris.ics.uci.edu> kibler@turing.ICS.UCI.EDU (Dennis Kibler) writes:
:These are real interesting problems.
:
:>J9x
:>x
:>AKQ8xxx
:>QJ
:
:>You LHO Part RHO
:>1D  3C   3H  4C
:>4D  P    4S  P
:>??
:5 spades. Concentrating attention on the club suit.

But you must consider that 4S may be the limit of the hand. 
See below for what partner actually had.


Noone seems to have considered this.

:
:>(2) None Vul.
:>
:>x
:>Q109x
:>Qxxx
:>Kxxx
:
:
:>RHO  You  LHO  Part
:>1NT   P    P   6S
:>Dble. ??
:
:Pass. I don't know if any of my cards are working and
:partner did not bother to find out.
 
Partner has announced he has 12 tricks in spades. What can he have?
It seems likely that a holding such as: AKQ 9th of spades and AKxx
of hearts or AQJx clubs or AKxx diamonds,  OR  10 spades with 1 less
card in the side suit. It is VERY probable that Q hearts or K clubs
is a cover card. Only if partner's suit is AKx(x) diamonds will 7 not
be cold.

I can't think of anything else partner might have for his call.


With you holding 7 HCP and a strong NT, there isn't much for partner
to have EXCEPT this kind of hand. 

See my "ghastly" followup for more discussion.

Hands in which one hand may want to explore for a GRAND rather than a
small slam after opponents open a strong NT are rare. Just how WOULD
partner explore??  

If he has a legit 2-suiter he CAN'T show it at the two level via
Capilletti or Brozel or similar for fear YOU might pass his bid.
 
(This was in fact the case)


:
:>(3) All Red:
:
:>Axxxxxx
:>Jx
:>Qxx
:>x
:
:>LHO  You
:>1C    ??
:2S. Who's afraid of 1100?
:
 
2S?  See my "ghastly" report. My opponent held this and bid ** 4S **. 
Among the magic goodies his partner held were Kxx trumps and fitting
cards in both red suits. My teammates bid 2S with this hand, and partner raised
to 3S (the raise was borderline between 3 and 4). Our teammates missed this
games. [but I don't fault them for it]


:
:>(4) Vul vs. Not
:
:>AKxx
:>AKxxxxx
:>J
:>x
:
:
:>Part RHO You LHO
:> 1D  P   1H   P
:> 1NT P   ??
:2C. Let's find out if partner has 3 hearts. Only practical forcing
:bid.
:
Uh, 2S as a reverse can also be considered. Whatever the approach, however,
NOONE has suggested the lunacy perpertrated by my opponents on this hand.

 
I'm surprised it has not occurred to anyone, but this is the hand
my partner held from hand 1 above.  This is actually how the bidding
started at the OTHER table. At that table, this hand simply bid 
4H over 1NT!!!!!!!!

Retch.

:>(5) None
:
:>10xx
:>Jx
:>AKQx
:>AQJx
:
:>You  LHO  Partner  RHO
:>1NT   P    3C(1)   4C       (1) A weak, minor two suiter.
:>5C    P    P       6C
:>P     6H   P       7H
:>??				Might you double for a diamond lead?
 
You didn't answer this. 

This is the strong NT hand from the slam hand (6S) above.

:>(6) Vul vs. not
:
:>AKJx
:>Qxxx
:>AQx
:>xx
:
:
:>You  LHO  Part  RHO
:>1NT  Dble  P    P
:>??
:
:The answer here depends on your agreements.
 
But partner passed the double, showing a willingness to play.
--
Bob Silverman
These are my opinions and not MITRE's.
Mitre Corporation, Bedford, MA 01730
"You can lead a horse's ass to knowledge, but you can't make him think"
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge