From: bs@gauss.mitre.org (Robert D. Silverman)
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
Subject: Re: Bidding of Hand, is there a good way to do this?
Date: 30 Jul 92 15:46:31 GMT
Organization: Research Computer Facility, MITRE Corporation, Bedford, MA

In article <1992Jul30.115236.13588@rayssd.ssd.ray.com> sgm@sgfb.ssd.ray.com (Myerson) writes:
>In article <1992Jul30.013035.16002@pbhyf.PacBell.COM> Sam Atabaki writes
>about the following hands (rearranged for easier reading):
>
>* North   S - Axx, H - void,  D - xx,  C - Q J 10 9 6 5 3 2 
>* South   S - x,   H - Axxxx, D - KQx, C - AK84
>* 
>* bidding opens with West, who opens 1H  (using Std. American 5 Card Maj)
>* 
>* This is how I would bid it:
>* 
>* W     N      E      S
>* 1h    2c(1)  p(2)   2h(3)
>* p     3c(4)  4n(5)  5d(6)
>* 6c    p      p      p
>* 
>* (1) Suit length and void justify this bid at any vul.
>* (2) You did not mention if East made a bid, but I assume not- if West's
>*     bid is genuine East can not have much anyway.
>* (3) Strong cue-bid; forcing at least to game.
>* (4) I only have clubs and am not strong.
>* (5) Blackwood. Partner probably has a singleton heart or is void, so
>*     combined hands can not have more than 2 losers.
>* (6) One ace- that is what I want to hear. If pard bids 5c I pass.
>
>I think not.
>
comments deleted.

I think you missed the fact that the poster made a type. He omitted an
entry in the bidding table. East  PASSED at his second turn, SOUTH bid
4NT, North bid 5D etc.

However, I find the entire auction to be contrived.

Is there anyone who would seriously consider a SIMPLE 2C overcall
with the 8-3 hand??  It takes more than playing strength to justify
a 2/1 overcall.  

Suppose partner LACKS a fit in clubs but has some cards. He may
double the opponents in whatever they bid with the expectation that
partner's 2/1 overcall would contain some defensive strength.

I have tried to point out this principle repeatedly in the past
during discussions in which I tried to persuade people that
opening a strong 2C bid on playing strength alone was a bad idea.
[e.g. opening 2C looking at 10 solid hearts and out]. It takes
more than mere playing strength to justify some bids. Partner will
also expect some defense as well.

I recall a similar hand from the first time I played in the Spingold
[I think it was '78 or thereabouts]. My team lost to the Aces in the first
round. There was a hand similar to this in which I had made a simple
overcall and it did not work out well for us. I asked Bob Hamman about
it and his reply was something like:

"Make a simple 2/1 overcall on a hand that you would not open with a
1 bid and which has no defensive strength? Don't be ridiculous"
 

With a heart void, it is probable that the opponents have a heart fit.
Bidding 2C puts no pressure on them. It might be, for example, that
East has a preemptive raise in hearts. If you bid 2C, East can now
make such a bid. However, if you bid 3C, East no longer has that available
to him. If East bids 3H, his partner can not possibly know whether it
is based on playing strength alone, or shows something like a constructive
raise.  Bidding 2C makes it too easy for the opponents to compete.

I think the proper call on this hand is 4C. Yes, there are 6 losers,
which is one more than I would like for a 4C call if vul. But you do have
8 clubs. Over 4C partner now has an easy 4NT call, intending to bid
6C if partner has an Ace. 

I also dislike the 2H bid in the proposed auction. I strongly believe
that the proper bid by South over 2C  is 3S (splinter!). 
 
I should also like to point out that the opponents have a superb
sack in 6S over 6C. It takes a diamond lead by North to beat it 3,
[via a diamond ruff], otherwise E-W only lose a diamond and the
2 major aces.

--
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"