From: martino@courier6.aero.org (Nick Martino)
Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge
Subject: Re: A reply to Prof. Weird (was Assign the blame)
Date: 15 Dec 92 22:12:23 GMT
Followup-To: rec.games.bridge
Organization: The Aerospace Corporation

In article <BzBCGG.Inp@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>, bharat@cs.uiuc.edu (R. Bharat
Rao) wrote:
> 
> I think above implications about ethics and lack thereof is totally
> unwarranted.  I told you that (a) I play 3H as a catch-all and (b)
> that my partners do as well --- note, that I asked them the question
> WITHOUT telling them about a specific hand and merely asked what each
> bid would mean.

Bharat,

I did not intend my comments as an affront to YOUR ethics and I apologize
if anyone reading my post took it that way.  In fact, your (somewhat
flawed) agreement about 3H does reduce the ethical problems, though it
certainly doesn't eliminate them.  For instance, on the auction as
described:

                      1H   1S
                      2D   3C
                      3H*  ?      (*I think should be alerted as a
catch-all) 
 			
Now, a confident 3S probably shows a 6-bagger while a slow tentative 3S is
definitely on a 5-bagger.  Moreover, a slow, uncertain 4H might show
something like  AQJxx/xx/AJx/xxx, while a brisk 4H probably shows an
honor-doubleton support.  Again, I'm not criticizing any individual, I'm
just agreeing with Bo-Yin's assertion that it's a lot more difficult to get
it right behind the screen.
 

> If I had a conventional agreement about this auction, I would use it.
> I am just saying that "WITHOUT PRIOR AGREEMENT, I think playing 3H as
> extras is asking for trouble"..

Here, I agree with you.  A 3H bid here cannot guarantee a good 6-4 hand. 
It could well show something like xx/AQTxx/AKxx/xx as I play it.  That's
the unfortunate ambiguity associated with the 4SF auction.
 
> With 5 spades, I expect partner to rebid 3S over 3H if he desires to
> play in a 5-2 fit.

But how do you know he doesn't have 6 spades when he bids 3S?  Would you
raise to 4S on  K/KQTxx/AQxx/xxx  or bid 3NT?   Moreover, would partner
know to bid 3S rather than raise to 4H on  AQJxx/xx/AJx/xxx  when you bid
3H rather than 3S on Kx/AJxxx/KQxx/xx?  Whichever way you play it, the
clouds start forming on the horizon.

> Of course you indicate that you will bid 4S with 3.  THAT I think is
> inferior because.. 

[actually, I had given a preference to 3H not 4S, but..]

> ...Why can;t partner have a 4-2-3-4 16 count that was too strong to leap
> to 3NT after 1H-1S-2D- .. he intends to rebid 3NT over your 3 level
> bid to show a hand too strong to bid 3N directly.  If you hamstring
> him by leaping to 4S, what should he do now.

I would play that 4NT is natural at this point and would not be too
troubled, but it certainly could lead to problems if there had been no
prior discussion.  As against that, the odds are that partner does have 5
spades and my hand (Kxx/KJTxxx/AKxx/-) warrants a jump.  I want him to
visualize a possible slam with as little as  AQJxx/Qx/Qxx/Jxx  or 
AQxxx/Ax/Qxx/xxx.

Nick

P.S. Here's a little quiz, based on a hesitation auction from Pasadena:


                        1D   2C*    (2/1 GF)
                        2D   2S
                       2NT   3C
                       3NT** ...     (after long tank)

What does the 3NT bidder have?     

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    martino@courier6.Aero.org (Nick Martino)                            
   
    The Aerospace Corporation                                            
                                                                        
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Newsgroups: rec.games.bridge