Probable choices
A: Pass
B: 3H
C: 2D
D: Pass
E: 3NT
F: 5C
G: 3H
H: Club A
Some thoughts:
A: Pass. It's matchpoints. I think the probability of making a game is less than 50-50, I think the probability of taking five tricks against 3D is better than 50-50. One of the problems about going for game is that even if there is a making game somewhere it is far from clear that we can sort out where it is.
B: 3H Partner's balancing double is based on the assumption/hope that I have something. I have something, but not all that much more than something.
C: 2D This auction will be competitive. I am prepared to bid hearts at the 5 level if need be and I am thinking that bidding 4H and then, later, 5H doesn't do justice to this hand. There is a question of hat various bids mean. It seems to me that if the auction begins 1
- (1
) - X - (1
) then double by opener of the 1
should say "Had my Rho not come in here, I would have been pleased to bid 1
. Suppose I have, say, a 12 or 13 count and a decent four card spade suit. If that spade bid on my left is real, I don't really want to play in 2
and get a 5-0 trump split. It seems better to just have X show that 13 count with four spades. Partner will then cope.
D: Pass. What's up? First, who has four spades? Partner I think. With long
and four
I think E would have bid 1
rather than 1NT. W might have four
but he has five
so, while possibly he has four, my guess it is partner that does. Now what about the hearts? on this auction, with my three card
holding, it seems pard must have at least three
and my guess is four. I only have two
. Maybe that have a bunch but if they do they will probably go on to 3
over my 3
, and if they don't have a lot of
then pard has some, and that doesn't give him many clubs. I suppose he has three for his double, but that doesn't mean we should compete to 3
. my guess is his shape is 4=4=2=3 with modes values. I'm for letting them play 2
E: 3NT Well, it's imps. Nobody vul but still it's 400 if it makes. At matchpoints I would pass. Probably less than a 50% shot of making.
F: 5
. Again, what's going on. I have no hearts. I am betting pard has five or six. And so too weak to bid 2
. Probably at most one
. We should have a minor suit fit and a play for 5m. I suppose I could be cautious and bid only 4
, Maybe I will. I'll think about it.
G: 3
. How many hearts does that 3
bid show? No need to be sure just yet. I have three
and if pard raises 3
to 4
maybe that's right even if he has only four. The opponents can cash a couple of clubs after which I could well have ten tricks. If over 3
pard bids 3NT I will assume he has only four hearts and thinks that unless I have four hearts we should give it a shot in 3NT.
H: The
A. Declarer will be tossing some minors on his spades, I think we need to get all the minor suit tricks that we can and then we see what we get in hearts. I might think more about this also, but the
A seems right.