A friend (Jonathan by name) has very recently started playing bridge. I have been playing some with him and he welcomes suggestions. Yesterday an uncontested auction began 1
- 2
- 3
. I plan to say a few words to Jonathan about "What happens next" but I thought I would also see what others think.
For simplicity, let's assume that the 2
was natural and game forcing. Jonathan expressed an interest in exploring the 2/1 GF idea so that's what we were doing.
So: 3NT or 5
, and how do we decide? Of course slam could be in the picture, but let's keep it to the choice of 3NT or 5
. And assume imps, so we want to get to the game most likely to succeed, forgetting about the matchpoint value of a possible overtrick (or multiple undertricks). I will supply four possible hands to illustrate the problem:
Hand A
AQ
A6
QJ9732
976
Hand B
AQ
976
QJ9732
A6
Hand C
AQ
96
QJ9732
A76
Hand D
AQ
A76
QJ9732
96
you can see what I am getting at. One suit has a stopper, the other doesn't. In A and B there are three cards in the unstopped suit, in C and D the unstopped suit is a doubleton, upping the chances that the opponents have five cards in that suit, especially since partner has five spades and at least some length in diamonds.
My usual way of playing is that, over 3
, a 3
call shows a
value and strongly suggests the lack of a
stop (else I would have bid 3NT myself unless I am making a slam try). So with A and D I could bid 3
and see what pard does, with B and C I could, if I wish, take a shot at 3NT and hope that they cannot run five heart tricks.
I suppose that playing in 4
has a shot at being right but, as the cards lay, it would not have been and let's forget that.
Bottom line: I am thinking of telling Jonathan that 3
would show a
stop and imply doubt about
, but I realize some might play it the other way around, as implying a
stop and asking for a
stop.
Comments?