With a little bit of bloomin luck

[kenberg]

We got to 6 making 7 in yesterday's Creech lesson but the more I thought about it  the more I figured I have now used up a week's supply of luck. So I decided to see what the bots would do:


http://tinyurl.com/y2kuaeba

I think they are right.


Unless some opponent has five diamonds we have six diamond tricks and four other obvious tricks. But that's it. If we are to make a slam in anything partner will have to supply two of the tricks. Ok, maybe there  is a lucky spade lie and my T establishes but really I will need two tricks from partner.  I need him to have some cards, and not just any cards. The K and the Q are really great but still we are not really home. I need the K and the QJ in partner's hand to be safe.

And there it was, but it's asking a lot.


It's best if we recognize when a great bid required a great amount of luck to be great.  Our auction was 2 - 2 - 3   - 3 - d .

Yes I can expect partner to have some spades but that's is not nearly enough. And he won't have KQxxx or he would have bid 2 over 2 .

Yes, the Kxxx and the Qxx would do it, and so would some other things. Still...

Any thoughts?

PS I see that the clubs come in so that we do not even need the spade finesse. Ah yes, luck is moving right along!

[Masse24]

For me to open 2 and rebid a minor, I must have a killer suit. I prefer six+ cards. This suit qualifies, so I have no problem with a 3 rebid. But I honestly think I would go another route. I would treat it as balanced. Yes, it's a bit off, but not egregiously so.

I mentioned during Jim's session the other day about a gadget. Here, that would be Kokish, used primarily to better identify very strong balanced hands while keeping the bidding below 3NT. Okay, we are not using it. So what are we left with? Basic-Standard-Quantitative NoTrump rebids. So:

• 2NT = 22-24
• 3NT = 25-27
• 4NT = 28+

This hand has 25 HCP, yes? Simple 3NT rebid should do the trick? But wait a minute. What else does it have? All the Aces, two of the Kings (obviously working), and a solid six-card suit. Surely that's worth something more? My first glance, using Kentucky windage alone gets me to around 27-28. But wanting to confirm my hand evaluation, I stuck it into the KnR which gives me 27.55: http://www.jeff-goldsmith.org/cgi-bin/knr.cgi?hand=at2+ak+akqj72+a7.

I choose 4NT. [Added]: I realize that this will not be the popular choice. After all, if you are not going to rebid THIS suit, then when? But I have been trying to open slightly off-shape no trumps more often. I like this one because I can get my values across.

I am at a loss for continuations to the grand, though Stayman and Transfers should still be on. Regardless, I can't imagine stopping short of a small slam. Even a conservative 3NT rebid (rather than 4NT) would presumably get us to a small slam.

I know not everyone would go this route, but lacking a gadget, it's one possible method. 

P.S. Thanks, Ken. I have Alfred P. Doolittle singing in my ear, over-and over-and over-and over . . .

[jcreech]

At the table, my partner and I had to contend with a 3 overcall.  Either my partner was unwilling or unsure of how to show values opposite this type of interference.

A double by partner would indicate useful values, and if I convert to penalty, then 1100 is the likely outcome.  I am still uncertain whether I would convert or bid, and if I bid, what?  I would definitely see the possibility of slam, but how to get there and what strain.  The interference creates a lot of problems.  The auction problems may be enough to make me convert, so I don't have to struggle in the auction and/or be disappointed with the final contract.

Nonetheless, a small slam would feel reasonable opposite the right 5 HCPs and a grand opposite the right 7.  On the auction that occurred at the other table, I would probably make the same bid as my counterpart - 6NT - but then her partner bid 3NT over 3 .  On the bot auction, I think my rebid would be 6 , and count myself unlucky if the diamond suit broke foully.

[kenberg]

Bridge World Standard says: 
"If two clubs is overcalled, responder's double shows double-negative strength and a pass is forcing. Opener's double of the overcall shows a balanced hand." 
Just how "standard standard" this is, I am not sure.

Of course here it was 3 . That's really getting daring.

 Mike Lawrence has a long section on this in his Conventions disk. He considers three choices for 2 -overcall-X by partner: Penalty, worthless (this is BWS), or a few random points. He doesn't really indicate a preference.


Again I think ML is mostly thinking of a 2 level overcall of 2 , but presumably the same agreement applies. Opener, looking at his AK in , can figure that whatever values partner has are not likely to be in so this might encourage a slam.

[Masse24]

Agree, Ken, that double is crap; pass is forcing. A suit should be "biddable," so 5+ and whatever honor structure you've agreed, presumably 2-of-top-3 or similar.

I've never thought about the difference between 2-level and 3-level overcalls. But for simplicity sake and striving for consistent meta-agreements, I would think it best to keep it the same regardless of level. I wonder if there is any material on this seldom mentioned topic?

I like the 3 overcall!