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a good hand? Say partner has 12 cards in the majors!

 Misfits?

A deal from a reader today and not such a good hand as above! He raised several questions but we only posed one to the Panel. So, here goes:

 

1 promised at least 5 spades. If you felt like passing, that is a good reason never to open 1 on Jxxx no matter how few spades your opening promises. We also said to the Panel that a response of 1NT was not forcing. The game is Pairs.

So, 6-6 hands are often exciting and full of potential ….and occasionally ghastly misfits!

Nigel Kearney “1NT: looks fine to me. I can follow up with  2 then 3 to show my hand and keep things under control. It's conceivable that partner has a balanced 15 and we stop in 1NT with 4 cold, but the bad things that could happen after a 2 response are much more likely. Pass  has very little upside compared to 1NT and is much more likely to end the auction.”
If we had a fit in a red suit, then I suspect our opponents with far more high cards than we might have are likely to have a fit too…and if we had no fit, then perhaps bailing out low might be a good idea.

However, we have an optimist:

Andy Braithwaite “1NT: what could be worse than 1 and partner just may bid again so I can show one of my suits!”

The answer to Andy’s rhetorical question is 2, 3 or even 4! Kind of agreeing is:

Stephen Blackstock “1NT: Obviously not very descriptive but I can't bid 2/ without grossly overstating the values. If I am lucky and East rebids 2, I can then advance a non-forcing red suit without partner expecting a better hand. It also gives both opponents a chance to re-open, which would suit me well.

At Pairs, I think that pass is a gambit worth considering (clearly not so at IMPS, where missing a red suit fit would be too expensive to contemplate). As it is quite likely that any further bidding will reach a poor contract but at a higher level, playing 1 even in a 5-0 fit may be worth plenty of match points in comparison with even worse contracts reached at other tables.”

It surely is a choice of just1NT or Pass as Michael says:

Michael Cornell “1NT: Surely more upside to bidding than passing and I can’t see any other possible bid. The only bad scenario I could see is if partner jumps in spades but even then we do have possibly 2 working cards.

We could easily be doing well in a red suit, maybe very well. Slam is far from impossible on many hands.”

 

It is not just Stephen above who thinks about passing.

Bruce Anderson: Pass: the only alternative is 1NT, but it is all too likely I will then hear 2 or 3 from partner.

As they say, pass at the earliest opportunity with a misfit. And stranger things have happened than North now makes some kind of balancing bid allowing me to show my hand.

 

Kris Wooles “1NT: I’m strongly inclined to pass which sometimes is the most sensible option but while I’m not all that happy about it, I will bid 1NT planning to bid hearts over 2/3 and dropping any rebid in spades. If partner raises NT then I’d bid hearts. Everyone should be amused by my 1NT bid if East wins the auction.”

Their ”amusement” would have to wait a little longer if 1NT ended the auction!

 

Peter Newell “Pass: at Teams I would bid 1NT. I think more often than not bidding will get us into more trouble, and while we probably are better off in one of my red suits, it's not likely that I will be able to show both at a low enough level. If I bid 1NT, most responses from partner will compound the problem and we risk getting too high and getting doubled. The opponents could easily balance. Even with some spades they may well balance with 1NT or 2. 

 

Having said that I have found surprisingly often it is right to try and improve the contract with misfits. So, bidding 1NT is not unreasonable, and at Teams I might well bid 1NT as on a good day we will make game in a red suit... now you are probably going to show us a hand we can make a slam.

Not today, Peter. Today’s pass would probably have seen North re-open with a double and South pass leaving us to find a way to a red suit, by redoubling first and then when partner bids clubs, moving up the line or trying a second nervous redouble to show the red suits.

 

 

East’s pass seems strange despite their having an honour in each suit. 2 would have allowed West to bid 2 and make a comfortable part-score. North-South could make a part-score in both of East’s suits!

West did not enjoy playing 1NT and emerged with just 4 tricks, -300. Arguably, 1NT by West seemed the right action here though I would expect most North’s to find a double if West passes…and then East-West should reach a playable contract.

A JIN Club deal tomorrow but as usual, all are welcome.

Richard Solomon

 

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