Bidding Problem
Played a match against GUU on Wednesday, we won narrowly, which gave us 8.5/16 - at this rate we'll just manage to keep ourselves in the top division, but it's looking very close.
Here's a bidding problem I had. West District League match, so it's total points - you're essentially just trying to choose the best game.
Now, I've been told that this is not a decision for opener to make - partner is saying, "I want to play in game, and if you have three trumps, I want to play in spades.". However, this looks like a very good hand to make a unilateral decision that NT is better. I'm maximum in terms of points, I have a holding in spades that suggests I'll be able to run the suit in NT. I have holdings in the other suits that suggest (but don't guarantee) that the opponents aren't going to be able to run them against me, and the fact that my spades are so strong means partner must have some values outside, meaning he's likely to have an entry to the spades, should I need it. Plus it's nearly impossible for partner to have 4 hearts, since you have methods to show that, and you'd expect him to use them - which makes it even less likely that a minor is running against you.
I don't see any reason to think spades is going to produce one extra trick, never mind the two extra tricks it has to produce for playing in a suit to be worthwhile.
In the spirit of partnership cohesion (Norman really doesn't like to play in NT when you have a known 8 card major fit), I bid 4S, and struggled to 10 tricks, so on this particular board it turned out to be irrelevant, but I'm interested to see how clear-cut others think the decision is.
I think it is close but it is the ten of diamonds that makes it so.
ReplyDeleteThe hand is mainly high cards and quick tricks, which does suggest playing in a suit contract rather than notrump. If partner has a weak doubleton in a minor then you may struggle. It is when you have queens and jacks that playing in notrump is more appealing.
The other consideration is whether partner would always show a secondary four-card suit? For example, if he held QJxxx AQx x Jxxx.
I'd bid four spades on this hand without worrying too much, but I wouldn't criticise pass.
I always bid 4 of the major in this situation. But I play a weak NT so you aren't likely to ever have a good enough hand to have double stops in all the suits.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, I don't think I've ever tried to play 3NT when I've had a known eight card major. For me it's about minimising rue. I'd feel foolish going down trying to be clever in 3NT when 4 Major makes.