You Vote … Should I Join Overbidder’s Anonymous
Playing on Superbowl Sunday, the kid had disappeared into some placed known only to those under 25 and Isabelle and I were scrambling for a partner for Jeff so that we could practice in front of Mark The Coach. I was determined to have a good showing tonight. But the only words I heard from the coach were ‘overbid” and later Jeff would say that I ought to join overbidder’s anonymous.
So I present exhibit A for the defense and you judge. Oh and please keep in mind that Isabelle and I believe in bidding any game that has a reasonable chance especially vulnerable.
Board 1 I held S 6 H AK976 D J4 C QJ1085
Partner opened 1S and I bid 1NT. Partner bid 2S which shows 6 spades and can be a decent hand. Do you bid again?
No – I didn’t and unlike the rest of the field we were a contract with changes. Does that sound like and overbidder?
How about Board 3. You try it?
Your hand is S AQ643 H A D J74 C A863
You open 1S and partner bids 2D which is usually game forcing. If you bid 3D you must be prepared if partner passes with a good six card diamond suit and an invitational hand so I bid 3C since I want to be in game. Partner now bid 3S showing a true game force with three spades and four or more diamonds. Is your hand a real minimum or should you cooperate with partner who is unlimited by cue bidding?
Of course you bid 4C and over 4D do you take over and bid the slam.
No, I bid a quiet 4H letting partner go forward with extras. You soon find yourself in 6S which makes. Partner has S J975 H KJ76 D AQ52 C J, not bad and worth a lot of imps.
Board 4 I give you another exhibit, members of the jury. You have S5 H AK102 D Q10864 C Q98. All vulnerable Bob McPhee opens 1H and lovely Isabelle overcalls 1S. Jeff Smith competes with 2H do you bid?
Well, I didn’t. My points seem to be misplaces and if partner can’t balance we are unlikely to make much, I thought. Perhaps you think an “underbid” (Notice that Jeff Smith!). Partner balances with 2S and now you feel that you really have to show some values show you bid 2NT which I think would show a bad fitting 10to12. Partner now jumps to 4S which Bob doubles, making. While it is true that on best defence this hand goes down on a ruff, it is an excellent contract and you really want to be there vulnerable. Isabelle held S KQ1087532 H6 D9 C K76. (She definitely had her bids).
Okay you get the idea. Here is the hand that got me my nickname. You hold S Q5 H K5 D AJ109643 C 54. You are not vulnerable against vulnerable and partner opens a 10-12 notrump in first chair. What do you do? You can invite in notrump, invite in diamonds or just play diamonds. Which one do you do?
Well I didn’t do any of them. I bid 3NT. With 7 diamonds and some side cards I didn’t think I needed much of a fit. If partner could get the lead before they took 5 tricks I thought we had a decent chance. Besides some times this can be their hand. As it turned out East West can make 4 hearts and we are 4 down for -200 in notrump. I admit that noone actually bid 4H (although there were some in 3 making 4). Izzie held S KJ94 H 972 D KQ C J1096. But very small changes to her hand will make 3NT cold. Inviting 3D will get 3NT anyway (since I am asking about diamonds not general strength). Was this really worth the title?
So how do you vote?
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Bridge-related
Captain Paul Thurston did email me a comment so here it is for all to see. He thought that the 3NT bid was a reasonable 2 way shot although he would have preferred to have an Ace. (me too Captain).
He didn’t like the slam as much as I did – I estimate it at about 60% – and pointed out that he thought a splinter might have been a better response than 2D.
Anyway I count that as one vote for me! Anyone else want to vote. Don’t be shy.
I rate the 3NT bid as automatic. It has several ways to win and few ways to lose. Bidding diamonds just helps the opponents value their hands.
I’d say your pass with S5 H AK102 D Q10864 C Q98 was overly pessimistic. It did work, but your actual sequence rated to hang partner for balancing. Also, I’d probably bid 4S with partner’s cards at either my first or second turn.
Passing 2S with S 6 H AK976 D J4 C QJ1085 has too many ways to miss game. 4H, 3NT, and 4S are all still possible.
Holding S AQ643 H A D J74 C A863 over 3S I bid out my pattern with 4D. I admit that’s a style matter; 4H is perfectly reasonable. This hand is definitely better than minimum after this auction, even if 3C show extras.
FWIW, I agree with Mr. Thurston about the splinter.
Well, I have you underbidding three times and not overbidding at all.
Thanks for the comments. So far I think that the votes are in my favour. Take that Coach Mark and Jeff Smith. By the way Jeff accused me of the worst ever 1NT overcall a couple of days ago. I don’t think it is THE WORST. Here is my hand
SK87 H KQ873 D KQ10 C Q9
It went pass pass 1S to me. I am SUPPOSED to have 6 hearts to overcall 2H but with 15 points and some spots I could do it on this hand. I didn’t like it that much and thought with all the soft values 1NT would be better. Okay its a bit ugly. Jeff bit 3S and Isabelle bid 5C which made for a great score. She had S void H 42 D A654 C A1087653 so it worked out well.