[Gerben42]

Okay, I came second by a stunning margin of 1.6 matchpoints (0.8 MP if you are using USA counting). Here are some interesting bidding decisions (MP)

1.

Pass Pass 1NT(15-17) Pass
?

Scoring: MP

---

Do you Pass, invite (bid 2NT) or bid 3NT directly?

If it matters for you, 17 with a decent 5-card minor is considered too strong, 14 with same thing considered strong enough. Downgrading ONLY in case of doubletons with two honors in them.

2.

3♥ Pass ?

Scoring: MP

---

Do you Pass, bid 3NT or bid 4♥? Our style all vulnerable is middle-of-the-road

3.

Pass 1NT ?

Scoring: MP

---

A. 3♣, and over 4♠ Pass Pass?
B. 4♣, and over 4♠ Pass Pass?
C. 5♣?
D. Some other strategy?

[Fluffy]

1: 2NT

2: pass, going nowhere

3: 3♣ then pass

[helene_t]

As usual, agree with Justin (except that I don't think the lead matters that much on the second one. We probably don't have ten tricks anyway). Actually, my first thought was to bid 4♥ until I read Justin's post.

(Hey Justin, why don't you post in hidden text, then we have a chance of arriving at the same conclusions without the suspicion of being influenced?)

[MickyB]

Pass, Pass, 4♣. Think the second question is the most difficult (no, I'm not considering 3NT there!)

[whereagles]

1. Easy pass for me. Would bid a straight 3 at imps.. lol.

2. 4♥ for field reasons: if your pard has a normal pree, the field will be raising to 4. If he has an off-side pree, the field will be passing and you're set for a bad score anyway.

3. Easy 4♣. 3 accomplishes nothing and I don't feel like bidding 5. Over 4♠ I pass and tell off pard later if we should have acted

By the way, where's Wurttemberg? Does that mean "carrot mountain"?

[helene_t]

whereagles, on Jun 18 2007, 10:40 AM, said:

By the way, where's Wurttemberg? Does that mean "carrot mountain"? 

No. "Wurzel" means "root" (part of plant). It is related to the Dutch "wortel" which also means "carrot" so I can imagine that some German dialects might have a similar word for carrot. Some German dialects use the word "Gelbe Rübe" which resembles the Danish "Gullerod" (yellow root) but actually means "yellow beet". According to Ordbog over de Danske Sprog the German meaning "yellow beet" is the precursor of the Danish meaning "yellow root" so the German and the Dutch names seem not to be related, and the similarity between the Danish and the Dutch ones must be accidental since the Dutch name is probably the oldest one (modern (orange-colored) carrots reached the Netherlands before spreading to Germany and Denmark). Of course if could be that some other Dutch name was used earlier (such as "peen") and "wortel" in the mening "carrot" could be a recent thing. I can't find any Dutch etymiological dicttionary online so I can't resolve this.

Anyway, according to the British Carrot Museum, the carrot did not reach Germany until the 13th century (it was discovered by Arab merchants in Afghanistan, where it was used for ceremonial purposes by a Sun cult, whose followers thought they could get closer to God by eating orange-coloured food. It reached Europe via the Moors in southern Spain). Since the name "Burg Wirtemberg" was first used in 1080, it cannot be related to carrots. It is true that a mediterenean breed of carrots (purple-colored) was grown by the French medieval ruler Charlemagne for medical purposes, but I can find no references to whether that breed reached Germany and if so what it was called in German.

Württem resembles Wurt which means "dwelling mound" in some Northern German dialects but the origin of the name Württemberg is different.

The original name was Wirodunum which is Celtic for "spinnery castle". So the suffix "-berg" should read "-burg" (castle) and not "-berg" (mountain). However, the current spelling was devised by Napoleon 1 and maybe his civil servants had the meaning "mountain" in mind. The similarity of the two suffixes, which are both very common in Germanic languages, create confusion.

Sources: German Wikipedia entries for Württemberg and Burg Wirtemberg

[gwnn]

1) Clear pass.
2) Yucky pass.
3) 4.5 clubs. Then leftie can't bid 4♠. Oh it's still not allowed? 4♣ and pass. Partner knows what I have.

[Impact]

1. pass at MP clearcut (MAYBE if I thought we needed a scoreand we were playing a weak pair it could be right to push for the big top with 3NT - but then you are probably going to collect most of the matchpoints by making the extra trick against this pair anyway)

2. Yuck: Pass quickly and hope his suit is decent as there is no reason to believe we can make 3NT: my 4 QT may be enough to get him home if they don't cash D and his suit stands up...maybe some idiot balances ?

3. 4C: 3C is too few and 5C says "double me". At this vul partner should be taking the appropriate action: my bid of 4C is a huge statement about my suit quality/length

Oh dear, my answers look mainstream from the other comments so I must lose...

regards,

[FrancesHinden]

1. Easy pass at matchpoints
2. Easy pass at matchpoints. Partner might have xx KQJxxxx x Qx. But then again he might not.
3. 4C and pass.

[P_Marlowe]

#1 invite
#2 pass, 3NT is out and I doubt that you can play
hearts for one looser, i.e. chances are great that
you loose 2Hearts and 2 Diamonds
#3 B, i.e. 4C and I will pass 4S

With kind regards
Marlowe

[P_Marlowe]

MickyB, on Jun 18 2007, 03:38 AM, said:

Pass, Pass, 4♣. Think the second question is the most difficult (no, I'm not considering 3NT there!)

, I would say the first question, having voted
for the main stream invite, and seeing that noone
follows, maybe, the upgrade factor does it, but
...

[Codo]

1. pass with your style of 1 NT bids.

2. Easy pass with most partners. Opposite most 3 Heart is in danger and 4 Heart not even close.

3. 5 Clubs says: Double me. Okay I am the outsider, I want them to double me in 5 Club. Too many good things could happen and they may even miss a slam. Against weak pairs 4 Club is more then enough of course. But against you I would bid 5 and see you sweating...

[Free]

pass
4♥
4♣ then pass

[Gerben42]

Quote

1) I would pass with the aggressive upgrading style you seem to have.

I am intrigued by this comment. I thought this was about standard...

I included the comment because I felt it might be important for your decision. I am sure that you are aware that the field is probably bean-counting instead.

[FrancesHinden]

Gerben42, on Jun 18 2007, 11:42 AM, said:

Quote

1) I would pass with the aggressive upgrading style you seem to have.

I am intrigued by this comment. I thought this was about standard...

I included the comment because I felt it might be important for your decision. I am sure that you are aware that the field is probably bean-counting instead.

I agree this is about standard.

It's more tempting to bid when LHO is a passed hand, as he is less likely to protect, but at love all he's quite likely to bid anyway.

I think I would prefer to have the option of taking a penalty or playing in a minor suit fit, than have to play 2NT.

anyway, bean counters say 17+ 8 = 25, we need 26 points for game, pass.

[P_Marlowe]

FrancesHinden, on Jun 18 2007, 05:54 AM, said:

<snip>

anyway, bean counters say 17+ 8 = 25, we need 26 points for game, pass.

ok, ... but I think the holy number taught
in germany is 25.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[jtfanclub]

Gerben42, on Jun 18 2007, 02:22 AM, said:

2.

3♥ Pass ?

Scoring: MP

---

Do you Pass, bid 3NT or bid 4♥? Our style all vulnerable is middle-of-the-road

I bid 4♥ on #2. Partner's making a 3 level pre-empt vulnerable in MPs. He's not doing it on xx KJ9xxxx xx xx. If he has Qx AQT9xxx xx xx, well, maybe they won't lead diamonds.

[cherdano]

P P 4♣-P, of course.

Raising to 4♥ "for field reasons" a most surprising suggestion. A weak field bids 3N, a strong field passes, I don't know where you find the field that bids 4♥ here; even if there is one, I quite like my odds going against the field on this hand.

[whereagles]

helene_t: so it's "town of the spinnery castle" after all?