[Hanoi5]

You're red and hold:

♠109xx
♥xx
♦AKQx
♣987

It goes:

1♦ Pass 1♠ 2♥
2♠ Pass ???

Do you pass, invite, get to game? You expect 4 trumps in dummy (support double is on).

[mtvesuvius]

Definitely pass -- I have a pile o' crap.

[CSGibson]

Invite at imps, pass at matchpoints. Our finesses rate to be onside, at least, and we do have a double fit...

[rogerclee]

I have noticed that in general, people are more aggressive than they should be on this type of auction (1m-1M; 2M).

[mike777]

this looks like an easy pass at this point.

[aguahombre]

Would partner accept the invite with AKXX AX JXXX AXX? Forget the fact that he cannot have that hand in a strong NT system. Roger is right about people being too aggressive on this type of auction; I find that even balanced 11-12 invites are accepted (with hands everyone would accept on) and don't make game very often.

I still invite with near opening values (not the OP hand), but am starting to look for excuses not to.

[kayin801]

If I had a way to ask about partner's shape I would invite since if partner has short clubs I want to be in game. Some hands like AQxx, Kxx, xxxxx, x are odds on, and that's not an opener. I think there's a lot more weak NTs where we have 2 heart losers, a club loser, and a spade loser though, so I'd pass.

[Cyberyeti]

If I invite, I do so with 3♦ so partner knows AKQx, xx, J10xxxx, x is gold. Pretty close whether to pass or bid 3♦.

[JLOGIC]

What lol this is not close to a bid

[MrAce]

Pass for me too.

[mtvesuvius]

JLOGIC, on 2011-February-22, 14:11, said:

What lol this is not close to a bid

That was my thought too?

Is everyone here (Roth) Stoned?! lol

[Cyberyeti]

mtvesuvius, on 2011-February-22, 15:31, said:

That was my thought too?

Is everyone here (Roth) Stoned?! lol

No, we've seen it go 1♦-P-1♠-2♥-2♠-P-P-(X or 3♣) and the opps bid a making game

[gnasher]

It's not hard to construct hands where game is good - KQJx Kxx J10xx Ax, or AQJx Kxx Jxxxx x, for example. Another consideration is that with a likely double fit we'll often have to compete to 3♦ or 3♠ anyway.

In my partnerships, that second example would be a 3♠ bid over 2♥, with 3♥ being used for real 3♠ bids. That means that partner's 2♠ is nearly always balanced, which makes a game try less attractive.

If, however, you play that 2♠ includes minimum unbalanced hands, I think this responding hand is worth a try at IMPs. I wouldn't make my try in diamonds, though - I don't want to make it easy for them to find a diamond ruff, or to detect their own double fit. Anyway, if I show diamond length partner is going to take one look at his jack-high suit and sign off. I'd just make my "bid game if you're maximum" invitation. (I think that should be 3♥, with 3♠ being just to play.)

[gszes]

At MP where searching for 40% probablity games is a losing tactic (unless you need a top) I would pass

At IMPS however where vul games are premium bids some risk is needed and this might be the time to trot out
the old help suit game try. My choice of game try however would be

3c.

Hard to picture many hands where p has club (especially if its shortness) help that wont make 4s. Any
finesses I need rate to be onside so what might look like a 35% contract could easily soar to above 60%
merely due to the bidding. There is risk here but in cases where p rebids 3s and we go down one we might
still be better off than if we had passed and opps compete to 3c or 3h and make.

[aguahombre]

gszes, on 2011-February-23, 10:11, said:

There is risk here but in cases where p rebids 3s and we go down one we might
still be better off than if we had passed and opps compete to 3c or 3h and make.

We would still have the option to bid on if they further compete. If the heart bidder rebids them and opener passes, probably responder should let it go. But if they get to 3C, we probably should throw in a 3D call.