[WesleyC]

A hand came up recently which got me thinking about simple raises in competitive auctions:

IMPs Vul vs NV
LHO Dealer

(1♦) 1♠ (2♥) ???

2H is a one-round force and your partnership style is aggressive overcalls at the 1 level.

What value of ? would make this hand worth a 2S raise?

[?82 JT87 963 AJ3]

This hand also got me thinking about similar auctions. How much would you change your 2S range in a similar auction like:

(1♦) 1♠ (2♦) ???

or

(1♥) 1♠ (2♥) ???


WesC

[JLOGIC]

queen, not much point with the jack imo.

[JLOGIC]

WesleyC, on 2013-August-10, 11:28, said:

How much would you change your 2S range in a similar auction like:

(1♦) 1♠ (2♦) ???

or

(1♥) 1♠ (2♥) ???


WesC

Your objectives are going to occur with different frequencies. You are always raising hoping to compete for the partscore, bid a making game, find a save, or help partner with the lead. Obviously a making game is less likely in the 2nd hand type, but if you have a good offensive hand even with minimal HCP of course you should still raise since it might be the right hand (eg Qxx xx KJxxx xxx should raise). With hands like xxx Kxx Qxx Qxxx you have to raise on 1x 1S 2x ? since it might still be your hand, they might pass out 2x which would be bad etc. However red/white on 1D 1S 2H there is no reason to raise. Also, if you have values in the opps suits, you are pretty much not gonna raise. With a spade honor or more offensive potential then there is more reason to raise (get a spade lead vs 3N, or compete to 3S or bid 4S making).

[akwoo]

I voted Q. The heart holding makes me a lot more conservative here. This could easily be a 15 total trick hand, with my heart holding subtracting one from the Law.

Switch my diamonds and my hearts and I'll raise with the 9. Actually, change my T of hearts for a small club and I'll probably raise with the 9.

[WesleyC]

I pretty much agree with Justin's analysis. To summarize my thoughts in a slightly different way:

When considering whether to make a simple raise on a marginal hand, you might consider the following factors (roughly in order of importance):

1) Forcing the opponents to play a competitive board at the 3-level.
2) Giving partner the chance to compete to 3S/4S profitably.
3) Directing partner to lead a spade.
4) Taking up bidding space in the opponents' auction.

In the (1♦) 1♠ (2♥) ??? auction it seems like [982 JT87 963 AJ3] fails on just about all of them.

1) The opponents are in a forcing auction so they'll end up at the 3-level whether you bid or not.
2) This hand will pretty much always be a disappointing dummy and has a high defensive to offensive ratio. If 4S is a great contract, partner will usually be able to find another call.
3) A spade lead against 3NT is probably fine. Against an (unlikely) diamond contract a spade lead could be disastrous. Not too much either way here.
4) 2S actually HELPS the opponents auction by giving opener the chance to pass/double on hands that might otherwise have a tricky rebid.

It seems like just about everyone else is automatically raising this hand, so i'd be interesting to hear their thinking!

WesC

[JLOGIC]

WesleyC, on 2013-August-10, 22:36, said:

I pretty much agree with Justin's analysis. To summarize my thoughts in a slightly different way:

When considering whether to make a simple raise on a marginal hand, you might consider the following factors (roughly in order of importance):

1) Forcing the opponents to play a competitive board at the 3-level.
2) Giving partner the chance to compete to 3S/4S profitably.
3) Directing partner to lead a spade.
4) Taking up bidding space in the opponents' auction.

In the (1♦) 1♠ (2♥) ??? auction it seems like [982 JT87 963 AJ3] fails on just about all of them.

1) The opponents are in a forcing auction so they'll end up at the 3-level whether you bid or not.
2) This hand will pretty much always be a disappointing dummy and has a high defensive to offensive ratio. If 4S is a great contract, partner will usually be able to find another call.
3) A spade lead against 3NT is probably fine. Against an (unlikely) diamond contract a spade lead could be disastrous. Not too much either way here.
4) 2S actually HELPS the opponents auction by giving opener the chance to pass/double on hands that might otherwise have a tricky rebid.

It seems like just about everyone else is automatically raising this hand, so i'd be interesting to hear their thinking!

WesC

Agree with almost everything but you forgot, you might get doubled. Sure it won't happen that often but if LHO doubles with a good hand and short spades and RHO passes we are in a baddd spot and it happens more when you are r/w.

Only thing I don't agree with is almost everyone raises automatically with 98x JT8x xxx AJx. TBH I thought when you posted it you were wondering whether to raise with Qxx heh, I could see passing with the Q pretty reasonably. Raising with the 3 small hand is really bad, if a lot of people you know do raise automatically with that hand I will go out on a limb and say most people are not good at bridge and heard you should raise an overcall with 6-9 and 3 spades and that's why they do it. Those same people might cuebid with a random 4333 11 count and 3 spades heh. They are not right.

[dake50]

(1D) 1S (2H) ???

[?82 JT87 963 AJ3]

(1D) 1S (2D) ???

(1H) 1S (2H) ??? --- WesC

The **strategic intent** is to inform partner how gamish my hand is.
To that end Q82 suffices in each auction.
The **tactical intent** is to win S vs H hands. Either by preempting
to their danger level or snake-in-the-grass with defense.
To that end Pass after 2H force (we are outgunned);
2S over 2D, unless it's a forcing raise, whence pass;
2S over 2H raise only promises a big card (CA here) without a misfit.

[wodahs]

You might consider using Transfer Doubles in that position. In that auction (1♦) 1♠ (2♥) ??, Double would show a good raise (constructive, say) and 2♠ just noise.

If the auction had been (1♦) 1♠ (2♣); then Double = transfer into cuebid = limit raise+, 2♦ = hearts, 2♥ = constructive raise, 2♠ = noise.