7:23 Board 2: I doubled and partner responded with 2S. I then bid 3D and partner raised to 4D, finishing in 5D making. 16:40 Board 5: (Looking at double dummy) Probably still better to cash diamonds immediately after the heart lead and then finesse the spades?
1. The comment from the peanut gallery regarding downgrading flat 15-counts - I personally think this has merit against humans, but not against the bots where I upgrade nearly a full HCP to account for their miserable defense. 2. There is some path where east drops a spade and goes up with the Q when you lead towards the A, giving an easy restricted choice situation for another overtrick. 7. You got so lucky here. I returned the C3 instead of the 9 and the defense cashed all four of its tricks. Your West took the KC to the grave.
On board 6 I did bid 1NT, but after W bid 2D I balanced with 2S. I think that gets the meaning across to partner as well, that I have 3 card support. Of course this fakes the D stopper instead, but as Zia said (I think he said …) ‘If you show a stopper or a control in the bidding you don’t have to have it in the play.’
On board 5 I just ran all the diamonds, you squeeze the north hand for sure, but you make the opponents guess what to discard too. West discarded two clubs and then won the ace of clubs which then endplayed east and got me 3NT+1.
On board 6 you said you reserve the double for precisely 4-4 in the majors after 1C-(1D), arguing double will not find your 5-3 spade fit. Fair enough with longer spades, the suits can be bid in natural order. But what about 4 spades and 5 hearts? It seems to me that bidding 1H instead of doubling is worse because the danger of losing spades is serious, for example if LHO raises or jump raises diamonds. Doubling could loose a 5-3 fit in hearts, but otherwise does much better. It should also be noted if you reserve DBL for precisely 4-4 in the majors, 1H over 1C- (1D) does not guarantee a five card heart suit, since you are forced to bid 1H with four hearts and less than four spades. Thus you could still loose a 5-3 heart fit.
Losing the spades is always more costly but I still like to reserve it for 4-4. For the final point 1H doesn't guarantee 5 but you do set yourself up for support doubles and also you can often make a takeout double later to express the 4-5 shape. Most of the competitive auctions aren't too bad if either you or your partner have a follow up action. Can you or your partner make a takeout double? From my experience I find I rarely am missing out on those suits but I feel like anytime I start with a double the auctions get much more awkward to express your shape.
In some systems it is actually normal to bid 1S with three cards without the double, for example a 3=1=4=5 count. It caused controversy. Is it a psych? It is a partnership agreement? Is it alertable?
6C is pretty much impossible to get to on board 3. If you bid 4C then - despite its description being "11-21 HCP" and clearly forcing - North passes it.
The explanation for 3H was "Forcing to 3NT", which hints that 4C is not forcing any more. You have to keep it simple with the robots. Bid 4NT over 3H and with 2 key cards you are in 6C. Even at matchpoints, when you hold such good clubs and 18-19 HCP and 7 controls bidding just 3NT is a bit too conservative.
7:23 Board 2: I doubled and partner responded with 2S. I then bid 3D and partner raised to 4D, finishing in 5D making.
16:40 Board 5: (Looking at double dummy) Probably still better to cash diamonds immediately after the heart lead and then finesse the spades?
1. The comment from the peanut gallery regarding downgrading flat 15-counts - I personally think this has merit against humans, but not against the bots where I upgrade nearly a full HCP to account for their miserable defense.
2. There is some path where east drops a spade and goes up with the Q when you lead towards the A, giving an easy restricted choice situation for another overtrick.
7. You got so lucky here. I returned the C3 instead of the 9 and the defense cashed all four of its tricks. Your West took the KC to the grave.
On board 6 I did bid 1NT, but after W bid 2D I balanced with 2S. I think that gets the meaning across to partner as well, that I have 3 card support. Of course this fakes the D stopper instead, but as Zia said (I think he said …) ‘If you show a stopper or a control in the bidding you don’t have to have it in the play.’
On board 5 I just ran all the diamonds, you squeeze the north hand for sure, but you make the opponents guess what to discard too. West discarded two clubs and then won the ace of clubs which then endplayed east and got me 3NT+1.
Great play Mr Pete!
On board 6 you said you reserve the double for precisely 4-4 in the majors after 1C-(1D), arguing double will not find your 5-3 spade fit. Fair enough with longer spades, the suits can be bid in natural order. But what about 4 spades and 5 hearts? It seems to me that bidding 1H instead of doubling is worse because the danger of losing spades is serious, for example if LHO raises or jump raises diamonds. Doubling could loose a 5-3 fit in hearts, but otherwise does much better. It should also be noted if you reserve DBL for precisely 4-4 in the majors, 1H over 1C- (1D) does not guarantee a five card heart suit, since you are forced to bid 1H with four hearts and less than four spades. Thus you could still loose a 5-3 heart fit.
Losing the spades is always more costly but I still like to reserve it for 4-4. For the final point 1H doesn't guarantee 5 but you do set yourself up for support doubles and also you can often make a takeout double later to express the 4-5 shape. Most of the competitive auctions aren't too bad if either you or your partner have a follow up action. Can you or your partner make a takeout double? From my experience I find I rarely am missing out on those suits but I feel like anytime I start with a double the auctions get much more awkward to express your shape.
I couldn't believe how many people didn't bid slam on the last hand
What I can't believe is that 480 was 75%, meaning literally half the field failed to toss a losing spade on the clubs.
1 Spade bid on board six is next level. Easy to do with a singleton heart - not so easy to find with doubleton King Jack.
In some systems it is actually normal to bid 1S with three cards without the double, for example a 3=1=4=5 count. It caused controversy. Is it a psych? It is a partnership agreement? Is it alertable?
6C is pretty much impossible to get to on board 3. If you bid 4C then - despite its description being "11-21 HCP" and clearly forcing - North passes it.
The explanation for 3H was "Forcing to 3NT", which hints that 4C is not forcing any more. You have to keep it simple with the robots. Bid 4NT over 3H and with 2 key cards you are in 6C. Even at matchpoints, when you hold such good clubs and 18-19 HCP and 7 controls bidding just 3NT is a bit too conservative.