[myfish]

Scoring: IMP

---

RHO is the dealer and bid 1♠
and now it is your turn to bid.

[EricK]

Jlall, on Jan 8 2005, 05:02 AM, said:

pass, even white/red... 2D is suicide. xxx of spades is a big warning sign as is a bad 5 card suit.

I agree 100% with this.

Eric

[pbleighton]

Pass. Mediocre 5 card suit and good defense.

Peter

[Fluffy]

no shortness ontheir suit, no double
no 6 card suit to overcall at 2 level, no overcall.
So pass.

[pclayton]

Reverse my black suits and I take a call. Otherwise pass.

[HeartA]

2D could be dangerous, but I will bid anyway, unless red to white.

[helium]

PASS:)

[fred]

I think this is lot closer than most of you think, especially playing against a pair who opens light and responds on nothing. If you pass you are pretty much giving up on game unless partner can overcall - he could have a balanced 12 count, for example, with your side having a totally normal 3NT and you are never going to get there is you pass.

I would probably pass myself, but I do not have any strong convictions that it is right. 2D dangerous for sure, but pass is not even close to a "safe" call either.

It would not surprise me at all if simulation showed the DBL was the winning call. In fact, now that I think about it, I kind of like it.

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

[fred]

Agree with your characterization of DBL as a bid I might not think of at the table and without a doubt this call is not "safe" either.

To me this is pretty much a pure judgment call, and I would like to hear the views of some very experienced and successful players (I mean people who have seen a lot more hands than I have).

Jlall, I am willing to bet that your buddy Hamman would not pass. You feel like asking him?

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

[EricK]

I suspect on many of the hands where you have a game, partner will be able to bid something (especialy if he prebalances in a 1♠ 2♠ auction) , or you will be able to bid knowing that you likely have a fit.

I am not very experienced but what I have noticed is that when I try bids on hands like this we get into trouble, but when the opponents do they find their partner with a perfect fitting hand.

Eric

[helium]

i called ZIA and asked what he tought about this and he said PASS whitout hasitasjon.
when i asked why he said: when its a close call , and u are wondering if u should dbl-bid or pass, you should look at the opps suit.... and if u have 3 small pass is best. if u have 1 or 4(whit and honnør)u should dbl/bid.(and sometimes whit 2).

sounds like great advise to me:)



kenneth

[flytoox]

Jlall, on Jan 8 2005, 05:02 AM, said:

pass, even white/red... 2D is suicide. xxx of spades is a big warning sign as is a bad 5 card suit.

cannot agree more.

[luis]

Pass by rule I don't overcall with xxx in their suit.

[fred]

Jlall, on Jan 8 2005, 08:20 PM, said:

sure fred i'll ask him...from what i know about him i would bet he will pass though

OK Justin - we have a bet! How about the loser buys the winner a beer at the next Nationals (presuming it is legal for you to drink in the state of Pennsylvania).

Suggest you tell him none vul when you ask the question, but let me know if you don't think that is fair. I just noticed that the vul was not specified in the problem, but I thought it was none vul when I made my assertion about Uncle Bob.

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

[fred]

luis, on Jan 8 2005, 08:53 PM, said:

Pass by rule I don't overcall with xxx in their suit.

That's a pretty strong rule, Luis. Wouldn't you overcall 2D with:

xxx
xx
AKQJxx
Ax

Of course I agree with you (and Zia) that xxx in opps suit is a strong reason to be conservative in overcalling situations, but making it a "rule" to never overcall on such hand is going too far in my opinion.

Fred Gitelman
Bridge Base Inc.
www.bridgebase.com

[fred]

Jlall, on Jan 8 2005, 08:20 PM, said:

sure fred i'll ask him...from what i know about him i would bet he will pass though

I know Bob overcalled 2D on:

AKQ
x
Axxxx
Axxx

over 1S during the Orlando Nationals (he told me an amusing story about this hand which is why I know).

Of course there is a world of difference between AKQ and xxx, but I am sure that most of you (and maybe me too!) would claim that they would "never" overcall at the 2-level on Axxxx, regardless of the rest of the hand.

I am not even remotely surprised that Zia passed - that's his style, but I think there are equally great players out there who would bid 2D or DBL. Mind you there are few players out there who are equally great to Zia to begin with

Thanks for calling him and reporting his views, Helium.

Fred