[mw64ahw]

3) has an A♥

[microcap]

mw64ahw, on 2025-January-04, 08:14, said:

3) has an A♥

Correct, but I am trying to get the replies to disregard the fact that they know what partner's hand actually looks like.

Although that would make this impossible game a lot easier!

[akwoo]

4H, P, 4H, P (but I might bid if partner is known to give UI frequently)

[jillybean]

What do you expect partner to hold for his 3H bid?

4H we may make this. Where are the clubs?
Pass, if the opponents bid on I’m going to whack em.
4H automatic
4H

[pescetom]

No time for elaborations, but:
1) 4♥
2) Pass (for now)
3) 4♥
4) 3♠

[mike777]

4H
P
4H
3S

[jillybean]

What are the 3S bidders hoping to hear from partner?

[pescetom]

jillybean, on 2025-January-04, 14:42, said:

What are the 3S bidders hoping to hear from partner?

4♣?

[smerriman]

pescetom, on 2025-January-04, 15:49, said:

4♣?

Would this be good news? If partner has the ♣K, we probably need them to have ♥AK which could then have been a 2♥ overcall..

Hand #3 almost looks like more potential for slam if we can find partner with a spade singleton, but perhaps that's unlikely with RHO passing, I'm not sure.

[pescetom]

smerriman, on 2025-January-04, 16:06, said:

Hand #3 almost looks like more potential for slam if we can find partner with a spade singleton, but perhaps that's unlikely with RHO passing, I'm not sure.

Bridge players are pattern matching machines.
I was running to a tournament, but more excited by the minors of #4.
Will have another look.

[pescetom]

smerriman, on 2025-January-04, 16:06, said:

Would this be good news? If partner has the ♣K, we probably need them to have ♥AK which could then have been a 2♥ overcall..

If we are on exactly the same wavelength that AKxxxxx is a 2♥ overcall then it might be superfluous, agreed...
if not it is unlikely to cost and might pay off.

[mike777]

 jillybean, on 2025-January-04, 14:42, said:

What are the 3S bidders hoping to hear from partner?

They have that very light box on the CC for some reason.

Given we are probably in a no play 3h contract, might as well sound confident on our way to 4H.
😊

[pescetom]

mike777, on 2025-January-04, 16:33, said:

They have that very light box on the CC for some reason.

Given we are probably in a no play 3h contract, might as well sound confident on our way to 4H.
��

Happy not to know anyone who would bid 3H with a hand that is unlikely to make 4H opposite mine.

Less happy with my current choice of partners (until the real one finishes studying medicine) but I trust them to have enough for game and perhaps some chance of slam.

[mike777]

pescetom, on 2025-January-04, 17:03, said:

Happy not to know anyone who would bid 3H with a hand that is unlikely to make 4H opposite mine.

Less happy with my current choice of partners (until the real one finishes studying medicine) but I trust them to have enough for game and perhaps some chance of slam.

Again they have very light box on cc for some reason, as you say trust your partner and what you put on your cc, I agree.

You are looking for slam...I just hope we are not doubled in 4h, smile

I would only add what if they had bid 4h over 1s at this vul, smile

[pescetom]

mike777, on 2025-January-04, 18:00, said:

Again they have very light box on cc for some reason, as you say trust your partner and what you put on your cc, I agree.

You are looking for slam...I just hope we are not doubled in 4h, smile

I am surprised we have such different evaluation of the same hand
I would actually be more worried about missing slam if (as is probable) she cannot act over 3♠ than about bidding beyond game if she can.

Unfortunately BBO disabled the tricks function in Dealer and it's no longer easy for me to simulate, but my gut feeling is that we have some chances of slam even opposite say:
♠xxx ♥AKTxxxx ♦x(x) ♣x(x)
which is a light but not very light 3♥ in my eyes (and would lead to us stopping in game).

mike777, on 2025-January-04, 18:00, said:

I would only add what if they had bid 4h over 1s at this vul, smile

Would pass and be less worried. It covers a wide range of hands, very few with AK.

[johnu]

mw64ahw, on 2025-January-04, 06:15, said:

No it's not a pre-emptive hand for me especially in 2nd seat. My overcalls can be light with 8.5 mod. losers or 10+hcp. They also deny other shapes. Not sure I want to potentially go down 4.

mw64ahw, on 2025-January-02, 17:06, said:

I'm happy with 2♥ given I play IJSs. I could play 2N as some preempt, but would want more than 5 playing tricks.

I'm pretty sure you are close to being the only one who would be happy making a 2♥ overcall. Making a 2 level overcall with a hand most would preempt with is going to mislead partner.

[mw64ahw]

johnu, on 2025-January-06, 00:08, said:

I'm pretty sure you are close to being the only one who would be happy making a 2♥ overcall. Making a 2 level overcall with a hand most would preempt with is going to mislead partner.

Judging by responses I'm alone in bidding 2♥

We play The Overcall Structure so partner will expect at least a 5-card suit and 8.5 mod. losers or 5 playing tricks at equal vulnerability. The approach can sometimes cause the ops. to misplace the high-card points and finesse the wrong way. The other benefit is that partner with an opening hand can respond in a way similar to a Weak 2 with new suits being NF.

The modification we have made is to repurpose the 2N bid to show some preempt and put the 2N very strong 2-suiter into The Power Double followed by a cue-bid; these are rare hands, but can gain bidding space.

[microcap]

Thanks to all who responded! I was waiting for one or two more but you have all waited long enough.

First a confession: because everyone knew what my hand looked like for the 3♥bid, I was trying to obfuscate what actually happened at the table
to get a more unbiased set of responses.

So I just randomly made up three of the four hands to try to throw all of you off the scent. Here's what actually happened at the table:

LHO passed my 3♥, and Rex bid 4♥ with x's hand 2, which was xxx void Axxxx AKQxx. RHO doubled, and I was fortunate to go down only one as they misdefended.

Rex's logic is that I promise six tricks for my preempt and he has 4, so that it was the right call.

Comments?

[microcap]

Thanks to all who responded! I was waiting for one or two more but you have all waited long enough.

First a confession: because everyone knew what my hand looked like for the 3♥bid, I was trying to obfuscate what actually happened at the table
to get a more unbiased set of responses.

So I just randomly made up three of the four hands to try to throw all of you off the scent. Here's what actually happened at the table:

LHO passed my 3♥, and Rex bid 4♥ with x's hand 2, which was xxx void Axxxx AKQxx. RHO doubled, and I was fortunate to go down only one as they misdefended.

Rex's logic is that I promise six tricks for my preempt and he has 4, so that it was the right call. I understand that my call was aggressive , but I also think the rule of 2 and 3 went out of style in the 80's. I haven't had 6 tricks for a vulnerable weak two bid in years.

Comments?

[mw64ahw]

a) In 2nd seat the odds of a successful preempt are reduced compared to 1st/3rd.
b) The trendy style seems to be to randomly preempt on very little. I will do it on nothing FV, but then it's really a psyche.
c) I would expect 6 tricks at EV assuming the remaining ♥ are distributed evenly. While partner may have 4 tricks his void downgrades overcallers trick taking ability.
d) You have a Weak 2 opening, but not a preempt in classical style
e) Even bidding 2♥ I doubt I would have invited with 13hcp over a Weak 2 with zero trump support. Possibly 2♠ as minors.