What's Going On?

Yes, there's a theme here. Mostly, it's what is partner doing?

"A bid means exactly what I want it to mean, nothing more and nothing less." --CHO

Today's Panelists: Alan LeBendig, Steve Altus, Andy Lewis, Barry Rigal, Bobby Bodenheimer, David Caprera, Dan Hugh-Jones, Kent Hartman, Lynn Johannsen, and Mike Shuster

  1. IMPs, both vul, you hold

     S:A H:AKJxx D:Kxx C:Kxxx

    You LHO CHO RHO
    1H: 1S: Pass2S:
    Dbl Pass3S: Pass
    ?

    a) what the (*&& is partner doing?

    ALAN
    Minors - not big enough for a negative double initially.
    ANDY
    Partner suddenly seems to think he has a good hand, but couldn't scrape up a negative double or a raise before. Since there was no raise, I can't see how his good hand could involve heart support. Since there was no negative double, if he has both minors he has extreme length but little strength. I rate this to be most likely. Another (distant) possibility is something like AQxxxx in a minor and out, now trying to get to 3N if you have a spade stopper.
    BARRY
    Three-suiter short in H:, with weak 4 cards in S:.
    BOBBY
    Partner doesn't have spades and isn't interested in NT, otherwise he would have passed the double. He must have minors and a bad hand. If he had a really bad hand ( S:xxx H:x D:xxxx C:xxxxx) he'd probably just bid his longer minor. On the other hand, if he had  S:xx H:x D:QJxxx C:QJxxx he would probably have a made a negative double. So I don't think he has that good a hand.
    DAVID
    Minors, weak 5-5
    DAN
    It sounds as though partner has length in both minors without enough to make a negative double.
    KENT
    Torturing me. He can't have both minors and enough values to do this in absence of a negative double on the last round. Can't have mediocre values and diamonds, same reason. Must have something. My best guess is something like AQxxx of clubs and out.
    LYNN
    Depends on your negative X style. Ours allows weak one-suiters in diamonds only to start with X. Thus, partner can only have both minors very weak, or a one-suiter in clubs. I'd guess the former is more likely--something like  S:xxx H:— D:QJxxx C:J10xxx. Your auction has improved his holding.
    MIKE
    Partner has lots of minor suit cards but not a lot of high card strength
    JEFF AT THE TABLE
    I had to field this one. My guess was that partner had long minors and very few hearts, but you never know. It wouldn't astonish me to find out he has a single-suiter in a minor (why not bid 4m?) or surprise heart support, planning to correct 4m to 4H:. Problem is, if he has the minors, why didn't he bid 2NT last time instead of 3S:? I like to play 2NT there as Lebensohl (opener can still have a total mountain) but most partners don't agree with me, so it then should show two places to play. 2NT natural is not an option. With a natural 2NT, you bid 3NT or double them.
    CONSENSUS
    Minors, 5-5 or more, weak hand.
    JEFF UPON REFLECTION
    I don't think there's a whole lot of room below the negative double in which one can afford a boost to the 4-level, so while I can see that partner might have 5-5 in the minors, it seems unlikely that he'd cue bid with such a hand. But nothing else seems to fit either, so what the heck. Next time it happens, I'll still not know if that's what partner is thinking.
    b) are you sure?
    ALAN
    Is partner a blonde? I am rarely sure what partner is doing... [Hey, I resemble that! --Jeff]
    ANDY
    No (see above)
    BARRY
    Yes; pass then cue over double always shows this.
    BOBBY
    I'm pretty sure - I'm not sure about the quality of his hand, but it's clear he has minors.
    DAVID
    yeah, pretty much
    DAN
    Well, it depends who my partner is, but yes, fairly.
    KENT
    No.
    LYNN
    With a regular partner, yes. With someone else, I guess a weak one-suiter is possible. In either case, I think partner is long in spades, short in hearts.
    MIKE
    Yes
    JEFF
    Not even close to sure.
    CONSENSUS
    Yes: 6, No: 4
    c) what now?
    ALAN
    5C:. I expect something like  S:x H:xx D:QT9xx C:QJTxx. Partner may be a little better whereby 5C: is cold.
    STEVE
    4C:
    ANDY
    4C:, trusting my guess about what partner has. 3N might be better, but unfortunately partner can't be trusted to pull with a weak, shapely hand if he thinks that is what he has already shown.
    BARRY
    4C:. With S:A as D:A or C:A I would do more.
    BOBBY
    Given that, I'll bid 4C: since I don't think we're making game.
    DAVID
    5C: (although I was tempted to "raise" partner to give them a taste of his own medicine). Even QJxxx, Qxxxx gives me play for game.
    DAN
    5C:; I expect something like  S:xx H:— D:QJxxx(x) C:QJxxx(x)
    KENT
    3NT. I can count 8 tricks opposite the given hand. Maybe 5C: is better, but maybe partner has something else in mind. We can't get to 3NT over 5C:...
    LYNN
    I'm going to hang him and bid 5C:, which will probably have some play, though isn't likely to be cold. Opposite my usual very aggressive partner, 4C: is probably sounder.
    MIKE
    It is clearly right to bid up to a game. Is Slam possible? Could partner have...  S:x H:x D:QJxxx C:Axxxxx ? No. With anything good enough to make slam, partner would have started with a negative double. Therefore bidding 4S: is out so 5C: it is.
    JEFF AT THE TABLE
    4H:. I think this is the best cater bid. If partner has surprise heart support, we luck out. If he has a partial fit, 4H: might make. If he has the minors and is very short in hearts, he'll bid something else and we can get to the right spot. If I know he has minors, I'm bidding to game, so I don't mind trying 4H:.
    CONSENSUS
    4C:4
    5C:5
    4H:1
    3NT1
    WINNING ACTION
    5C: makes. Partner had  S:10xxx H:— D:QJ10x C:QJ10xx.
    JEFF UPON REFLECTION
    I still think 4H: is the best cater bid. Partner won't pass it with shortness, so we rate to end up OK. If partner has longer diamonds than clubs, he can pull to 4NT. I don't know the difference between 4S: and 4NT, and I don't really want to! I strongly feel that one should not assume too much in undiscussed auctions. When they come up, if you have to guess, guess. But it's way better to cater to multiple possibilities. Remember, "logical" in the bridge world means "what I think." Just because you "know" what partner should have, does it mean that he knows? And that he knows you know he knows? Unless an auction is common knowledge (information theory-speak meaning the endless series of questions above all are answered true), I think it's best to cater to as many possibilities as one can.

  2. Matchpoints, both vul, you hold

     S:QJxxx H:Kx D:AQ10 C:xxx

    You LHO CHO RHO
    1S: 4H: 5H: Pass
    5S: Pass6C: Pass
    ?

    a) what the (*&& is partner doing?

    ALAN
    Spade support. Partner is worried about the diamond control. This cannot be natural as partner had to worry about the possibility of a 6S: response from me.
    ANDY
    (*&&ed if I know. I can think of 3 possibilities.

    i) Spade support, trying for a grand even after the signoff. This seems unlikely, both a priori (that partner would have a hand that good), and that he would risk an ambiguous 6C: with such a hand.

    ii) He wants to play 6C:. Since he didn't just bid 6C: last time around, this would again mean that he was trying to choose between 6 and 7. Again this seems unlikely, since it's not clear how your response to 5H: would help in his decision.

    iii) He has a good hand with both minors and this was his way of "unambiguously" (ahem) giving you a choice. I'll go with this one. ( S:Ax H:— D:KJxxxx C:AKxxx ?)

    BTW, It's nice to have agreements about what 4NT would be here (though I can't remember mine).

    BARRY
    Partner has made a cue for H: looking for the grand.
    BOBBY
    I think partner has a good hand with spade support and a heart void. He has a good hand to cue-bid at the 5 level. If he had hearts and a good hand, he could Blackwood controls. The 6C: means that he wants to know about diamonds. Since he's forced a small slam, we must be off only the D:A to have a grand.
    DAVID
    Cue bid in support of S:
    DAN
    Inviting a grand in spades
    KENT
    Torturing me again, variation on a theme. I play that first round cuebids show fits, but the level is high enough to override that agreement. What the hell was he expecting me to do with a shapeless minimum over 5H:? Partner has a moose and had damn better have first round heart control to go with it. Sure seems as if he's looking for a grand.
    LYNN
    Since we play 4NT immediately as takeout, this auction denies both minors. Remaining possibilities are spade support and a 6C: bid with a heart control, trying for 7. I don't think he can afford this sequence with the latter, since I could have bid 6S: over 5H:, so I'll go with grand slam try in spades.
    MIKE
    Partner has a slam try in spades. With a 6.5 club bid, he cannot afford to bid this way, lest you bid higher than the safety level over 5H:. Besides, this auction is needed for spade support.
    JEFF AT THE TABLE
    I also had to field this one. But I know the answer. 5H: unequivocally promises spade support and a heart control so that 5S: can deny one. So 6C: is a cue bid looking for 7S:. With a 6.5 clubs hand, pick 6C: or 7C:.
    CONSENSUS
    spade support
    JEFF UPON REFLECTION
    I'm still sure about this one. BTW, some partnerships like to play that in response to 5H: here, bids other than 5S: are exclusion key card since partner nearly always has a void. It's less clear to me that 5H: promises first round control; I think it does not, but that's not a universal feeling.
    b) are you sure?
    ALAN
    Once again, rarely sure.
    ANDY
    (*&& no.
    BARRY
    See Tunisia semi Venice cup USA 1 versus USA2 where Levitina bid like this and played 6D: not 6S:.
    BOBBY
    No, not sure about this one.
    DAVID
    It better be
    DAN
    Not as sure as on the last one.
    KENT
    No. What's our agreement on the meaning of 4NT over 4H: in this auction? I don't think it's some kind of super lebensohl, though that's an option. [4NT here is RKCB in spades in most of my partnerships. I play superlebensohl 4NT if we open one of a minor and they bid four of a major only. --Jeff]
    LYNN
    Reasonably. In cramped competitive auctions, we don't generally try too hard to bid grand slams in new suits, focusing instead on finding playable spots.
    MIKE
    Yes
    JEFF
    Yes. Sort of. I'm sure I know what it ought to be. Am I sure partner thinks the same way? No.
    CONSENSUS
    Yes: 2, Maybe: 3, No: 5
    JEFF UPON REFLECTION
    This vote surprises me a lot. I think (1) should be clear, but to be sure that partner agrees is dubious. I think (3) is clearly ambiguous. But I think (2) is clear-cut. That the panel is least sure on this one seems odd.
    c) what now?
    ALAN
    I think 6D: gives partner the best chance of bidding the grand with both spade controls. If I am right about partner's intentions, we could still be missing a top S:.
    STEVE
    6S:
    ANDY
    6D:. Shrug.
    BARRY
    6D:. Safety play; maybe I am only worth 6H:.
    BOBBY
    Go for it: 7S:.
    DAVID
    6D:. I already signed off once.
    DAN
    6D:, cooperating as to level, while buck-passing as to strain. I'll pass 7C:
    KENT
    I'm bidding 7C: and let him work out what's going on. If nothing else, it prevents me from having to work out what 6S: means over 6D:! Don't want to risk a misinterpretation of 6D:. I think he's looking for the diamond ace, and I have it. He had a reason for not bidding 6C: on the first round.
    LYNN
    Sign off in 6S:. My heart king isn't what partner needs. If he has a one-suiter in clubs, he'll learn that he needs to avoid trying to bid too precisely before we have established a trump suit.
    MIKE
    6D: is obvious. With a hand that needs an a card in addition to the diamond ace, partner can bid 6H: or 6S: over 6D:. I believe that 6S: would show better spades (and therefore help needed in clubs) and 6H: would show better clubs and therefore help needed in spades, although holding this hand you will sign off over partners 6H: and pass 6S: so that is part of a more interesting side question. This is analgous to all the picture jumps to 6M. After all, you already know about his heart void here.

    The trick is to get to 7S: with
     S:QJxxx H:xxx D:AQ10 C:Kx Opposite  S:AKxxx H:— D:xxx C:AQxxx
    but stop in 6S: with
     S:QJxxx H:Kxx D:AQ10 C:xx opposite:  S:K10xx H:— D:xxx C:AKQJxx
    The auction will continue 6D: - 6H:; 6S: - sigh... pass. Although I suspect that many would just bid GSF with this holding the previous round of bidding, some scientists like our moderator might well take the problem auction. [I'd bash, hoping the preemptor will not have the D:A and that a Lightner double will be hard to read if partner doesn't have it. --Jeff]

    If you sign off here, guaranteed partner holds:  S:AKxx H:— D:xxx C:AKQJxx

    He is begging you to show the D:A at this point in the auction. To fail to bid 6D: would be an anti-partnership blunder that might damage all future cooperative auctions.

    JEFF AT THE TABLE
    6S:. Mike is overbidding by claiming that you are in a 100% cue-bidding auction. This is a very very cramped auction, and you have dogmeat. Yes, 7S: might be cold. But in very cramped auctions, cue bids show extra values. Those are somethin' we ain't got.
    CONSENSUS
    Most everyone bid the "obvious" 6D:.
    WINNING ACTION
    6S:. Partner had  S:AKxxxx H:— D:KJ9x C:Axx. 12 tricks is the limit.
    JEFF UPON REFLECTION
    I don't think 6D: is so obvious. In fact, I think it cannot be right. If you are going to bid 6D:, you should bid 6H: to show the H:K as well as the D:A by implication. Partner may have the H:A and be able to count 13 tricks. That assumes that partner has shown first round heart control. I think he has to have it to bid 6C:; otherwise he'd just bid 6S:. I think 6C: implies first-round heart control, even if 5H: didn't.

    But I don't think either cue bid is right. This auction is too cramped to take any aggressive action with this dogmeat. If I had four diamonds, I'd be more prone to bidding as I might reach 7D: on the 4-4 fit. As it is, the only targets are 6S: and 7S:, and I'm checking out of any grand slam auction. Yes it might be cold. Too bad. Preempts work. Try not to go minus after one.

  3. IMPs, both vul, you hold

     S:AKQxx H:x D:Axxxx C:Qx

    CHO RHO You LHO
    Pass2H: 2S: 4H:
    5C: Pass?

    a) what the (*&& is partner doing?

    ALAN
    Natural.
    ANDY
    Bidding game in a minor, it seems. I guess a "fit non-jump" is another possibility.
    BARRY
    I'd assume C:+S: normally -- but why not 4S:??
    BOBBY
    5C: is natural. I have a prime hand for partner, so the question is whether to go higher.
    DAVID
    Natural
    DAN
    Bidding what he thinks he can make.
    KENT
    Showing good clubs and a major spade fit
    LYNN
    Again, our agreement is that you can't pass an independent suit, then bid high in a competitive auction. Thus, I think partner has spades and clubs, plus a good hand within the limits of being a passed hand. He is probably only 3-6 in the suits, or he would have just bid 4S: or 5S:.
    MIKE
    Partner has clubs. If partner has a cuebid slam-try, he would bid an unambigous 4S: or 5S:, not a bid that might be construed as natural.
    JEFF AT THE TABLE
    I don't know. Either partner has a fit with spades or he has clubs. If he has spades, why didn't he bid 4S:, 5H:, or 5S:? If he has clubs, why did he pass the first time? In most of my partnerships, we play that bids here are fit bids unless they are to game. So I think 5C: should be natural by that agreement.
    CONSENSUS
    Clubs: 7, Spades: 3
    b) are you sure?
    ALAN
    Illogical to be otherwise.
    ANDY
    No. (Seems like a silly question to keep asking. He's your partner, and if you don't know what his bids mean, why should I?)
    BARRY
    Not sure
    BOBBY
    Pretty sure.
    DAVID
    He is going to be disappointed if not because he is about to play there.
    DAN
    Yes
    KENT
    Yes
    LYNN
    I'm sure he doesn't have long clubs and a spade misfit--our agreement is to stay fixed on those hands. He also doesn't have both minors (would have bid 4NT). He may be overbidding, though.
    MIKE
    a qualified yes
    JEFF
    No
    CONSENSUS
    Yes: 7, No: 3
    JEFF UPON REFLECTION
    I think this is ambiguous without partnership discussion. I'm surprised there were so many yes votes. Note that some were for clubs and some for spades.
    c) what now?
    ALAN
    [6C:] I think I'll raise partner. I would never criticize a pass here. The raise is clearly speculative.
    STEVE
    6C:
    ANDY
    6C:.
    BARRY
    5D:. Two way shot; partner should be two-suiter.
    BOBBY
    Go for it: 6C:
    DAVID
    Pass
    DAN
    Pass, although 6C: could be right. It would still help to know who my pard is.
    KENT
    5D:
    LYNN
    Now I do have what partner needs. I'm jumping to 6S:. It is possible that he has 4-2-2-5 shape and we won't make it, but we can't do everything. Anyway, he might have  S:xxxx H:xx D:Kx C:AK10xx. Besides, sometimes they'll save.
    MIKE
    I have an excellent dummy for clubs. I can afford a small boost to 6C:... All partner needs is AKJxxx of clubs to make 6 a lock. I could cuebid 5D: along the way, but I'm not so sure that will help us get to what may be a laydown grand as 5NT in that auction sounds like pick a slam not GSF (after 5C: - 5D:; 5H: - 5NT!).
    JEFF
    I perpetrated this one. Partner bid 5D:. I'd pass. In auctions this accelerated, it does not pay to push to slam. Note that it didn't pay to push to a grand on the 2nd hand, didn't pay to push to a slam on this one, but it paid to push to game on the first. I think that's representative of what to do in confused and cramped auctions:
    1. Find the best game, even if you have to overbid slightly to do it.
    2. If slam is obvious, bid it.
      If not, see Rule 1.
    3. If you see 13 tricks staring you in the face, bid the grand.
      If not, see Rule 2.
    CONSENSUS
    6C:4
    5D:3
    Pass3
    6S:1
    WINNING ACTION
    5D: or Pass. Partner held  S:— H:J D:KQxxx C:KJ1098xx. (Would you pass as dealer or open 5C: or something else?) Our auction continued
    Me RHO PardLHO
    Pass2H: 2S: 4H:
    5C: Pass5D: Dbl
    PassPass5S: Dbl
    6C: PassPassDbl
    All Pass
    I got a spade lead! But RHO hopped on the first club and gave his partner a diamond ruff. Down 1. Opener was 3802 with a 2-count. Ought I redouble 5D:?
    d) would you have bid 2S: or 4D: (D:+S:) last time?
    ALAN
    4D:.
    ANDY
    2S:. I play [4D:] as forcing, and this hand isn't strong enough.
    BARRY
    [2S:] 4D: should be better spades and GF.
    BOBBY
    4D: seems a more descriptive bid. I would have chosen it.
    DAVID
    2S: is ok.
    DAN
    I would have bid 4D:. Perhaps I am a little light, but the accurate description otherwise and the likelihood of an imminent 4H: makes the overbid worthwhile.
    KENT
    4D:. I think this hand is good enough.
    LYNN
    No, we play that forcing, and I'm not quite good enough.
    MIKE
    4D:. Although this auction has developed quite well for me. It is unusual that partner was able to freebid my Qx at the 5-level. I think in the long run I'll come out ahead by getting both suits in at the 4 level.
    JEFF
    4D:, but I don't have any problem with 2S:. I think it's close, but in almost all close cases, my style is to show my shape.
    CONSENSUS
    4D:: 6, 2S:: 4
    JEFF UPON REFLECTION
    it's still borderline.
    e) if you bid 5D:, it goes double, pass, pass to you. Now what?
    ALAN
    I deserve this - hard to now guess what is right. I guess I pass now.
    ANDY
    6C:, I guess.
    BARRY
    Pass; made my bed, now to lie in it.
    BOBBY
    I bid 6C: as I should have on my previous turn.
    DAVID
    Why did I bid 5D:? Who knows? 6C:. I think I invoke Zia's rule of be more afraid of the double you know than the double you don't know. Besides, partner has to play it.
    DAN
    I can't imagine having bid 5D: here. If I must bid, I'd shoot out 6C:.
    KENT
    I'm bidding 5S:. I needed first round heart control or second round diamond control, and I believe that the pass denied both. If partner is  S:xxxxx H:x D:xx C:AKJxx, five is the limit of the hand. [And partner would have bid 4S: last time, no? --Jeff] If he's  S:xxxx H:x D:xx C:AKJxxx, we're on for 6S:, but he might have opened that hand 3C:. [Not me. This is a game force opposite a 1S: opening bid. I don't preempt with a hand that meets that criterion. --Jeff]
    LYNN
    Partner doesn't have both minors, so I'm still bidding a slam. I might try 5NT, to let him choose the suit, but my spades are so good that he'll never choose spades, so I'm bidding 6S: myself.
    MIKE
    IF I'd bid 5D: and it was X P P it sounds like we aren't making 7C: since partner didn't bid 5H:. XX to clarify the D:A is too deep, as partner may panic and pass. Better to bid 6C:.
    JEFF AT THE TABLE
    Partner bid 5S:. I think I'd bid 6C:, but it definitely occurred to me to pass. Partner didn't run to 5S:, so it looks like 5C: was natural. Presumably, the reason not to open 5C: was a side strong diamond suit and mediocre clubs—or at least that's the presumption we can make now. But I'd be too chicken to hold to that conviction. 6C:x down one is a whole lot better than 5D:x down eight. I don't like playing high-level contracts in cue bids (although I am a bit used to it!).
    CONSENSUS
    none
    JEFF UPON REFLECTION
    I don't know. I think it's too scary to pass 5D:x. It'd've been even scarier to pass 5D:xx. I'm chicken.
Jeff Goldsmith, jeff@gg.caltech.edu, Oct. 7, 2001