What should I bid? (December 2014)

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What should I bid? (December 2014)

The best submission for December came from Margaret Foster. She wins a voucher of $30 funded by TBIB, toward any purchase made at the Bridge Shop or Paul Lavings Bridge Books.

Dealer West, All Vulnerable.

I was South and my partner and I held these hands:

North
KQJ108
KJ1065
10
86

South
A754
AQ84
9542
J

West North East South
Pass  2  Dbl 4
Pass Pass 5 All Pass

Partner’s 2 bid shows about 6 to a bad 10 (less than an opening hand) with 5-5 hearts and another.

As to the actual deal, 5 makes for EW whilst 5 makes for NS. -600 and -650 was -15 IMPs! How do you think our bidding should have gone?

East held:

96
void
AJ83
AKQ10543
With thanks, Margaret

========================================================================

Hi Margaret,

I think North’s hand with 5-5 majors is too good to be opening 2 (5-5 and another). One of the advantages of the 2 convention is that you get your 5-5 shape across. One of the disadvantages however is that you don’t yet know right away what that second suit is, and when your other suit is spades, you definitely do not want to shut that out when you have around 10 points because you may miss a game. For example, if your partner opens 2 and next person, say, overcalls 3, if you have something like 10 points and a 4-1-3-5 or 4-2-2-5 shape, you might now be afraid of bidding in case partner has diamonds, then you may lose out your spade fit/game altogether.

Over your given auction, it is difficult, I think almost impossible, for either North or South to compete with 5-Major since neither side knows about the secondary spade fit, and it’s that information alone that would help you in deciding whether to bid 5-over-5 or not.

After a 1 opening, whatever East does, South will make a strong raise in support of spades. North may then be able to introduce the hearts before the bidding gets up to 5 and now South will then be able to push on with 5-Major knowing about the double fit.

Hope that helps,
Andy

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