[humilities]

Hey all, thanks for the responses, it's been very enlightening. I'm appreciating that blasting may have more merits than I had given it (it certainly worked for our opponents on this hand).

The one thing I'm still puzzled about - it seems surprisingly few of you are concerned about North being unbalanced. Is north expected to bid again over 3NT with
Kx Kxxx KQxxxx x,
or other such unbalanced hands? What about with a stiff Major? Or am I overrating the fear that we may belong in 5/6D?

[Cyberyeti]

fourdad, on 2016-March-01, 07:07, said:

But I pass these 12 py hands at MP, not at IMPS. Works quite well, but I tend to be contrarian, so the "almost nobody does this" is a compliment. TYVM!! Sheep get slaughtered!

PP-1NT-2C-2D-3NT.

From the OP "Sectional team game" so it's IMPs. I pass the very occasional 12 count but usually only in third seat when I can see LHO's eyes out on stalks so 1N is not percentage.

[zillahandp]

Where did the 2d come from with 16? Some funny system where it is forcing? Try 2c next time, come to that where did the opening 1d come from? Five card majors and strong nt? In which case opening might be 1c ?
We would bid 1nt 2nt ( transfer to ds) 3d 3nt (mild slam try in ds) pass
One off or not! lho may have Akx(x) (x) and lead fourth highest and our opps would do the same, flat board!

[Phil]

1d 2D 2h 3N

2h is a weak NT. In some partnerships it's a hand that does not want to declare.

[Cyberyeti]

zillahandp, on 2016-March-01, 09:25, said:

Where did the 2d come from with 16? Some funny system where it is forcing? Try 2c next time, come to that where did the opening 1d come from? Five card majors and strong nt? In which case opening might be 1c ?

What a large percentage of Americans play, strong notrump, 5M, better minor, inverted raises

Quote

We would bid 1nt 2nt ( transfer to ds) 3d 3nt (mild slam try in ds) pass

You're overselling this hand as a mild slam try, can you think of a weak no trump that gives a slam a good enough chance to be worth bidding ? 1N-3N is fine

Quote

One off or not! lho may have Akx(x) (x) and lead fourth highest and our opps would do the same, flat board!

Agreed in the UK, not necessarily so in the US where they mainly play strong notrump

[ggwhiz]

humilities, on 2016-March-01, 08:02, said:

Hey all, thanks for the responses, it's been very enlightening. I'm appreciating that blasting may have more merits than I had given it (it certainly worked for our opponents on this hand).

The one thing I'm still puzzled about - it seems surprisingly few of you are concerned about North being unbalanced. Is north expected to bid again over 3NT with
Kx Kxxx KQxxxx x,
or other such unbalanced hands? What about with a stiff Major? Or am I overrating the fear that we may belong in 5/6D?

Apparently my blast is different from yours as I bid 3nt by north directly over the 2♦ bid.

By definition in my partnership it's a balanced weak notrump at the very low end. It's south that can bid again unbalanced, we avoid notrump with singletons most of the time as long as 5 diamonds looks playable. Not worried about missing slam as partner can still try knowing my max is a flat poor 13.

[zillahandp]

Yes I canthink of a 14 pt hand where 6d is a 50/50 shot. Try it your self. Yeti.good name by the way, where do you play?

[Cyberyeti]

zillahandp, on 2016-March-01, 13:09, said:

Yes I canthink of a 14 pt hand where 6d is a 50/50 shot. Try it your self. Yeti.good name by the way, where do you play?

My point exactly, 50/50 is not enough to want to bid a small slam, and partner might well think he has a really good hand in support of diamonds where the slam has next to no play and even 5♦ is not secure (Axxx, Jxx, KQxx, Ax) and can you tell this apart from Ax, xxx, KQxx, AJ10x which is about the only hand where slam is decent, although I'd upgrade it out of 1N as I consider it too good.

I play in Norwich, you ?

[PhantomSac]

I'd easily rather be in 5D than a bashed 3N, don't think it's that close.

[tfoerster]

Science leading to a Moysian 4H contract, which makes whenever hearts split 33 (36%) and when you find the queen of diamonds on a 42 trump split (at least 24%).

[rmnka447]

Once 1 ♦ is bid and an inverted strong raise of 2 ♦ is made, 5 ♦ is the better contract. It only requires a 2-2 ♦ break (40%) or a stiff ♦ Q (12.5%) to make. There's no preference at IMPs to settle in NT as in matchpoints. You're better off in the "best" game contract. 3 NT has no play on a ♣ lead unless there's some weird ♣ blockage. 5 ♦ is 52.5% a priori and can't be defeated off the top without an unlikely void some place.

I've seen many IMP matches decided where finding a good 5 ♦ contract wins over an iffy 3 NT. Once 3 NT is found after a ♦ fit is established, a ♣ lead may come more into view. The preference is usually for a major lead, but a lead of the other minor is often an alternative if a major lead is unattractive.

So it's scientific for me reaching 5 ♦.

Unfortunately, with my favorite partner, we'd be in 3 NT. But the auction would be 1 NT (weak NT) - 3 NT.