953/K965/K5/AK93

(P)-1C-(1D)-1N;
(2S)-P-(P)-X

wtf does this even exist? Can someone construct a reasonable hand for partner?

It's a penalty double in principle (IMO--modern bidding may disagree), because WTF is it supposed to be takeout into? But obviously it's one of those highly pullable penalty doubles since the doubler can't even have four spades here. I'd say it'd require a misfit for clubs, good diamonds, and three spades -- something like:

QJT
Jxxx
AQTx
xx

where we expect a trump trick (or two or three!), a couple of diamonds, and whatever side cards opener might have. Opener can pull (to 2NT, probably) with the "wrong" hand. Your hand certainly doesn't look like the wrong hand, so I'd pass (and

.

And yes, it's hard to construct an appropriate hand.

DW,

That hand didn't want to bid 1H? or 2N?

So what like:
QJx / xxx / AQTxx / xx ?

Looks like a crap double to me. Overcaller has a swiss cheese diamond suit, so has values elsewhere. 2S-er took his life in his hands (vulnerable, I might add), so I'd expect AKxxx(x) and something outside [note he didn't preempt]. This gives them 4-5 spades (unless dummy has 2 in which case the QJx might not score a trick, especially since I should probably lead them), plus whatever extra dummy has, plus whatever extra declarer has. I don't ever see us beating this more than 1 with any holding partner could have. But I have nowhere to run.

Perhaps (and I'm still stretching here)

QJT
xxx
AQJTx
xx.

Could even run to diamonds with the right hand.

Regardless, whatever it could possibly show, your hand is a defensive near maximum with three trumps when you could have one or two.

We might be over-estimating the diamonds --

KQJ
xxx
KJT9x
xx

any closer? (And yes, it's still a stretch.)

haha. Yeah I mean I see the point. I just think a lot of these 10hcp + a bunch of well-placed 10's and 9's would bid 2N over 1D. But also, even with 2 guaranteed tricks as in this last example, if the 2S-er has a stiff diamond, you need partner to have 4 tricks, 3 otherwise. That is quite a burden.

also these examples lead me to believe I should be leading a diamond to keep partner from getting endplayed later.

On the actual hand, we can beat 2S if I lead low from Kx.

played with a random n00b at the club today for a whopping 34.10%. Was tough to play after the first round, where I was berated by partner both for opening 2D with JT98xx (he immediately bid 4N with KJ/AJxx/Axx/AJxx, lol) and for opening 1S in 3rd seat w/r with KQJTx/Ax/x/9xxxx.

But a Grand Life Master asked me for a game in 2 weeks, so there was an upshot. GLM's partner told me I had no business accepting after 1N-2D; 2H-3H with "only 15 and not much good in hearts." That was:
Kxx / Jxx / AQJTx / Ax
No wonder GLM is looking for another game. [Of course, 4H went down when P showed up with Qxxx/KQTxx/xx/Jx; fortunately, 3N is also down.]

Everyone's got a ****ing opinion. I need major tilt control. Or I need to start asking people for autographed copies of their book.

The noob was right in the first hand if you ask me.

Agree with Chris. Stop being such a tightass Wyman

haters gonna hate

+1

lol

but seriously, pickup + "berated" = fail

"Come on man, what are you bidding on?" in my thickest Indian accent was how we started.

I mean the thing is when you first learn the game, it's probably good to have some hard & fast rules so that you know what's going on. But you can tell me ahead of time if I need to have a sound nonvul preempt. And when you're new to the game, chastizing a new partner (especially one who's much better than you) is probably not the best thing for partnership cohesion. Like I said, I'll have to ask him for a signed copy of his book. But it's partially my fault too; I told him I'd play his card, and he asked "what do you mean, card?" I probably should have just left at that point. Instead I said "do you play 2/1 or standard American?" and he countered with "American standard." Touche. "4th best leads?" "Yes, I also play high-low." Sweet.

I was actually hoping to get a game with the director; she is pretty decent, and I'd like to see if our styles are compatible.

I really understand the people who pay to play with pros now. I'm paying $8-10 a session to play with these jokers, and while I couldn't do it every week, I'd probably pay a decent multiple of that to play with someone good, especially if they pick up on my mistakes and give me some sort of feedback at the end. I'm certainly not getting better at bridge this way, although tilt control maybe. Probably not.

Enough for a double?

8643 / J4 / 8762 / A32

r/w IMPs

1D (1H) ?

no

What about w/r?

not even w/r

Man, I gotta say, I'm pretty tempted, myself. We have a spot to bail out (diamonds) if we need to, we're ruffing hearts with low trumps if we do have a fit, and we have one of those ace thingies.

Vulnerable I can agree with a pass -- NV, I just can't see it.

If we changed the hand to Jxxx xx xxxx Axx, or xxxx xx Jxxx Axx, I'd consider it automatic either way. If we changed it to xxxx Jx xxx Axxx, I'd much more happily pass because we don't have a spot to bail out to if things go wrong.

interesting. kf00 both doubled citing "if I was gonna bid 1s I've got enough to double" in contrast to
1d (1s) ?

thor said he'd x nv

This was roughly my analysis of the hand, though I think it's less clear to correct to diamonds on the actual auction:

1D (1H) X (P)
1N (P) ?

At the table it went 2D float for -200 (can keep it to -100, this was sloppy play) vs 1D (1H) AP at the other table for +80.

It's IMPs. Partner is getting you too high, too often, on a deal with very little at stake. If this is a hand y'all belong in, you'll get another chance, and losing the spades is fine when they're that bad. (When pard has spades good enough for you to be competing there, he'll speak up at his next call.)

w/r at MPs, OK.

As bid, I pass 1NT.

DWetzel's discussion of honor placement is correct imo.

At MP, opps will be quicker to snap you off in a 2 or 3 level contract, and it will be easier to go for 200+ versus their 110 or 140.

Perhaps a direct raise to 2D is even less likely to get us in trouble than a negative double. It didn't even occur to me a half hour ago, but I think I'd be pleased to bid this. It's also basically impossible to double. (That it goes down one is no big deal.)

Direct raise may actually go plus on the hand, as opps will sometimes compete to 2H.