Experts Opinion

Hi Heidi,

How do you recommend NS bidding this hand below?

EW vulnerable, West is dealer:

	North ♠AKJ2 ♥J8742 ♦AJ ♣Q6
West ♠9863 ♥AK6 ♦KT92 ♣A9		East ♠75 ♥T953 ♦Q84 ♣J532
	South ♠QT4 ♥Q ♦7653 ♣KT874

N	E	S	W
			1♦
???

Heidi's Answer: Options

What a brutal hand North has to bid! WOW!

I really have no idea what the best bid is -- or even if there is a really good bid.

I can see several options. Here they are:

North can overcall 1♥. This shows a good five card suit. Is North's suit good enough?

North can overcall 1♠. This shows a good five card suit. They only have a four card suit but isn't their four card suit better than their five card suit?

North can overcall 1NT. This shows a balanced hand with 15 to 18 HCP and a ♦ stopper. The hand is a little unbalanced and the stopper isn't great...

North can Double. This would be a Take Out Double asking Partner to bid their LONGEST suit. With only a doubleton ♣ club what will this hand do if (when) Partner bids 2♣?

North can bid 2♦ which is a convention called "Michael's" saying (in this auction) Partner I have five cards in both majors. But this hand only has four ♠...

North can just "Pass" and see what happens. Maybe they can come in again later. But with 16 HCP does one really want to "Pass"?

Heidi's Answer: Auctions with Different Options

Option 1: Overcalling 1♥

East will certainly "Pass".
South has nothing to say and will also "Pass".
Back to West who will also "Pass".
North will play in 1♥.

N	E	S	W
			1♦
1♥	Pass	Pass	Pass

Option 2: Overcalling 1♠

East will certainly "Pass".
South can raise their Partner to 2♠ to show about 6 to 10 points and at least three ♠.
The auction will end there. I don't think North will bid anymore since they don't have a five card suit!
North will play in 2♠.

N	E	S	W
			1♦
1♠	Pass	2♠	Pass
Pass	Pass

Option 3: Overcalling 1NT

The auction will end there. I don't think anyone will have anything to say after that.
North will play in 1NT.

N	E	S	W
			1♦
1NT	Pass	Pass	Pass

Option 4: Double and "Pass" what Partner bids

Over a Double South will be forced to say their LONGEST SUIT. This will be ♣. What will North now do? In this scenario they will "Pass" The auction will end there. I don't think anyone will have anything to say after that.
South will play in 2♣.

N	E	S	W
			1♦
Double	Pass	2♣	Pass
Pass	Pass

Option 5: Double and bid 2♥ if Partner bids 2♣

Over a Double South will be forced to say their LONGEST SUIT. This will be ♣. What will North now do? In this scenario they will bid 2♥. This shows a hand that was TOO STRONG to just overcall 1♥.

(I do not like this auction AT ALL. You should have a MUCH BETTER suit to make this bid!)

However the auction will end there. I don't think anyone will have anything to say after that.
North will play in 2♥.

N	E	S	W
			1♦
Double	Pass	2♣	Pass
2♥	Pass	Pass	Pass

Option 6: Bidding 2♦ (Michaels)

North is showing at least 5-5 in both majors and asking South which major they prefer. South will prefer ♠. The auction will end there. I don't think anyone will have anything to say after that.
South will play in 2♠.

N	E	S	W
			1♦
2♦	Pass	2♠	Pass
Pass	Pass

Option 7: Pass

The auction will end there. I don't think anyone will have anything to say after that.
West will play in 1♦.

N	E	S	W
			1♦
Pass	Pass	Pass

Heidi's Answer: Choices

There is no clear cut "good" bid on this hand.

My choice would probably be to overcall 1NT. I don't mind bidding 1NT with a 5-4-2-2 hand and I don't like Doubling with only an outside two card suit. That tends to be the one Partner ALWAYS picks.

But this hand was so EXTREMELY horrific I decided to ask a bridge group that I am involved in to see what they would bid.

Here are some of their choices of what they would bid and why:

Ottawa Expert #1

I would Double. Worst case is pard bids 2♣. If this happens, I think you are strong enough to bid 2♥. Pard should realize you are looking for the majors and with any luck, you’ll hear her 4-card suit and find a fit.

Ottawa Expert #2

I would bid 1NT - if pard transfers or staymans all is good. If pard passes, it might even make. Even if we go down it might be a good “sac”.

Ottawa Expert #3

I would Double as pard should expect that one is looking for a major suit. If clubs bid I would pass as pard probably has at least 5 clubs. Double also allows pard to bid 1NT with diamonds expecting pard to have majors. 1NT would be second choice but it may very well be passed out. 1♥ is not appealing with such a poor suit.

Ottawa Expert #4

I think you have to bid something. If you pass and there's a preemptive 3 diamonds passed back to you are you going to now double back in?
I think 1NT is best as it allows pard to make an informed decision should your LHO take any action. You might even have a game !!

Ottawa Expert #5

I guess the first question you are asking is should you bid? With 16 high card points it is a definite yes! So, if you are going to bid, what should it be? With 5, 4, 2, 2 I would reject 1NT. I could overcall 1♥, but I may be stumped for a second bid. I would select 2♦, Michaels. Yes, it should be 5-5, but if you wait for the perfect hand every time you would frequently not be bidding. Besides, the 4 card suit is pretty good. Even if pard has just 3 spades and you end up playing there, it is still ok. Sometimes you have to lie a bit, and I think the smallest lie here is 2♦.  

Ottawa Expert #6

When White I overcall 4-card suits with my partner all the time so 1♠ wouldn't be terrible but I prefer length to strength and the AK will take tricks regardless ( A concept another player calls "Ins and Outs"). If LHO passes you might hear 1♠ from partner. If LHO passes and partner passes you aren't missing anything. If LHO bids 2♦ partner might show heart support or bid showing spades.
Also, is a rebid of 2♠ by you a reverse (Overcaller reverses?)? If not then the following auction is playable. You can't leave them in 2♦
(1♦)-1♥-(2♦)-p
(p)-2♠
You don't really want a heart lead agaisnt a suit contract but as Mike Lawrence says, partner needs to be on lead for that to be a problem.
Pass is too timid for my taste. What is your next bid if you pass and LHO bids 3♦?
(1♦)-p-(3♦)-p
(p)-?

Ottawa Expert #7

Of the 4 reasonable options, I would not Double (only 2 clubs), or bid 1♠ (4 card suit) I think both 1♥ and 1NT are very reasonable bids, and either one would be acceptable.  

Ottawa Expert #8

My preference is to double for takeout.
Why - the least of all evils.
If partner bids 2♣ they will often have a 5 card suit since they should always try to bid a major
If they bid a major, I will raise. It should show around 15-16 HCP

Why not other bids:
1. 1NT - with a minimum I prefer at least 1.5 tricks in their suit
2. 1♥ - as you said, a lousy suit and you may lose a ♠ fit
3. 1♠ - a very good suit but now you'll never find the ♥ fit if you have one
4. Pass - cowardice

Ottawa Expert #9

I agree with Ottawa Expert #8. You have a values showing double and to pass is cowardice!!

Ottawa Expert #10

You are right Heidi, this is a brutal hand. I think, like Ottawa Expert #8, I'd Double. You risk missing a 5-3 heart fit but bring in the possibility of a 4 4 spade fit. If, unfortunately, pard has a yarborough with 5 diamonds, hopefully he doesn't have 4 clubs and will bid his 3 card major (which brings the possibility of playing in our 8 card heart fit😁). Maybe my LHO will rescue us by bidding over my double.

Ottawa Expert #11

I love 5 card suits. I would bid 1♥.

Ottawa Expert #12

I like 1NT. It shows your point count and that you have a stopper in the opener's suit. And I'd keep my fingers crossed that Pard has enough points for Stayman.

Ottawa Expert #13

I like 1NT. It is a reasonably valid description of your hand (I would open 1NT in 1st seat). If partner has something in a major you may hear about it and end up in the right major suit strain. You only need a partial diamond stopper from partner to have them double stopped.

Ottawa Expert #14

To me there are two best bids available; it depends on your style which one you choose.
Bid #1: 2♦ Michaels...your 4 card ♠ suit is strong enough to be considered a 5 bagger. Since your partner has not bid, even a game is possible. Playing a Moysian fit in ♠'s is OK too since you have good hand strength.
Bid #2: 1NT shows a 15-18HCP overcall. Since you do not have 5♠, your ♥ suit suit is mediocre and you have a ♥ stopper it tells your partner what your high card strength is and that you have a diamond stopper. With systems on, several different contracts can be reached.
In either case your hand is behind the opening bidder.
Having said all that, my personal preference is Bid #2 since it passes captaincy to your partner and allows your unpassed partner more choice and more information on which to base a decision.

Ottawa Expert #15

I like 1NT as well. Point count is right, and you have a diamond stopper, although I would like it better if I had AJx. If partner bids Stayman, you are away to the races. If partner passes or raises NT, you should still be okay.

Ottawa Expert #16

I would, personally, double: I have more than an average opener and reasonable rebids. Between us, opener and I have at least 29 HCP (West surely will have a “real” opener, so on average, pard has about 5 HCP; on that measure, we’re even strength or better). We can probably make any 2 level bid or at most down 1. I’m prepared to bid 2♥ over 2♣ by partner and passing ops, can pass any one-level major and raise any two level major [showing 8+] to three (inviting). I can also risk leaving in a 1NT response. Against that, Opponents may well be able to make one or even 2♦ with about even HCP. Therefore, it’s either -70/-90 if I don’t bid vs. -50/+90/+110/=140 if I do. Probably.

Yes, there are days when we wind up on the short end at even worse scores – or make games we don’t bid.

Life isn’t perfect. It’s a competitive game.

Ottawa Expert #17

Jerry Helms argues for finding the least bad bid when no option fits perfectly. Between the choices of Double, 1Major, 1NT, or Michaels, I would choose 2♦ and let the blame fly!!

Ottawa Expert #18

I would bid 1NT. It is not perfect but I believe that it better describes my hand than the other options.

Ottawa Expert #19

Double. If Partner bids 2♣ I'll just "Pass".

Ottawa Expert #20

Double.

Ottawa Expert #21

Double.

Ottawa Expert #21

When on my own in such situations - I seek balance between two thoughts - stay flexible; make the smallest lie

In this case I would consider 1♥,1♠ and 1NT as too unilateral - and I'd mis-sort a ♥ into the ♣ suit and Double.

(Heidi's note: Ha Ha! Hard to do the mis-sorting now that we are online and he's giving away all my secrets!)

I think people who 2-suit with 5-4 should be forced to play euchre

(Heidi's note: You can tell us bridge players are snobs...)

RESULT???

Just what is the best contract?

Double Dummy:
N/S can make 2♣ (for 90 points), 2♠ (for 110 points), 1NT (for 90 points) and 1♥ (for 80 points)
E/W will go down 1 trick in 1♦ (to give N/S 100 points)
If N/S get any higher than those levels above they will have to give E/W 50 points for every trick they go down.

So that means (if you want to result):
Bidding either 1♠ or 2♦ (Michaels) give you the best overall result.
Passing turns out to give you the NEXT best result.
Bidding either 1NT or Double gives the next best result.
Finally Doubling and Bidding 2♥ gives the worst result. Which out of all the bids was the one I truely disliked.