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[Event "Free Bid in Westwood -- Problem"]
[Site ""]
[Date ""]
[Board "14"]
[West "Matthews Jr"]
[North "Gamerman"]
[East "Hill"]
[South "Mukherjee"]
[Dealer "E"]
[Vulnerable "None"]
[Deal "E:AK93.QT8.3.KQJ82 T82.K3.AKQ872.74 J4.AJ72.T94.9653 Q765.9654.J65.AT"]
[Scoring ""]
[Declarer ""]
[Contract ""]
[Result ""]
{

Take my seat with the weakest hand at the table.  Here are your choices:

Pass - many would require more values for a free bid, but the modern style is
to bid with something sensible to do.

Double - a negative double of a 1\D overcall promises <i>both</i> majors (or perhaps a
chunky 4-3), so that's out.

1\H - this is the normal bid.  Major suits rule.  (Over a 1\H overcall, 1\S
shows 5 cards, but only 4 are required over 1\D.)

2\C - four card support is nice -- unless partner opened on Qxx. 


This information may help:

1. This is a matchpoint pairs game.

2. Tim Hill is a solid player who tends to be an aggressive bidder.

3. Lew Gamerman and Shome Mukherjee are the strongest pair in the room.

What is your call?}
[BCFlags "1f"]
[Hidden "NES"]
[Auction "E"]
1C 1D +

[Event "Free Bid in Westwood -- Solution"]
[Site ""]
[Date ""]
[Board "14"]
[West "Matthews Jr"]
[North "Gamerman"]
[East "Hill"]
[South "Mukherjee"]
[Dealer "E"]
[Vulnerable "None"]
[Deal "E:AK93.QT8.3.KQJ82 T82.K3.AKQ872.74 J4.AJ72.T94.9653 Q765.9654.J65.AT"]
[Scoring ""]
[Declarer "E"]
[Contract "4C"]
[Result "11"]
{

With an ace and 4-card support, passing is way too timid.

The normal 1\H bid will probably get us to one-too-many hearts, when we have a
fit.  The opponents will generally have a fit as well, and thus won't let us
play two-only hearts.  If pard competes to 3\H, these guys may double us, and
it won't be pretty.  Those four small clubs may be a liability.  And forget
about bidding hearts and then bidding clubs later - partner will expect better
values.  We want to discourage playing at the 3-level unless partner has good
clubs.

In contrast, this is a fine hand, if partner has good clubs:  an ace, a
doubleton, 4-card support, and a couple of jacks.  The direct raise was
rewarded with a near top board (one pair bid the sub-50% 5\C).

At IMPs, bypassing hearts could miss a game and cost the whole match.  At
matchpoints, we are talking about one deal, and move on to the next.  The risk
would also be higher against weaker opponents, who we would be likely to beat
with the normal action.

It can help to mix things up against stronger opponents.  Look at the garbage
on which North felt compelled to double.  On some other South holding,
North-South could end up playing 2\H in a 4-3 fit.  The raise may have put
North under more pressure than 1\H would have.






(2019-02-01 Westwood) https://3nt.xyz (c) Pete Matthews Jr}
[BCFlags "1f"]
[DoubleDummyTricks "75472754726896b6896b"]
[OptimumScore "EW 400"]
[Score "EW +150"]
[Auction "E"]
1C 1D 2C X =1=
3C 3D Pass Pass
4C AP
[Note "1:responsive (takeout)"]
[OptimumResultTable "Declarer;Denomination\2R;Result\2R"]
N NT  7
N  S  5
N  H  4
N  D  7
N  C  2
S NT  7
S  S  5
S  H  4
S  D  7
S  C  2
E NT  6
E  S  8
E  H  9
E  D  6
E  C 11
W NT  6
W  S  8
W  H  9
W  D  6
W  C 11