17 November 2011

How many points do you need?

This is a poll and there are no wrong answers. Just silly ones for which everyone will gently ridicule you....


Given a flat hand, what is the minimum points required to bid 3NT in this position:

Pass - (3) - ?


Here are a few hands to aid your thinking:


15
K Q 8
Q 7 6
K 9 8
A J 8 6

17
K Q 8
Q 7 6
K Q 8 5
A J 6

19
K Q 8
A 7 6 3
K Q 8
A J 6

21
K Q 8 4
A Q 6
K Q 8
A J 6


For those that can't answer a question without all the details; imagine you're playing pairs, everyone is vulnerable and it's raining.

5 comments:

  1. On that first hand, I think I'd sigh (mentally, not actually) and pass. With the rest I'd bid 3N.

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  2. I don't want to bid 3NT on any of these hands -- there simply doesn't seem to be a source of tricks opposite a passed partner. If the pre-empter has 9-10 points for 3-level vul preempt, that means partner is probably broke.

    The first two hands, I would pass.

    The third hand, I would double for takeout (we play t/o doubles through 3S) and pass anything that partner bids. I'm hoping that partner has a distributional hand and can make 4H.

    On the final hand, I'd bid 3NT but very unhappily.

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  3. The 3NT overcall is perhaps the widest range call in the game.

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  4. The spade holdings in all four hands is good enough that I am going to be able to exhaust LHO of spades; that is a good thing.

    Still, I am going to pass the dull 15 point hand. I will bid 3NT on the two strongest hands. With the 17 point hand, I would bid 3NT except perhaps at fav vul, where I might consider passing 3S.

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  5. Assume 8 points for the pre-empt (AJxxxxx and a King outside) and even points in the other two hands then:

    16hcp = 24 combined
    18hcp = 25 combined
    20hcp = 26 combined

    As Lak pointed out there's no source of tricks so 26 points might be required.

    I think 20 is probably the magic number but you could still go for 1100 when partner is bust.

    @Paul, did you just answer the question by avoiding it?

    ReplyDelete