Passed Hand Bidding
People seem to have widely varying views about how to handle the auction after one player has passed. Our partnerships pass some pretty good balanced hands, so there may be an extra obligation to open the bidding in 3rd or 4th seat. Once the bidding is open, we expect partner to develop the auction normally. In particular, we rebid with any hand where we would have opened in first or second position. Trying to stop at the one-level never works anyway, so we save it to warn of a light opening.
A correspondent recently sent some hands on this theme, so let’s see how we would do.
You hold the following at IMP’s :
KQ 
9732 
J9532 
A3.
You pass in 2nd seat, neither vulnerable, and your partner opens 1. You respond 1 and he raises to 2, the opponents remaining silent.
What is your next move?
Vulnerable I bid 4H as there are too many chances that a game is there with the double fit. But nonvul like here the reward ratio is not as great so I don’t push as hard. This is definitely worth an invite–but which one? 2N might get us to the only making game, but with the double fit 3D is probably a safer choice.
October 2, 2006 Charles Sheaff
Nice double fit, but the honors are poorly placed, and won’t help as much as they would if they were in the red suits. For example, with xx, KQ9x, AJxxx, xx, I think this is a clear 4H call. As it is, I’m on the fence between 3D and pass. If 3D was nonforcing, e.g. if partner had a 3-card raise, I like that call. Otherwise, I choose pass, given your description of your methods.
October 5, 2006 Mark Kinzer
Wow. I must be missing something. Everybody is bidding 4H? Suppose partner threw me down xxx/AQxx/AKxx/xx which is a pretty good hand. How good is game? Well we have three sure losers even if the heart king is onside. then we’ll need the diamonds coming in. I could be talked into a game TRY (of three diamonds) at IMPS and apologize when partner comes with xxx/KJxx/AQxx/Qx and off I go.
At matchpoints, I’ll be honest with you. I would pass.
October 11, 2006 Jack Oest
I would pass…. I have a 10 count with 4 terrible trumps and honors in my short suits.
October 20, 2006 Justin Lall