[FrancesHinden]

♠ J98742
♥ 4
♦ AK1074
♣ J

vul against not, playing against fairly weak opponents who are playing weak NT, 4-card majors, open the lower of two 4-card suits. Swiss teams, 7-board matches IMPs converted to VPs.

partner deals

P…1♣….1♠…..2♣
3♥…x….4♠….5♣
P….P…..?

Partner’s 3♥ shows 4(+) spades, 5(+) hearts, and values to compete at the 3 –level. It shows no more high cards than a 3♠ bid; your agreement is that you always show the side suit when you can. As a passed hand, 4♥ would also have been a fit bid, so partner is limited. Double of 3♥ is ‘penalties’

You are not in a forcing pass auction.

Do you agree with your 4♠ bid?
What do you do now?

If you had set up a forcing pass auction, e.g. by bidding 4♣ or 4♦, partner will pass over 5♣. Now what do you do?

[Mbodell]

FrancesHinden, on Oct 1 2007, 04:59 AM, said:

Do you agree with your 4♠ bid?
What do you do now?

If you had set up a forcing pass auction, e.g. by bidding 4♣ or 4♦, partner will pass over 5♣.  Now what do you do?

1. It is certainly better than a 3♠ bid , but what would 4♦ mean in your system? Slam isn't impossible although it is unlikely I'd think, but I think we should make some more positive response than 4♠.

2. 5♠. We have a 10 card fit in spades, good cross ruffing chances in the red suits, and may not have enough on defense to beat 5♣ by enough when 5♠ was making.

3. I think you dbl if a forcing pass situation has been set up. You have a decent chance of setting with 2 ♦ plus help from partner (A♥, ♥ ruff, or ♦ ruff for partner). I think you'd pass partner if he passed than pulled if you've already shown slam interest by bidding 4m.

[mikeh]

I chicken out. Partner is limited so I need a very specific and unlikely hand for us to make. I'm not going to play for it. I doubt that they are making, but I also doubt that they are going down more than 1, so double has little in its favour.

So I pass.

I agree with 4♠, altho if my spade suit were a tiny bit better, I'd prefer a diamond bid to encourage partner to get involved at the 5 level.

If I had bid 4♦, and partner had passed, I think I'd take the push now, because partner's pass increases the likelihood that he has the specific hand I need (both major Aces, in essence)

[pclayton]

I pass too. If I had to pull out a non-green card I'd double.

Pard's 3♥ call should be a warning. We have at least one trump loser and a club loser. Making 5♠ seems very remote.

Am I supposed to x to stop pard from bidding?

[han]

Pass.

[ArtK78]

I would have bid 4♦ over 3♥x. Over 5♣, if partner doesn't bid 5♠, I am not bidding it, either.

We have some defense - the two diamonds may cash - partner may even be able to ruff the third one. He may have a heart trick. So we may go plus. On the other hand, the chances of making 11 tricks in spades seems remote. It is possible, if partner has the magic hand - KQxx Axxxx xx xx - but that seems like too much for him to have on this auction.

[cherdano]

I double.

[kfay]

I'd double. 5♠ doesn't rate to make since we're probably off a spade and a club off the top. Partner looks to have maybe a stiff diamond and max 2 here and can probably ruff at T3, hopefully he'll have a trick somewhere else for 300.

[Fluffy]

Looks like everyone is 1 off.

Partner can have ♠KQ ♥A on a good day, but he can also have ♠A and ♥KQ and many more hands less useful, this means 5♠ is almost out.

between pass and double, double will not be very profitable at these vulnerability, but better than nothing, I'd double.

[Codo]

Quote

Do you agree with your 4♠ bid?
What do you do now?

If you had set up a forcing pass auction, e.g. by bidding 4♣ or 4♦, partner will pass over 5♣. Now what do you do?

1. Yes,
2. double
3. double

[Fluffy]

About the 4♠ bid, I don't think showing diamonds when partner showed hearts is a good idea, so 4♠ looks fine to me.

[gwnn]

I don't understand double. are they even off?

[skjaeran]

4♠ is OK.
I'll pass now.
In the last scenario I think it's close, but I'm gonna take the push to 5♠.

[Impact]

Tough as SAKxx will give me a great play in 5S - and they could be cold for 5C (S void) or one off...

I am uncomfortable but will take out insurance with 5S (note I think I would have bid 4D so that partner could be in on the act so that in your last scenario when he passes I can take the push slightly more confidently).

regards

[whereagles]

Seems like pard's side suit ain't gonna help us. Dbl or pass, depending on how lucky I feel

[FrancesHinden]

I counted 5 passes, 4 doubles and 2 bids.

I admit I'm slightly surprised at the passes. You know that pass isn't right - it's right either to bid or double (this is the same as decision III). In such a position sometimes you pass and hope for the best, but I think it's a bit pessimistic to think 5C is making.

RHO's double of 3H is a bit odd.

By the way, at MATCHPOINTS I think 5S is right. You've had a strange auction, and the room may not be saving.

At the table I bid 5S, though on reflection I think double was right. To bid honest, I didn't bid 4D because - after the double of 3H - I wasn't really expecting a 5C bid.

Anyway the doublers win this time. 5S has play - dummy has

K10xx
A109xx
xx
xx

- but goes off.
5Cx is two off on the obvious defence (it's obvous because dummy has a spade void).