[gnasher]

kgr, on May 1 2008, 10:54 AM, said:

I wonder how bad it is to start with DBL.

Very bad, IMO. Double has all of the disadvantages of 1♥ - letting them bid spades cheaply, allowing them limit their hands - and the extra disadvantage that if the bidding comes back to you at 4♠ you're going to be completely stuffed. I'm struggling to think of any compensating advantages.

[MFA]

1♥.
If I bid four, I'll find myself x'ing 4♠ with xx & x in their suits. I can't do this.

I think X has a lot more going for it than gnasher says. We don't risk all pass, and we might get something valueable from partner, for instance a ♦-response. If part jumps to 4♠, we are likely toast, but if the opps get there in one round, I'll have a comfortable 5♥.

[effervesce]

4♥, avoiding the last guess.

[catch22]

Jlall, on Apr 30 2008, 06:40 PM, said:

I definitely think you are committed to smacking them off if you overcall 4H though otherwise it might be a reverse steal (lol).

There has always been a myth in bridge that if you don't know what to do after making a jump like this, you shouldn't make that jump.

Sounds like you did know what you were going to do.

[P_Marlowe]

Jlall, on Apr 30 2008, 06:40 PM, said:

<snip>
There has always been a myth in bridge that if you don't know what to do after making a jump like this, you shouldn't make that jump. That's silly. It could easily be right to bid 4H because your potential of buying it is so high and their potential of making a mistake is high. If they DO bid over it you may be in a tough spot and may have to guess, and you may guess wrong sometimes, but that doesn't mean the initial bid was wrong.

But the myth does not say, never bid 4H, if you have to guess later.
The myth says only, if you bid 4H, make up your mind, what you
will do, if they bid, make the guess / decision what to do before vou bid,
... else you will give the show away.

And this is certainly a sensible advice.

A similar advice is, if one intends to ask for key cards, one should guess /
decide what to do (in case an unpleasant answer is given) before one asks.

With kind regards
Marlowe

[Fluffy]

The_Hog, on Apr 30 2008, 12:29 PM, said:

whereagles, on Apr 29 2008, 07:43 PM, said:

4♥ and I don't care about colors. A lot of plusses for this bid and few minuses.

Agree with Nuno again!

Yeah me too, althou I know of some opponents against whom I have more chances to play 4♥ bidding slowly than directly, I might go slow against them (maybe 2 then 4).