[kenberg]

I voted for 3C, I see the point of the 3S splinter, I raise a question. I think it likely (reasons to follow) that over 3S partner will bid 3NT. Now what?

Reasons for thinking partner will bid 3NT: The auction began with three passes. Partner is bidding diamonds on at most a queen high suit. Whether or not they are playing Walsh, it's a good bet partner has at most three spades. This means the non-vulnerable opponents, at mps, have 9 spades and have each passed up two opportunities to bid spades. Some of those honors must be in partner's hand. The time honored way to show wasted slam values (KQx) opposite a splinter is to bid 3NT. If I bid 3C, partner will (or so I am hoping) bid 3NT if he has something in each major, and he will bid 3S if he has only spades after which I can bid 4D offering a choice of games. So maybe I will stick with 3C.

Still, I gather from what Pig has said his partner passed 3C. Or else he has the heart ace and they missed the cold 6C. Or both. Hard to argue for 3C against that.

Pig: Am I right that your partner has some spade honors, or am I reading too much into this?

[mike777]

kenberg, on Aug 17 2005, 08:22 PM, said:

I voted for 3C, I see the point of the 3S splinter, I raise a question. I think it likely (reasons to follow) that over 3S partner will bid 3NT. Now what?

Reasons for thinking partner will bid 3NT: The auction began with three passes. Partner is bidding diamonds on at most a queen high suit. Whether or not they are playing Walsh, it's a good bet partner has at most three spades. This means the non-vulnerable opponents, at mps, have 9 spades and have each passed up two opportunities to bid spades. Some of those honors must be in partner's hand. The time honored way to show wasted slam values (KQx) opposite a splinter is to bid 3NT. If I bid 3C, partner will (or so I am hoping)  bid 3NT if he has something in each major, and he will bid 3S if he has only spades after which I can bid 4D offering a choice of games. So maybe I will stick with 3C.

Still,  I gather from what Pig has said his partner passed 3C. Or else he has the heart ace and they missed the cold 6C. Or both. Hard to argue for 3C against that.

Pig: Am I right that your partner has some spade honors, or am I reading too much into this?

If partner has stoppers in both majors she should bid 1nt. This is MP, why fool around bidding a worthless D suit. Bid where your hcp are!

No, 1D has to show doubt for no trumps. they can bid 3nt, as you say, over 3s with wasted spade honors.

[pclayton]

Elianna: has this hand gotten better or worse since pard responded 1D? I do agree that K and R is most helpful for initial evaluation, outside of the context of the rest of the auction.

P-M - you seem to be under the impression that there isn't any gap between a jump rebid and a strong artificial opening.

Anyway, I feel like I'm talking to a brick wall on this one, and I've spoken my points. Feel free to respond, but please don't insult us with comments that suggest we are bound to a certain system, so the hand must be bid in a certain fashion....

[Elianna]

pclayton, on Aug 17 2005, 09:45 PM, said:

Elianna: has this hand gotten better or worse since pard responded 1D? I do agree that K and R is most helpful for initial evaluation, outside of the context of the rest of the auction.

I agree that it's gotten better. I just don't agree that K and R is the tool that should be used to claim that it has.

[awm]

I'd try 2♥ here. Playing walsh style responses would make this much easier I suspect. This hand is enough for a game force -- there are 8 possible tricks and you will have a shot at 3NT opposite as little as:

Kxx
Jx
Qxxx
xxxx

Surely partner is passing 3♣ with that hand. Partner probably also passes 3♣ with:

xxxx
Ax
Qxxxx
xx

So we need to force game. Outside some exotic psychics, the reasonable ways to do this are 2♥ and 3♠. I prefer 2♥ because it keeps the auction lower while still communicating my values. If partner bids 2NT or the like, I will try 3♦; if partner rebids diamonds we can look for slam in that strain, and if partner tries clubs my diamond bid should be choice of strains and pinpoint the issue in spades for 3NT.

The problem with 3♠ is, if we end up going past 3NT it will be very difficult to back into a club fit. Partner will expect four diamonds for the raise, and will prefer the illusory 4-4 fit to a 6-3 club fit. The danger of 2♥ is that partner might try to raise the hearts. Of course, if we play walsh responses this is basically impossible (partner would've bid 1♥ over 1♣ with hearts). Even if partner does raise the hearts, it's possible that 4♥ is our proper spot.

[pigpenz]

kenberg, on Aug 17 2005, 08:22 PM, said:

Pig: Am I right that your partner has some spade honors, or am I reading too much into this?

partners hand was:

---

spade lead out and heart switch beats 3nt played form my side, 3NT from other side cant be beat, and 5♣ and 5♦ are makers

[mike777]

pigpenz, on Aug 18 2005, 11:57 AM, said:

kenberg, on Aug 17 2005, 08:22 PM, said:

Pig: Am I right that your partner has some spade honors, or am I reading too much into this?

partners hand was:

---

spade lead out and heart switch beats 3nt played form my side, 3NT from other side cant be beat, and 5♣ and 5♦ are makers

As I said prefer bidding 1nt, showing 8-10 hcp as a passed hand with that at MP but even at IMP, why fool around with 1d with a balanced hand and most of your hcp outside D?

Partner can always reverse with 2d over 1nt if she wants.

As usual on the forum, partner had the real bid problem/issue on this hand .